Post by Dirt Master on Nov 2, 2005 19:57:28 GMT -5
October 23, 2005
(Savannah, GA) DeWayne Johnson gambled at the midway point of Oglethorpe Speedway Park’s Budweiser 150 Saturday night dropping to the pit area to take on tires and fuel. Most of the front running cars stayed on the track to secure their track position at the 8th Annual Showdown on the Coast. His gamble proved to be the perfect bet as Johnson methodically moved through the field and overtook Patrick “Showtime” Sheltra on the last lap to win the $10,000 top prize and add one of the most prestigious wins to his career victory list. The victory culminated a weekend that saw 284 race cars compete in eleven divisions for a record $70,000 purse.
“We have wanted to win this race so bad,” said Johnson afterwards. “This is our series Daytona 500 and we have come close too often. This is the best winning this one.”
Johnson started the race in the second row inside while front row sitters Chesley Dixon and Jimmy Sharpe set the pace early. All three would lead the race at one time or another with Sheltra inheriting the lead at lap 44. “Showtime” would lead the field until the final lap when Johnson overtook him as his right rear tire let loose.
Johnson made the decision to head to the pit area around lap 75 to get a new right rear tire and load up on fuel. The debate raged all week long as teams prepared for the grueling 150 lap race on the historic half mile speedway. Teams wondered if they could make all 150 laps on the same tires. They went back and forth over whether track position was going to be more important than tires on the super fast half mile.
“It can be difficult to pass at Oglethorpe,” said 2002 winner Ivedent Lloyd. “The cars are so fast you really have to be aggressive.”
The Phenix City, Alabama hot shoe, Johnson, came back on the track in the fifteenth position. He had 75 laps to fight his way back towards the front and have a shot at the victory.
“We figured there would be half of those guys dropping due to tires,” said DeWayne’s father Winford Johnson. “We thought we could get close and see what happened.”
Johnson took a few laps to sneak past Joe Kump before working past Henry Carter. Then he shot past Cecil Eunice and Mike Nasworthy. Next it was Ben Faircloth. The fans began to take notice of Johnson’s car moving quickly through the field. Next on his hit list was the #22 of Brett Carlton. He blew a tire with only eight laps remaining and then one final caution at lap 148 for a spun out Bob Robertson set up the dash for the cash.
The crowd rose to their feet as Johnson and Sheltra fired on the restart. Johnson immediately tried the inside at turn one nudging the #23 Chevrolet of Sheltra. The two raced on through the turns three and four crossing the stripe with the white flag high in the air. Johnson again charged to the inside and this time made it past the door panel of Sheltra as the young, hot shot slid up in the turns. Johnson shot past and cruised through the final two turns to win the Budweiser 150 in front of a standing ovation. Sheltra had a tire go down and faded back to finish thirteenth.
The crowd flooded the front stretch victory lane anxiously looking to shake hands with DeWayne Johnson or solicit an autograph. The pandemonium went on for over thirty minutes as everyone waited for the winning door panel to be removed from Johnson’s car to be placed in the Finish Line Pub. Loud cheers rang out as the door panel made it’s way from victory lane to the Pub and it’s one year resting place.
“Now that’s pretty cool,” said Johnson. “That’s what we wanted. To hang this door panel in the Pub for a year.”
Following Johnson across the finish line was Jeremy Faircloth, Henry Carter, Shane Riner, Toby Justice, Brad Comer, Joe Kump, Scott Thompson, Mike Nasworthy and Darrell Padgett. A total of thirty-four cars competed in the National Late Model Series over the three day race weekend.
The Mini Stock Open also took place on the final night of the Showdown on the Coast and for the third straight year Randy Galloway of Rogers, Arkansas won going away. Guyton’s Daylon Barnard gave it his all returning to the speedway after a two year hiatus. But, the former OSP champion had nothing for the Arkansas master finishing a distant second behind Galloway. Adam Webb, Mark Driggers and former two-time OSP champion Donnie Wegmann rounded out the top five while Carl Yeoman, Jeffery Green, Travis Green, Jr., Frank Hickman and Randall Wegmann completed the top ten.
“I love this track,” said Galloway in victory lane. “This is one of the best tracks in the country to race on. It’s smooth and I love how fast it is. It is always worth the trip to Savannah.”
Forty-four cars showed up on Saturday night to compete in the final round of the Super Street Stock. The caution plagued race saw more cautions than green flag laps as many of the drivers in the middle of the pack could not stay away from each other.
“There were a few drivers that looked to be intentionally spinning drivers out to cause more cautions than necessary,” said OSP promoter Ted Austad. “It was like they wanted to slow the show down and cause the race to be shortened.”
The race was cut short by five laps and Chris Litchfield was the winner. Litchfield successfully defended his Showdown title from a year ago by beating Wayne Page, Clint Sills, Gene Nasworthy and David Huggins to finish line. Jottie Burgamy, Kyle Livingood, Adam Chambers, Jamie Hopkins and “Psycho” Clay Alexander completed the top ten.
Annette Hadden also successfully defended her title from a year ago winning the hard fought Lady Pure Stock feature race on Saturday night.
Oglethorpe Speedway Park now prepares for the beginning of the 5th Annual Go Kart Winter Shoot-Out Series. The next stock car race takes place the first weekend of February with the running of the Winternationals and Young Guns Shoot-Out. For more information on OSP, contact the speedway at 912-964-8200 or visit www.ospracing.net.
Official Results from Saturday, October 22, 2005 (Showdown on the Coast)
National Late Models “Budweiser 150”: 1-DeWayne Johnson, Phenix City, AL 2-Jeremy Faircloth, Swainsboro 3-Henry Carter, Kite 4-Shane Riner, Guyton 5-Toby Justice, Waycross 6-Brad Comer, Gray 7-Joe Kump, Hollywood, FL 8-Scott Thompson, Vidalia 9-Mike Nasworthy, Macon 10-Daryl Padgett, Jacksonville, FL 11-Lonnie Roberts, Sparks 12-Brett Carlton, Loxahatchee, FL 13-Patrick Sheltra, Indiantown, FL 14-Bob Robertson, Evans 15-Billy Lyles, Cochran 16-Cecil Eunice, Blackshear 17-Jason Lyles, Cochran 18-Ivedent Lloyd, Ocala, FL 19-Ben Faircloth, Swainsboro 20-Robbie Cowart, Savannah 21-Terry Lumley, Swainsboro 22-Branden Yawn, Springfield 23-Chesley Dixon, Swainsboro 24-Bobby Oglesby, Bloomingdale 25-Jimmy Sharpe, Vidalia 26-Jordy Nipper, Cochran 27-Gary Spivey, Jacksonville, FL 28-Randall Byrd, Savannah 29-Jake Roveda, Paris, New Jersey 30-Steven Howard, Bloomingdale 31-Michael Lloyd, Jacksonville 32-Jeff Fortner, Cochran 33-Alex Vickers, Gray
Mini Stock Open (Feature): 1-Randy Galloway, Rogers, AR 2-Daylon Barnard, Guyton 3-Adam Webb, Midway 4-Mark Driggers, Swainsboro 5-Donnie Wegmann, Port Wentwqorth 6-Carl Yeoman, Spring Lake, NC 7-Jeffrey Green, Fayetteville, NC 8-Travis Green, Jr., Lexington, SC 9-Brad McKenzie, Swainsboro 10-Randall Wegmann, Guyton 11-Lonnie Muhlbauer, Ozark, MO 12-Kelly Neace, Isom, KY 13-Bill O’Cain, Leesville, SC 14-Frank Hickkan, Guyton 15-Alan Burnsed, Guyton 16-Larry Lee, Hardeeville, SC 17-Paul Green, Fayetteville, NC 18-Shawn Heaney, Edgewater, FL 19-Travis Green, Lexington, SC 20-Steve Cruse, Jackson, OH 21-Tom Balance, Bunn, NC 22-Don Lacey, Ozark, MO 23-Charles Swann, Garden City 24-Ed Jarvis, Anderson, SC 25-Charles Smith, Statesboro 26-Rocky Ballard 27-Mark Eldridge, Daytona Beach, FL
Super Street Stock “Round 2”: 1-Chris Litchfield, Rincon 2-Wayne Page, Savannah 3-Clint Sills, Rincon 4-Gene Nasworthy, Macon 5-David Huggins, Guyton 6-Jottie Burgamy, Wrightsville 7-Kyle Livingood, Bristol 8-Adam Chambers, Richmond Hill 9-Jamie Hopkins, Guyton 10-Clay Alexander, Waynesboro 11-Billy Hopkins, Guyton 12-Gary Hardee, Baxley 13-Jud Ziegler, Cochran 14-Anthony Parker, Guyton 15-Arlene Pittman, Lyons 16-Doc Leggett, Bloomingdale 17-Chris Johnson, Rincon 18- John Strickland, Blacshear 19-Brian Barnes, Bloomingdale 20-Robert Hicks 21-Dustin Sanders 22-Arty Bird, Midway 23-Phil Pittman, Lyons 24-Donald Roberson, Savannah 25-Bill Stevenson, Savannah 26-Albert Cosnahan, Guyton 27-Richard Young, Waycross 28-Donnie Johnson 29-Andy Stallings, Pembroke 30-Nick Hardee, Baxley 31-Dwayne Sharpe, Swainsboro 32-Buster Kleckley, Ridgeland, SC 33-David Smith, Guyton 34-Kenny Drew, Meldrim 35-Karl Willard, Cochran 36-Rodney Marcus, Kite 37-Scott Fogle, Waycross 38-Doug Morris, Pooler 39-Robbie Allan 40-Walter Sills 41-Donald Norby 42-John McCosker, Richmond Hill 43-Daron Bailey, Waynesville
Lady Pure Stock (Feature): 1-Annette Hadden, Rincon 2-Holly McSpadden, Savannah 3-Karen Cooper, Sumter, SC 4-Cari Howze, Rincon
(Savannah, GA) DeWayne Johnson gambled at the midway point of Oglethorpe Speedway Park’s Budweiser 150 Saturday night dropping to the pit area to take on tires and fuel. Most of the front running cars stayed on the track to secure their track position at the 8th Annual Showdown on the Coast. His gamble proved to be the perfect bet as Johnson methodically moved through the field and overtook Patrick “Showtime” Sheltra on the last lap to win the $10,000 top prize and add one of the most prestigious wins to his career victory list. The victory culminated a weekend that saw 284 race cars compete in eleven divisions for a record $70,000 purse.
“We have wanted to win this race so bad,” said Johnson afterwards. “This is our series Daytona 500 and we have come close too often. This is the best winning this one.”
Johnson started the race in the second row inside while front row sitters Chesley Dixon and Jimmy Sharpe set the pace early. All three would lead the race at one time or another with Sheltra inheriting the lead at lap 44. “Showtime” would lead the field until the final lap when Johnson overtook him as his right rear tire let loose.
Johnson made the decision to head to the pit area around lap 75 to get a new right rear tire and load up on fuel. The debate raged all week long as teams prepared for the grueling 150 lap race on the historic half mile speedway. Teams wondered if they could make all 150 laps on the same tires. They went back and forth over whether track position was going to be more important than tires on the super fast half mile.
“It can be difficult to pass at Oglethorpe,” said 2002 winner Ivedent Lloyd. “The cars are so fast you really have to be aggressive.”
The Phenix City, Alabama hot shoe, Johnson, came back on the track in the fifteenth position. He had 75 laps to fight his way back towards the front and have a shot at the victory.
“We figured there would be half of those guys dropping due to tires,” said DeWayne’s father Winford Johnson. “We thought we could get close and see what happened.”
Johnson took a few laps to sneak past Joe Kump before working past Henry Carter. Then he shot past Cecil Eunice and Mike Nasworthy. Next it was Ben Faircloth. The fans began to take notice of Johnson’s car moving quickly through the field. Next on his hit list was the #22 of Brett Carlton. He blew a tire with only eight laps remaining and then one final caution at lap 148 for a spun out Bob Robertson set up the dash for the cash.
The crowd rose to their feet as Johnson and Sheltra fired on the restart. Johnson immediately tried the inside at turn one nudging the #23 Chevrolet of Sheltra. The two raced on through the turns three and four crossing the stripe with the white flag high in the air. Johnson again charged to the inside and this time made it past the door panel of Sheltra as the young, hot shot slid up in the turns. Johnson shot past and cruised through the final two turns to win the Budweiser 150 in front of a standing ovation. Sheltra had a tire go down and faded back to finish thirteenth.
The crowd flooded the front stretch victory lane anxiously looking to shake hands with DeWayne Johnson or solicit an autograph. The pandemonium went on for over thirty minutes as everyone waited for the winning door panel to be removed from Johnson’s car to be placed in the Finish Line Pub. Loud cheers rang out as the door panel made it’s way from victory lane to the Pub and it’s one year resting place.
“Now that’s pretty cool,” said Johnson. “That’s what we wanted. To hang this door panel in the Pub for a year.”
Following Johnson across the finish line was Jeremy Faircloth, Henry Carter, Shane Riner, Toby Justice, Brad Comer, Joe Kump, Scott Thompson, Mike Nasworthy and Darrell Padgett. A total of thirty-four cars competed in the National Late Model Series over the three day race weekend.
The Mini Stock Open also took place on the final night of the Showdown on the Coast and for the third straight year Randy Galloway of Rogers, Arkansas won going away. Guyton’s Daylon Barnard gave it his all returning to the speedway after a two year hiatus. But, the former OSP champion had nothing for the Arkansas master finishing a distant second behind Galloway. Adam Webb, Mark Driggers and former two-time OSP champion Donnie Wegmann rounded out the top five while Carl Yeoman, Jeffery Green, Travis Green, Jr., Frank Hickman and Randall Wegmann completed the top ten.
“I love this track,” said Galloway in victory lane. “This is one of the best tracks in the country to race on. It’s smooth and I love how fast it is. It is always worth the trip to Savannah.”
Forty-four cars showed up on Saturday night to compete in the final round of the Super Street Stock. The caution plagued race saw more cautions than green flag laps as many of the drivers in the middle of the pack could not stay away from each other.
“There were a few drivers that looked to be intentionally spinning drivers out to cause more cautions than necessary,” said OSP promoter Ted Austad. “It was like they wanted to slow the show down and cause the race to be shortened.”
The race was cut short by five laps and Chris Litchfield was the winner. Litchfield successfully defended his Showdown title from a year ago by beating Wayne Page, Clint Sills, Gene Nasworthy and David Huggins to finish line. Jottie Burgamy, Kyle Livingood, Adam Chambers, Jamie Hopkins and “Psycho” Clay Alexander completed the top ten.
Annette Hadden also successfully defended her title from a year ago winning the hard fought Lady Pure Stock feature race on Saturday night.
Oglethorpe Speedway Park now prepares for the beginning of the 5th Annual Go Kart Winter Shoot-Out Series. The next stock car race takes place the first weekend of February with the running of the Winternationals and Young Guns Shoot-Out. For more information on OSP, contact the speedway at 912-964-8200 or visit www.ospracing.net.
Official Results from Saturday, October 22, 2005 (Showdown on the Coast)
National Late Models “Budweiser 150”: 1-DeWayne Johnson, Phenix City, AL 2-Jeremy Faircloth, Swainsboro 3-Henry Carter, Kite 4-Shane Riner, Guyton 5-Toby Justice, Waycross 6-Brad Comer, Gray 7-Joe Kump, Hollywood, FL 8-Scott Thompson, Vidalia 9-Mike Nasworthy, Macon 10-Daryl Padgett, Jacksonville, FL 11-Lonnie Roberts, Sparks 12-Brett Carlton, Loxahatchee, FL 13-Patrick Sheltra, Indiantown, FL 14-Bob Robertson, Evans 15-Billy Lyles, Cochran 16-Cecil Eunice, Blackshear 17-Jason Lyles, Cochran 18-Ivedent Lloyd, Ocala, FL 19-Ben Faircloth, Swainsboro 20-Robbie Cowart, Savannah 21-Terry Lumley, Swainsboro 22-Branden Yawn, Springfield 23-Chesley Dixon, Swainsboro 24-Bobby Oglesby, Bloomingdale 25-Jimmy Sharpe, Vidalia 26-Jordy Nipper, Cochran 27-Gary Spivey, Jacksonville, FL 28-Randall Byrd, Savannah 29-Jake Roveda, Paris, New Jersey 30-Steven Howard, Bloomingdale 31-Michael Lloyd, Jacksonville 32-Jeff Fortner, Cochran 33-Alex Vickers, Gray
Mini Stock Open (Feature): 1-Randy Galloway, Rogers, AR 2-Daylon Barnard, Guyton 3-Adam Webb, Midway 4-Mark Driggers, Swainsboro 5-Donnie Wegmann, Port Wentwqorth 6-Carl Yeoman, Spring Lake, NC 7-Jeffrey Green, Fayetteville, NC 8-Travis Green, Jr., Lexington, SC 9-Brad McKenzie, Swainsboro 10-Randall Wegmann, Guyton 11-Lonnie Muhlbauer, Ozark, MO 12-Kelly Neace, Isom, KY 13-Bill O’Cain, Leesville, SC 14-Frank Hickkan, Guyton 15-Alan Burnsed, Guyton 16-Larry Lee, Hardeeville, SC 17-Paul Green, Fayetteville, NC 18-Shawn Heaney, Edgewater, FL 19-Travis Green, Lexington, SC 20-Steve Cruse, Jackson, OH 21-Tom Balance, Bunn, NC 22-Don Lacey, Ozark, MO 23-Charles Swann, Garden City 24-Ed Jarvis, Anderson, SC 25-Charles Smith, Statesboro 26-Rocky Ballard 27-Mark Eldridge, Daytona Beach, FL
Super Street Stock “Round 2”: 1-Chris Litchfield, Rincon 2-Wayne Page, Savannah 3-Clint Sills, Rincon 4-Gene Nasworthy, Macon 5-David Huggins, Guyton 6-Jottie Burgamy, Wrightsville 7-Kyle Livingood, Bristol 8-Adam Chambers, Richmond Hill 9-Jamie Hopkins, Guyton 10-Clay Alexander, Waynesboro 11-Billy Hopkins, Guyton 12-Gary Hardee, Baxley 13-Jud Ziegler, Cochran 14-Anthony Parker, Guyton 15-Arlene Pittman, Lyons 16-Doc Leggett, Bloomingdale 17-Chris Johnson, Rincon 18- John Strickland, Blacshear 19-Brian Barnes, Bloomingdale 20-Robert Hicks 21-Dustin Sanders 22-Arty Bird, Midway 23-Phil Pittman, Lyons 24-Donald Roberson, Savannah 25-Bill Stevenson, Savannah 26-Albert Cosnahan, Guyton 27-Richard Young, Waycross 28-Donnie Johnson 29-Andy Stallings, Pembroke 30-Nick Hardee, Baxley 31-Dwayne Sharpe, Swainsboro 32-Buster Kleckley, Ridgeland, SC 33-David Smith, Guyton 34-Kenny Drew, Meldrim 35-Karl Willard, Cochran 36-Rodney Marcus, Kite 37-Scott Fogle, Waycross 38-Doug Morris, Pooler 39-Robbie Allan 40-Walter Sills 41-Donald Norby 42-John McCosker, Richmond Hill 43-Daron Bailey, Waynesville
Lady Pure Stock (Feature): 1-Annette Hadden, Rincon 2-Holly McSpadden, Savannah 3-Karen Cooper, Sumter, SC 4-Cari Howze, Rincon