Flag To Flag For Clanton & Pollard At Senoia Raceway

Photo Credit - Francis Hauke

Submitted by Ted Austad

(April 18, 2016 - Senoia, GA)  Zebulon’s national championship driver Shane Clanton topped the field of Super Late Models for the second time this season warming up for this upcoming weekend’s special event at Senoia Raceway.  Clanton went flag to flag to claim the checkered while fellow national champion Bubba Pollard of Senoia claimed a flag to flag win in the Crate Late Model feature.  Pollard’s national honors have come on asphalt tracks while his dirt racing resume is growing.

“The caliber of drivers we have a Senoia Raceway is one of the best anywhere in the country,” said promoter Mayes Massey.  “Plus, the younger drivers that are getting better and better each week is phenomenal. It is really exciting to watch unfold.”

Other winners on Saturday night included 19-year-old Senoia hot shoe Joey Armistead in the Limited Late Models, Whitesburg’s Blant Duke in the B Cadet, Warner Robbins’ Randy Cornwell in the Hobby Stock and James Swanger of Whitesburg in the Bomber.  Monroe’s JJ Garrett took him the victory in the Kajun Mini Stock Association special.

Photo Credit - Francis Hauke

Pollard jumped to the early lead before running several laps side by side with Mike Bruner of Dallas.  Bruner challenged Pollard several times on the inside, but each time the grandson of Senoia Raceway track builder Hence Pollard would slam the door shut.  Pollard held off Bruner for his first dirt win of the season while defending Crate Late Model points champion Bobby Mills of Griffin began his defense of the title with a third place finish.  Newnan’s Marty Lunsford was the race’s hard charger coming from near the back of the starting field to finish in fourth ahead of Marietta’s Cody Richards.



Clanton set a new track record during preliminary qualifying eclipsing the fastest lap by South Carolina’s Chris Madden just three weeks earlier.  He used his pole position to shoot out the lead over Douglasville’s Mason Massey and Senoia’s Joe Armistead, Jr.  Massey and Armistead touch coming off turn two while chasing Clanton with the result a cut tire and spin by the younger Massey.

Whitesburg’s Austin Horton moved past Armistead during the early race, but could not catch Clanton who went on to the victory.  Horton would end up a strong second ahead of Armistead, Jason Williams of Locust Grove and Fayetteville’s Ricky Williams.

Photo Credit - Francis Hauke

Newnan’s Oliver Gentry set the quick time in the Limited Late Model division qualifying before shooting to a several car length lead in the feature race.  Gentry looked to be on his way to the winner’s circle before hitting a turn the wrong way and losing power and handling.  The turn of events allowed for defending Limited Late Model points champion Joey Armistead to snag the lead.  It was a position he would not relinquish.  Clint ‘Cat Daddy’ Smith came through the field to finish second followed by Gentry, Jason Williams (racing double duty) and Fayetteville’s Glenn Morris.

Photo Credit - Francis Hauke

Blant Duke was the third flag to flag winner as he returned to victory lane in the B Cadet for the third time this season.  Duke ran the low side of the track to perfection and never allowed eventual runner-up Brandon Bright of Newnan to gain any ground.  Locust Grove’s Clyde Alexander was third ahead of Douglasville’s Dakota Weeks and Newnan’s Parrish Duncan.

Photo Credit - Francis Hauke

A last lap pass launched Randy Cornwell to a third straight victory in the Hobby Stock main event.  Whitesburg’s H B Duke led all but the final lap of the race as Cornwell jumped under him in turn three and then won the drag race to the finish line.  Curtis Turner of Brooks had another string race week nabbing third place ahead of Franklin’s three-wheelin’ Chris Steele and Hogansville hard charger Gary Brand.

Photo Credit - Francis Hauke

James Swanger shot out to an unsurmountable lead in the Bomber feature as he won for the third time this season.  Conyers Tim Harmon bested his son Blake Harmon of Mansfield for the second place position.  Locust Grove’s Wilson Boozer ran fourth followed by defending Bomber division point’s champion Winford Minix in fifth.








A fast feature race for the Kajun Mini Stock Association saw JJ Monroe win his third Senoia Raceway feature this year.  The KMSA brought drivers from five states to compete on the new gumbo clay surface.

Special Olympics Georgia presents the racing action this Saturday, April 23rd featuring the return of the Old Man’s Garage Spring Nationals.  Shane Clanton, South Carolina’s Chris Madden, Colbert’s Kenny Collins and more of the region’s best Super Late Model drivers will compete for the $6000 top prize.  Some of the season’s greatest battles took place in late March when the series last visited.  Defending Lucas Oil Late Model Tour champion Jonathan Davenport won that race after completing a three wide pass of Madden and Collins.  This weekend’s racing action will also include a full slate of points competition in the Limited Late Models, Crate Late Models, B Cadets, Hobby Stock and Bomber.

For this Saturday’s special event, the pit gates open at 3pm while the grandstands open at 5pm.  Hot laps will begin at 6:30pm with racing at 7pm.  Grandstand tickets are $25; ages 5-12 are $10 with four & under admitted for free.  Pit passes and trackside parking tickets are $35; ages 5-12 are $20 and four & under are admitted for free.

For additional information, schedules, rules and more, visit the Senoia Raceway website at www.senoiaraceway.com.  The track also offers an e-mail newsletter (sign-up on the website), Facebook page, twitter feed, instagram and snapchat for social media access to news and information. You can also contact the track directly at 770.599.6161.

Official results from Saturday,  April 16, 2016
Super Late Models (Feature):  1-Shane Clanton, Zebulon  2-Austin Horton, Whitesburg  3-Joe Armistead, Jr., Senoia  4-Jason Williams, Locust Grove  5-Ricky Williams, Fayetteville  6-Shane Fulcher, Thomaston  7-Laddie Fulcher, Thomaston  8-Zach Leonhardi, Cartersville  9-Dale Thurmon, Cartersville  10-Matt Dooley, Brooks  11-Craig Scott, Newnan  12-Mason Massey, Douglasville  DNS: Clint Smith, Senoia; Lamar Haygood, Douglasville; Chad Marchman, LaGrange; Dillon Crim, Eastaboga, AL; Jody Knowles, Tyrone.  Fast Qualifier: Clanton *New Track Record* (13.259/101.8 mph)
Limited Late Models (Feature):  1-Joey Armistead, Senoia  2-Clint Smith, Senoia  3-Oliver Gentry, Newnan  4-Jason Williams, Locust Grove  5-Glenn Morris, Fayetteville  6-Shawn Cater, Roopville  7-Bailey Williams, Fayetteville  8-Rucker Orr, Newnan  9-Daniel Brewer, Powder Springs  10-Thomas Mewborn, Greenville  11-Clifton Moran, Carrollton  12-Tony Kemp,  Carrollton  13-Michael Queen, Cartersville  DNS: Jimmy Ivester, Toccoa; Jesse Iverster, Toccoa; Clint Thompson, Newnan  Fast Qualifier: Gentry (14.156 seconds/95.4 mph)
Crate Late Models (Feature): 1-Bubba Pollard, Senoia  2-Mike Bruner, Dallas  3-Bobby Mills, Griffin  4-Marty Lunsford, Newnan  5-Cody Richards, Marietta  6-Rob Temples, McDonough  7-Dow Kirkland, Lake Spivey  8-Jamie Brown, Temple  9-Wayne Harbin, Sharpsburg  10-Matt Thompson, Powder Springs  11-Scott Howard  12-Jamie Maurice, McDonough  13-Trey Wood, Newnan  14-Bailey Temples, McDonough  15-Dorough Bright, Newnan  16-Chris Justus, McDonough  17-Corey Payton, Newnan  DNS: Matt Black, Douglasville  Heat Race Winners: Payton & Pollard
B Cadet (Feature):  1-Blant Duke, Carrollton  2-Brandon Bright, Newnan  3-Clyde Alexander, Locust Grove  4-Dakota Weeks, Douglasville  5-Parrish Duncan, Newnan  6-Billy Stevenson, Locust Grove  7-Bobby Arnold, Newnan  8-Johnny Stinchcomb, Newnan  9-Bennie Croy, McDonough  10-Luke Pilson, Kennesaw  11-Josh Ellington
Hobby Stock (Feature):  1-Randy Cornwell, Warner-Robins  2-H B Duke, Whitesburg  3-Curtis Turner, Brooks   4-Chris Steele, Franklin  5-Gary Brand, Hogasnville  6-Lee McElwaney, Newnan  7-Seth Lacey, Cave Spring  8-Chad Foster, Griffin  9-Daniel Floyd, Marietta  10-Mike Jenkins, Brooks  11-John Holcomb, Griffin  12-Ben Steele, Franklin  DNS: Landon Bagby  Heat Race Winners: Lacey & Duke
Kajun Mini Stock (Feature):  1-JJ Garrett, Monroe  2-Mike Rominger, Montevallo, AL  3-Michael Courtney, Powell, TN  4-Jamie Rowan, Altoona, AL  5-Jason Gilliam  6-Tim Seals, Maylene, AL  7-Bo Chambers, Griffin  8-Jamie Nicholson, Locust Grove  9-Keith West, Mableton  10-James Nicholson, Sr., Locust Grove  11-Mike Younginer, Stockbridge  12-Heath Brewster, Bremen  13-Dan Bennett, Loganville  14-Charlie Monistere, Ponchatowa, LA  15-Jo Jo Morgan, Attalla, AL  16-Marc Leath, Griffin  17-Dustin Hallbrooks, Christiana, TN  18-Kevin Tullis, Commerce  19-Dustin Stephens  DNS: Mike Herman, Bremen; Todd Brewster, Villa Rica  Heat Race Winners: Bennett; Garrett; Monistere
Bomber (Feature):  1-James Swanger, Whitesburg  2-Tim Harmon, Conyers  3-Blake Harmon, Mansfield  4-Wilson Boozer, Locust Grove  5-Winford Minix, Senoia  6-Keaton Koffman  7-Mike Nelms, Newnan  8-Brent Harmon, Mansfield  9-Shane Tidwell, Whitesburg  10-Ted Willingham, McDonough  11-George Purgason, Hogasnville  12-Jim Jackson, Zebulon  13-Bruce Tidwell, Douglasvile  14-Michael Couch, Senoia  15-Jody Buckner, Valley, AL  16-Ricky Neill, Whitesburg  Heat Race Winners: Swanger & Blake Harmon