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| Leo Johnson congratulates Mark Whitener. |
Submitted by Terri Phillips Thornton
We started our weekend off on, Thursday November 1st. We had over 30 cars for practice on Thursday, with many campers following people. Everyone woke up to a beautiful morning at All Tech Raceway. But unfortunately after an afternoon rain, the track crew could not attempt to get the track ready in time for racing. We had to move our two day show down to a one day show. Meaning we would need to fit all 5 classes into a one day show. Wendell stood behind his word and never cut the purses nor raised the prices to get in. But we did have to cut the C-Class Late Models, E-Mods, Pure Stock and Street Stock classes heats out. When they signed up they each drew a pill and what they drew is where they started their feature. We sincerely apologize, but had to do what we did in order to get the entire show on.
We had some great Race Track and Series Promotors in attendance for this race. Thank You to Michelle and Brandon Stone with Waycross Motor Speedway, Tom Whipple with Volusia Speedway Park and Wayne Davis of The Lucas Oil Southern Sates Midgets Series for coming and supporting this event. Thank you Wayne for the Lucas Oil T-Shirts and Lucas Oil Spray Wax for giveaways.
First up after hot laps, would be Late Model Qualifying. As I work the Pit Gate, I was unable to be in the tower for the first half of the night. SO, I did not get a report for the Late Model Qualifying, E-Mod Feature, Street Stock Feature or Late Model heats. After the Late Model heats we would do our bike giveaway for children 12 and younger. We ended up giving away around 40 bikes and helmets to children, with the help from a lot of great race teams, crews and fans. We sincerely Thank each and everyone of these people that supported our bike giveaway.
Next up would be the Pure Stock Feature. Green Flag out but caution before we could complete a lap. Green out once again we have #83 of Sawn Taylor out front. Caution once again after completion of lap 1. After another failed start, green waves again. We would have the #73j of Davey Kinsley out front but #82 of Shane Taylor knocking on his back door. Good battle heats up as they go four wide, with one ending up in the wall causing a caution. Green out once again we have the #1 of Dustin Turnage Sr coming from the back making his way through the field picking them off one by one. Now he is looking at that lead from Kinsley. After having to cut the race short due to time and many cautions we have our Checked. Coming to the finish it would be #73j of Davey Kinsley in for the Win.
Next up would be our Late Model B-Main, taking the top 6 spots for the A-Main. Green Flag is out, we have #26 of Jimmy Sharpe, Sr to the lead. #27 of Garrett Lloyd coming on strong, up to 5th on the first lap. We now have them three wide for the lead between #26 Jimmy Sharpe, Sr, #27 Garrett Lloyd and #311 Ivedent Lloyd, Jr. Caution come out, we go green again, #27 Lloyd taking the top spot from #26 Sharpe, Sr. as #311 Lloyd and #313 of Devin Dixon slipping by #26 of Sharpe, Sr as well. Now a good battle between #311 Lloyd and #313 Dixon back and forth. Being #313 Lloyd and #313 Dixon battling so hard, now #27 Lloyd is now a half a straightaway ahead of second and third. At the checkered we would have #27 Garrett Lloyd, #313 Devin Dixon, #311 Ivedent Lloyd, Jr, #41 Nevin Gainey, #721 Joe Kump and #3R Ryan Vansickle making it to the A-Main.
Next up would be our C-Class Late Model feature. Green out we have #68 Shane Taylor out front with #78 Arthur Conquest looking at that top spot by lap two. Caution comes out, we go green once again with the #38 Chuck Cumby looking at the top two. As #78 Conquest and #38 Cumby battling for the they spin in turn one and two brining out a caution. Green out again, we now have #3 Eddie Gainey out front. After a red flag comes out for #10 Dave Ponton tuning over after making contact with the back stretch wall. Green is back out, we have #38 of Cumby looking at that lead from #3 Gainey. Taking that spot on lap #16 and never looking back. Checkered falls it would be #38 Chuck Cumby, #3 Eddie Gainey, #0 Tom Smith, #78 Arthur Conquest and #25 James Willis rounding out your top five. After tech the #38 of Cumby was declared illegal.
Up next would be our 1st Annual Deep Dixie Late Model Championship, paying $10,000 to the winner! After fans came to their feet to wave at each of the driver's, the excitement was in the air! Green Flag was out as we have #5 David Whitener taking the lead. Battles all through out the field as #40b Kyle Bronson is now up to 4th by lap three. Caution on lap nine, green is out once again. We have #5 David Whitener out front but be challenged by #40b Bronson by lap twelve. Battle heating up for fifth place between #66 Kyle Chapell, #26jr Jimmy Sharpe, Jr and #71 Bo Allen. With #311 of Ivendent Lloyd, Jr picking them off quick. At lap number twenty five the top five are #40b Bronson, #5w Mark Whitener, #7f Jason Fitzgerald, #5 David Whitener and #26 Jimmy Sharpe, Jr your top five. Caution comes out on lap 26, green out once again #5w Whitener taking that top spot from #40b Bronson. Leaders now looking at lap traffic. Now battle heats up for third between #40b Bronson and #7f Fitzgerald, Fitz gets Bronson. Caution on lap forty four, we have green once again. We now have #313 Devin Dixon looking at #5w Whitener for the lead, with Dixon taking Whitener. We come to the halfway mark we have #313 Dixon, #5w Whitener, #26 Sharpe, Jr, #7f Fitzgerald and #47 Tyler Crowder as your top five. We have our halfway fuel break, then we go green once again. Battles all through out the field, fans are sure getting their money worth at this point. After a lot of battles and a couple of cautions come out, we have #5w Whitener now a half a straightaway over #47 Crowder. After another caution, #313 Dixon takes that to his advantage. He is now battling #5w Whitener for that lead. Your top five at lap seventy five is #5w Whitener, #313 Dixon, #47 Crowder, #311 Lloyd, Jr and #40b Bronson. Leaders once again catching lap traffic by lap 80. With ten to go we have #5w Whitener, #313 Dixon, #47 Crowder, #40b Bronson and #27 Garrett Lloyd your top five. Checkered Flag Waves we have #5w Mark Whitener in his Barry Wright, ULC Land Clearing, CWI Maintenance Sponsored Machine taking the Win! He is followed by #313 Devin Dixon, #47 Tyler Crowder, #40b Kyle Bronson and #27 Garrett Lloyd rounding out the top five.
We would like to thank each and everyone for the great success of the first annual Deep Dixie Late Model Challenge!
Click here to see event photos!
