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Mary Jane Cardwell
BRUNSWICK, Ga. (May 31) - The Saturday evening South Georgia heat did not deter the thundering arrival of the National Late Model Series to Golden Isles Speedway for a $3000.00 to win, one day show on May 31, 2008. Qualifying went quickly with most drivers running in the upper mid 17s to low 18s. Jeremy Faircloth, missing in action for a couple of races, returned to show the rest of the field that barely over 17 was the time to beat. Several tried but Faircloth remained the Optima Trailers Fastest Qualifier for the evening and sat on the pole for the feature event. Locking their way into the feature with qualifying were Faircloth, Jimmy Lee Davis, Carlton Jackson, Johnny Collins, Tyler Ivey, Stacey Roberts, Jeffrey Henry, Mark Whitener, P.J. Wiggins and Steve Jones.
Ten drivers were locked in to positions with qualifying and the remainder had to compete in 3 Mary Jane Cardwell Heat races and one last chance qualifier race for their positions and to make the field. The first heat fielded Brandon Cameron, Shane Williams, Jay Johnson, Doodle Pipkin, Stephen Castleberry, Ron Thomas and Wayne Shugart. Shugart was sidelined with engine problems, but the remainder lined up and fought hard to lock their positions in the ten laps for this Heat. Brandon Cameron had his hands full with Shane Williams who showed his enjoyment of GIS at the SuperBowl with 3 wins, and was not able to hold him off out of Turn 4 on Lap 10. Also making the move to the feature from this Heat were Brandon Cameron, Doodle Pipkin and Stephen Castleberry.
The second heat found Buddy Gieger on the pole. He was joined by Ronnie Chance, Charles Sealy, Clay Bedenbaugh, David Whitener, Mark Davis and Jason Fitzgerald. Jason Fitzgerald, driving Murrell Mixson's car, succumbed to engine problems but the rest lined up and ran for the next positions. Geiger held on for the win, but Ronnie Chance, David Whitener and Clay Bedenbaugh stayed right with him, securing their transfer into the feature and not giving Geiger a moments' rest. Charles Sealy's hopes to race this eveing ended when he hit the wall just out of Turn Two early in the Heat.
Heat Three found Jeff Hunter on the pole and Cale Simons joining him of the front row. Chuck Chitty, Joe Kump, Houston Joiner, Kyle Bridges and Michael Lloyd completed the field for Heat Three. Unlike the previous two heats, Jeff Hunter took the lead immediately and never looked back, leaving Simons, Chitty and Kump to fend off Joiner, Bridges and Lloyd - which they successfully did. Completing the feature field were the two provisionals held by Kyle Bridges and Michael Lloyd.
As the feature began, Jeremy Faircloth led the field to the green flag and held on for ten laps, but then started a slow slide back as Johnny Collins took his leading role. Collins then had to fend off the ever-present Jimmy Lee Davis, Tyler Ivey and Stacey Roberts. These drivers never gave Collins a break, doing everything they could to take the lead away. Many of the 40 laps run were run three and nearly 4 wide out of Turn 2 through Turn 3, keeping fans and spotters on their feet, watching exceptional racing. Just before the half-way point in the race, racing was plagued with cautions. Accidents, flats, engine problems kept pit crews busy and shortened the field heading to the checkered.
Once through the cautions, the cars took off for the final 15 laps, with Collins fighting each lap to hold his lead. With only a few laps remaining, Collins' biggest threat to winning suffered problems and Jimmy Lee Davis would no longer vie for the lead. Stacey Roberts and Mark Whitener simply did not have enough time to challenge Collins any further and Johnny "The Locomotive" Collins once again prevailed at Golden Isles in his Rye/Mosley owned Barry Wright/Clements combination sponsored by United Land Clearing and Jayco Drywall and Big Dog Motorsports.
The Series is off for a few weeks, but plans are in the works for back-to-back-to-back one-day shows July 3, 4 and 5 in Albany, Cochran and Golden Isles. Keep watch on the website and see ya' at the tracks.
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