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Boyd's Delivers Again
Late Model Mark Pinson, Alabama (October 5, 2010)
Time for another installment of the Red Clay Report here at Latemodelracer.com. This lap will be about my latest trip to Boyds Speedway and then I will unload the brain with a few tidbits and observations.
Traffic, who likes it? Nobody, not a soul. That is what you deal with when you go thru a city on a Friday night during rush hour, you get a large dose of it going to Boyds. A racing buddy of mine kindly drove up this night giving the road weary Dodge a night off. We left plenty early but it seems no matter what time you leave, the Friday 500 around Chattanooga will slow the pace, it did as usual, plus you lose an hour as you drive into the Eastern time zone. A little traffic snarl is easier to handle when the final destination is Boyds Speedway in Ringgold, Georgia.
Tonight the Southern Regional Racing Series came into town for a $3000-to-win show, always a good show when this group rolls into a track. What makes this track a blast to see a show at is the many factors that add up. A professional and friendly staff, from the ladies at the pit gate, to the concession workers who are so polite and smile like they won the lottery. The super efficient workers on the track and in the tower, the announcing team of Steve Milling and "Big" Steve Hixson keep the show moving and the crowd fired up. The track is super clean, well lighted, and has ultra clean restrooms, as usual. This adds up to a recipe of success, but what about the track?
Friday during the day was a track preparation nightmare as it was warm, not too hot, but it was the wind, it was blowing strong all day. Track promoter and racer Gar Dickson had his hands full keeping moisture in the surface, a final deluge from the water truck delayed the start of the program as it took longer to roll in. Hot laps started at 7:25pm. and the rest of the night was run like clockwork for the large car count on hand. 37 Supers signed in with many national and regional heavyweights on hand. The track stayed nice thru the whole night up until feature time.
The track finally dried up big-time, would it be a one-lane dustbowl and wreckfest? No. Boyds Speedway has been under the watchfull eye of the city fathers over noise and curfew violations for some time, more this year than in the past it seems. The Super Late Model 40 lap feature hit the track at 10:40pm. I'm sure the city officials had their arms crossed, tight lipped, tapping their feet all the while holding the pencil to write out a fine. The pencil went unused, the 40 lap feature went 40 laps green!! First caution free race I've seen in years for the Supers. The track did get dusty, a first for me at Boyds, yet the action was all over the place. Skip Arp won the thriller, lapping most of the field, something to be said about Arp's performance as there was racing all over the track, a great race. The race finished at 10:59pm. Once again the Boyds Speedway delivered in all areas, it's no wonder why this track is a success on a night where most tracks in the South struggle. Boyds is a must see track, they do it right, everytime!
Flushing the brain. The next night up at Winchester Speedway in Tennessse, the track hosted an unsanctioned $3000-to-win show that attracted a stout 45 cars that was won by Talladega point leader Tim Busha. On Sunday down in Phenix City Alabama's East Alabama Motor Speedway, the State Championships were completed with an amazing performance by Ronnie Johnson. Winning all 3 Late Model divisions, taking the $5000 Crate 50 lapper, winning the $5000-to-win Sportsman 50 lapper and then capping off the day by winning the 75 lap Super Late Model main event and the check to the tune of $7000. 175 laps of racing and leading all of 'em. October is huge in the South with many big shows. Talladega has 3 more shows left with the big season ender running while Nascar is across the street on October 29-30. Whynot Motorsports Park has the Fall Classic that pays $15,000-to-win on the 23rd while the next week the Cotton Pickin' 100 is at Magnolia Motor Speedway also paying out $15,000. This weekend has the Lucas Oil Series final 2 races at Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, Georgia and then the final race at the awesome Rome Speedway in Rome, Georgia. I'll be going to that race at Rome, that place is something special. River Valley pulled the plug a few weeks ago much to my chagrin, citing football as the reason. Green Valley has just a handfull of shows left, Ft. Payne concluded a good season under the guidance of Marvin Ford. Lot's of racing in November, I will preview some of those in the next round of the RCR. Till next time.
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