Skip McCord Celebrated a Sweet Return of the Southern 300 in Victory Lane with the Bobby Hamilton Memorial Cup at the Music City Motorplex

NASHVILLE, TN – After twenty-eight years, the traditional season ending race was brought back to life this year at the Music City Motorplex, the Southern 300.  In addition to the glory of winning the Late Model portion of the historic race, the winner received the first annual Bobby Hamilton Memorial Cup, a tradition that the Motorplex intends on continuing for many years to come.  The winner of the magnificent award, Skip McCord.

After setting the fast time for the Town N Country Ford Late Model 200 in Saturday’s qualifying session, McCord’s time was disallowed for a minor problem with an engine part.  On Sunday, McCord fixed the problem and started the two hundred lap race from the twenty-first position.  Leading the field down to the green flag was DW Shacklett and Mark Day.  Day jumped out to an early lead, but Shacklett, Clay Greenfield, Josh Weston and Wade Buttrey stayed right on his rear bumper.  The three cars to watch in the first portion of the race were Sterling Marlin, Willie Allen and Skip McCord, battling their way up through the field.  By lap forty six, Marlin had made his way into the top ten just before a mechanical problem forced him to retire from the race.  On lap sixty a huge wreck on the back straight brought the field to caution pace.  Josh Byrns, Lindsay Daniels, Steadman Marlin, Mike Murray and Tony Ussery were all involved in the scary accident.  Although several drivers suffered heavy damage, all driver walked away unhurt. 

Once the field got back underway, Day remained the leader followed by Shacklett, McCord, John Earheart and Allen.  Another scary accident occurred on lap eight-two that brought the field to a red flag.  This accident involved Ussery, TW Fisher, Weston, Davey Coble and Day.  Day, Fisher, Coble and Ussery were all forced to retire from heavy damage.  Greenfield took command of the field on the restart followed by Shacklett, McCord, Earheart and Mark Montgomery.  Greenfield began to pull away from the other leaders just before another caution fell for a spin by Ed McClain on lap one-hundred.  Greenfield led the way until lap one-hundred and forty-six when Shacklett took the top position.  Shacklett led McCord and Allen through lap traffic until a caution fell on lap one hundred and fifty nine when Tommy Climer’s car slowed to a stop on the back straight.  During the caution, nearly all the leaders hit pit road to change tires.  McCord and Shacklett decided to take four tires which put them behind Allen on the restart.  Allen led until McCord pulled his car to front on lap one hundred and seventy four.  McCord never looked back and crossed the finish line taking the victory in the twenty-third running of the Southern 300.  Allen came home second followed by Shacklett, Daniel Pope II and Montgomery rounded out the top five.  McCord celebrated in victory lane after his first career late model win by hoisting the Bobby Hamilton Cup high into the air.

Another first career win was celebrated after the Thompson Machinery Super Truck 100 by Josh Mullins.  Mullins started from the pole along side of Terry Hayes for the one hundred lap Super Truck portion of the Southern 300.  Mullins took the lead on the drop of the green flag with Hayes, Tommy Climer, Larry Ryman and Jess Williams right on his rear bumper.  Mullins began to pull away from the field, but a scary accident brought out a caution on lap thirty-six.  Jason Adams spun in turn two right in front of the leaders.  Mullins barely avoided the spinning Adams, but Hayes could not.  Hayes slammed hard into the side of Adams sending both truck spinning wildly.  Ryman was also caught up in the accident hitting the wall trying to avoid.  After a few moments, all drivers climbed from their trucks and walked away unhurt.  Mullins remained the leader on the restart, but late in the race a hard charging veteran, Allen Carter began to challenge the rookie.  Carter closed right up to Mullins’ rear bumper several times, but Mullins crossed the checkereds first, collecting his first career Super Truck victory.  Carter finished second followed by Climer, Blake Williams and Kyle Fletcher.  Mullins celebrated in victory lane with one of the famous Copley Champions Guitars.

Lloyd White and Jeffery Belt brought the Grand National Sportsman down for their Thompson Machinery seventy five lap portion of the Southern 300.  White immediately jumped out front with Belt, Derrick Johnson, Eddie Taylor and Howard Tucker close behind.  An early caution fell on lap three when Duane King’s car had a mechanical failure and went straight into the outside wall of turn one.  Robert Forsythe got caught up in the accident.  White remained out in front on the restart with the top five separated by one second between one another.  Jeremy Adams battled his way up into the top five in the closing laps, but White took a commanding victory followed by Belt, Johnson, Adams and Tucker.  Although White celebrated his second victory at the Motorplex, he celebrated receiving his first Copley Champions Guitar.

10/14/2007 - Music City Motorplex Special Events Results...

Southern 300  - Town N Country Late Model 200

A-Main 01 --  1. Skip McCord, Mount Juliet; 2. Willie Allen, Bon Aqua; 3. David Shacklett II, Hermitage; 4. Daniel Pope II, Smyrna; 5. Mark Montgomery, Franklin; 6. Wade Buttrey, Fairview; 7. John Earheart Jr, Hermitage; 8. Nicholas Formosa, Joelton; 9. Blake Carter, Murfreesboro; 10. Lindsay Daniels, Bowling Green, Ky.; 11. Josh Byrns, Bowling Green, Ky.; 12. Mike Murray, Franklin; 13. Joseph Meyer**, Mount Juliet; 14. Clay Greenfield, Clarksville; 15. Tommy Climer, Murfreesboro; 16. Davey Coble**, Madison; 17. Timothy "TW" Fisher, White House; 18. Josh Weston, Hermitage; 19. Mark Day, Clarksville; 20. Tony Ussery, Madison; 21. Ed McClain, Franklin; 22. Steadman Marlin, Columbia; 23. Sterling Marlin, Columbia; 24. Kevin Fisher;; 25. Mike Pruitt, Murfreesboro.

Southern 300 – Thompson Machinery Super Truck 100

A-Main 01 --  1. Joshua Mullins**, Franklin; 2. Allen Carter, Murfreesboro; 3. Tommy Climer, Murfreesboro; 4. Blake Williams, Goodlettsville; 5. Kyle Fletcher, Smyrna; 6. Ricky Bolden, Antioch; 7. Jess Williams, Hickory Flat, Miss.; 8. Daniel Bolden**, Antioch; 9. Clint Crowell, College Grove; 10. Brandon Ussery, Goodlettsville; 11. Larry Cunningham, Old Hickory; 12. Terry Hayes, Hermitage; 13. Larry Ryman, Madison; 14. Jason Adams, Murfreesboro; 15. Barry Clapp**, Mt. Juliet.

Southern 300 – Thompson Machinery Grand National Sportsman 75

A-Main 01 --  1. Lloyd White, Brentwood; 2. Jeffery Belt**, Murfreesboro; 3. Derrick Johnson, Thompson Station; 4. Jeremy Adams, Lebanon; 5. Howard Tucker, Nashville; 6. Steve Hadley, Lebanon; 7. Mark Steagall, Rockvale; 8. Eddie Taylor, Hermitage; 9. Billy Williams, Nashville; 10. Vinson Madden, Nashville; 11. Chris Neidert, Madison; 12. Chad Adams**, Murfeesboro; 13. Jeff Scantland, Murfreesboro; 14. Keith Krantz, Joelton; 15. Robert Forsythe**, Chapmansboro; 16. Duane King, Murfreesboro