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Mary Jane Cardwell
BRUNSWICK, Ga. (October 18) - The National Late Model Series thundered into Golden Isles Speedway for the 14th Annual ShowDown on the Coast. Nearly 40 cars appeared for the Thursday practice and over 50 appear Friday night to show what they had and to win the $10,000.00 prize. Dennis "Rambo" Franklin returned to defend his title in his Barry Wright owned late model. Practice let everyone know Rambo was here to defend his title.
After detailed tech and announcements concerning testing and monitoring of the tire issue for the entire weekend, qualifying began. Darrell Padgett was first out, followed by Carlton Jackson and then Johnny Collins. Upper and mid 17s were the norm, but Collins was able to run in the high 16s as were Mark Whitener and Russell Brown, Jr. in the first group of qualifying. After the first group complete qualifying, their heat was set with Mark Whitener on the pole and Johnny Collins on the outside pole. Russell Brown, Jr., Carlton Jackson, Darrell Padgett, Dusty Cone, Clay Bedenbaugh, Eric Register and David Shugart completed the field. Johnny Collins took an immediate lead and held on for the 10-lap event. The only other driver making the transfer to the feature was Mark Whitener. Everyone else would line up for a Last Chance Race on Saturday.
The second group began its qualifying with a run by Jason Fitzgerald, who ran in the low 17s. But Rambo Franklin's qualifying run at 16.56 was the fastest of those running in Heats 1 and 2 and he sat on the pole for Heat 2. Joining Rambo in Heat 2 were Jimmy Lee Davis, Ryan Van Sickle, Jason Fitzgerald, Jeff Hunter, Mike Nasworthy, Kyle Livingood, Wayne Shugart and Kent Corbin. Franklin took an early lead and held on to win this Heat. Racing for the second transfer position was fierce - as well as racing for higher positions in the Saturday Last Chance Race. Jimmy Lee Davis ran hard, but ran into problems and lost the second position to Jason Fitzgerald. Jeff Hunter was barely able to pass Ryan Van Sickle on the last lap to hold onto a fourth position finish.
Group 3 began with a run by Richard Ferry and ended with a run by Tyler Ivey. Ivey decided to let Franklin know early on that Ivey was here and ready to win by setting the evening's fastest time at 16.52 and holding this time to be Ziegler Racing Engines Fastest Qualifier and winner of the $300.00 prize money. Heat 3 lined up with Tyler Ivey on the pole, Jeff Fortner, outside pole, Ivedent Lloyd, Stanton Mills, Hunter Peacock, Michael Lloyd, Kyle Van Sickle, Bo Allen and Richard Ferry. Ivey took the lead and never looked back. Fortner held second position to the end of the race, fighting off all other takers.
Group 4's fastest time was not enough to take over from Ivey, but it did give DeWayne Johnson the pole position with Mallory Harvey on the outside pole. Johnson took the early lead, with Harvey staying right with him. However, Harvey ran into trouble and was towed from the field, leaving the needed opening for Dillon Wood to take over second position and hold it until the end of the race.
Still not catching Ivey was Group 5's Jeff Henry with a 16.7, giving him the pole position for Heat 5. Lining up with Henry were David Clegg, Steve Jones, Terry Lumley, Shane Williams, Mitch Fulford, Mike Mishoe, David Whitener and Charlie Williamson. Henry too the early lead and held his position for the ten laps. Hard as he could, Clegg would not overtake Henry, but did hold onto second position and a transfer to the feature. The remainder has to try for a position with the Saturday night Last Chance races.
In his second race with the Series, Adam Giles set the fastest qualifying time with Group 6. Joining him on the front row for this final heat was Brandon Cameron, quite a challenger currently second in the point's race. Completing this heat were Jeremy Faircloth, Skip Pannell, Charles Sealy, Kyle Bridges, Shan Smith, Earl Boyett and Brandon DeWitt. Problems plagued DeWitt and Smith, causing them to miss the heat, but all others readied to race, attempting to secure one of the two transfers to the feature. Cameron took an early lead and was able to fend off the challenge of Giles and others. Giles was also able to hold on to second and both locked into the feature event for Saturday night.
As is likely this time of the year in South Georgia, the weather cooled substantially on Saturday and with the cooling, so changed the track. Racing became even more competitive and faster. After a brief drivers' meeting, the three Last Chance Races were loaded and readied. Four drivers would make the transfer to the feature from each Last Chance race. From Race 1 Russell Brown, Jr. (pole and winner), Darrell Padgett, Clay Bedenbaugh and Jimmy Lee Davis made the transfer. From Race 2 Ivedent Lloyd, Cale Simons (who led most of the race, but finished second behind Lloyd), Hunter Peacock (also new to the Series), and Robert Diekemper made the transfer. Race 3 had Terry Lumley, Shane Williams, Jeremy Faircloth and Skip Pannell making the transfer to the feature. David Whitener held the Series provisional and Michael Lloyd held the track provisional position and the race was locked and readied.
As the feature began, all cars entered the track behind the pace truck with the traditional flag parade. After the parade laps, the cars stopped on the front straight for out-of-car driver introductions. Racing began in earnest after only one misstart, with Johnny Collins on the pole and Rambo to his right on the outside pole. Rambo took the lead - never looking back and leading for the entire race. Second place was never certain and changed several times during the race.
Mark Whitener made a quick move to third and kept the challenge on Collins for the first 20 laps. Tyler Ivey also managed to stay near the front and kept additional pressure on Collins and Whitener. After a mandatory half-way stop which allowed teams to add fuel and keep their positions, the field took off for a face last half of the 100 laps. Three-wide racing was the norm, both on the straights and in the corners, keeping fans on the edge of their seats.
With only a few laps to go, Ivedent Lloyd, in one smooth move, passed 3 others and then went for the 4th car and placed himself in the second spot and attempted to challenge Rambo. But at the checkered flag, it was Dennis "Rambo" Franklin who held on in his Barry Wright Race Cars, Byron Koury combination, sponsored by Cherokee Landscaping, Nickols Plumbing and En-Compass Solutions. Joining Rambo in the winners circle were Barry Wright and Byron Koury, both excited to have a repeat winner with their chassis and engine.
During Saturday's drivers' meeting a new race was added and an increase in payout for the Thanksgiving race was announced. Watch the website for more details. Next up, East Bay Raceway Park, November 8, 2008. See ya' at the tracks.
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