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For What It's Worth, My 2 Cents on Social Media And Drama


By Dale Hall
A wise man once told me "If you don't have something good to say about someone, don't say anything at all." That was excellent advice and I wish I had always heeded it. Truth be told, I have let a few things slip over the years and each time I did, I pretty much regretted it. I was raised with the belief that decent folks don't go out of their way to hurt others. No doubt, many of you were raised the same way too. The trouble is these days that we have so many ways to interact with others through social media that someone is all the time getting offended for something someone else said or did. More often than not, a conflict arises, things get said in a public forum, feelings get hurt and nothing good comes from it.

When we first started Deep Dixie Racing, our goal was to promote racing and do it in a positive way. We take pride in the fact that we don't bash tracks or individuals and we never will. That policy is derived from Christian principles. The Good Lord said "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." I know how I like to be treated and the least I can do is to afford people I have problems with the same courtesy.

Many times I have caught myself wanting to respond hastily to some perceived injustice someone has purveyed upon me. Once I think about though, I usually calm down and think about what the best course of action will be. It definitely ain't going to be fruitful for me to get into a confrontation with someone in an arena for the whole world to see. If I think that someone has done me such an injustice that action needs to be taken, what would the best course for that action be? Once again, I have found that falling back on Christian principles is the best. For instance, instead of confronting someone on Facebook, wouldn't it be better to send a direct message or maybe even call or go see the person who has aggrieved me? By blasting that person on Facebook, all I am doing is making the situation worse and quite possibly casting a negative light on myself at the same time. Doesn't that old saying go, "it is better to be quiet and look like a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt"? Well, you can see how that can apply. At least, by confronting someone in private and by being calm and polite, there is a better chance for getting a resolution to the situation than if you air it out on social media. Trust me, that comes from experience.

I ain't going to lie to you. Every time I see someone get all in their feelings and then start blasting others on social media, my respect for that person immediately starts going a little south. It is the same way when I see people putting down race tracks too. Much better ways exist to get potential positive outcomes than resorting to partaking in social media drama. Of course, I realize some people simply don't care and they just love to wallow in the mud. Lord help them. All the rest of us don't have to get into the dirty stuff with them.

Page Celebrates Another Senoia Raceway All-Stars Victory


Submitted by Ted Austad
Photo credits: Francis Hauke

(Senoia, GA – May 19, 2019)  Michael Page of Winston has found the right combination of speed, skill and sometimes luck to create a dominant presence at Senoia Raceway’s tough 3/8ths mile race track.  Page took advantage of the misfortunes of others to take home his third straight Southern All-Stars Dirt Late Model Tour victory at Senoia Raceway and then doubled up the victories with a win in the Crate Late Model main event as well.

“It just feels good to win,” said an emotionally drained Page after his Southern All-Stars victory.  “There are just so many people that help me.  It feels good to get the win for them.”

Page was not the only driver to visit the winner’s circle on a night that saw 125 race teams pack the pit area for competition.  Locust Grove’s Jason Williams won the Late Model Sportsman feature while Alabama’s Jake Sanders took home the glory in the Hobby race.  Brooks’ Curtis Turner won his third feature this season in the Bombers and Mississippi’s Tony Coffman made his long journey pay off with a winning run in the Mini Stock special event.

The Southern All-Stars Tour made it’s first trip to the ‘South’s Baddest Bull Ring” this season and the longest continuous running dirt late model tour in the nation did not disappoint the fans of Senoia Raceway.  The tour featured more race teams than many other tours and specials that were scheduled in the region on Saturday night.
Local hot shoes and past champions of the Southern All-Star Tour, Austin Horton of Whitesburg and Clint Smith of Senoia, showed early they would be the class of the field with the fastest qualifying efforts.  The duo would lead the field to green for the 40-lap $4000 to win race and would build a huge lead over the field within the first eight laps.

As Horton approached the back of the field, he prepared to move past JR Moseley of Columbus.  Moseley made a quick move that Horton was not expecting and the two collided with the then leader Horton getting the worst end of the deal.  Horton ended up stalled in turn three where the second place driver Smith could get out of the way fast enough and slid into Horton causing heavy damage to two of the strongest competitors of the night.  Both of the drivers and teams thrashed on their cars for several minutes while the clean-up on the track took place, but neither would be able to make the necessary repairs to return to the track.

“I appreciate the lapped cars that can hold there lines,” said an irritated Horton following the event.  “I hated the way ended for our team. We will be back, hate that it collected the 44. This is all I have to say on it.”

That turned the lead over to Page and he did what he had to do the rest of the way.  The veteran used the top side of the race track to build on his lead over Cartersville’s Zach Leonhardi through the middle laps of the race and then sliced his way through the lapped cars keeping Leonahrdi and others at a safe distance.

Leonhardi would lose his second place spot to Riley Hickman over the final ten laps of the race while Page cruised the victory.  It was Page’s third straight tour win at Senoia Raceway which includes last year’s May race date, the Michael Head, Jr. Memorial race last June and this win.  Page will have a shot at four straight and a second consecutive Head Memorial victory when the series returns on June 22nd.

Shortly after completing his victory lane interview, Page hopped back into a race car starting on the front row of the Crate Late Model race with Alabama fast timer Cruz Skinner.  Page picked up right where he left off in the All-Star race running the top side of the track and getting into the lead position.  He motored into a near straightaway length lead over Skinner and was never seriously challenged.  He would win his second of the night ahead of Skinner while another Alabama driver, Dylan Knowles, came home in third.  Winston birthday boy, Marty Massey, was fourth followed by Franklin’s Tanner Collins in fifth.

A crash-filled feature in the Late Model Sportsman marred a race that was filled with just as much great racing action.  Drivers raced for positions in the middle of the pack side by side and a few times three wide.  It was a mad scramble at times with the drivers in fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth place.

“That is why going to the races is so much fun,” said track promoter Mayes Massey. “The action is not always at the front of the race like you see on television or facebook live feeds.  That coverage is so one dimensional and does not offer the full show and what you get when you are here in person.”

Former Senoia Raceway champion Jason ‘Tin Man’ Williams showed he has not lost his touch as he won going away over Locust Grove’s Billy Stevenson.  Baldwin teenager Parris Simmons made a late race charge to gain third place, but had it stripped from him when he crossed the post race scales too light.  That moved Byron’s Wiley McDaniel to third place.

“Dune Buggy” Dustin Smith led the first couple of laps in the Bomber main event before Curtis Turner moved past on the inside of turn two.  Turner then held off Brandon McDaniel of Byron with Smith fading to third.  Turner and McDaniel had split evenly the victories in the first four races of the season.

After over a month of no racing action at Senoia Raceway, the track will again take a week off as it observes Memorial Day weekend.  The racing action will crank back up on Saturday, June 1st with the first ever appearance of the National Late Model Super Car Series.  Drivers from Alabama and Florida are expected to take on the locals for the expanded pay day special.  The Crate Late Models, Late Model Sportsman, Bomber, Hot Shots and Chargers will also compete with the Chargers running a pair of features due to the class not running Saturday night because of the county enforced curfew.  There will also be a Kids Candy Scramble on June 1st.

For the full schedule of events along with special attractions, promotions and additional information, visit the track website at www.senoiaraceway.com or call the speedway at 770.599.6161.

Official Results – Saturday, May 18, 2019   (Southern All-Stars Spring Race)


Super Late Models (Feature):  1-Michael Page, Winston  Riley Hickman, Chattanooga, TN  3-Zach Leonhardi, Cartersville  4-Ashton Winger, Senoia  5-David Breazeale, Four Corners, MS  6-Matt Dooley, Brooks  7-Dalton Cook, Smith’s Station, AL  8-Mark Page, Villa Rica  9-Joey Armistead, Senoia  10-Billy Franklin, Calera, AL  11-Shane Fulcher, Thomaston  12-Thomas Mewborn, Greenville  13-Glenn Morris, Fayetteville  14-Tristan Sealy, Moultrie  15-Dustin Elliott, Pine Mountain  16-Andrew Littleton, Dalton  17-JR Moseley, Columbus  18-Dusty Jones, LaGrange  19-Mason Massey, Douglasville  20-Ricky Williams, Fayetteville  21-Travis Pennington, Stapleton  22-Mark Dodson, Caledonia, MS  23-Austin Horton, Whitesburg  24-Clint Smith, Senoia  DNQ: Chaz Haskins, Gray; Jamie Carr, LaGrange; Dennis Hale, LaGrange  Fast Qualifier: Horton – 15.223 seconds/88.7 mph  B-Main Winners: Winger; Williams

Crate Late Models (Feature): 1-Michael Page, Winston  2-Cruz Skinner, Oxford, AL  3-Dylan Knowles, Lannett, AL  4-Marty Massey, Winston  5-Tanner Collins, Franklin  6-Wayne Harbin, Sharspburg  7-Cody Haskins, Marietta  8-Landon Bagby, Winston  9-Tina Johnson, Senoia  10-Jamie Maurice, McDonough  11-Jimmy Waldrop, Selfin, FL  12-Chris Carr, Newnan  13-Dow Kirkland, Lake Spivey  14-Blant Duke, Whitesburg  15-Lee Fuller, Newnan  16-Danny Herrington, LaGrange  17-Morgan Alexander, Jackson  DNS: Roger Cassel, Franklin; Chris McCullough, Dallas  Fast Qualifier: Skinner – 16.631 seconds/86.4 mph



Late Model Sportsman (Feature): 1-Jason Williams, Locust Grove  2-Billy Stevenson, Locust Grove  3-Wiley McDaniel, Byron  4-William Blair, Whitesburg  5-Bobby Arnold, Newnan  6-Shane Payton, Newnan  7-Mike Abercrmbie, Jackson  8-McKenna Nelms, Newnan  9-Jordan Benefield, Carrollton  10-Cord Dodgen, Lafayette, AL  11-Jason Turner, McDonough  12-JJ Drawhorn, Macon  13-Jamie Nicholson, Jr., Locust Grove  14-Hunter Worley, Alvaton  15-Dalton Benefield, Carrollton  16-Jack Mills, Griffin  17-Rickey Payton, Newnan  DQ: Parris Simmons, Baldwin (too light)   Fast Qualifier: Turner – 16.160 seconds/83.5 mph



Hobby (Feature): 1-Jake Sanders, Camp Hill, AL  2-Landon DeGraff, Barnesville  3-Ryan Ray, Mableton  4-Keith West, Powder Springs  5-Ben Wells, Milner  6-Chris Steele, Franklin  7-Chris Arnett, Lannett, AL  8-Shane Tidwell, Whitesburg  9-Josh Pitt, Stockbridge  10-Chris Kozusnik, Newnan  11-Ben Steele, Franklin  12-James Swanger, Whitesburg  13-JR Hardy, Covington  14-TJ Joiner, Lithia Springs  DNS: Brandon Jones, Newnan  Fast Qualifier: DeGraff – 16.989 seconds/79.5 mph



Bomber (Feature): 1-Curtis Turner, Brooks  2-Brandon McDaniel, Byron  3-Dustin Smith, Senoia  4-Michael Thomas, Whitesburg  5-Abe Chase, Valley, AL  6-Ricky Neill, Whitesburg  7-Craig Boozer, Jackson  8-Larry Drawhorn, Macon  9-Justin Bonnett, McDonough  10-TJ Boetz, Midland  11-Larry Pierce, Griffin  Fast Qualifier: Smith - 17.308 seconds/78.0 mph



Mini Stock/Hot Shots (Feature): 1-Tony Coffman, Florence, MS  2-Bo Minor, Ralph, AL  3-Jamie Godbee, Carrollton  4-Ronnie Teal, Ranburne, AL  5-Eli Bradley, Tifton  6-Steven Shutley, Dallas  7-Cory Greene, Griffin  8-Cody Lively, Locust Grove  9-Corey Wilson, Locust Grove  10-Tommy Smith, Forsyth  11-Jason Burton  12-Jeff Dean, Helena, AL  13-Bob Faulkner, Newnan  14-Joey Graham  15-Stacey Henderson, Senoia  16-Tommy Faulkner, Newnan  17-James Stansel, Carrollton  18-Mikey Shutley, Dallas  19-Lonnie Patterson, Williamson  20-Joshua Till, McDonough  DNS: Mark Newton, Hampton; Ernie Turner, Douglasville  Fast Qualifier: Till – 18.031 seconds/74.9 mph

Chargers (Feature): Curfew – will be made up on June 1st