David Smith, Jr.
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Michelle Melton Scores First Career Sprint Series of Oklahoma Victory!
Ardmore, Oklahoma – May 20, 2016 - Twenty-three-year-old Michelle Melton made her first appearance at Southern Oklahoma Speedway a memorable one as the Flower Mound, Texas driver took the lead at the start and never looked back to claim her first career Sprint Series of Oklahoma IMCA Racesaver sprint car victory Friday night in Ardmore, Oklahoma in that series portion of the tracks second “Fast 5 Friday” event of the season.
Melton and Jerry Hammock started on the front row for the twenty lap feature with Melton taking the lead as the green flag fell. Hammock would give chase throughout the feature and despite being nervous starting on the pole, Melton was up to the challenge. “I tend to physic myself out when I start on the pole plus I had people like (John) Carney behind me who has been dominating the 305 stuff and you sit and think about how you need to drive,” said Melton, who has been racing sprint cars for five years off and on due to school with 2016 being a full-time driver.
About midway through the feature her Eagle chassis began getting tight, causing her to change her line and allowing Hammock and third starting Carney to close the gap. “My wing slider had broken off of my wing tree and my wing pushed all the way back, but I was able to calm down and drive smart.”
With five laps to go the red flag would wave for a Chad Wilson flip, allowing a five lap dash to the checkered and the field right on her rear bumper. But she would hold her line those last few laps to put her Pro-Tech Service Co./Valvoline Express Care of Seagoville/Simpsons/Snider’s Paint and Body into victory lane.
Hammock would settle for second while Carney, who raced with no brakes most of the event, held on for third. Jake Martens came home fourth while eighth starting Joe Wood, Jr. rounded out the top five.
The three, eight lap heat races for the twenty-six car field were won by Cody Whitworth, Martens and Wilson with Chris Kelly taking home the twelve lap “B” feature.
Next scheduled event for the SSO will be a double-header weekend in the southern part of the state. It all kicks off on Friday night, June 17, at Southern Oklahoma Speedway and their third appearance of the season. From there the tour will make their only appearance of the season at Oklahoma Sports Park in Ada.
Sprint Series of Oklahoma
Southern Oklahoma Speedway/Ardmore, Oklahoma
May 20, 2016
26 Cars
1st Heat: 1) Cody Whitworth, 2) Joe Wood, Jr., 3) Andy Shouse, 4) Kevin Ramey, 5) Chris Kelly, 6) Shayla Waddell, 7) Alison Slaton, 8) Blake Scott, 9) Junior Jenkins
2nd Heat: 1) Jake Martens, 2) Jerry Hammock, 3) Marcus Thomas, 4) Sterling Hoff, 5) Gary Owens, 6) Blake Dacus, 7) Loyd Clevenger, 8) Ty Williams, 9) Justin Fisk
3rd Heat: 1) Chad Wilson, 2) John Carney II, 3) John Ricketts, 4) Michelle Melton, 5) Gary Kelly, 6) Robert Vetter, 7) Drew Wright, 8) Jerry Jumper
B Feature: 1) Chris Kelly, 2) Ty Williams, 3) Robert Vetter, 4) Alison Slaton, 5) Blake Scott, 6) Jerry Jumper, 7) Michael Wright, 8) Loyd Clevenger, 9) Justin Fisk, 10) Junior Jenkins
A Feature: 1) Michelle Melton, 2) Jerry Hammock, 3) John Carney II, 4) Jake Martens, 5) Joe Wood, Jr., 6) Cody Whitworth, 7) Andy Shouse, 8) Marcus Thomas, 9) John Ricketts, 10) Gary Owens, 11) Shayla Waddell, 12) Blake Dacus, 13) Sterling Hoff, 14) Chris Kelly, 15) Ty Williams, 16) Robert Vetter, 17) Gary Kelley, 18) Alison Slaton, 19) Chad Wilson, 20) Kevin Ramey
