Bristol, Tennessee (3/31/2020) Like nearly every other competitor in the pits at the inaugural Bristol Dirt Nationals, McDonough, Georgia native Morgan Alexander never envisioned being able to actually race on one of the world’s fastest half miles. The 2020 Senoia Speedway Late Model Sportsman champ was admittedly somewhat scared heading into the event, but most of those fears were alleviated the first time he hit the track.
With the 602 Late Models hitting the track for the first competitive action of the week, Alexander would make history on Night #1 of the Bristol Dirt Nationals as he won the first heat race in the event’s history. Alexander would do so making a lap 7 pass on John Brooks after patiently tailing Brooks for the opening 6 circuits.
Thanks to rain prematurely ending Monday’s action, Alexander’s lone Preliminary feature of the week would be pushed back to Tuesday, where he started on pole. Though he lost the lead on the opening circuit, Alexander would quickly settle into 2nd with his hands full of a persistent Dustin Diem.
As the laps clicked off, Alexander rode around on an island, with no one close in front or behind. That would all change with 5 laps left as a car lost a motor to bring out a caution. On the restart Alexander and Diem would remain side by side for a lap before Diem was able to clear for 2nd. From there Alexander was able to hold off a late charge to finish 3rd in the 20 lap feature.
The 602 Late Models would get just one more heat race for the week on Wednesday before Friday’s big show thanks to another torrential rain, with this one seeing Alexander not fair nearly as well. From his 7th spot on the starting grid, Alexander was only able to net one pass before the checkered flag.
While this may not have been a big factor had the 602 Late Models been given a second set of preliminary features, that rough heat race would prove costly to his total points for the week. In fact, that one tough showing dropped Alexander from 8th to 14th in overall points, dropping him out of an automatic transfer into the main event and forcing him to run a 10 lap Last Chance Qualifier.
Fortunately for Alexander, the LCQ went off without a hitch, as he cruised to the easy win and main event berth.
Alexander would roll off 14th in the Main Event Friday night courtesy of his LCQ victory. Just a lap into the race, Alexander was up to 12th when he had to avoid a big multi car incident directly in front of him. With the crash sidelining a number of cars, Alexander would restart from the 9th position on Lap 2.
5 laps in and Alexander found himself in 7th, looking for more with a 4 car pack ahead. With 9 to go Alexander once again was tasked with avoiding immediate danger, as a car rolled just ahead of him, while another car slid to the inside wall. Alexander would avoid both and restart 5th.
The ensuing restart would be the turning point for Alexander. As he was making a pass for 4th, the 2nd and 3rd place runners got together, leaving Alexander nowhere to go as 11 cars piled in for a massive wreck.
Alexander initially believed his car was driveable, but on the next restart Alexander would lose a right front tire to end his night, ultimately being scored with a 14th place finish.
Morgan Alexander would like to thank all of his sponsors and supporters for getting the team to this extraordinary event, including:
Alexander Produce
Boaty’s Transport
Severt And Sons Produce
BBR Booger Brooks Racing
Shorty’s Shocks
Haymaker Race Bodies
Performance Lift
Tire South McDonough, GA
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