From John Rittenoure
Ada, OK — (September 13, 2014) — Fred Mattox has a love-hate relationship with the Oklahoma Sports Park racetrack.
In 2011 Mattox was leading the feature through the final turn only yards from the checkered flag when he crashed into the outside wall. In 2013 he was again leading the main event when mechanical problems suddenly took him out of the race.
So it was no surprise what was going through his mind when the yellow flag waved with three laps remaining in the 25-lap feature that Mattox had led from the start.
“I thought this is the same situation we had that night in the rain,” recalled Mattox thinking back to one of his numerous hard luck adventures. “I thought something stupid was going to happen. Thank goodness it didn’t. We were able to close it out.”
And that is what Mattox did. When racing resumed the Drumright native pulled away from second place Andrew Deal and this time nothing unexpected happened as the checkered waved. Mattox won the Oklahoma State Championship main event. His first OCRS sprint car victory of the season.
Mattox became the 13th different driver to win an OCRS feature in 2014.
“It is finally nice to pick up a win here,” Mattox said. “We have been so close some many times.
“We have had several good runs here. Should have had several wins here. It seems like something stupid always goes wrong.
“We had gears break while running up front, had to race in the rain one night and bleeders coming loose. And to finally get the win.”
Mattox started the 20-car main event outside front row and quickly beat pole sitter Perry Pickard into the first turn. Sheldon Barksdale followed into second and gave chase through the first 16 laps.
When Barksdale tried to challenge for the lead midway through the race it was a wake-up call for Mattox.
“I did not know who it was,” Mattox said of who was behind him. “Right before that first caution came out Sheldon Barksdale showed me his nose down in (turns) one and two and that told me to get down there and protect it.”
Following a restart with 16 laps down Barksdale pulled out with mechanical issues and Deal took over the chase. Deal closed in and made several attempts at the lead, but Mattox held his line for the win. Deal finished second followed by Shane Sellers, Gary Owens and Andy Shouse rounding out the top five.
“The car was great,” smiled Mattox speaking of his Maxim chassis which is sponsored by AKL Oilfield Services, Pacer Energy & Marketing, D&J Tank Trucks, Robinson Diesel. “I can’t thank dad enough for giving me a good car to get in. And David Stephenson who helps us with the motor program and his Dyno Services. I can’t thank our sponsors enough. Without them we would not be out here racing.”
Deal was riding on a rail coming from 10th starting position to second.
“He wanted to win that one pretty bad and I did not want to chance us not finishing,” Deal said of trying to pass Mattox.
“I caught him then got real loose in three and four. I could have forced the issue and drove a little rough, but I don’t like driving like that. I knew I was in the points deal.”
Following the lap 22 restart Deal fell back some from Mattox.
“My nose wing broke,” said Deal who earned the AmeriFlex Hose and Accessories Hard Charger award for advancing eight positions. “After that I was not as good. Before that I had him.”
It was a big night for Deal as he came into the night only seven points behind leader Danny Smith. But Smith was stuck mid-way through the field then did a quick spin on lap 23. The race stayed green as Smith was able to keep racing and finished 15th. Deal now holds the points lead with a 32-point margin heading into the final two shows of the season.
Deal would like to win the Harold Leep Championship Trophy, awarded to the OCRS champion at the annual awards banquet, for his car owner Wade Cagle.
“I really want to win the deal for Wade for putting the car on the track all year,” Deal said. “He has really done a lot for us.
“I will be excited to wrap it up at Caney, our hometown.”
The B feature provided the most exciting finish of the night as Kenneth Walker passed Kyle Clark on the final turn for the win. Brothers Chance and Kade Morton finished in third and fourth with Cameron Hagin closing out the top five.
OCRS Race Results
Oklahoma Sports Park
September 13, 2014
26 Cars
(Pos-Car-Driver-Start)
AmeriFlex Hose and Accessories Heat
1, 33-Gary Owens[4]. 2, 9-Derek Cottrell[1]. 3, 22-Danny Smith[5]. 4, 4-Shane Sellers[7]. 5, 7M-Chance Morton[2]. 6, 25-Chuck Bellefeuille[3]. 7, 10K-Kyle Ezell[6].
Bob Hurley Auto Family Heat
1, 26M-Fred Mattox[4]. 2, 20S-Sheldon Barksdale[7]. 3, 15D-Andrew Deal[5]. 4, F5-Darrell McGuire[2]. 5, 8M-Kade Morton[6]. 6, 5-Cameron Hagin[3]. 7, 83-Frank Dittman[1].
Drive Shafts Inc. Heat
1, P78-Perry Pickard[1]. 2, 87F-Brian McClelland[2]. 3, 9$-Kyle Clark[4]. 4, 2-Kenneth Walker[3]. 5, 69-Glen Passmore[5]. 6, 84-Alex DeCamp[6].
Car and Fleet Parts Heat
1, 27-Andy Shouse[2]. 2, 16-Nigel Calvert[1]. 3, 55-Johnny Kent[5]. 4, 88S-Shayla Waddell[6]. 5, 94-Dan Schnackenberg[3]. 6, 31-Casey Wills[4].
Wesmar Racing Engines B Feature
1, 2-Kenneth Walker[12]. 2, 9$-Kyle Clark[9]. 3, 7M-Chance Morton[7]. 4, 8M-Kade Morton[11]. 5, 5-Cameron Hagin[4]. 6, 10K-Kyle Ezell[10]. 7, 31-Casey Wills[8]. 8, 25-Chuck Bellefeuille[5]. 9, 88S-Shayla Waddell[6]. 10, F5-Darrell McGuire[3]. 11, 69-Glen Passmore[14]. 12, 83-Frank Dittman[1]. 13, 94-Dan Schnackenberg[2]. 14, 84-Alex DeCamp[13].
OCRS A Feature (25 laps)
1, 26M-Fred Mattox[2]. 2, 15D-Andrew Deal[10]. 3, 4-Shane Sellers[8]. 4, 33-Gary Owens[12]. 5, 27-Andy Shouse[4]. 6, 55-Johnny Kent[9]. 7, 7M-Chance Morton[15]. 8, 9$-Kyle Clark[14]. 9, 16-Nigel Calvert[3]. 10, P78-Perry Pickard[1]. 11, 31-Casey Wills[19]. 12, 5-Cameron Hagin[17]. 13, 2-Kenneth Walker[13]. 14, 25-Chuck Bellefeuille[20]. 15, 22-Danny Smith[11]. 16, 8M-Kade Morton[16]. 17, 20S-Sheldon Barksdale[6]. 18, 87F-Brian McClelland[7]. 19, 9-Derek Cottrell[5]. 20, 10K-Kyle Ezell[18].
Lap Leaders: Mattox, 1-25.
AmeriFlex Hose & Accessories Hard Charger: Andrew Deal +8.
D&E Supply Hard Luck Recipient: Alex DeCamp.