Gale Dominates All Star SuperTrucks at Sunny South

By Mark Chisum

Grand Bay, AL – The O’Reilly Southern All Star SuperTruck Series returned to Sunny South Raceway to open the 2005 season. The storyline was very similar to the series’ first trip to the fantastic ¼ mile track. Cale Gale set fast time in qualifying, then dominated the 100-lap event.

Gale turned the quarter mile in 12.324 to take top honors in qualifying. Gale drew a four for inversion, putting fellow Mobile-area driver Okie Mason on the pole. Mason, the 2004 SuperTruck Series Champion, took the early lead, but it was apparent early, that Gale was the truck to beat.

Gale moved to third on the first lap, settling in behind Mason and Greg Motes. The first of five cautions waved on the third lap. On the restart, Gale got past Motes and immediately closed to Mason’s tailgate. Gale stuck his nose under Mason a couple of times before the caution flew again on lap 11.

When the green flew again on lap 15, Gale got his nose under Mason heading into turn one. As they exited turn two, Gale pulled along side of Mason. Mason had no choice but let Gale have the lead going into turn three. It was time for Gale to set the cruise control.

For the rest of the night, the large Sunny South crowd kept its eyes on the battle for second. Mason and Motes had two pretty equal trucks under them, and they battled the rest of the night. Motes was able to grab the spot on lap 31, but Mason wasn’t through, staying glued to Motes’ rear bumper.

For Gale, it was a different story. Out front with no pressure, Gale was clicking off laps. He led Motes, Mason, Curt Britt, Scooter Delaune, and Dustin Maherg to the halfway point. Gale also put several trucks down a lap under a 25-lap green period.

The Motes-Mason battle continued after the halfway point. Mason finally got by Motes on lap 83 as Motes began to get a little loose in the turns. In the remaining laps, Motes would lose two more spots.

Comfortably out front, Gale eased across the line ahead of Mason, Britt, Maherg, and Motes. Sixth through tenth went to Delaune, Marty Grantham, Cohen Motes, Mitchell Walls, and Fran Eckart.

With the win, Gale gets the jump start on the series championship, leading Mason, Britt, Maherg, and Greg Motes. The series next scheduled race is April 30 at Montgomery Motor Speedway. For more information, contact the series at (256) 539-4484, or visit the series web site at www.southern-allstars.com/

Results

1.      Cale Gale

2.      Okie Mason

3.      Curt Britt

4.      Dustin Maherg

5.      Greg Motes

6.      Scooter Delaune

7.      Marty Grantham

8.      Cohen Motes

9.      Mitchell Walls

10.  Fran Eckart

11.  Wally Dobson

12.  Scott Davis

13.  Sean Vickers

Fast Qualifier- Cale Gale 12.324

# of Trucks to Finish- 10

Last Truck on Lead Lap- Scooter Delaune

Lap Leaders- Okie Mason- laps 1-15, 15 laps

                      Cale Gale- laps 16-100, 85 laps

Cautions- 5 for 25 laps