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Oh Canada! Ricky Weiss
Becomes 33rd Different Bonus Series Winner at Toccoa Raceway
(March
17, 2018) Ricky Weiss of Headingly, Manitoba, Canada
soared past Casey Roberts on lap 18 to lead the remaining distance
and capture his first-career Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals
Bonus Series presented by Sunoco Race Fuels and Tennessee RV Saturday
Night at Toccoa Raceway in Toccoa, Ga. in front of a packed house.
(McLeod Media Services Photo)
Weiss drove the Derrick’s Sandblasting, AIE Communications,
Hawkeye Construction, Penske Shocks and Turk Enterprises-sponsored
Vic Hill Racing Engines-powered Sweet-Bloomquist Race Car to the
$6,400 payday, his first on the Southern Nationals Bonus Series.
Polesitter Casey Roberts and Cla Knight brought the field to life
for the 64-lapper to open the 64th season at Toccoa Raceway with
Roberts going to the lead early on. By the 15th lap, Ricky Weiss
was poised to make a challenge for the lead as he had gotten to
the back bumper of Roberts. Weiss would make the pass for the
lead on the 17th lap and by the time they got back to the flagstand
he had now held the race lead. Weiss would hold on to the point
for the remaining distance as a great race ensued behind the leader
as drivers would swap positions multiple times until the end of
the race. Shanon Buckingham would make the bottom side of the
race track work to his advantage and finish second ahead of David
Payne at the finish line with Zack Mitchell and Brent Dixon rounding
out the top five.
Six caution flags slowed the event that took just over thirty
minutes to complete. The first caution came as Drew Collins and
David McCoy would slow on lap nine. Clayton Turner would slow
his mount on lap 15 to draw the second yellow flag. Kenny Collins
slowed on lap 29. Fast Qualifier Cla Knight slowed on lap 32 to
draw the fourth caution while Casey Roberts slowed in turn four
to bring out the next caution. The final yellow flag came on lap
61 as Benji Hicks slowed at the top of turn one.
The Canadian hot shoe talked about his victory. “Once I
got rolling there, I knew we were good. I just tried to be patient,
it’s a different track to pass on. I knew we had a good
hot rod. I’ve (messed up) a few times and took myself out
of a race, so I didn’t want to do that. I didn’t want
to see that caution (late with three laps left) but we made it
work,” Weiss said.
The Southern Nationals Bonus Series returns to action on Saturday
Night April 28th at Blue Ridge Motorsports Park in Blue Ridge,
Ga. paying $4,000-to-win and $400-to-start. The Schaeffer’s
Oil Spring Nationals opens action on March 30-31 at Senoia (GA)
Raceway for $3,000-to-win and $10,000-to-win races respectively.
Official Summary of Results
Southern Nationals Bonus Series-Toccoa Raceway-Toccoa, GA-March
17, 2018
Feature Finish:
1. Ricky Weiss-Headingly, Canada
2. Shanon Buckingham-Morristown, Tenn.
3. David Payne-Murphy, N.C.
4. Zack Mitchell-Enoree, S.C.
5. Brent Dixon-Elberton, Ga.
6. Aaron Ridley-Chatsworth, Ga.
7. Casey Roberts-Toccoa, Ga.
8. Chicky Barton-Middlesboro, Ky.
9. Robby Moses-Maryville, Tenn.
10. Benji Hicks-Mt. Airy, N.C.
11. Cla Knight-North Augusta, S.C.
12. Kenny Collins-Colbert, Ga.
13. Jeremy Ledford-Mt. Airy, Ga.
14. Clayton Turner-Toccoa, Ga.
15. David McCoy-Franklin, N.C.
16. Drew Collins-Auburn, Ga.
17. Randy Nichols-Young Harris, Ga. (Did Not Start)
Entries: 17
Fast Qualifier: Cla Knight-12.024 seconds
Time of Race: 30 minutes, seven seconds
Yellow Flags: Six (laps 9, 15, 29, 32, 36, 61)
Red Flags: None
Current Southern Nationals Bonus Series Points (after March 17)
1. Ricky Weiss-396
2. David Payne-382
3. Casey Roberts-380
4. Shanon Buckingham-372
5. Aaron Ridley-370
5. Brent Dixon-370
7. Kenny Collins-360
8. Benji Hicks-358
9. Robby Moses-356
10. Chicky Barton-354
* Photos Below Courtesy of McLeod
Media Services *










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