Ray Moore Wins a Thriller at the Inaugural Pelican 100!!!

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One last look at some pics from the Pelican 100 posted here. See 4th post down...


The 100-lap feature was incredible for the inaugural Pelican 100! The capacity, standing-room only crowd stood in appreciation afterwards and cheered through the victory lane celebration. The race track in a word was simply 'great'! Racing high, low and through the middle grooves as well. Two-wides and three-wides through lapped traffic for the whole 100 laps. Five cautions in all with no major incidents or crashes. Lots of lead changes among three drivers: Bub McCool, Ronny Lee Hollingsworth and after running 3rd and 4th much of the way, hometown hero Ray Moore comes on strong and makes it a 3-way battle with 25 to go. As the laps wound down, David Breazelle re-entered the picture after fading back to fifth earlier and the last 5-laps featured a three-car dogfight with McCool on the rim, Moore on the berm and Breazelle closing fast with a lapped car down low too. The race wasn't decided until the final lap! Ray Moore's door panel was 'conviscated' -- no, 'donated' -- for the Ark-La-Tex Speedway 'Wall of Fame'. There's only one inaugural race winner per event and Ray Moore has the title of Pelican 100 Champion, year one. A race that won't be forgotten around these parts for a long, long time. Can't wait to see YEAR TWO of this one assuming I can catch my breath by then after watching year one. 15 of the 22 starters were running at the end of the race and nine cars were on the lead lap. If you missed this one, you can start kicking yourself now but don't worry, only 364 days till the next Pelican 100 at Ark-La-Tex Speedway!!!

Pelican 100 A-main results, Ark-La-Tex Speedway, Vivian, LA, February 26th, 2011

48 Entries

1. 93 Ray Moore, Haughton, LA, $10,000
2. 57J Bub McCoool, Vicksburg, MS $5000 (+$100 fast time from Arizona Motorsports!)
3. 54 David Breazell, Four Corners, MS $2500
4. C28 Kenny Merchant, West Monroe, LA $2000
5. 14M Morgan Bagley, Tyler, TX $1500
6. 88 Wendell Wallace, Batesville, AR $1400
7. 18 Ronny Lee Hollingswoth, Northport, AL $1300
8. 21jr Billy Moyer, Jr., Batesville, AR $1200
9. 1S Jack Sullivan, Greenbriar, AR $1100
10. 86 Kyle Beard, Truman, AR $1000
11. 5M Jon Mitchell, Texarkana, TX $1000
12. C8 Timothy Culp, West Monroe, LA $1000
13. 65 Dewaine Hottinger, Russelville, AR $1000
14. F5 Josh Danzy, Heflin, LA $1000
15. 10 Mike Balcaen, Winninpeg, MB, Canada $1000
16. 11 Jon Kirby, Russelville, AR $1000
17. R5 BJ Robinson, Shreveport, LA $1000
18. 87M Jody Mayne, Grand Saline, TX $1000
19. 77 Greg Fore, Greenville, MS $1000
20. 115 Trey Beene, Bossier City, LA $1000
21. 21 Lee Davis, Greenwood, LA $1000
22. 6X Rob Litton, Alexandria, LA $1000

Charlie Kruithof of Bossier City, LA beat a field of 37 All-Points System Factory Stocks and Billy Melton, Jr. of Longview, Texas topped 24 Limited Modifieds.

By the way, Smiley's Racing Products and Hoosier Tire Southwest put up $1000 for a front row challenge. Pole sitter Bub McCool first, then outside pole Ronny Lee Hollingsworth were offered $1000 no matter what -- that would have made the show at least $2000 to start for either one of them -- IF they moved back to the 4th row. They both declined. As it turned out, I bet they both say yes next year if it's offered again. It's a tough call when you're going for $10,000 but the way McCool ran those first 25 laps, he would have been top 3 by the first caution. Hollingsworth held the lead for quite a while in the middle stages but after a restart with 21 laps to go, McCool went to his outside and Moore to his inside and they were 3-wide down the backstretch. When they got to turns 3 and 4, Ronny Lee spun for the race's final caution and was hit by Jon Kirby. He restarted ninth after a trip to the pits.

Trey Beene won the non-qualifier's drawing for the 21st starting spot which turned out to be worth $1000. BJ Robinson won the wrap from Xtreme Graphics. Raymond Childress of Childress Racing bought the 22nd and final starting spot for Robinson for $2600 at the auction. When the bidding reached $2000, promoter Gene Boyter raised the start money to $1000.

BIG THANKS to race sponsors:

CHILDRESS FISHING & RENTALS, Haughton, LA
P & W SALES, Kilgore, TX
SMITH'S TOWING of MINDEN, Minden, LA
TROY'S AUTO SALVAGE, Minden, LA
ED RINEHART, Porter, TX
XTREME GRAPHICS by J-ROD, Baton Rouge, LA

And...

SMILEY'S RACING PRODUCTS/HOOSIER TIRE SOUTHWEST - $1000 Front Row Challenge
ARIZONA MOTORSPORTS - $100 Fast Time Award
VIVIAN CHAMBER of COMMERCE - 4-$25 Walmart Gift Cards for fan draw
WALMART, Vivian, LA - 4-$20 Gift Cards & banner display at the store
KENNY'S TOWING, Shreveport, LA - $100 for fan draw
KEN LAWLER BUILDERS, Shreveport, LA - $100 fan draw
ALL POINT SYSTEMS COPIERS, Vivian, LA - $100 fan draw
BOBBY'S DIECAST, Leesville, LA - JJ Yeley collectble car for fan draw
MIDSOUTH RACING MAFIA, Memphis, TN - Ben Shelton
'UP TO SPEED' www.KCMC740.com - Radio show with Keith Schutte & Dustin Robinette
DIRTONDIRT.com - Brian Wimberly & BEST Photography
LUVRACIN.com - Bruce Koen
SCOTT's CUSTOM ART - Scott Burson

and...

Cristi Halsell, Blanchard, LA, trophy queen

AND OF COURSE...

ALL THE RACERS, TRAVELERS, LOCALS and ESPECIALLY YOU FANS that made this an awesome first time event!!! SUPPORT CLASS RACER support was excellent in both classes. I didn't see anyone who wanted their money back. See you back at Ark-La-Tex Speedway very soon!

COMP CAMS SUPER DIRT CAR Series at Ark-La-Tex Speedway on June 25th!!!

For more upcoming great events in 2011, see www.ArkLaTexSpeedway.net

[Jemjo]

Congratulations to Ray, crew and family!!!

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A big thanks to all these racers below who didn't make the A main this year but we hope to see them back trying again next year because they are the show too!!! (Arranged by car #, then letter character)

02 Troy Berdan, Minden, LA - Troy was a race sponsor, Troy's Auto Salvage in Minden. Thanks Troy!

0 Shane Harris, Sheridan, AR - Great to see him back racing with the Mopar motor. Love the wrap too!

1 Doug Begnaud, Cypress, TX - This Houston area driver almost made in in! Doug was very supportive of the Pelican 100 from day one. Thanks!

1A Ronny Adams, Marshall, TX - I think they hurt a motor on Friday and never got to run a heat. We hate that and sure wanted to see Ronny run. He has a Pelican 200 win on asphalt back in the day.

2 Alan Murray, San Antonio, TX - They were close in their B. San Antonio is not a hot bed for Dirt Late Model racers and it's a good haul to Vivian. Great to have Alan make that trip. His crew chief is former Boothill Late Model track champion and former Ronny Adams crew man, Robbie 'Roo-Roo' Lareaux!

7X Jim Bryant, Natchitoches, LA - Gentleman to the max! Great guy and glad he raced with us.

10 Leon Henderson, MS - Brought two cars over including 3rd place finisher David Breazelle.

10P Jody Prince, Sibley, LA - J & J Racing in Haynesville, Louisiana! Great to have support from Jody at the race. J & J has all your dirt track needs!

11C Jeff Chanler, Minden, LA - Bad luck in his heat race hurt. Perhaps the best car there that didn't make that top 20. He raced from 16th to 5th in his B and we took the top 4. If he had a better starting spot or a couple more laps, he would have made it!

11JR Bubba Mullins, West Monroe, LA - Jowers Used Cars & Auto Glass in Arcadia -- Ricky Jowers -- a long time sponsor of Dirt Late Model racers including a long stretch on the side of Kevin Weaver's car out of Illinois. Great to have Ricky & Bubba at the show. Watch for Bubba's son, Bud Mullins at a track near you too!

17M Phil Miller, Plano, TX -- I think Phil is regular at the Devil's Bowl. Glad he came over. Hope more of the Devil's Bowl cars can make the Pelican 100 in 2012.

18 Brian Sugg, Fort Worth, TX -- and this guy too! Brian is quite a wheel man. He can sling a Modified right too.

21 Neil Baggett, Shannon, MS -- another one that came close to getting in. Had a good car and made a pretty long pull for us. Thanks!

25 Justin McRee, Cottondale, AL -- This guy not making the show probably bothers me more than anyone else not making it & it's not personal. Other than Mike Balcaen who is from Winnepeg, Canada and has been racing down here for the past few weeks, Justin probably pulled the furthest and he had another show just 2 hours away from where he lives that he could have raced at. He got turned around in his heat race and hit by another car before he even got a lap in and he had a pretty good car too for a first year Late Model racer. That made him start at the back of a B on Saturday but he raced his way up into a 3-way battle for the 4th and final transfer spot before spinning late in the race. If we had a 'Goody's Headache Hard Luck award', Justin deserved it. Hope we get him back one day.

27 Stacy Taylor, Jacksonville, AR - Good to see Stacy at the track too. Maybe he can run all the COMP CAMS Super Dirt Car Series events and we'll see him again on June 25th.

28B Wendell Bolden, Greenville, TX - This guy is one of our past IMCA Stock Car & Sport Mod racers who's been Late Model racing the past couple of years. Thanks for coming!

58 Heath Culp, McKinney, TX - Formerly of West Monroe, LA and has a lot of laps at the Chatham track. Veteran! We're proud of Heath's service to his country. Tim Culp's uncle I believe too.

58X Gary Christian, Broken Bow, OK - another former Modified racer with some laps at Ark-La-Tex. Is he 17 already? Seems like only yesterday he was this little guy I ran into at the Chili Bowl. Oh, yea, he was racing then too! Hang in there Gary, it'll come around soon!!!

71a Allen Tippen, Minden, LA - I remember this guy going door-to-door for many laps with the likes of Tom Wiggins, Mike Wiggins, Wayne Rolan and all those Minden guys in that old 40 to 50 count Sportster class at Webster Speedway (now Champion Park!) Now he's quite a Late Model racer. We probably needed that track to slick up just a little. Should see Allen at the Champion SUPR race on March 19th and the Boothill SUPR race on May 6th.

77 Kenneth Crowe, Port Allen, LA - Another smiling face that i was happy to see. He didn't race for about a year and then we saw him at Pike County's Jambalaya and now the Pelican 100! Cool deal!

96 Kyle Cummings, Sibley, LA - Was there on Friday but had trouble with the car. Hopefully Slick Swain & company can get #96 going here soon. Heard Kyle has a new Modified he's getting together. Got some great Modified shows coming up at Ark-La-Tex including the Qwik Race Cars Spring Nationals in which the Modifieds run Sunday only for $2000 on NO entry fee and the Doug Murphrey Memorial Modified race which pays $5000 to win on June 3rd and 4th!! You now, for a couple years you couldn't beat Kyle in a Modified at Champion Park and he's had a lot of success in a SUPR Late Model too.

97 Eric Neal, Lollita, TX - Another long puller from way down in Kevin Migura country -- by Victoria, Texas. He made three trips in all to ALT counting playdays and we appreciate Eric's support!

117C Wesley Chanler, Minden, LA - has been at the track three times this year too. Still learning these cars but he has great teachers in his father, Mr. Bert Chanler and brother Jeff too and with Barry Smith of Smith's Towing helping out as well, Wesley will be there one day!

601 Curtis Cook, Conway, AR - Curtis raced a Modified at the 2010 edition of the Doug Murphrey Memorial race. Good to see him in a Late Model now!

Lazy8 Justin Ingalls, Longview, TX - Has the coolest wrap on his car dedicated to his car owner and grandfather 'Papa' Ray Ingalls who once won a Late Model feature at Boothill at the age of 73! One of Ray's other grandsons and former Late Model racer, Doug Ingalls, Jr. came up with the wrap design. You all need to check out the Lazy8 car up close somewhere if you get a chance.

T49 Raymond Taylor, Ball, LA -- TWM Racing Products down there by Alexandria. Mr. Raymond is a fixture in Late Model racing around these parts and we're sure glad they came. You folks can always get the best bird cages, quick changes and suspension parts at TWM!


Thanks to all of you for trying! I know it's not 100% across the board that all these guys had a fun weekend and a good time but we sure wanted you to and hope you can come again and have better luck next time. We'll be looking for ways to make the Pelican 100 better for everybody in 2012!!!

Pelican 100 'Class of 2011'

photo by Scott's Custom Art:

http://www.hooksrpm.com/Pelican100starters.jpg (http://www.scottscustomart.com)

And the man of the hour!

http://www.hooksrpm.com/Pelican100MooreVL.jpg (http://www.scottscustomart.com)

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A picture's worth a thousand words? Well, there's about 10,000 or so down there and of course, I don't think it's enough so I'll add another 50 or so.

The 11C is Jeff Chanler in his B main. At best, he had to come from 14th place to battle for the 4th and final transfer spot. The 10, Mike Balcaen from Canada and the blue 21 Lee Davis made the show. That's how close Jeff and Neil Baggett came to making the 100.

The Limited Mod A-main picture shows off the crowd well as does the four-wide and some chose to stand. The 3-wide Factory Stock shot of the cars going into turn one shows some of the fans standing where we hope to have seats next year.

The rest speak for themselves!

http://www.hooksrpm.com/Pelican100-pics.jpg (http://www.arklatexspeedway.net)