Thursday, April 17, 2008

GEORGIA STOCK CAR RACING.com April 17-24

GEORGIA STOCK CAR RACING.com April 17-24 Now available online at www.georgiastockcarracing.com Get it in your email weekly: Send “subscribe” to ddrrtt@earthlink.net ---- Schedule ---- April 18 (Fri.) Lavonia Weekly Show www.lavoniaspeedway.com April 18 (Fri.) North Georgia phone 423-400-9956 April 18 (Fri.) Sugar Creek Regular program, + crate LMs $1000 to win http://sugarcreekracing.com April 18-19 Green Valley Southern Monster Truck Show, and racing. www.greenvalleyspeedway.com April 18 (Fri.) Lowe’s Dirt Track, Charlotte, NC. Qualifying and heats for Colossal dirt LMs $50,000 to win April 19 Lowe’s Dirt Track, Charlotte, NC. B-mains and feature for Colossal dirt LMs $50,000 to win April 19 Dixie Spring Championships all divs. 7:00 April 19 Golden Isles. Full racing program, local classes. www.goldenislesspeedway.com * April 19 Senoia ASA LM Series South $3000 to win, $300 to start April 19 Talladega Short Track Full race program www.talladegashorttrack.com April 19 Cleveland phone 423-400-9956 April 19 Greenville-Pickens NASCAR Camping World East LMs. April 24 (Thurs.) Green Valley “Road to ‘Dega” $3000 to win LM show, plus Kenny Wallace running an open-wheel modified. $15/25 per couple. April 25 (Fri.) Sugar Creek Regular program, double pts. night http://sugarcreekracing.com April 25-26 Dixie Monster Truck Natls. 8:00 April 25-26 Talladega Short Track Sprint Cup Weekend Specials, incl. Sat. Southern All Stars $5000 to win www.talladegashorttrack.com April 25 (Fri.) Lavonia Weekly Show www.lavoniaspeedway.com April 25 (Fri.) North Georgia phone 423-400-9956 April 26 Toccoa Regular show www.toccoaspeedway.info April 26 Green Valley regular race program + Flagman night April 26 Birmingham Davey Allison Memorial 100, part of the Super Series LM Challenge. April 26 South Georgia “Southern Slam” 100 laps for LMs $2500 to win www.racesgmp.com April 26 Watermelon Capital PASS South Super LM Series ---- TV ---- Mondays (between 3:00 and 7:00) on Versus Network. Hooters Pro Cup. Versus, owned by Comcast, is on the Comcast Cable System in the Atlanta area, although not listed in the AJC TV guide. Starts March 31, 4:00 p.m. Wed., May 7, 8 p.m. Sports South ASA Southeast Asphalt Tour “Watermelon 100” from Watermelon Capital Speedway in Cordele. www.asasoutheast.com June 4 HBO Pay-Per-View $24.95 Prelude to the Dream, from Eldora. ---- ---- ---- ---- Dixie and Rome Speedways open the gates this year to celebrate their 39th Anniversary season with 32 events between both tracks. The 2007 racing season was cut short last year due to the passing of Vice President and General Manager Mike Swims. Swims will be remembered by many as the face of Dixie Speedway and the man who led the charge in taking dirt racing to the next level. “At a young age Mike set high goals for Dixie and Rome Speedway, always striving to have professionally run weekly shows. He was successful in his endeavors, so now we will honor his accomplishments and work hard to make Dixie and Rome the greatest shows on dirt for race fans and drivers,” said Mickey Swims track President and Mike’s father. Mickey will be assuming the role of track promoter with the same dedicated staff as in previous years. Saturday night, April 19, at 7:30 PM Dixie Speedway hosts the $30,000 Spring Short Track Championships for Super Late Models, Limited Late Models, Sportsman, Super & Econo Bombers, Cruisers, and Pony Stocks. The Carl Black Spring Monster Truck Nationals is Friday and Saturday night, April 25 & 26 at 8:00 PM each night. A total of 8 Monster Trucks, featuring Grave Digger and Maximum Destruction, along with a Show and Shine contest for street vehicles and Free Style Motorcross will be on hand each night. The official season opener at Dixie Speedway will be Saturday night, May 3 at 7:30PM with a full racing program. The awards presentation for the 2007 season champions will also take place. Rome Speedway will host 6 special events in 2008. The season opener is scheduled for Sunday night, May 25 at 7:30 PM. Top Tracks Series and Super Late Models will headline the evenings activities along with a full racing program. www.dixiespeedway.com Pictures from Dixie’s practice: http://4m.net/showthread.php?t=48712&highlight=Dixie The third edition of the $50,000 to win Colossal at Lowe’s Dirt Track in Charlotte begins Friday with group time trials and heat races. The top-two finishers in each heat will secure a spot in the 100-lap finale and a draw will determine the starting lineup. Saturday night's program begins with a driver autograph session and the on-track action includes at least four additional qualifying races prior to the main event. The race is part of the World of Outlaws Late Model Series, but The Dirt Track's traditional format, including the extremely popular Delaware-style restarts, will be utilized. Advance reserved tickets for both Friday and Saturday nights are $39 for adults and $10 for children ages 12 and under. Two-day pit passes are $60 in advance. www.lowesmotorspeedway.com Randy Porter, of nearby Easley, SC, started on the outside pole and won the Georgia Asphalt Series Thomas Concrete/RS Trucking Upstate 100 Friday night at Anderson Motor Speedway. Porter powered to a win at his home track. Joey Senter, of Jefferson, set fast time on the 3/8 mile oval with a 15.668 second lap, winning the Sunoco/Bearden Oil Company Pole Award. Senter rolled a 4 with the dice, moving rookie T.J Reaid to the top spot. Porter jumped out to a early lead after a pile up in turn three by several of the top competitors. During the race, Porter received challenges by Anderson's own Ralph Carnes and former GAS Series Champion, Joey Senter, but Porter was able to hold on for the win. Rounding out the top five were Fredrick Moore, Ryan Seig, of Decatur, and Taylor Satterfield, of Commerce. Rookie driver T.J. Reaid, of Canton, started on the pole after the inversion, but was caught up in an accident in turn 4 early in the race. Reaid was able to battle back in the Glenncast/Cherokee Flooring racer to a 6th place finish. Georgia Asphalt Series heads to its home track of Peach State Speedway in Jefferson May 3rd, for round 3 of the season. Offical Results - Georgia Asphalt Series Race - Upstate 100 Anderson (SC) Motor Speedway 4/11/08 1) Randy Porter - Easley, SC 2) Joey Senter - Jefferson, GA 3) Fredrick Moore - Gainesville, GA 4) Ryan Seig - Decatur, GA 5) Taylor Satterfield - Commerce, GA 6) T.J. Reaid - R - Acworth, GA 7) Tommy Stokes - Central, SC 8) Chris Whorton - Boaz, AL 9) Nick Potts - Jeferson, GA 10) Ralph Carnes - ANderson, SC 11) Tony Clark - Sharpsburg, GA 12) Cody Haskins- R - Marietta, GA 13) Russell Fleeman - Dacula, GA 14) Justin Ashley - R - Hona Path, SC 15) Michael Mullins - R - Columbus, GA 16) Terry Brooks, Jr - Concord, NC 17) Travis Hearn - Jefferson, GA 18) Shane Sawyer- Canton, GA “Although the Toccoa Speedway (GA) restroom probably ranks the all-time lowest in this category, the Centerville (AR) Super Speedway was in contention,” reports leading trackchaser Randy Lewis this week. “I have no idea what makes this track a “super” speedway.” www.ranlayracing.com Photo evidence: http://picasaweb.google.com/Ranlay8/CentervilleSuperSpeedway John Wes Townley, of Watkinsville, was seventh in the ARCA show at Salem (IN) last week, and is now fourth in points. Townley and ARCA will be at Iowa Sat., live on SPEED at 1:30 p.m. ARCA’s Rockingham show is May 6. The team races Fords, with Roush/Yates engines. www.teamrab.com Eldora’s Prelude to the Dream, from Eldora, on HBO Pay-Per-View last year, raised $800,000 for charities. This year 25 NASCAR drivers will race June 4. On your TV, with no commercials, $24.95. Former NASCAR driver Shane Hmiel, who raced a crate LM at TST’s Ice Bowl and Green Valley’s Bama Bash, has won two midget races recently in California. The ASA Series and Madison (WI) Intl. Speedway are offering 18 scholarships - from $6000 to $25,000 each - to high school aged drivers and crew members at the track who want to study morotsports at Ohio Technical College. www.madisoninternationalspeedway.com Sugar Creek Friday: $5000.00 DOLLAR PURSE IN CRATE LATE MODELS THIS WEEKEND: $1000.00 TO WIN, $100.00 TO START - PLUS $100.00 FOR FAST TIME. $50.00 ENTRY FEE. TIRES ALLOWED ARE HOOSIER 1600 OR 55 OR AMERICAN RACER 56 OR GOODYEAR 45 OR 50. ALL TIRES EXCEPT GOODYEAR 45 MUST PUNCH 50 AFTER THE RACE! ALL OTHER CLASSES RUNNING, EXCEPT SUPER LATE MODELS. Peach State Speedway in Jefferson has cancelled the April 19 local racing program. The next event at the speedway will be Saturday, May 3, when the Georgia Asphalt Series will be in town. Local classes will also compete. At Green Valley: SOUTHERN MONSTER TRUCK SHOWDOWN: Freestyle Show Friday, Monster Truck Comp on Saturday. www.greenvalleyspeedway.com Henry Eddie Terry, of Buchanan, GA, is third in crate LM points at Green Valley, and Michael Jones and Mario Gresham, both of Rome, lead the Super Street class. Jack and Tammy Rayburn, of Cedartown, lead the Cruisers, and Jimmy Plumlee, of Trenton, tops Pure Pony. 13 of the top 17 in Pure Pony are Georgians. Billy Moyer roared back into the World of Outlaws LM limelight with a convincing victory in Tuesday’s 50-lap ‘Showdown in Sarvertown’ at Lernerville Speedway. Moyer, who started third, overtook polesitter Shane Clanton of Locust Grove, Ga., for the lead on lap four, and never looked back. Clanton said “Confidence is so important. I know, because my confidence is building. I’m finishing races now – and finishing up front. Maybe I can carry some confidence to Charlotte this weekend (for the $50,000-to-win Circle K Colossal 100 at The Dirt Track @ Lowe’s Motor Speedway) and run up front.” WoO Late Model Series ‘Showdown in Sarvertown’ 1. (3) Billy Moyer/50 $10,150 2. (1) Shane Clanton/50 $5,100 3. (10) Chub Frank/50 $3,000 4. (4) Steve Francis/50 $2,500 5. (7) Rick Eckert/50 $2,000 6. (13) Darrell Lanigan/50 $1,700 7. (8) Josh Richards/50 $1,400 8. (9) Brian Shirley/50 $1,300 9. (12) Mike Balzano/50 $1,700 10. (16) Jeep VanWormer/50 $1,100 11. (2) Vic Coffey/50 $1,300 12. (19) Clint Smith/50 $1,000 (full story at www.georgiastockcarracing.com) Mason Massey, age ten, won his Bandolero class last weekend at Atlanta Friday, at Nashville Sat., and at Riverview (TN) Sun. He’s won at nine tracks in six states in 2008. To support his family’s race team, they are having a fund raising dinner Tues., May 20: “A night with Bill Elliott and Mason Massey”. The guests include Bill Elliott and son Chase, Ed Clark of AMS, and American Idol Finalist Alexandrea Lushington. Gumbeaux’s Cajun Cafe is providing the food. Tickets are $45. Details, and a great picture of Mason in his tux, at www.masonmassey.com Phone Mayes Massey at 770-318-7756. Rob Fisher, in Circle Track 7/08, says Bill Elliott requires son Chase to spend six hours working on the car before turning a lap. He wants his son to be among the youngsters who understand the mechanics of racing and winning. The Lavonia Speedway will try it one more time to officially get the Racing Season started. Lavonia fell victim once more to Mother Nature last week. This week at Lavonia Speedway, it will be possible for a Limited Latemodel Driver to take Home a cool $1,000 . Added to the $800 to win feature event, "Wholesale Meats of Hartwell" has raised the fast qualifier award for the Limited Latemodels to $200 this week. Also on tap for Friday night will be the "Fastrak Sanctioned" Crate Latemodels. "Wholesale Meats of Hartwell" will also be puting up a fast qualifier award of $200 for the Crates too. Hot Laps @ 8pm. www.fastrakracing.com www.lavoniaspeedway.com The Legendary Toccoa Speedway, The Oldest and Fastest High Banked 5/16 mile Clay Tri Oval on the Planet will be Racing Saturday night April,19th. Seven action filled division will be in competition. Support racing will feature Hobby / Street-Enduro / Street Stock 4Cyl / and the Bombers. Toccoa Speedway rules will apply in these (4) divisions. Hot laps @ 7pm. New Rules for the Bomber Division have been posted. www.toccoaspeedway.info/RulesBomber.htm 1st Annual "ROAD TO DEGA 50" - NASCAR’S KENNY WALLACE TO RACE IN GREEN VALLEY OPEN WHEEL RACE! Green Valley (near Gadsden, AL) has anounced the 1st ANNUAL "ROAD TO DEGA 50" on Thursday, April 24. They have interest & commitments from drivers such as Nascar's Kenny Wallace, Nascars 93 Grand National champ Steve Grissom along w/his son Kyle. Dale McDowell, Ray Cook, Ronnie Johnson, 2007 GVS champ Robert Gant, Tony Morris, Don Farmer, Virgil Taylor, Daniel Miller, and Tony Knowles, just to name a few. The NASCAR show at Talladega’s big track, and the Southern All Stars at Talladega Short Track on Sat., will attract drivers and fans to Green Valley, as will the $3000 . Support Classes will include Limited late Models, NeSmith late Models, & Open Wheels. Grandstands $15/25 per couple, children 10 & under FREE. Terry Smith picked up his first win of the 2008 racing season besting a thirty-five car super late model field on a chilly Saturday Night at the Talladega Short Track. Jason Wilson finished in the second spot with Tim Busha third. Fourth spot went to Danny Peoples with Ross Martin rounding out the top five. Dougie King picked up the win in Sportsman action over Dustin Stewart in second and Shane Criswell third. Jimmy Elkins picked up the twenty-lap Crate Late Model win over Adam Martin in second and Brian Ponder third. Michael Strickland made it three for three in IMCA Modified action picking up his third straight win over David Griffin in second and David Newton third. www.talladegashorttrack.com. (full report at www.georgiastockcarracing.com) Cannon, Georgia’s Benji Cole made it very clear to the competition Saturday night at Toccoa Speedway - this is his territory. Cole, who started from the outside of the front row, launched his Dirty White Boy Chassied machine to the lead at the drop of the green flag and then proceeded to lead all fifty laps. Cole never faced a serious challenge in taking the victory that was worth $5000 at Georgia’s oldest dirt racing facility. In qualifying, Brent Dixon bested all drivers in hand with a lap of 12.464 seconds around the 5/16ths D-shaped bullring. 2007 OSAS Champion Ivedent Lloyd timed in second quick but was light at the scales. Cole timed in third quick. The O’Reilly Southern All Stars Racing Series will take next weekend off but will return to action on Saturday, April 26th at the Talladega Short Track for a $5000 to win event. www.southern-allstars.com . Upcoming OSAS Events: April 26, 2008 – Talladega Short Track - $5000 to win May 9, 2008 – North Alabama Speedway – $5000 May 10, 2008 – Columbus (MS) Speedway – $5000 Official Finish 1 – 121 Benji Cole – Cannon, GA 2 – 75 Jonathan Davenport – Blairsville, GA 3 – USA1 Doug English – Clayton, GA 4 – 7 Jason Fitzgerald – Jacksonville, FL 5 – 101 Casey Roberts – Toccoa, GA 6 – 01 Travis Pennington – Winston, GA 7 – 26 Dillon Wood – New Smyrna Beach, FL 8 – 104 Monk Gulledge – Batesburg, SC 9 – D1 Dion Deason – Greenwood, SC (full report at www.georgiastockcarracing.com) Pictures at: http://www.carlsonracephotos.com/gallery2/gallery2/main.php 19 year old Ryan Gifford of Winchester, TN, took the FASTRAK Series victory at Cherokee Speedway during a rain shortened event. It was the first event of this type young Gifford had ever won. He is in the driver development program of Richard Childress Racing located in Welcome NC. The team is owed by Mike Dillon, general manager of RCR. Fans were given a discount for the next Cherokee event, or the ticket stub is good for 50% off at any upcoming FASTRAK event. UPCOMING MODERN CHEVROLET FASTRAK late model touring events: May 3rd Toccoa Speedway, Toccoa GA $2000 to win! May 9th Carolina Speedway, Gastonia NC $2000 to win! www.fastrakracing.com Bubba Pollard, of Senoia, won the first Miller Lite Series 100-lap Super Late Model event of the 2008 season at Mobile International Speedway. He also won the GAS race at Peach State a week ago. Finishing order of the Miller Lite Series season opener: 1)#26 Bubba Pollard (qualified 2nd) 2)#94 Mitch Cobb 3)#82W Donnie Wilson 4)#82 Grant Enfinger 5)#10C Ryan Crane 6)#70 Jeff Choquette 7)#6 Hunter Robbins 8)#41 Chris Davidson 9)#54 Todd McLemore 10)#99L Dale Little 11)#131 Jeff Letson 12)#99S Casey Smith 13)#07 Jeff Scofield 14)#14 Adam Crawford 15)#44 Michael Pope 16)#43 Dennis Schoenfeld 17)#02 Matt Smith 18)#3 Chris Serio 19)#49L Joey Logano 20)#11 Donald Long 21)#10 Danny Bagwell 22)#2 John Bolen 23)#96D Greg Davidson 24)#42 Kevin Rehwinkel 25)#27 Jason Young 26)#49 Stanley Smith 27)#96 Steven Davis 28)#1M Tim Martin Thanks to Speed51.com The results for the first Blizzard Series Super Late Model event of the season at Pensacola: (partial) 1)#38H Josh Hamner 2)#49 Joey Logano 3)#6 Hunter Robbins 4)#94 Mitch Cobb 5)#82 Grant Enfinger 6)#21 Scott Carlson 7)#44 Michael Pope 8)#99S Casey Smith 9)#73 Corey Ruble 10)#70 Jeff Choquette 11)#14M Ken McFarland 12)#27 Jason Young 13)#07W Brad Webb 14)#26 Bubba Pollard 15)#88 Roger Reuse 16)#0 David Hole Trackchaser Randy Lewis liked the Lucas show at Screven: “We arrived at the track today at about 4 p.m. There weren’t many spectators at the track this early. We wanted to be here early so we could place our stadium seats in the grandstands assuring us of a premier seat location for tonight’s big late model races. Very few short tracks offer reserved seating. Normally, finding a seat isn’t a problem at the nation’s short tracks. However, tonight’s grandstand was very small. I’m guessing it seated far less than 1,000. “The first person we met was the track owner. His name was James or “Big Redd”. James was sitting on a sofa (outdoors) just a few feet from the racetrack surface. We introduced ourselves to James, a certified “good ole boy”. James was happy to see us. He offered up his sofa for our comfort and upon learning that he had just met the “World’s #1 Ranked Trackchaser” told us we had the “run of the place” and could have the sofa as our seating area for the night. “What did he mean by the “run of the place?” The $20 admission price not only gave us entry to the spectator grandstand, but also entry to the pit area and the track’s drag strip. It is common in Europe for one admission price to include entry to both the spectator grandstand and the pit area. It is extremely rare for this to occur in the U.S. at oval tracks. “If the Screven Motor Speedway can allow pit area admission as part of the normal admission price, why can’t everybody do that. Way to go James. You’re ahead of the competition with this policy. We spent a good deal of time in the pit area while the crews worked on their cars. ... we spent time with Richmond, Indiana’s Steve Casebolt. I also did a short newspaper interview with the local paper. “Following the late model heat races, we ventured over to the drag strip. They were racing tonight and our ticket was good for this track too. As you probably know, drag strips do not count in the world of trackchasing. I don’t really know why that is. A drag strip is a motorsports racetrack. What were the founders of trackchasing thinking when they made the initial rules? “Tonight’s racing on the red clay 3/8 mile oval was well above average. There were more than 50 late models that each took two laps of time trials. Four heat races and two mains were run before the big feature event of the night. “The racing was fast and furious. There was a good deal of passing and punting. I listened to the action on my race scanner. One driver put two of the favorites out of the action in two consecutive accidents. The race director came over the radio and told the driver to “calm down”, you’re “way out of control”. On the next restart this wild driver ran into the front straight wall and did a series of barrel roll flips before coming to rest on his rooftop with fuel pouring out of the car’s ruptured fuel tank. Fortunately, the spilt fuel did not catch fire. “Tonight’s racing was just as good as last night’s at Swainsboro. However, the Screven Motor Speedway missed the boat in one very important area. It almost ruined everything. What was the problem? “The track decided to run support classes tonight. Those support classes were terrible. They took much too long to run those races with constant stoppages and delays. When the weather threatens and you’ve got a crowd that has come to see a major group like the Lucas Oil Dirt Late Models, don’t ruin the program with support classes. If you MUST run them, run them AFTER the premier class is finished or enforce strict time limits on the races the support classes do run. “Fortunately, they got the Lucas Oil feature race in, but barely. The race was great with several lead changes and some very exciting action. I won’t see racing this good in more than 10-15% of the races I visit during the rest of the year. “As soon as the Lucas Oil “A” main was finished Jim, I, and most of the rest of the fans headed for the exits. We were not 15 miles from the track when it began to rain. We had been very fortunate.” More at www.ranlay.com Gordon Park Results (partial) - Saturday April 12 Crate Late Models 1. T1 Tommy Snell 2. 8 Johnnie Tucker Jr. 3. B4 Brandon Carpenter 4. 88 Johnnie Tucker 5. 42 Chris Usry 6. 71 Jimmy Maness 7. 14 Mitchel Godfrey 8. m31 Mike Akeson 9. 7 Bob Robertson 10. 47 Clark Gearig 11. 21c Brian Connor 12. 7 Scooter Sullivan 13. 8 Rodney Peters 14. 57 Travis Gearig DNR 15. 0 No Name DNR Super Street 1. 25 Mike Cauley 2. 28 Bill chance 3. M16 Josh Mock 4. 99 Billy Gunter Stock V8 1. 41 Johnnie Crews 2. 4 Chuck Toole 3. 297 Brandon Hadden 4. 69 John Kessinger 4 Cylinder 1. 54 Adam Nation 2. 7 Dalton Overton 3. C7 Gary Toole 4. 21x Zack Weathers Road Warriors 1. 43 Danny Harris 2. U2 Billy Grassmeyer 3. 22 Kurt Young 4. 7 Justin McCorkle Early Sat. rain spoiled the track surface, but Hartwell got their show in Sat. The Carolina Clash comes to Hartwell May 31. < Limited Late Models 1st #17 Parker Harring 2nd #107 Dustin Mincey 3rd #98 Jimmy Johnson 4th #20 Andy Lee 5th #12 Paul Byrum < Crate Late Models 1st #32 Bubba Russell 2nd #05 Grant Jordan 3rd #51 Brandon Haley 4th #1A Brant Carey 5th #39 David Archer Photos from Hartwell last Sat.: www.picturesbykk.com Cochran got their season opened last Sat., and continue this Sat. with the first points race. The National Late Model Series races May 3. Cochran Speedway 4/12 RESULTS (partial): Late Model 1-Jason Lyles 2-Wiley McDaniel 3-Stevie Jones 4-Lark Haskins 5-Shannon Moye Sportsman 1-Ricky Burgamy 2-Johnny Tribble 3-Chaz Haskins 4-Brock Wise 5-Brian Waters Pure Stock 1-Eric Register 2-Eric Burnham 3-Karl Willard 4-Chris Pittman 5-Jason Dykes Cadet 1-Brian Grantham 2-Wayne Griggs 3-Chris Tucker 4-Marty McGuire 5-Stacey Alligood Road Warrior 1-Kyle Conyer 2-Tommy Johnson 3-Jason Howell 4-James Tucker 5-Eric Moore www.cochrangaspeedway.com The Southeastern Latemodel Sportsman Series has announced the Sponsors for the 2008 Season, who have donated over $12,000 in prizes and Contingencies for the Series. BRT has joined us and will be donating a complete Rack System. PPM will be donating $1,000 in Racing products.Warrior Race Cars will be donating a New Chassi and MasterSbilt will be offering $1,000 off on the purchace of a new Chassi. Also coming on board are Twister Roofs, Quick Car, Winters Rearends, Ultra Shield and Speed Bear Rivets. The Series is really taking roots in the Southeastern United States. www.southeasternlatemodel.info. The Music City Motorplex has rescheduled the All American 150 CRA Super Series event for Sunday, July 20, at the historical track located at the Fairgrounds in Nashville, Tennessee. The field for the April 26th Pro All Stars Series (PASS) Watermelon 125 at Cordele Georgia’s Watermelon Capital Speedway has taken an exciting twist with the addition of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular David Ragan . Ragan, driver of the AAA Insurance Ford Fusion for Roush – Fenway Racing will be flying in from Talladega Super Speedway to make his first Pro All Stars Series start. He will be behind the wheel of his own Ford Fusion super late model with sponsorship from Watermelon Capital Speedway and Advanced Technology Motorsports of Lovejoy, Georgia. A native of nearby Unadilla Georgia, Ragan is currently seventeenth in the NASCAR Spring Cup point standings and fourth in NASCAR Nationwide Series points. www.racewithpass.com www.proallstarsseries.com www.watermeloncapitalspeedway.com . 600 photos from the Southeast Asphalt Tour show at the ‘Melon: http://sgsn.smugmug.com/gallery/4674792_7wmJB#P-38-9 Lakeland, FL, driver Chris Fontaine qualified the Glenden Enterprises #47F Ford Fusion in the sixth position for the start of the "Watermelon 100" at Watermelon Capital Speedway two weeks ago. Fontaine was one of eight drivers in the ASASAT to break the Watermelon Capital Speedway track record. On lap 76, Chris Fontaine was working his way through the traffic when a wreck off turn two including Gene Kirila, Jeremy Mullinax, and Steve Renner collected Fontaine's car. Fontaine got the worst of it as he barrel-rolled several times in the grass outside second turn. Pictures are on his website, and also at http://sgsn.smugmug.com/gallery/4674792_7wmJB#P-38-9 http://chrisfontaine.com/ He was third in rookie points last year in the ASA Late Models Southern Division, and also ran two NASCAR Truck races. PROMOTERS NOTE: From the WoO LM Series PR: “Keith Jackson, Jamie Lathroum and Kenny Pettyjohn were penalized to the rear of the field for the start after reporting late to the lineup.” Win tickets to Talladega’s NASCAR show April 27: Email sundaypaper@atlantasrockstation.com Put “Talladega” in the subject line. ---- ---- ---- ---- Racing, Heroes, And Family: What A Combination Written by Dale Hall (South GA Sports Network, used with permission) Tuesday, 08 April 2008 I love racing. My father used to take the whole family when I was a young kid. I-75 Speedway and Thunderbowl Speedway were fun places to be on a Saturday night. Every now and then, we would venture down to Lake City or Jacksonville to watch a race. One of the drivers I loved to watch was a gentleman who drove a gold car with number 90 on the side of it. Eddie McDonald was his name and he was one of my favorites. One of the reasons for that had to do with the fact that he was from my hometown, Tifton. But, more than that, he could flat out drive a race car. Gold 90 was what we called that car he drove. If I remember correctly, Doc Blanchard built it and it was owned by Laverne Kendrick. Mr. Kendrick also owned a pool hall in Tifton that was famous for its hot dogs, hamburgers, hamburger steaks, and Irish stew. We used to stop by on the way to the races. The family would wait in the car while my dad went inside to retrieve those delectable vittles. With the recent loss of my dad, memories of those times are much like Mr. McDonalds car, they are truly golden. Recently, I got the chance to meet Mr. McDonald. We talked some of the good ole days. He enlightened me about the races he run with NASCAR. We also talked about another hero of mine, Sam McQuagg, who once won a Firecracker 400. He raced down in Valdosta, too. It was with great pride that I got the chance to introduce my son, Jacob, to him. It’s not often that a man gets to introduce his son to a boyhood hero. Eddie’s son is the track manager at the Watermelon Capital Speedway in Cordele. Eddie Jr. has raced a bit in his time, too. These days, you can see the two of them together enjoying the sport they love up in Cordele at the “Melon” on Saturday nights. You see, racing is a family sport. It always has and always will be. I can’t think of a much better place to be on a Saturday night than at the racetrack with your family. Everyone picks their favorite drivers and cheers them on. Man, what a feeling when your driver wins. As I said, Eddie McDonald was one of my favorite drivers, and he won a lot. Fathers, take heed. Moms and children, you listen up too. Time has a way of sneaking up on you. Enjoy all the time together that you can. It seems that it was only yesterday, I was a young kid enjoying the races with my family. Now, I am getting a bit long in the tooth and I have fewer days ahead of me than behind me. I appreciate the time I spent with my family. I thank my dad for giving us that opportunity when he took us to the races on Saturday nights. He was my real hero. Dad, we miss you. http://sgasports.net/new/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=520&Itemid=90 ---- ---- ---- ---- Herb Emory’s Bellamy-Strickland Chevrolet sponsored racing show on WSB radio in Atlanta: Sat., 2-4 p.m.

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