FLOMATON, AL – Cruz Skinner of Oxford, AL had his Skinner’s Body Shop Rocket in the right place at the right time to win the Memorial 50 for the Newsome Raceway Parts Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series on Saturday night at Tri-County Raceway. Skinner took the lead on lap 49 after the top two drivers in front of him crashed out.

Skinner led only the last two laps to pick up the $3,000 top prize with his fourth career Newsome Raceway Parts Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series win. Skinner drove under the checkered flag with 1.215 second margin of victory over the second-place driver Cody Overton of Grovetown, GA in the Midstates Equipment Rocket.

Steven Jernigan of Milton, FL started the JEI Logging CVR 21st and finished third to earn the Knowles Race Parts and Bodies Hard Charger of the Race Award. D.G. Hawkins of Chunchula, AL took the fourth spot in the United States Marine Corps Special and Jody Knowles of Tyrone, GA was fifth in the Clayton Signs/Gentry’s Used Auto Parts Special.

Josh Huss of Flomaton, AL finished sixth in the Griffin Automotive Special and Isaiah Day of Flomaton, AL drove the Truck South Logistics Special to a seventh-place finish. Corey Dunn of Milledgeville, GA took the eighth spot in the Georgia Timber CVR, and Joseph Joiner of Milton, FL finished ninth after leading the first 48 laps in the Hunt The Front Special.

Joiner tangled with his teammate Jesse Enterkin of Milton, FL in the Hunt The Front Special trying to lap him in turn one on lap 49. Joiner cut down a tire and had to pit to change the tire and finish the race. Parker Martin of Milledgeville, GA rounded out the top ten in the Martin Industrial Contractors Special.

In preliminary action, Joiner was the Fast Qualifier with a lap around Tri-County Speedway in 12.678 seconds. The two eight-lap KRC Power Steering B-Mains were won by Monte Skinner of Saraland, AL in the Capital Race Cars Special, and Trynt Lloyd of Jacksonville, FL in the Tom Kelly Construction Special.

Overton finished second, despite making heavy contact with the steel guard rail early in the race and that earned him the VP Racing Lubricants Slick Move of the Race Award. Overton continues to lead the Newsome Raceway Parts Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series point standings with 288 points. Overton also leads the Cruise With The Champions Rookie of the Year point standings.

Skinner is second in the Newsome Raceway Parts Crate Racin’ USA points chase with 278 points and 15-year-old Martin is third with 256 points. Martin is also the VP Racing Fuels Young Gun Challenge Series point leader for drivers 18 years of age and younger, and he is second in the Cruise With The Champions Rookie of the Year point standings.

Joiner chose to start the race from the outside of the front row and took the lead when the green flag out to start the race followed by Wil Herrington of Hawkinsville, GA in the Poole Service Center Rocket, Stephen Brantley of Monroeville, AL in the Airport Auto Sales Special, Huss, and Knowles.

The initial start was negated when Ken Cartwright of Greenville, AL spun the Loko Racing CVR in turn two on lap one. The field lined up for a complete restart, and it was Joiner once again taking the lead followed by Herrington, Brantley, Martin, and Skinner. Lloyd brought out the second caution flag on lap three with a spin on the back straightaway.

Joiner lined up in the lead for the Dixie-Style Double-File Restart with Herrington, Brantley, Martin, Skinner, Overton, Huss, Knowles, Bo Slay of Milton, FL in the Slay’s Mobile Home Service Rocket and Skinner doubled up behind him. Skinner got by Martin for the fourth spot, and Huss raced past Martin for fifth on the restart.

Joiner began to encounter the cars on the tail of the lead lap by lap seven, and Herrington was able to stay within a couple of car-lengths of the leader. The lapped traffic went away on lap ten when Bailey Martin of Flomaton, AL spun the Advance Recycling Special in turn one and collected Brantley to bring out the third caution flag. The wreck sent both cars to the pits for the evening.

When the green flag came back out, Joiner led Herrington, and Skinner, while Huss lost several positions with Martin moving up to fourth and Slay drove up to the fifth spot. Joiner reached lapped traffic on lap 14 and once again he was able to maintain a two car-length advantage over Herrington.

T.J. Brittain of Centre, AL stalled the Brittain Hauling Warrior in turn four on lap 20 to bring out the fourth caution flag. Joiner led the field down for the restart with Herrington, Skinner, Martin, Slay, Overton, Huss, Hawkins, Knowles, and Lloyd doubled up behind him in the top ten.

Martin tagged the backstretch guard rail after the restart and fell out of the top ten. When the field got the crossed flags to signal the halfway point in the race, Joiner found himself once again on lapped traffic. Herrington saw an opportunity to challenge for the lead and dove to the inside of Joiner in turn one on lap 26.

The top two drivers raced side-by-side in turn one, but Joiner had the preferred outside line coming off the second turn to stay out front. Before Herrington could reload and take another shot at Joiner, Dunn stalled in turn four to bring out the fifth caution flag. With Joiner out front all by himself, Herrington chose to restart on the inside for the first time.

Skinner used the outside spot on the restart to drive around Herrington in turn one for the second spot. The field was slowed by a caution flag for the sixth time on lap 31 when Cartwright spun in turn two for the second time. The top ten for the double-file restart was Joiner, Skinner, Herrington, Slay, Overton, Hawkins, Huss, Jernigan, Skinner, and Day.

Herrington got back around Skinner for second on the restart and set sail to try and reel in Joiner. Overton continued his march to the front by passing Slay for fourth on the restart. Joiner caught heavy lapped traffic on lap 40, and Herrington closed in to challenge for the lead. Herrington looked to the inside of Joiner on lap 43, but Joiner held off the challenge.

On lap 49, Herrington pulled to the outside of Joiner coming down the front straightaway as the lead duo came up to lap Joiner’s teammate Enterkin. Joiner went to the inside of Enterkin, who got sideways in turn one, collecting Joiner. The teammates slid up the banking and collected Herrington, who made hard contact with the first turn steel.

Herrington and Enterkin were out of the race, and Joiner had to pit with a cut tire. Under the caution flag, Slay, who would have restarted third, lost a wheel on the front straightaway. When the dust settled, Skinner found himself in the lead with Overton, Jernigan, Hawkins, Huss, Day, Knowles, Dunn, Ahnna Parkhurst of Evans, GA in the EZ Go Special and Martin doubled up behind the leader. Skinner pulled away to lead the green, white, checkered finish without challenge.

Overton will carry the Advance Lazer and Machine Point Leader Rear Spoiler to the next series event on June 27 for a $2,500-to-win $250-to-start race at Mountain View Raceway in Spring City, TN. The first visit to the East Tennessee track for the Newsome Raceway Parts Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series will be Round 4 of the 2020 National Tour.

For more information and rules about the Newsome Raceway Parts Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series, visit the series web site at www.crateracinusa.com, or visit the series on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CrateRacinUSA/. You can follow us on Twitter @CrateRacinUSALM, and at Instagram at crateracinusa.

OFFICIAL RESULTS OF ROUND 3 AT TRI-COUNTY SPEEDWAY IN FLOMATON, AL ON 5/30/2020:

POS STRT CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN LAPS $ WON
1. 6 11 Cruz Skinner Oxford, AL 50 $3,000
2. 8 10 Cody Overton (R) Grovetown, GA 50 $1,500
3. 18 24 Steven Jernigan Milton, FL 50 $1,100
4. 16 96 D.G. Hawkins Chunchula, AL 50 $900
5. 7 03 Jody Knowles Tyrone, GA 50 $700
6. 5 25 Josh Huss Flomaton, AL 50 $625
7. 11 99d Isaiah Day Flomaton, AL 50 $550
8. 21 21 Corey Dunn Milledgeville, GA 50 $525
9. 1 10j Joseph Joiner Milton, FL 50 $500
10. 4 6jr Parker Martin (R/YG) Milledgeville, GA 50 $450
11. 13 23 Ahnna Parkhurst Evans, GA 50 $425
12. 3 00 Wil Herrington Hawkinsville, GA 48 $400
13. 12 2s Bo Slay Milton, FL 48 $375
14. 22 99 Ryan Boudreaux Harvey, LA 48 $350
15. 19 19 Marcus Minga Shannon, MS 48 $325
16. 17 56 Jesse Enterkin Milton, FL 47 $300
17. 24 39 Troy Dixon (R) Dallas, GA 45 $300
18. 9 00m Monte Skinner Saraland, AL 39 $300
19. 15 77 Ken Cartwright Greenville, AL 30 $300
20. 20 92b Parker Bell Flomaton, AL 29 $300
21. 10 2 Trynt Lloyd (R/YG) Jacksonville, FL 19 $300
22. 14 05 T.J. Brittain Centre, AL 19 $300
23. 2 02 Stephen Brantley Monroeville, AL 9 $300
24. 23 94 Bailey Martin Flomaton, AL 9 $300

ENTRIES: 24
FAST QUALIFIER: Joiner, 12.678 Seconds
PROVISIONALS: None
LEAD CHANGES: 1
LAP LEADERS: Joiner, 1-48; Skinner, 49-50
LAPS LED: Joiner, 48; Skinner, 2
KNOWLES RACE PARTS HARD CHARGER: Jernigan (started 18th and finished 3rd)
VP RACING LUBRICANTS SLICK MOVE OF THE RACE AWARD: Overton
FULLMOON GRAPHICS LUCKY 7 AWARD: Day
CRUISE WITH THE CHAMPIONS ROOKIE OF THE RACE: Overton
KRC POWER STEERING B-MAIN WINNERS: M. Skinner and Lloyd
CAUTIONS: 7
MARGIN OF VICTORY: 1.215 Seconds
TIME OF THE RACE: 59 Minutes and 46.248 Seconds
NEXT RACE: June 27, Mountain View Raceway, Spring City, TN, $2,500-to-win, 50 Laps