The Headline(s)
The return of major-league super late models to the Belleville High Banks saw Jonathan Davenport again top Chris Madden for a big-money payday.
How it Happened
2022 Belleville Dirt Nationals (XR Super Series)
Where: Belleville High Banks Speedway – Belleville, Kan. (streamed on RaceXR)
Winner’s Purse: $20,000
Monday’s opening night of super late model competition at the Belleville Dirt Nationals was dominated by Eldora Million champion Jonathan Davenport, who led all 20 laps of Monday’s feature to score a comfortable second win of 2022 on the XR Super Series tour.
Super Series Superman 🏁 @TheFast49 wins at @BellevilleHB! pic.twitter.com/cbA6oVRoOG
— XR (@raceXR) June 14, 2022
Davenport topped qualifying and won his heat race by a mile, leaving him to start from the pole and never face a challenge. Chris Madden, who made Davenport earn his million at Eldora last week, finished second again, though he was never able to seriously challenge for the race win.
The feature was cut from 25 laps to 20 after heat races were completed due to extreme temperatures in Belleville causing concerns with tire blisters and engine heat. Monday’s feature marked the first race in the history of the XR Super Series to go green with a short field.
Success Stories
What more can be said about Jonathan Davenport? Fresh off the Eldora Million, a win that he called life-changing speaking to RaceXR during pre-race Monday at Belleville, he shows up three days later, sweeps qualifying, his heat race and all 20 laps of a $20,000-to-win feature. He’s living up to the nickname “Superman” in every facet.
Behind Davenport and Madden’s apparently season-long battle for tops in the super late model ranks, home-state driver Chase Junghans finished a strong third in Monday’s feature, his best finish in a super late model since an MLRA race at 81 Speedway back in April.
Omaha, Neb.’s Jake Neal won the race of the night by taking the SLMR support class feature on the inner quarter-mile track at Belleville (more on that later). And add Neal to the list of best beards in dirt racing alongside James McFadden and Gregg Satterlee.
Jake Neal sealed the deal at the Belleville “Low” Banks Monday night! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/WGkMfX5rTG
— XR (@raceXR) June 14, 2022
Vexed, Villains & Victims
Both Jimmy Owens in the XR class and Charlie McKenna in the SLMR class saw late-race slips in turn 4 cost them wins in their respective heat races,…
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