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Steve Hixson
CHATSWORTH, Ga. (May 2) - For the second time in 2008 at the North Georgia Speedway it's been a CLUB NASTY FAST brawl at the 1/3 mile clay banked dirt track in Dalton/Chatsworth. Friday night racer Randy THE DREAM Weaver from Crossville, TN, duked it out (again) with multi and reigning track champion G-MAC Gary McPherson of neighboring Dalton, GA, for the 30 lap Super Late Model feature. Making the race day decision to race, on a day where his Kentucky plans were altered by Mother-nature, Weaver chased down fast qualifier Todd Morrow in the first of two heats, to earn the pole position for the 'A' Main feature. Then the familiar. # 116 'Hicks & Ingle Co., Premier Kitchen Cabinets, 5150 Race Trailers, David Stremme Racing' GRT / Race Engine Design, Pontiac GTO racecar would lead flag to flag over McPherson by a straight-away advantage to record his third Peach State victory in two weeks.
Friday evening, seventeen (17) SLM's signed in for action with Morrow setting fast time with a 12:726 lap time. Robert Gant set second quick time to earn the pole in heat two to determine the starting positions of the outside rows. Weaver, would qualify 5th quick and chase down Morrow in the first 8 lap heat. Morrow would be followed by Gibson across the checkers to set the first three inside rows of the feature. In the second heat McPherson starting along side Gant, who drop back to 5th for a moment before, making a shoe-string maneuver on Derrick Ellis and Jeff Smith for second. Gant gave it his BAMA BEST, trying to hld off G-MAC but the N. GA veteran was too strong on the bottom, on the final two circuits. In the heat Ronnie Johnson came from his 8th starting spot to finish third, just behind Gant.
As the feature rolled to green, Weaver obtained the unrelinquishable lead with McPherson, Morrow, Gibson and Gant in tow. Jerry Bradley tallied a couple of cautions early in the going as Weaver began working back marker traffic around lap 6. Smiths night ended prematurely, at the 1/3 mark as Weaver bagan building a 1/2 a straight-away lead over G-MAC. Gibson came to life at the races half-way point, as he passed Morrow for 3rd and set his sights on McPherson. With assistance from lapped traffic battles, between Rodney Weeks and Scott Hall, Gibson toted all the way to G-MAC's spoiler by lap 20. RJ was making headway also, as the CHATTANOOGA FLASH powered by Gant and into the Top 5. As the laps waned Johnson caught Morrow and attempted to reel in Gibson. Morrow narrowly escaped with a Top 5 as the checkers flew for Weaver. Gant just missed taking the fast qualifier from the Top 5, by half a cars length at the line. Motor problems plagued 6th overall qualifier Jake Knowles, who made a few practice laps at night's end, but failed to start the feature.
In other racing action: Rick Hixson took the checkers for the second consecutive week in the Limited/Crate/Sportsman (combo) division. Hixson out qualified all but Trig Parris of the 25 entries, setting up a Round 2 duel again, as last Friday night. Parris would trail Hixson the entire event, who won by a half of a straight-away margin. The Hobby feature was won by Greg Ledford. The Bomber race was again taken by David Beam and the Pony feature was won by Chris Defore. Next week, another full racing program takes to the dirt on Friday night, as teams ready for the next big Super Late Model event, coming to North Georgia Speedway in two weeks (Friday, May 16th) to be run inconjunction with Cleveland (TN) Speedway's O'SAS $5,000. to-Win 'TN MEMORIAL RACE' on Saturday, May 17th. For more details including photo's, pictures, and scheduling information, visit the tracks web-site 24/7 at www.norhgeorgiaspeedway.com .
Results: Friday, May 2, 2008
SLM Feature: 30 Laps
1. Randy Weaver (# 116) of Crossville, TN
2. Gary McPherson (# 29M) of Dalton, GA
3. Kevin Gibson (# M45) of Ringgold, GA
4. Ronnie Johnson (# 5) of Chattanooga, TN
5. Todd Morrow (# T1) of Cleveland, TN
6. Robert Gant (# 22) of Flat Rock, AL
7. Randy Burrows (# 95) of Chattanooga, TN
8. Derrick Ellis (# 99) of Chatsworth, GA
9. Paul Hollander (# 13) of Adairsville, GA
10. Lee Sutton (# L7) of Taylorsville, GA
11. Lee Gray (# 11) of Tunnel Hill, GA
12. Rodney Weeks (# R12) of Ellijay, GA
13. Jerry Bradley (# B25) of Dalton, GA
14. Brad Kennedy (# K15) of Chatsworth, GA
15. Scott Hall (# 07) of Calhoun, GA
16. Jeff Smth (# 00) of Villanow, GA
DNS: Jake Knowles (# 66) of Tyrone, GA
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