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BAMA BASH - FROM LATE TO GREAT
Late Model Mark
Pinson, Alabama (March 2, 2009)
I left the jungle with a big ole smile. What? Huh? You left where with a smile? That was my feeling as I left Green Valley Speedway around 9:30pm. last Sunday night. The track they call the jungle, was full of rip-snortin wild animals they call Dirt Late Models. The reason I had a ear-to-ear grin was due to the fact that I had just seen a slobberknocker of a race. This feature night action, was the stuff that keeps us coming back each and every week, drive countless miles, spend a load on gas, to watch these beasts fly around in circles.
The 13th Annual Bama Bash may be labeled as one of the best shows come feature day that this special event has seen. After a busy practice evening on Thursday, and more practice on Friday, the event got into the swing of things on Saturday. In years past this race has been conducted in the daytime, not this round. Track owner Dennis Harker made the move to have racing scheduled after the sun went down, it paid off large. I rolled into the track at 3:30pm. and could easily notice that the pits were packed with racers. A record 222 cars entered the Bash. The sun went down over the hills right at 5:30pm. and by 5:35pm. the hot laps began. This would turn out to be one of those long nights. Not due to any slacking by the track officials, mostly actions on the track by the racers. Hot laps took a couple of hours and then qualifying began in 4 of the divisions. While done in groups, 2 at-a-time, it took some time to complete. The Super division with 54 strong cars on hand, timed-in starting at 8:35pm. After that session, the 2 Street Stock divisions really tested the patience of track officials, safety crews, and no doubt the fans. These guys just flat drove like a bunch of rookies, they were not newbies however. There were many seasoned racers, track champions, and quality teams. Wrecks, spins, rollovers, rough driving and all other sorts of metal mayhem contributed to both features being timed-out. When the white flag was waved in what should have been the flag of surrender. 2 races, 2 hours, painful.
The first Super Late heat started at 11:40pm. There were 5 heats that ran off rather quickly, most of the racing was fast, yet single file. The Supers finished up around 12:35am. Was the racing done? Nope, there was still the Modified heats and then 3 features, Mod Pony,Stock Pony and then the Cruisers. I left at 1:00am and found out the next day the racing finished up at 2:20am. No doubt a long night but it was still fun, even with temps in the low 30s at the end of the night. What would Sunday bring?
Sunday had the ole Dodge rolling into Green Valley at 2:00pm. to attend a cookout held graciously by a great group of fans from Chattanooga, Tennessee. About 30 of us enjoyed some great grub and fun bench racing. Racechasers and trackchasers from Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Indiana, and a bunch of us from the South all joined in the fun for a couple of hours. It was close to race time when all of us with fully bellies, headed up to the seats for the racing. Tonight would have only 4 divisions with consi and feature racing only. Track specialist Scott Morris did a spectacular job on the track. He never slept a wink since Saturday morning. After the early am. finish, he went to work on the track at 2:45am. and worked it all the way till 5:15pm. Sunday night. The sun went down over the hills at 5:30pm. and the first consi was on the track at 5:32pm. No hot laps at all tonight, right into racing. 2 Crate, 2 Limited, and 3 Super late Model consolation races were snapped off quickly. At 7:00pm. a very entertaining Crate Late Model race was flagged that featured passing galore, just a couple of yellows, and a surprising win for West Virginia's Kenny Compton over Georgia's Chip Brindle, and Alabama's Justin McRee. That good race set the stage for the $10,000-to-win, 75 lap, Super Late Model main event. The Supers got the green right at 8:00pm, and put on the show of the race. A stout, stellar 28-car field of unmuffled animals easliy verified the hard work in prepping the track by lighting up the crowd with a slab-sided-hauler dogfight all race long. Ray Cook took the lead and for 34 laps of green flag racing, the action was all over the track. 2-wide, 3-wide duels were the norm, passing was all over the place thruout the field. Only a couple of minor yellows slowed action halfway thru the race. The last 25 laps was the story as Ray Cook and Chris Wall just wowed the crowd with a lead swap fest. It was spectacular, dicing thru, around traffic,it was terrific! Ray Cook won the race with Wall all over him. Randy Weaver took 3rd while Ronnie Johnson, using a new CT525 engine, came from 15th to get 4th. Rounding out the top 5 was Bub McCool. Clint Smith tagged the rear of one of the b-mains and then started 28th in the feature, he worked the field all the way to 6th place. Passing was the norm, high-speeds was the game, and happy fans were the end results. It was that good.
Green Valley officials, from track owner Dennis Harker, track prep guru Scott Morris, and the TrackPro safety teams all deserve a big "atta-boy" for a job well done. The program was very well run, the track surface was excellent, all the things for a good "on track product" were met, and then some. From the starter to the track lineup workers, the ladys in the tower to the concession workers, you all did a great job. This Bama Bash was the best ever in my view. I highly suggest a visit to the jungle, you will leave with a smile!!
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