VIVIAN, Louisiana (May 28, 2023) — Regional open-wheel powerhouse Colby Mewborn and Stock car master Justin Whitehead earned feature wins in their respective divisions, as Kevin Rogers and his staff hosted the inaugural Triple Crown Throwdown finale on Sunday night at Ark-La-Tex Speedway.
Mewborn earned a cool $1,000 with his victory in a fast-paced 20-lap A Main for Limited Modifieds; while Whitehead also took home $1,000 as he dominated the 20-lap finale for Factory Stock warriors.
Cody Gardner (ASCS Sprints); Bo Day (USRA Modified); and Conner Cook (USRA Tuners) were also feature winners on a beautiful night to enjoy a Memorial Day Weekend celebration in Louisiana.
Mewborn, of Texarkana, started on the pole of a 20-car grid and led all 20 laps in convincing fashion. Coty Tupper finished right where he started in second, while Adam Roy came from fifth to claim third. Derick Grigsby (Marshall, TX) and Ethan Bailes (Elizabeth) completed the top five.
“It was difficult having to work last night and watching everybody else get to race,” Mewborn said. “Luckily, Cooper Tire let me off, and we made it out here. To be honest, I had no idea I'd be standing here talking to you. This multi-track deal was awesome, this will keep all of these tracks thriving.”
Finishing sixth through 10th in the USRA Limited Modified A Main were Brian Hopkins, Skeet Amason, Stephen Guidry, Dustin Henigan and Kelly Lockey. With no cautions to slow the pace, Mewborn's margin of victory over Tupper was a comfortable 1.298 seconds.
With his runner-up finish on Sunday, Tupper claimed the overall Triple Crown Throwdown crown (and a $1,000 paycheck) by just three points over Amason.
Whitehead, of Texarkana, started on the pole of a 20-car grid and led all 20 laps in dominant style. Josh Worn drove up from his 10th starting position to claim second, while Josh Martin filled out the podium. Craig Pursley (New Waverly, TX) and Neil Kemp (Mineral Springs, AR) rounded out the top five.
“The track was really good, they did an excellent job tonight,” Whitehead said. “Ever since Bubba posted a photo of this large trophy for this weekend, I was wanting to win it. CJ (Howell) was really fast, but we were fortunate enough to put it on the pole and stay there.”
Finishing sixth through 10th in the USRA Factory Stock feature were Brandon Stowell, Dalton Dubois, Bo Perry, Mark Underwood Jr. and Chase Hatton. Only two cautions slowed the pace (both at lap 4) for minor incidents. Whitehead's margin of victory over Worn was a whopping 5.698 seconds.
With his victory Sunday night, Whitehead claimed the overall Triple Crown Throwdown title and took home an additional $1,000 for his efforts. He also competed in his new Modified, finishing eighth after starting 21st in a talent-filled 24-car field.
Gardner, of Benton, Arkansas, started third in a 20-car field and led all 20 laps to earn his third straight victory. Justin Zimmerman wheeled up from fourth on the grid to claim second, applying the pressure to Gardner at every opportunity. Anthony Nicholson filled out the podium with a solid performance.
Jason Howell (Fort Worth, TX) and Keith Martin (Faulkin, TX) finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
Finishing sixth through 10th in the 20-lap ASCS Elite Non-Wing Sprint A Main were Blaine Baxter, ageless Waco-based veteran Paul White, Chase Parson, Chris Williams and Josh McCord. Only two cautions slowed the pace (laps 6, 9), all for minor spins. The ASCS Sprint cars always put on a show.
Sunday night's finale of the inaugural Triple Crown Throwdown at Ark-La-Tex Speedway drew a record 173 entries spread across six divisions. Led by Factory Stock with 50 and Limited Mods with 46, there was talent in every corner of the pit area. It was a huge turnout for promoter Kevin Rogers.
Officials knocked out 20 qualifying Heats in short order, cranked off their B Mains to finish setting the fields then ran the exciting features. While it did run a bit long, that was to be expected with nearly 175 cars on hand. The quality of racing across the board made it an action-packed night to remember.
You can replay all of the action from Sunday night's Triple Crown Throwdown at Ark-La-Tex Speedway with a subscription at RaceOnTexas.com. With over 450 events on the Live steaming schedule this year, it's home to some of the best short track content available anywhere in the country.
When you sign up today, select one of two options (OnDemand or All Access), choose your favorite or hometown track, and start enjoying great content while supporting your local track even when you can't attend in person.
By Phil Whipple, RaceOnTexas.com Staff Writer
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