WOODSTOCK, GA – Story by Managing Editor Jacob Seelman for Speed77 Radio, Race Chaser Online and USCS Racing – USCS photo – Dixie Speedway is billed as the “Home of the Champions”. After Saturday night’s USCS www.rockauto.com 600 Sprint Series feature, Shawn Nelson would agree.

Nelson, from Ooltewah, Tennessee, certainly felt like a champion after he blasted away from the K&N Filters Pole Position and turned back repeated challenges from Florida Mini Sprint Association veteran David Hall to score his first-career USCS-sanctioned micro sprint victory during the 600 Sprint Series portion of the Dixie Sprint Car Nationals.

Nelson had to endure four caution flags en route to the victory, including two on lap 3 when Chris Openshaw first climbed the wall in turn 2 and slowed down the backstretch, and then national points leader Sean Hosey spun in turn 2 on the ensuing restart after hitting the restart cone.

The third caution flew on lap 8 when Mike Magic stopped in turn 2, but the race’s most serious accident took place on lap 11 when Concord, North Carolina driver Terry Peters slammed the wall and flipped several times in  turn 2, drawing a lengthy red flag. Peters was awake and alert after the incident, but was transported to a local hospital as a precautionary measure.

The incident ultimately shortened the race from its scheduled 20-lap distance to 13 laps, forcing a green-white-checkered restart after cleanup efforts were complete. Hall tried to use the high lane of the race track to make a run at Nelson on the final lap but ran out of time, forcing the Casselberry, Florida native to settle for second.

Home state driver Brandon Taylor, from Cumming, finished in the third position after his maiden USCS victory two weeks ago at Duck River Raceway Park and Clarksville, Tennessee pilot Hosey rebounded from his lap 3 spin as well as missing practice and the dash due to metal in his oil pan to finish fourth. Defending USCS Southern Lightning region champion Bob Trapino, from Alpharetta, Georgia rounded out the top five.

Atlanta native Matt McCullough crossed the checkered flag in sixth, with Sanford, Florida’s Dirk Miller finishing seventh. A trio of Georgia drivers completed the top ten, McDonough’s Shane Werner in eighth, Atlanta’s Sam McCullough finishing ninth and Winder’s Mike Magic tenth at the finish.

Matt McCullough kicked off the night by grabbing the win in the Hoosier Tire Speed Dash, and Shawn Nelson took the win in the Engler Machine and Tool First Heat. David Hall notched the win in the www.rockauto.com Second Heat.

Nelson was the provisional polesitter after scoring the most passing points in heat race action, and when a zero was pulled in the K&N Inversion Draw, he was awarded the K&N Filters Pole Position. Sean Hosey passed the most cars in the main event (eleven) to garner the Wilwood Disc Brakes Hard Charger Award.

The www.rockauto.com USCS 600 Sprint Car Series season continues next Saturday night, August 30^th with an event at Harris Speedway in Rutherfordton, North Carolina as part of their inaugural “Sprint Car Wars” event.

For rules and updated schedule information about the www.rockauto.com USCS 600 Sprint Car series please visit www.uscsracing.com or call the series office at 770-460-7223.

RESULTS: www.rockauto.com USCS 600 Sprint Car Series @ Dixie Speedway; August 23^rd, 2014 

Hoosier Tire Speed Dash: Matt McCullough, Mike Magic, Shawn Nelson, Chris Openshaw, Sean Hosey, Bo Barber.

Engler Machine and Tool First Heat: Shawn Nelson, Frankie Peters, Terry Peters, Bob Trapino, Sam McCullough, Bo Barber, Shaun Fitzgerald, Kyle Amerson (DNS).

www.rockauto.com Second Heat: David Hall, Matt McCullough, Mike Magic, Shane Werner, Brandon Taylor, Chris Openshaw, Dirk Miller, Sean Hosey (DNS).

www.rockauto.com USCS 600 Sprint A-Main (scheduled for 20 laps; shortened to 13 laps due to time constraints):

1. #88A – Shawn Nelson, Ooltewah, TN
2. #67 – David Hall, Casselberry, FL
3. #07 – Brandon Taylor, Cumming, GA
4. #6 – Sean Hosey, Clarksville, TN
5. #98 – Bob Trapino, Alpharetta, GA
6. #14M – Matt McCullough, Atlanta, GA
7. #68 – Dirk Miller, Sanford, FL
8. #48 – Shane Werner, McDonough, GA
9. #14S – Sam McCullough, Atlanta, GA
10. #5M – Mike Magic, Winder, GA
11. #14 – Bo Barber, Clarksville, TN
12. #171 – Terry Peters, Concord, NC
13. #191 – Frankie Peters, Concord, NC
14. #17C – Chris Openshaw, Bessemer, AL
15. #14B – Kyle Amerson, Montgomery, AL
16. #28 – Shaun Fitzgerald, Powder Springs, GA

USCS 600 Sprint Race Awards:

Hoosier Tire Speed Dash:  #14M – Matt McCullough
Engler Machine and Tool First Heat: #88A – Shawn Nelson
www.rockauto.com Second Heat:  #67 – David Hall
K&N Filters Pole Award:  #88A – Shawn Nelson
K&N Filters Podium (3rd place) Award:  #07 – Brandon Taylor
Wilwood Disc Brakes Hard Charger Award:  #6 – Sean Hosey
Keizer Aluminum Wheels Top Five Award:  #98 – Bob Trapino
Saldana Racing Products Super Sixth Award:  #14M – Matt McCullough
DMI/Bulldog Rear Ends Top Ten Award: #5M – Mike Magic