New Years 100

New Years 100 Feb 4, 2006 22:01:36 GMT -5

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Post by Dirt Master on Feb 4, 2006 22:01:36 GMT -5

Swainsboro Raceway’s New Years 100 Gets the Party Started!
SPONSORED BY: JACKSON HEWITT TAX SERVICE

By: Candy Green
12-31-05

As drivers and fans began packing Swainsboro Raceway on a beautiful Saturday afternoon, the party was just beginning. Racing action began early in the afternoon with several heat races taking place to set the lineup for the feature events. For some drivers it was a great way to end the year and bring in the New Year of 2006. The night’s events were sponsored by Jackson Hewitt Tax Service as the tax professionals began to prepare for the busiest four months of their year.

Once all the heat races were ran the Road Warrior division drove onto the track as the first feature event. This race was being sponsored by SD Sales of Vidalia and the top six cars that finished the event with a mattress on top would receive a $50 bonus. Rookie Kyle Johnson who began his racing career late in the 2005 season won his heat race and sat on the inside pole position. Along beside Johnson taking the green flag was Keith Riner. Johnson quickly took the lead on lap one and began to pull away from the field but would shortly have tough competition from rivalry Fate Carroll. As the two dove into the widened corners of the slick surface Johnson would continue to hold onto the lead. As the white flag fell, Johnson and Carroll made their way into turn one but this time Carroll had to make his move because there were no more chances. Carroll took over the lead on the final lap of the race and took the checkered flag. However, in post race inspection Carroll was disqualified and Kyle Johnson was declared the winner and first car to receiving a $50 bonus for the mattress. Second place went to David Beasley, third Marshall Powell, fourth James Tucker who also had a mattress, and rounding out the top five with a mattress was Keith Riner.

Next was a field with over twenty Mini Stock drivers dedicating the night’s race to a family member of the racing community that lost his life just a few day before,
Mr. Tom Sause. Mr. Sause’s son Tommy led the field around for a missing pole lap in honor of his father before the event got started. After heat races, the front row was Clay Collins and Bobby Morris. When the green flag began to fly, Morris never hesitated to quickly pull out front bringing along Randall Wegmann to the second position. As the two shared metal for several laps, Morris continued to hold off Wegmann. With only five laps to go, Wegmann knew the race was coming to an end and he would have to make his move soon. Coming out of the turn Morris made one little slip and allowed Wegmann to drive under him and take over the lead. Wegmann took the checkered flag and Morris finished in second. Third place went to Tommy Sause who was given the checkered flag to make one final lap in honor of his father at the request of the race winner Randall Wegmann. As Sause made that final lap out of respect fans stood to their feet as Wegmann and Brad McKenzie followed behind him. Rounding out the top five in the Mini Stock division was Norman Chambers and Mark Driggers.

After winning their heat races Wayne Curl and Lou Triplett both sat nervously on the front row hoping to pick up their first wins with nearly thirty cars roaring behind them. Curl’s chances looked pretty good when he began to lead the field around the half-mile for a few laps. While leading Curl continued his quest out front and tough contender Alan Wilkerson began making his way from fourth to take over second. After only five laps into the race, Wilkerson took control and made his way around Curl for the lead. Wilkerson pulled away from the field as Curl held onto second. Wilkerson picked up another win and Curl grabbed one of his best finishes of the year in second. Also making a good run after several weeks of hard luck was Tommy Hadden in third and John Bratcher in fourth. Rounding out the top five was the 2005 Pure Stock Points Champion RJ Coleman.

In the Super Street division, there has been only one man proving to be pretty dominant during the end of 2005 and that would be Willis McKenzie. The Bartow native wouldn’t allow anything to stand in the way of one final 2005 win as he led every lap of the feature event. With many cautions throughout the event and twenty-four cars all trying to fight their way to the front, McKenzie never looked back and picked up another win. In second was Glen Watkins, third Kenny Bryant, fourth Louie Thompson, and fifth Mitch Fulford.

Next, the Sportsman event was a continuous wreck when every driver tried to win the race on the first lap. Although several drivers were eliminated due to wrecks and cautions, it was the black knight leading the entire event. Moving down to the Sportsman division late in the season and driving in a solid black car with no number, Ken Ricks put a scare on many of the drivers as he has been pulling away from the field every event lately. Mike Ray began a good run in second but at halfway during the event Allen Rowland took over after make his way from the middle of the pack. Rowland either didn’t have enough time left in the race or not enough horse power to test the leader. Ken Ricks picked up another win leaving Rowland to settle for a well earned second. Third went to Mike Ray, fourth Jimmy Maness, and fifth Chet Chester.

Finally ending the night is the Crate Late Model division with Mike Head and Jack Pennington fired up on the front row. After winning the Turkey 100 event Pennington had ambitions to make it two in a row but Mike Head had other things in mind. Mike Head would quickly put a damper on Pennington’s hopes when he took over the lead. As the two cars would sail into the turns Pennington seemed to have more power going in but Head would have more pulling out of the turns as the front of the cars would raise off the ground appearing as they were riding on one or two tires. Head never gave mercy though Pennington would give a little bump to let him know some was knocking at the door. With less than half the race left, Pennington began to get impatient knowing he had little time to make his move. Becoming gutsy Pennington dove underneath Head to try and make the pass but disappointingly to himself he would go spinning. Now taking over second after making an incredible run from near the back was Sean Meeks. Meeks new he was in desperate need of more time to get around Head but instead he decided to make his attempt on the first lap back to green. Meeks actions worked allowing him to take over the lead and Mike Head quickly began falling back in the field. Sean Meeks went on to take the checkered flag and Jackson Hewitt Feature event win. Tracy Watson incredibly picked up second after starting in the very rear of the field. Travis Pennington grabbed third, Todd Davis fourth, and Glen Watkins fifth.

Post by Dirt Master on Dec 9, 2005 20:53:17 GMT -5

Post by Dirt Master on Feb 4, 2006 22:01:36 GMT -5