1979 – Southern Fall Nationals Finale to Combs

 

Rodney Combs

Jackson, Tenn. (October 20, 1979) – Rodney Combs of Cincinnati, Ohio, took the lead at the outset and withstood a late charge by Larry Moore of Dayton, Ohio, to win the 100-lap National Dirt Racing Association-sanctioned late model feature at Fairgrounds Speedway on Saturday.

A crowd of 2,800 watched the second main event of the two-night Southern Fall Nationals as Combs pocketed $5,000 for the victory.

Combs, who captured the pole position in Friday’s qualifying time trials, never trailed in the race but was seriously challenged by Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, the third fastest qualifier, in the early stages of the race until a broken crankshaft forced him to retire.

Moore, the current NDRA point leader, started 16th, and moved his way through the field. He took over fourth spot on lap 80, third on lap 86, and second place on lap 93. Despite a late charge, he finished two-tenths of a second behind Combs at the checkered.

“If Moore could have gotten a late caution flag, there is no question he would have won the race,” said speedway president Bill Way Jr. Combs average lap time from lap 80 to the end was 16.20 seconds. His lap qualifying time was 17.43 seconds.

Jerry Inmon of Bruce, Miss., who is second in NDRA points, finished fourth behind Ed Sanger of Waterloo, Iowa. Defending NDRA national champion Leon Archer of Griffin, Ga., qualified eighth but dropped out after only 23 circuits.

Archer was trying to avoid a slower car in front of him that had turned sideways when it was pushed behind another car. Archer car crashed into the guardrail, breaking his front wheel axle.

At 6 a.m. Sunday morning, Archer had sold the car, a Howe Camaro, to Inmon for $26,000, reported Bill Way.

Results –


1. Rodney Combs
2. Larry Moore
3. Ed Sanger
4. Jerry Inmon
5. Tom Bartholomew
6. Tom Helfrich
7. Don Hobbs
8. Ken Essary
9. Roger Chism
10.Phil Gregory
11.Gene Chupp
12.Ronnie Johnson
13.Buck Simmons
14.Don Hester
15.Bobby Swayer
16.Jeff Purvis
17.Joe Ross
18.Mike Melius
19.Pete Parker
20.Leon Archer