Brett White tried his best to put Booger Brooks behind him before Sunday night’s Late Model Sportsman feature race at Magnolia Motor Speedway even began.
White finished third — one spot ahead of Brooks — in Saturday’s qualifying, giving him the third selection in Sunday’s “draw and choose” start. Among the top eight positions, White picked the No. 8, and he chose Brooks to start in that spot.
It didn’t matter.
Brooks shot past pole-sitter Nick Thrash on the 17th lap after a restart, held off multiple charges by White and won the 50-lap race and the $3,000 prize that came with it.
“That was fun right there,” Brooks told The Mag’s Ben Shelton after the race.
White, who had won the first three Sportsman races at the speedway this season, congratulated Brooks after the racing, saying he’d made a good choice giving Brooks the No. 8 position.
“At least I tried to put him back there,” White said.
But the Kosciusko resident couldn’t keep Brooks down for long. Brooks never trailed after seizing the lead from Thrash after a caution with 35 laps to go.
Brooks kept the lead when White made a bid to pass both him and Thrash on the 24th lap, maintained the advantage when White came oh so close to taking over first place on the 29th, held steady on two more restarts and won by more than a second.
The Chickamauga, Georgia, racer credited his crew for Sunday’s victory.
“They do 90 percent of the work,” Brooks said. “I just get in and drive it.”
White said he wasn’t disappointed by his first second-place finish at The Mag this year, which still netted him a $1,500 prize.
“We were just proud to make the show,” he said. “Forty good guys, and we ran second. You can’t really beat that — I guess by one spot.”
Colton Leyendecker, Thrash and Hayden Matthew Moran rounded out the top five.
“I was worried to death today I wasn’t gonna make it,” Leyendecker, who qualified for the 26-car field out of B-mains. “I’m tickled to death.”
The Crestview, Florida, native went home with $900 and no regrets for finishing behind Brooks and White on Sunday.
“These are probably the two best guys here, so I’m alright with it,” Leyendecker said. “They’re dang good.”
Shay Knight and Tony Shelton, both of Steens, finished sixth and seventh, respectively. Caledonia’s Colby Ponds was 15th.
Crate Racin’ USA Late Models
Jeremy Shaw of Millport, Alabama, rode the 1S car to victory in the Crate Racin USA Late Models feature Sunday night.
Shaw held off fellow Alabamian Monte Skinner, who finished second, to claim the $800 prize.
Jamie Elam, Ryan Colby and Randall Beckwith rounded out the top five.
Mark Stokes of Steens finished 17th.
Street Stocks
The Mag promoter Johnny Stokes won the Three Star Tire and Auto Street Stocks feature Sunday, holding off Justin McRee for the $500 prize.
Lee Ray of Columbus was third, and Tyler Moak and Carl Kilgore rounded out the top five.
Dustin Dupler of Columbus was 13th, and Michael Collums of West Point was 19th.
Modified Sportsman
Rusty Duncan of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, raced to a win in the Crate Racin’ USA Modified Sportsman feature Sunday night.
Duncan held off Athens, Alabama, resident Cade Finley to win $400.
Tracy Terrell and Jason Byrd gave the Yellowhammer State a sweep of the top four, but Scooter Ware of West Point finished fifth.
Jimmy Anderson of Columbus was seventh.
Factory Stocks
Johnny Pannell of Baldwyn held off two local racers to win the Ranch House Diner Factory Stocks feature race Sunday.
Pannell edged Aidan Fletcher of Columbus and Ware to win and claim the $300 first prize.
John Johnson IV and Jarrett Jones rounded out the top five.
Columbus racers John Beard and Bobby Barksdale were ninth and 10th, respectively.
Edward (Jr.) Card of West Point was 18th, and Thomas Gable of West Point was 21st.
Hot Shots
Jesse White of Lutts, Tennessee, won the Hot Shots division Sunday.
Chris Elliott, Isaac Slaton, Logan Bright and Joey Ray rounded out the top five.
Ed Caulder and Judd Murphy of Columbus were 11th and 13th, respectively.
Brandon Glenn of Steens was 15th.
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 31 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
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 31 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
