Post by Dirt Master on Dec 21, 2006 17:18:23 GMT -5
Record Breaking Car Count and Crowd at Swainsboro!
By: Candy Green
11-25-06
Drivers and fans rolled into Swainsboro Raceway Thanksgiving Day to begin the biggest weekend of racing all year. Nearly 80 cars showed up for practice and that was just a taste of what was to come. Friday, the gates opened at noon and cars were lined up at the gate waiting to get in so they could get their spots in the pits. Over 160 racecars from everywhere lined the inside and two outside pit areas for qualifying and heat races. After winning heat races in their divisions the front row for Saturday’s features was set. Heat race winners were:
Driggers Concrete Road Warrior: Jason Arrington and Little Charlie Coxwell
Love’s Seafood Mini Stock: Brad McKenzie, Mark Driggers, and Roger McKenzie
Daniels Chevrolet Pure Stock: Glen Watkins, Luke Scott, Alan Wilkerson, and Kary Alexander
Sunoco Super Street: Kim McKenzie, Jimmy Sharpe, JR, and Chris Caststeel
Budweiser Sportsman: Jason Burton and Mitchell Meeks
Crate Late Model: Henry Carter, Terry Lumley, and Chesley Dixon
Super Late Model: Bob Robertson and Clint Smith
Also ending Friday nights heat races was a crowd favorite, the Demolition Derby. Six cars entered the derby for some car crunching, backwards driving action. Taking home the $1000 prize as the last car running with both back wheel dragging the ground was, Doug Morris.
Saturday night it was time to bring on the heat. With over $62,000 to be paid out in the seven divisions, drivers prepared for the best racing action Dixie has to offer. Up first in the feature events was the Driggers Concrete Road Warrior division. Taking the lead right away was Jason Arrington in the Blue Moon Racing machine. Following in second was Little Charlie Coxwell. Little Charlie put the heat on Arrington in his station wagon that Arrington had driven earlier in the year. Arrington held of Coxwell until three laps to go. Unfortunately for Arrington his win was cut a little short when he had to pit to change a flat tire and come back out on the rear. Coxwell took the white flag trying to hold off David Beasley and Dustin Watkins. Beasley went spinning allowing Coxwell to take the checkered and pick up a win in his rookie season. Dustin Watkins picked up second driving the car previously driven by his brother. Third place amazingly went to Jason Arrington. In three laps Arrington came from the rear to pick up third. Fourth place went to Terry Strange and fifth Justin Spivey.
Up next in the Crate Late Model Division, 26 cars lined up beautifully side by side with locals Henry Carter and Terry Lumley getting set to take the green. Carter took the lead, Lumley fell into second but by lap four Bob Robertson made his way into second. After only eight laps into the event, Carter began to lap several cars. As the white flag flew, car owner Chris Dorsey and his racing team waited patiently for Henry Carter to complete that one last half mile. Carter picked up the win leading flag to flag and making it the first win for the Dorsey racing team. Bob Robertson held onto second place and got fired up for the Super Late Model event where he was the fastest qualifier. Third place went to Terry Lumley, fourth Robert Diekemper, and fifth Chesley Dixon.
Following the Crates was a local favorite in the Sunoco Super Street Division. After some heated racing action Friday night, fans and drivers were psyched for the feature event. On the first restart, a caution sent several drivers into the pits including four drivers in the top five of the lineup. With a new lineup, on the front now was Kim McKenzie and Chris Litchfield. Lap one made his way from third row inside to the front with Chris Litchfield following in second. By lap two, after starting in the back from a wreck on Friday, Willis McKenzie took over second. Seven laps into the event, McKenzie made the pass for first. Once out front, McKenzie never looked back and went on to take the checkered. Louie Thompson picked up one of his best finishes of the year in second. Third place went to Glen Watkins. Making his way from the back after pitting on the restart to pick up fourth was Chris Caststeel. Rounding out the top five was pole sitter Kim McKenzie.
Up next in the Super Late Model division it was Bob Robertson dominating the night. After receiving the fastest qualifying award on Friday and picking up a heat race win, Robertson held the pole for the feature. Robertson quickly jumped into the groove to take the lead. In second was the famous Ed Basey and third Mike Head. On lap three Brian Nuttal became the first to be eliminated from the race and lap seven Crandall Turner followed. Robertson dominated the event leading the entire race with the top three remaining unchanged but the rest of the cars were quickly falling out. As the checkered flag fell only nine cars remained and Bob Robertson picked up the win. Second and third went to Ed Basey and Mike Head. Finishing out the top five were Clint Smith and John Cloer.
In the Daniels Chevrolet Pure Stock, it was caution after caution. On the first restart the front row got involved in a caution sending both Glen Watkins and Luke Scott into the pits. Moving up then was Alan Wilkerson and Kary Alexander. Lap one Alan Wilkerson held the first position but with an extremely fast car, Alexander quickly took over on lap two. Alexander pulled away and led to the checkered. During post race inspection Alexander was protested and forfeited the win. Alan Wilkerson picked up the Turkey, 6ft trophy, and $3000 pay day. Second place went to RJ Coleman, third Dewayne Sharpe, and after having some rough times this season Joey Hobbs picked up his best finish in fourth, fifth went to Jordy Kight who ended the season with all top ten finishes.
Unbelievably in the Budweiser Sportsman division, several cautions flew at the start taking forever to complete lap one. Finally once lap one was in the books it became a battle between the 12’s. Pulling out front first driving the black 12 was Jason Brittain and in second in the yellow 12 was former track champion Mitchell Meeks. Just after half way through the event, Meeks used one of his veteran driving skills to make the pass for first. Meeks went on to take the checkered. Brittain picked up second, Marc Collins third, Monk Gulledge fourth, and Rod Wiggins fifth.
Ending the night in the Love’s Seafood Mini Stock division, Roger McKenzie took the lead with Jimmy Braddy chauffeuring a new ride fell into second. As the battle for second began to get heated between several drivers, some of the pressure was lifted off McKenzie. Taking over second on lap five was Josh Carter. McKenzie went on to take the checkered picking up the win for the Driggers Concrete and RPM racing teams. Carter picked up second and Jimmy Braddy grabbed his best finish of the season in third. Also picking up incredible finishes after having a tough season was Dean Roberts in fourth, and Marty Neal ended the year with a top five.
By: Candy Green
11-25-06
Drivers and fans rolled into Swainsboro Raceway Thanksgiving Day to begin the biggest weekend of racing all year. Nearly 80 cars showed up for practice and that was just a taste of what was to come. Friday, the gates opened at noon and cars were lined up at the gate waiting to get in so they could get their spots in the pits. Over 160 racecars from everywhere lined the inside and two outside pit areas for qualifying and heat races. After winning heat races in their divisions the front row for Saturday’s features was set. Heat race winners were:
Driggers Concrete Road Warrior: Jason Arrington and Little Charlie Coxwell
Love’s Seafood Mini Stock: Brad McKenzie, Mark Driggers, and Roger McKenzie
Daniels Chevrolet Pure Stock: Glen Watkins, Luke Scott, Alan Wilkerson, and Kary Alexander
Sunoco Super Street: Kim McKenzie, Jimmy Sharpe, JR, and Chris Caststeel
Budweiser Sportsman: Jason Burton and Mitchell Meeks
Crate Late Model: Henry Carter, Terry Lumley, and Chesley Dixon
Super Late Model: Bob Robertson and Clint Smith
Also ending Friday nights heat races was a crowd favorite, the Demolition Derby. Six cars entered the derby for some car crunching, backwards driving action. Taking home the $1000 prize as the last car running with both back wheel dragging the ground was, Doug Morris.
Saturday night it was time to bring on the heat. With over $62,000 to be paid out in the seven divisions, drivers prepared for the best racing action Dixie has to offer. Up first in the feature events was the Driggers Concrete Road Warrior division. Taking the lead right away was Jason Arrington in the Blue Moon Racing machine. Following in second was Little Charlie Coxwell. Little Charlie put the heat on Arrington in his station wagon that Arrington had driven earlier in the year. Arrington held of Coxwell until three laps to go. Unfortunately for Arrington his win was cut a little short when he had to pit to change a flat tire and come back out on the rear. Coxwell took the white flag trying to hold off David Beasley and Dustin Watkins. Beasley went spinning allowing Coxwell to take the checkered and pick up a win in his rookie season. Dustin Watkins picked up second driving the car previously driven by his brother. Third place amazingly went to Jason Arrington. In three laps Arrington came from the rear to pick up third. Fourth place went to Terry Strange and fifth Justin Spivey.
Up next in the Crate Late Model Division, 26 cars lined up beautifully side by side with locals Henry Carter and Terry Lumley getting set to take the green. Carter took the lead, Lumley fell into second but by lap four Bob Robertson made his way into second. After only eight laps into the event, Carter began to lap several cars. As the white flag flew, car owner Chris Dorsey and his racing team waited patiently for Henry Carter to complete that one last half mile. Carter picked up the win leading flag to flag and making it the first win for the Dorsey racing team. Bob Robertson held onto second place and got fired up for the Super Late Model event where he was the fastest qualifier. Third place went to Terry Lumley, fourth Robert Diekemper, and fifth Chesley Dixon.
Following the Crates was a local favorite in the Sunoco Super Street Division. After some heated racing action Friday night, fans and drivers were psyched for the feature event. On the first restart, a caution sent several drivers into the pits including four drivers in the top five of the lineup. With a new lineup, on the front now was Kim McKenzie and Chris Litchfield. Lap one made his way from third row inside to the front with Chris Litchfield following in second. By lap two, after starting in the back from a wreck on Friday, Willis McKenzie took over second. Seven laps into the event, McKenzie made the pass for first. Once out front, McKenzie never looked back and went on to take the checkered. Louie Thompson picked up one of his best finishes of the year in second. Third place went to Glen Watkins. Making his way from the back after pitting on the restart to pick up fourth was Chris Caststeel. Rounding out the top five was pole sitter Kim McKenzie.
Up next in the Super Late Model division it was Bob Robertson dominating the night. After receiving the fastest qualifying award on Friday and picking up a heat race win, Robertson held the pole for the feature. Robertson quickly jumped into the groove to take the lead. In second was the famous Ed Basey and third Mike Head. On lap three Brian Nuttal became the first to be eliminated from the race and lap seven Crandall Turner followed. Robertson dominated the event leading the entire race with the top three remaining unchanged but the rest of the cars were quickly falling out. As the checkered flag fell only nine cars remained and Bob Robertson picked up the win. Second and third went to Ed Basey and Mike Head. Finishing out the top five were Clint Smith and John Cloer.
In the Daniels Chevrolet Pure Stock, it was caution after caution. On the first restart the front row got involved in a caution sending both Glen Watkins and Luke Scott into the pits. Moving up then was Alan Wilkerson and Kary Alexander. Lap one Alan Wilkerson held the first position but with an extremely fast car, Alexander quickly took over on lap two. Alexander pulled away and led to the checkered. During post race inspection Alexander was protested and forfeited the win. Alan Wilkerson picked up the Turkey, 6ft trophy, and $3000 pay day. Second place went to RJ Coleman, third Dewayne Sharpe, and after having some rough times this season Joey Hobbs picked up his best finish in fourth, fifth went to Jordy Kight who ended the season with all top ten finishes.
Unbelievably in the Budweiser Sportsman division, several cautions flew at the start taking forever to complete lap one. Finally once lap one was in the books it became a battle between the 12’s. Pulling out front first driving the black 12 was Jason Brittain and in second in the yellow 12 was former track champion Mitchell Meeks. Just after half way through the event, Meeks used one of his veteran driving skills to make the pass for first. Meeks went on to take the checkered. Brittain picked up second, Marc Collins third, Monk Gulledge fourth, and Rod Wiggins fifth.
Ending the night in the Love’s Seafood Mini Stock division, Roger McKenzie took the lead with Jimmy Braddy chauffeuring a new ride fell into second. As the battle for second began to get heated between several drivers, some of the pressure was lifted off McKenzie. Taking over second on lap five was Josh Carter. McKenzie went on to take the checkered picking up the win for the Driggers Concrete and RPM racing teams. Carter picked up second and Jimmy Braddy grabbed his best finish of the season in third. Also picking up incredible finishes after having a tough season was Dean Roberts in fourth, and Marty Neal ended the year with a top five.