2/6/2024
SCDRA - Sport Compact Dirt Racing Association
Newman Presnell Perseveres to Capture SCDRA Winter Freeze XIV $20,000 Victory at Screven Motor Speedway - Andrew Smith Becomes 3-time SCDRA Champion
Newman Presnell Perseveres to Capture SCDRA Winter Freeze XIV $20,000 Victory at Screven Motor Speedway - Andrew Smith Becomes 3-time SCDRA Champion
Sylvania, Georgia (February 3, 2024) - Drivers from all across the United States converge Annually on Screven Motor Speedway during the early part of February for Screven's popular Winter Freeze event. The headlining event of the weekend was the $20,000 to win SCDRA Series feature. The event, which is billed as the Riche$t Compact Race in the World, saw 112 of the best Sport Compact drivers on the planet try their hand at Screven's red clay.
Pole sitter Payne Pickles jumped out to the early lead and opened up a 6 car length advantage while John Windham, Newman Presnell and Andrew Smith battled for the second position. The fierce battle for the runner-up spot continued lap after lap with Smith utilizing the high line while Presnell and Windham worked the middle and bottom.
While under a lap 17 yellow flag Smith's machine shut off and was unable to re-fire. Smith's machine had to be pushed back to the pit area ending his night with a 31st place finish. However Smith needed only to start the A-main to secure enough points to ensure his 3rd SCDRA Championship.
Just before the halfway point of the 60 lapper a yellow waved which changed the complexion of the race. Race-long leader Pickles suddenly retired on the ensuing restart after breaking an axle. This handed the lead over to Presnell. Presnell led the next 8 laps as Windham mounted a serious charge in the low line.
On lap 36 Windham was able to move past the Presnell machine to grab the point. Windham's machine was making hay on the bottom and seemed to be the class of the field at that point. But with 11 laps remaining another yellow flag appeared. Under yellow Windham's right front tire went flat forcing him to pit and handing the lead back over to Presnell.
On the return to green flag racing a new contender joined the fray. 29th starting Dennis Adkins, the 2014 event winner, had driven his way all the way up to the runner-up position. Adkins stalked Presnell and as the laps waned, Adkins' machine was closing in on the leader. But it wasn't meant to be as Adkins clipped a lapped machine exiting turn 2 which sent him rolling onto his side. Adkins was uninjured but his night was over.
With the green flag back out Presnell found himself with yet another strong challenger in former SCDRA Champion Eric Boozel. Boozel threw everything he had at the leader but was not able to get to the lead and he had to settle for second while Presnell flashed across the line to capture the victory. Presnell's margin of victory was just 0.384 seconds.
Friday's preliminary action saw Payne Pickles of Live Oak, Florida laydown the fastest lap in time trials to capture the $200 Jason Waters Tuning Fireball Fast Time Award. Newman Presnell, John Windham, Andrew Smith, Blayne Ellis and defending event winner Brandon Gibson, Jr. rounded out the top 6 qualifiers who locked themselves into Saturday's A-main on time.
Friday's Eight Qualifier Heats transferred only the top 2 finishers to Saturday's A-main. The Qualifier Heats were won by Michael Crouch, Eric Boozel, Josh Frantz, Eddie McGrew, Jeffrey DeLonjay, Brandon Dalton, Gary Watson and Joseph Thompson respectively. All drivers which didn't transfer moved on to one of four Last Chance Qualifiers on Saturday.
The 4 ten-lap Last Chance Qualifiers on Saturday transferred the top 2 finishers in each to the A-main. Dustin Duncan, Bruce Denman, Colton St. John and Chris Hillman each picked up a win and a ticket to the A-main. Drivers that finished 3-7 moved on to the Non-Qualifiers Race.
Screven Motor Speedway
Official SCDRA Finish 2/3/2024
1 – 48 Newman Presnell - Pickens, SC
2 – 50 Eric Boozel - McVeytown, PA
3 – 1 Zane May - Soddy Daisy, TN
4 – 10 Isaac Gipson - Tuscumbia, AL
5 – 4m Eddie McGrew - Travelers Rest, SC
6 – 5 Reid Christensen - Springfield, GA
7 – 88 Joey Kelly - Salem, SC
8 – 28 Lee Hutchinson - Prattville, AL
9 – 65 John Windham - Lake City, FL
10 – 1G Jerry Gibson Jr. - Crittenden, KY
11 – 88w Bradley Williams - Easley, SC
12 – 74 Joey Laws - Hillsboro, MO
13 – 111 Devon Dixon - Watertown, WI
14 – 21 Dustin Duncan - Oneida, TN
15 – 11 Chris Hillman Jr - Mooresville, IN
16 – 7 Brian Balcom - Savannah, GA
17 – 95 Jacob Bright - Forest City, NC
18 – 74 Bruce Denman - Lexington, SC
19 – 4 Dennis Adkins - Portland, OH
20 – 91 Zachary Slone - Fort Mill, SC
21 – 4 Kevin McKenzie - Jackson, OH
22 – 99 Joseph Thompson - Ellabell, GA
23 – V7 Michael Crouch - Cayce, SC
24 – 5T Billy Tidwell - Montevallo, AL
25 – 132 Brandon Gibson Jr. - Dry Ridge, KY
26 – 114 Josh Frantz - Reynoldsville, PA
27 – 31 Chris Mincey - Pooler, GA
28 – 5 Payne Pickles - Live Oak, FL
29 – 54D Brandon Dalton - Bowling Green, KY
30 – 32D Jeffrey DeLonjay - Quincy, IL
31 – 62 Andrew Smith - Brooklet, GA
32 – G1 Gary Watson - Spanish Fort, AL
33 – 11 Blayne Ellis - Slaughters, KY
34 – C45 Colton St. John - Glenmont, OH
35 – 72 Walker Windham - Lake City, FL
Jason Waters Tuning Fast Time: Payne Pickles 18.033 seconds
Klaucke Built Hard Charger: Isaac Gibson +29 positions (33rd to 4th)
Article Credit: TrikShot Productions
