Jeremy Shaw had come close to a win at Magnolia Motor Speedway multiple times before taking the checkered flag in the Crate Racin’ USA Late Models feature race at the Sportsman World Championship May 24.
Now, he’s apparently got the 3/8-mile dirt track all figured out.
Shaw started on the pole of the Late Model feature in Saturday’s weekly racing series event at The Mag, led every lap and cruised to a victory in his red and black 1S car.
“To come back tonight and back it up with another win, it’s pretty exciting to get two in a row out here,” Shaw said.
Shaw, of Millport, Alabama, finished roughly three seconds ahead of second-place Randall Beckwith of Kilmichael. Ryan Colby, Jamie Tollison and Austin Franklin rounded out the top five.
Shaw said the track was in good condition for the 20-lap feature race, allowing him to run smoothly wherever he chose.
“I felt like we could move around pretty good on the bottom and the top,” he said.
He said starting on the pole “never hurts” but that if he’d had to come from the middle of the pack, he could have still sped his way to victory.
“I felt like we had a car good enough that we could have raced our way up there if we needed to,” Shaw said.
Shaw said he’ll be back in Columbus in two weeks for the final two days of the General Tire Clash at The Mag, set to run June 18-20.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series and COMP Cams Super Dirt Series cars will run $5,000-to-win programs Thursday and Friday and a $15,000-to-win, 100-lap event Saturday.
Street Stocks, Crate Racin’ USA Late Models and Ranch House Diner Factory Stocks will also be competing Friday. On Saturday, Street Stocks, Late Models and Glenn’s BBQ and Fish Late Model Sportsman programs will run.
Crate Racin’ USA Sportsman
Brett White is back at the top.
After losing two weeks ago to Booger Brooks in the Mag’s Memorial Day Weekend event, White left no doubt in Saturday night’s 15-lap Glenn’s Fish and BBQ Crate Racin’ USA Sportsman race.
The Kosciusko racer won his fourth Sportsman event of the season, starting on the pole and never giving up the lead. He built a solid lead over second-place finisher Tony Shelton of Steens and won handily.
Mike Pickard of Steens was third, with Chase Williams and Zack Owens rounding out the top five.
Colby Ponds of Caledonia was seventh, and Caleb Pickard of Columbus was 12th.
Street Stocks
Jamie Sudduth was happy to let them fight.
After the Millport, Alabama, racer shot to the outside on the sixth lap to grab the lead from Shay Knight of Steens in Saturday’s Three Star Tire and Auto Crate Racin’ USA Street Stocks race, Sudduth held the lead while Knight battled Justin McRee for second.
“That’s what I wanted,” Sudduth said.
He took advantage of a caution after five laps were completed to shoot past Knight less than a full lap the restart, saying the slowdown helped him get settled and plan the move.
“I knew I could,” Sudduth said. “I just had to get a good run.”
That he did, and he grabbed his second win at The Mag to boot.
“It feels good,” Sudduth said. “It feels really good.”
Factory Stocks
John Johnson IV of Ethelsville, Alabama, won the Ranch House Diner Factory Stocks race Saturday.
Johnny Pannell was second, and Nathan Page was third. John A. Beard Jr. of Columbus was fourth, and Jarrett Jones was fifth.
Thomas Gable of West Point was 12th, Aidan Fletcher of Columbus was 13th, Craig Barham of Columbus was 18th, Bobby Barksdale of Columbus was 20th, and Jr Card of West Point was 21st.
Modifieds
Jason Byrd of Carbon Hill, Alabama, won Saturday’s Crate Racin’ USA Modifieds event.
Shane Burns finished second in the six-car field, while Jimmy Anderson of Columbus was third.
Tyler Castle, Jennifer Byrd and Cody Wright rounded out the field.
Hot Shots
Brandon Meeks of Booneville won the seven-car Hot Shots race Saturday, beating out James Page of Baldwyn and William Dunlap of Guntown.
Ed Caulder of Columbus finished fourth, and Peyton Manzo of Baldwyn was fifth.
Judd Murphy of Columbus and Brandon Glenn of Steens finished sixth and seventh, respectively, to round out the field.
Theo DeRosa reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @Theo_DeRosa.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 41 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.