Girl Power hit Gresham Motorsports Park Saturday as Tina Stephens and Brittany Finley became the first women to win on the newly-configured high-speed GMP half-mile oval.
"The race was just pretty amazing," Finley stated. "I had several people telling me 'tonight is your night' or 'I have a good feeling.' Of course, as a driver, naturally you have a hard time believing it until the real thing happens."
Finley was getting lined up for her Truck Series feature race when Stephens powered her way to victory in the GMP Outlaw Late Model main event. That gave Stephens the title of being the first woman to win at GMP, but she wouldn't be the only one for long as Finley - who like Stephens also won the pole for her race - led every lap in becoming the second female to wheel her way to Victory Lane.
"Leading every lap made for a long race, but I wouldn't take it back for anything in the world," stated Finley. "As it got closer and closer to the end of the race I just knew we were going to have a caution, and that would hurt me just a little bit if I didn't get a good start. It definitely would have been a challenge, but a good one at that." Both Stephens and Finley are regular competitors at Gresham Motorsports Park and are expected to be on hand for the track's next racing event on Saturday, June 19.
Several drivers - including Stephens and Finley - made big moves in the Hoosier Tire Championship Chase at the May 15 CARQUEST 100/Georgia Hall of Fame Night event.
Stephens jumped to third in the Outlaw Late Model season championship chase - just 55 points behind two-time winner this season Jason Bates. Mike Davidson is also in the mix, second in the standings just 25 markers out of the top spot. David Murphy and Terry Martin round out the Top-5 in the Outlaw title battle, both within 100 points of first place.
Meanwhile, Finley's win in the Truck main last week vaulted her to the top of division standings. Finley owns a 25 point advantage over Joel Townsend with Bill Hoose, Branden Franklin and Jeremy Parris all within 80 points of the leader Finley.
David Odell's first major career Pro Late Model victory on the CARQUEST 100 also boosted him to the top of the Hoosier Tire Championship Chase point standings. Odell has a 280-260 point advantage over Beau Slocumb with Shawn Simpson (255), Johnny Henderson (244) and James Nealis (230) completing the Top-5 in the current Pro Late Model standings. An indication as to how competitive this division is the fact Nick Potts is 11th in the standings - just 100 points out of first.
GMP's two other divisions - the Renegades and Mini Stocks - are more wide open affairs as Doug Sexton has a 605-415 advantage over Vernon Hicks in the Renegade Hoosier Tire Championship Chase while Spanky Hicks has a 465-405 lead over Ken Candiotti, Sr. in the always exciting Mini Stock division.
Of Note -
Based on the strength of his win in the CRA Super Late Model event that opened the 2010 racing season at GMP on March 13, Augie Grill leads that division's standings heading into their next appearance at Gresham Motorsports Park on Saturday, June 19. Grill has a 165-145 lead over Chase Elliott in the 'Super' standings with Bubba Pollard (140), Jason Hogan (135) and Mike Garvey (130) close behind.
A 40-minute highlight show of the CARQUEST 100 at Gresham Motorsports Park is currently airing on JBTV54 in Commerce, GA, GMP's local cable access partner. The show features racing action from the CARQUEST 100 and an interview with winner David Odell.
Meanwhile, JBTV54's Dave Wiley is currently producing the next segment of Gresham Motorsports Park Garage Talk - our TV 'magazine' show that features national and local driver interviews, event highlights, track facts, and sponsor profiles.
Next week's show will feature interview segments with NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers Greg Biffle and Paul Menard. Also on tap is a video review of our big Georgia Racing Hall of Fame activities plus a visit to the Hall itself in Dawsonville, GA. Round it out with a segment about GMP's Inis Motorsports brand solar powered track safety lighting system and a preview of our upcoming June 19 Super Late Models For Super Dads night, and we'll have another full program of racing action ready for your viewing next week.
Previous interviews from the show with Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch, Sam Hornish and others are posted on our You Tube GMP.com portal -
Here's a reminder to Super and Pro Late Model teams and drivers about registration for the World Crown 300 from GMP General Manager, Dan Elliott -
"We're offering an incentive to our Super and Pro Late Model teams who register early for the 2010 World Crown 300. We'll be parking transporters, lining up for technical inspection, allowing tire selection and setting the qualifying positions all by the date that we receive a team's registration form. Having first crack at all those things is going to give the teams who register early a leg up on the competition. Considering how many great cars and drivers we expect for this event, every little bit is going to help."
The Pro Late Model division - featuring a total purse of $35,000 - will burn up the GMP half-mile oval in a 125-lap main event on Saturday, November 13. The 27th-Annual World Crown 300 will roll of on Sunday, November 14. More than a dozen drivers from six states - including Johanna Long, Chase Elliott, Jason Hogan, Chris Davidson, Ryan Blaney and Stephen Naase - have already entered this year's 300-lap World Crown event.
Rules, registration and W-9 forms for all divisions of the World Crown 300 - Super, Pro and Outlaw Late Models, Renegade Street Stock, Mini-Stock and Trucks - are posted in the World Crown section on www.GreshamMotorsportsPark.com.
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