FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ben Shelton (msrmafia@gmail.com)
April 30th, 2011

Josh Putnam Gets Redemption in PRO Dirt Car Action at North Alabama

Josh Putnam in Victory Lane (Connie Putnam Photo)

Tuscumbia, Alabama (04/30/11) – Less than 24 hours after spinning from the lead in the feature, Josh Putnam returned to the scene of the crime and claimed sweet redemption as led wire-to-wire in the $2,000 win, PRO Dirt Car Series at North Alabama Speedway (Tuscumbia, Alabama) on Saturday night.

After blazing to the Southern Belle Pole Qualifier award for the feature, Putnam started on the pole with Rick Rickman joining him on the front row for the main event. As the race went green Putnam jumped to the lead with Kyle Beard, Ronny Lee Hollingsworth, Rick Rickman, and Anthony Burroughs in tow.

Putnam would quickly jump to a straightaway advantage before the race’s first caution was displayed on lap 8 as Mark Dodson made hard contact with the front stretch wall. On the ensuing restart Putnam would once again drive away from the pack as Beard and Hollingsworth began to battle for the second spot with Hollingsworth claiming the second spot for good on the eleventh circuit as he set his sights on the leader.

Hollingsworth would pursue Putnam for the next several laps until a lap 33 caution flag regrouped the field. During the caution flag, fourth place running Eric Cooley ducked into the pits and was joined by Rick Rickman. Cooley would rejoin the field, but Rickman would be finished for the night.

The event would be slowed one more time on lap 35, but Putnam would remain unphased as he motored to the win over Hollingsworth, Beard, Dean Carpenter, and Jay Burchfield.

In victory lane an enthusiastic Putnam commented, “We don’t run a lot of events with this tire rule, so we were worried we had gone the wrong way on tires, but as the event progressed the car just kept getting better. It feels so good to make up for my mistake last night.”
Eric Cooley won the RacingJunk.com Qualifier.

Brian Rickman received the GRT Race Cars Hard Luck Award after mechanical woes prior to the start of the feature resulted in him relinquishing his third starting position for the main event as he scratched from the program.

The PRO Dirt Car Series will take the month of May off from racing before returning to action on Saturday, June 4th as the tour sanctions the annual Governor’s Cup at Magnonlia Motor Speedway (Columbus, Mississippi). For more information, please visit www.MagnoliaDirt.com and www.PRODirtCarSeries.com .

PRO Dirt Car Series Super Late Models
North Alabama Speedway (Tuscumbia, AL)
April 30th, 2011
Feature Results
1. Josh Putnam (Killen, Alabama)
2. Ronny Lee Hollingsworth (Northport, Alabama)
3. Kyle Beard (Trumann, Arkansas)
4. Dean Carpenter (Coldwater, Mississippi)
5. Jay Burchfield (Columbus, Mississippi)
6. Eric Cooley (Fulton, Mississippi)
7. Johnny Stokes (Columbus, Mississippi)
8. Tony Shelton (Columbus, Mississippi)
9. Jason Milam (Guntown, Mississippi)
10. Anthony Burroughs (Northport, Alabama)
11. Rick Rickman (Columbus, Mississippi)
12. Mark Dodson (Caledonia, Mississippi)
13. Ray Mauldin (Fulton, Mississippi)
14. Wayne Vintson (Bremen, Alabama)
15. Brian Rickman (Columbus, Mississippi)

Entries: 15 Representing Three States (AL, MS, AR)
Cautions: 3
Red Flags: 0
Leaders: Josh Putnam (1-40)
Southern Belle Pole Qualifier: Josh Putnam
MRC Racing Collectibles Smooth Move Award: Eric Cooley
GRT Race Cars Hard Luck Award: Brian Rickman
RacingJunk.com Qualifier #1 Winner: Eric Cooley
American Race Tires Hard Charger: Johnny Stokes (14th to 7th)
Hoosier Race Tires Top Performer Award: Josh Putnam
DBR Starters 12th Place Award: Mark Dodson
ADP Rivets Clean Pass Award: Ronny Lee Hollingsworth