Dunn claims big check at David Pope Memorial

  • May 27, 2018
  • by Keith Pirtle

With 30 USRA Modifieds rolling into the Superbowl Speedway for the David Pope Memorial on Sunday, Touring Outlaw Modified Series racers were ready to put their claim on the $3,000 check plus an additional $540 in the Utility Trailer Dash for Cash.

With that much on the line, racers were up on the wheel. It was apparent out of the gate with Max Eddie Thomas claiming high point winner out of the first heat.  The other high point winners were Kale Westover, Clyde Dunn Jr. and Mitchell Clement.

The top 12 in passing points participated in the Utility Trailer Dash for Cash, the top eight would redraw and then the fans would vote two of the final four racers to start ninth and tenth. Thomas drew the preferred pole position with Dunn claiming the number two spot.

At the drop of the green, Dunn drag-raced Thomas to turn one to secure the bottom of the track, which was the preferred line. Dunn led every lap of the Utility Trailer Dash for Cash to claim the $540, followed closely by Thomas and Triston Dycus.

At feature time, Dunn led the field to take the green then beat Thomas to turn one's bottom groove, followed closely by Dycus and Colby Smith. Racers battled closely for the preferred bottom line as the Texas heat had set in and sucked all the moisture out of the track, leaving a dusty single-grooved line to race on.

Lap 18 brought out the race's first caution when Bo Day hit turn four a little hot, looping it. On the restart is when the race changed. At the drop of the green all racers were stacked up racing into turns one and two when the "big one" happened, collecting seven or eight cars including TOMS points leader C.A. Nix. The other top ten TOMS racers involved in the incident were Troy Taylor and Chris Huckeba.

On the restart, Dunn led the field and finished the final 12 laps to take home the $3,000 check, brining his winnings on the night to $3,540. Dunn was followed closely by Thomas, Skip O’Neal, Colby Smith and Charlie Smith.

The next stop for the TOMS will be rolling into Southern Oklahoma Speedway June 2 for another exciting night of racing.