CORDELE GA- In a race that was slowed by unexpected swimming expeditions, the 2009 GAS season got underway Saturday night as Acworth Georgia’s own, TJ Reaid took home the checkered flag in Cordele. Reaid felt the heat all night up front and worked the low part of the 3/8 mile asphalt holding off Shane Sawyer and Casey Roderick. Reaid led the most laps of the 125 lap feature to take the checkered flag and the first win in the 2009 GAS season.
Some unexpected swimming took place when cars left the race track in turn three and wound up in chest deep water off the backside of the track. The Cordele and south Georgia area had seen record rainfall in the week prior to the race and drivers who had the unfortunate ride off the back straight into turn three put on quite a show as race cars sent rooster tails some thirty feet into the air. No drivers were injured in any of the 8 cautions on the night, but a few days of sun and a boatload of paper towels will be needed in the shop this week.
Race winner TJ Reaid won the pole with a qualifying time of 15.967, but when the draw was made for the race line up, Casey Roderick got the lucky spot up front to start the 125 lap feature with TJ Reaid on the outside of row 1 in second. Shane Sawyer started in 7th and quickly moved to the front of the pack. Sawyer charged hard all night and really gave the fans a great show down the stretch as he and Reaid battled for the lead back and forth the last 25 laps of the race. Reaid was able to hold off the charge of Sawyer and take the checkered flag. Young Chase Elliott, starting only his second late model race of his young career ran as high as 4th in the order but he was caught up in a 3 car spin on lap 112 that sent him to the back of the pack. Elliott finished 7th on the night. There were 4 lead changes among three drivers throughout the night, Reaid, Roderick and Sawyer all held the lead at one point during the race but it was Reaid who led the most laps at 63.
“This is just a great win” said Reaid in victory lane. “Sawyer really raced me hard all night. I think the fans got their money’s worth tonight as we went back and forth those last few laps. It was a great win for out team and I am really proud of all the guys and the race car.” The race was stopped at one point under red flag conditions when the water in the area behind turn three swallowed the race car of Bryce Walker of Weatherford Texas. The Melon safety team worked to remove the car from the lake that had been formed from all of the rain in the previous week and it took almost 20 minutes to get the car free from its final resting spot. The safety team was finally able to pull the car from the water and the race was resumed.
“Don’t know who decided to build a fishing pond in turn three” joked Walker on the GAS Radio Network. “I just held on and when I stopped the water was pouring in the race car from all sides, I am glad we got it out of there ok, but boy that was a wild ride.”
13 cars started the race with 10 finishing the race. 8 cars finished on the lead lap and three cars went down to wrecks or mechanical failure. Will Prance started the night in 11th on the grid but a broken clutch on lap 1 ended his night before it even started as he was retired to the garage area before completing a single lap.
The new double file re-start order now used in the GAS races for 2009 worked very well and made for some exciting re-starts as cars challenged for position each time the green flag dropped. The final caution of the night came on lap 112 as Zach Reardon got loose in turn three but was able to save the race car and avoid the water. Reardon finished the race 2 laps down.
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