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Big T's

Monday, July 31, 2017

Hall of Famer Ricky Williams Snags Senoia Raceway Victory



Submitted by Ted Austad
Photo credits: Francis Hauke

Ricky Williams


(Senoia, GA – July 30, 2017)   One of the winningest drivers in the history of short track racing in the state of Georgia, Ricky Williams of Fayetteville, busted the drought at his hometrack Senoia Raceway as he led flag to flag winning the Super Late Model feature Saturday night.  The 2016 Georgia Auto Racing Hall of Fame inductee started racing over 41 years ago and has many wins at the tough 3/8ths mile oval, but had been shut out since his return three years ago.  Williams out ran two-time defending Super Late Model points champion Clint ‘Cat Daddy’ Smith for the top honors.

Other winners included Hamilton’s Thomas Lewis in the Limited Late Models, Alabama’s ‘Thrillin’ Dylan Knowles in the Crate Late Models and Bobby ‘Wild Child’ Arnold  of Newnan in the Late Model Sportsman.  Ted Willingham of McDonough won again in the Hobby while Peachtree City’s Randy Cornwell won his first in the Bomber division and Alabama’s Dean Williams topped the Hot Shots for the sixth time this year.  Aburn’s JJ Garrett was the visiting Kajun Mini Stock Association victor.

Williams qualified on the pole for Saturday’s main event in the Super Late Models and held off fellow Fayetteville driver Glenn Morris to nab the race’s lead at the drop of the green.  The hall of famer distanced himself over the field of challengers until a late race caution bunched the field for a restart.  Ricky Williams was not going to be denied on this night as the short track racing ace held off all the aggression by Clint Smith to claim the win and snap his winless streak.  Columbus’ Dalton Cook ran a strong third ahead of Morris and Thomaston’s Shane Fulcher.

In the Limited Late Model feature, Thomas Lewis pressured LaGrange’s Tod Darda throughout the final dozen laps before sneaking underneath him out of turn four coming to the white flag.  Lewis wrestled the lead away for good in the next two turns before claiming his second win of the season at Senoia Raceway.  Darda would run second ahead of point’s leader ‘Magic’ Matt Dooley of Brooks, LaGrange’s Dennis Hale and Hamilton’s Brand Lewis, brother of the winner.

A fierce battle for the win entertained the fans in the Crate Late Model race.  Dylan Knowles fought off every challenge from Douglasville’s ‘Racin’ Mason Massey to win his first of the season.  Knowles has won fifteen times the past two seasons, but had not been to the winner’s circle this year.  Massey would finish as the runner-up for the second straight race while Sharpsburg’s Wayne Harbin would complete the podium finishers in third place.  Tyrone’s Phillip Deal ran fourth just ahead of Alabama’s TJ Brittain in fifth.

A caution-filled Late Model Sportsman race ended with a red flag checkered flag finish after a 14-car pile up after a late race restart stopped the race.  Bobby Arnold stayed out front of all the carnage to claim his third win of the season.  McDonough’s Ted Minnix was strong with his best finish of the year in second.  LaGrange young gun Jake Traylor was third.

A four wide battle for position coming off of turn four is what started the big pile-up that ended the race.  Cochran’s Wesley Robertson, Brooks Curtis Turner, ‘The General’ Jack Mills and Keith Fields of Griffin ran four abreast with nobody coming out unscathed.  Robertson bounced off the interior wall collecting Mills and Turner who then shot up the track collecting nearly everyone behind them.

“There were a lot of busted up race cars,” said promoter Mayes Massey.  “But, nobody was injured.  Just a lot of work this week for the drivers and their teams.”

Randy Cornwell took advantage of the late race misfortune of Newnan’s Dorough Bright after he had to head to the pit area with a flat tire.  Cornwell held off 14-year-old McKenna Nelms of Newnan for his first win of the year.  Jackson’s Wilson Boozer was third ahead of division point’s leader Charlie Garrett of West Point and Whitesburg’s Derrick Matthews.

Garrett, Matthews and Bright are in a tight battle for the season point’s crown in the Bombers.  Garrett now leads Matthews by twenty-one with Bright now one point behind Matthews in third.  The Bombers next points race is Saturday, August 12th.

JJ Garrett won his second KMSA visit to Senoia Raceway in two years as he outclassed drivers from across the southeast.  Garrett held off a strong run by Dan Bennett before the Loganville driver lost ground on a restart near the end of the race.  Garrett won the $1000 to win tilt ahead of Alabama hot shoes Brannon Knight, Bo Minor and Robert Knight while Tennessee’s Dustin Hallbrooks was fifth.  Bennett ended up in sixth position.

This Saturday, August 5th, Senoia Raceway welcomes back the Monster Trucks for Monster Truck Mania 2017 and the first ever ‘Tournament of Destruction’.  Seven-time World Finalist Gunslinger will return and headline a full night of Monster Truck car crushing action.  The destruction show will also include an Outhouse Race; Backward’s Race; Dukes of Hazzard Jump Contest; County Fair type Demolition Derby and the Kids Power Wheels Demo Derby.  The pit gates open at 4pm with the grandstand gates opening at 5pm.  The Monster Truck pit party and autograph session is at 6pm with the program beginning at 7pm.

Grandstand tickets for Monster Truck Mania & the Tournament of Destruction are $20; kids 5-12 are $10; four and under are free.  Pit passes and trackside parking passes are $30; kids 5-12 are $20; four and under are free.

There is no additional fee for the Kids Power Wheels Demo Derby.  Any child eight years of age or younger is eligible to compete with any battery-powered, plastic vehicle with four wheels.  Participants are recommended to wear some kind of protective head gear.  Vehicles should be brought into the grandstand area and placed in the competition holding area.

Senoia Raceway is located just five miles west of Senoia, GA, on Georgia Highway 16.  Easy access from both Interstate 75 and 85.

For additional information, visit the track website at www.senoiaraceway.com or call the speedway at 770.599.6161.

Official Results for Saturday, July 29, 2017

Super Late Models (Feature):  1-Ricky Williams, Fayetteville  2-Clint Smith, Senoia  3-Dalton Cook, Columbus  4-Glenn Morris, Fayetteville  5-Shane Fulcher, Thomaston  6-Trey Wood, Newnan  7-Craig Scott, Newnan  8-Rob Mayea, Bend, OR  9-Lamar Haygood, Douglasville  10-PL Williams, Dublin  11-Chad Wallace, LaGrange  12-Kyler Haygood, Douglasville  13-Corey Payton, Newnan  DNS: Josh Cox  Fast Qualifier: Williams (15.838 – 85.3 mph)


Thomas Lewis

Limited Late Models:  1-Thomas Lewis, Hamilton  2-Tod Darda, LaGrange  3-Matt Dooley, Brooks  4-Dennis Hale, LaGrange  5-Brand Lewis, Hamilton  6-Kenneth Pendley, Acworth  7-Jason Williams, Locust Grove  8-Joey Armistead, Senoia  9-Marc Gooden, Lafayette, AL  10-Dakota Weeks, Douglasville  11-Bailey Williams, Fayetteville  12-Tyler Thomason, Phenix City, AL  DNS: Matt Wilson, Mansfield; Dana Eiland, Salem, AL  Fast Qualifier: Dooley (16.132 – 83.6 mph)


Dylan Knowles

Crate Late Models:  1-Dylan Knowles, Lanett, AL  2-Mason Massey, Douglasville  3-Wayne Harbin, Sharpsburg  4-Phillip Deal, Tyrone  5-TJ Brittain, Centre, AL  6-Dow Kirkland, Lake Spivey  7-Colby Darda, LaGrange  8-Josh Copeland, McDonough  9-Tina Johnson, Senoia  10-Matthew Wyatt, Eastonolee  11-Jamie Maurice, McDonough  12-Chris Justus, McDonough  13-Mike Abercrombie, Jackson  14-Chase Baker, LaGrange  Fast Qualifier: Knowles  (16.178 – 83.4 mph)


Bobby Arnold

Late Model Sportsman:  1-Bobby Arnold, Newnan  2-Ted Minnix, McDonough  3-Jake Traylor, LaGrange  4-Brandon Pijnenburg, Five Points, AL  5-Wesley Robertson, Hawkinsville  6-Jack Mills, Griffin  7-Curtis Turner, Brooks  8-Keith Fields, Griffin  9-Chris Steele, Franklin  10-Ronnie McCullough, Franklin  11-Lee Fuller, Newnan  12-John Cox  13-Johnny Stinchcomb, Newnan  14-Richard Dale, Winston  15-Tyler Seabolt, Hawkinsville  16-Buck Williams, Stockbridge  17-Billy Stevenson, Locust Grove  18-Jeff Robinson, McDonough  19-Jamie Simmons, Tyrone  20-Trent Pijnenburb, Five Points, AL  21-Logan Carlyle, Bethlehem  Fast Qualifier: Arnold (15.549 – 86.9 mph)


Ted Willingham

Hobby Stock (Feature):  1-Ted Willingham, McDonough  2-JR Hardy, Covington  3-Joe Hillman, Villa Rica  4-Justin Sapp, Cochran  5-Herbie Donath, Phenix City, AL  6-Brandon Jones, Newnan  7-Larry Bednar, Locust Grove  8-Danny Earl Warren, Chester  Fast Qualifier: Hillman (17.263 – 78.2 mph)

KMSA (Feature):  1-JJ Garett, Auburn  2-Brannon Knight, Sand Rock, AL  3-Bo Minor, Ralph, AL  4-Robert Knight, Cedar Bluff, AL  5-Dustin Hallbrooks, Christiana, TN  6-Dan Bennett, Loganville  7-Jeremy Griffith, Attala, AL  8-David Singleton, Lenoir City, TN  9-Shane Griffith, Attalla, AL  10-Bo Chambers, Griffin  11-Shannon Etheridge, Carnesville  12-PJ Taylor  13-Mark Newton, Hampton  14-Parris Simmons, Baldwin  15-Austin Brumbelow, Winder  16-Tony Coffman, Florence, MS  17-Todd Brewster, Villa Rica  18-Brent Couch, Auburn  19-Heath Minor, Ralph, AL  DNS: Jamie Rowan, Altoona, AL; Heath Bewster, Villa Rica  Fast Qualifier: Etheridge (17.720 – 76.2 mph)  Heat Race Winners: Bo Minor; Garrett; Etheridge


Randy Cornwell

Bomber Bash (Feature): 1-Randy Cornwell, Peachtree City  2-McKenna Nelms, Newnan  3-Wilson Boozer, Jackson  4-Charlie Garrett, West Point  5-Derrick Matthews, Whitesburg  6-Shannon Stephens, Newnan  7-Pappy Powell, Hogansville  8-Ricky Neill, Whitesburg  9-Abe Chase, Valley, AL  10-Dorough Bright, Newnan  11-Scott Amoson, Newnan  12-John Holder, Milner  13-Larry Pierce, Griffin  Fast Qualifier: Chase  (17.570 – 76.8 mph)


Dean Williams

Hot Shot (Make-up Feature from 7.1.17):  1-Dean Williams, Lanett, AL  2-Mark Meyer, Ellijay  3-Dave McWilliams, Fayetteville  4-Nathan Farrow, LaGrange  5-Lucas Pittman, Grantville  6-Morgan Pittman, Grantville  7-Joe Collins  8-Wesley McCard, Zebulon  9-James Dunn

Sunday, July 23, 2017

Video: Southern Thunder Late Model Series Feature At Needmore Speedway


At least 128 cars showed up and the stands were packed Saturday night at Needmore Speedway and they witnessed the final race of the Southern Thunder Late Model Summer Shootout Series. Kyle Chappell came away with the victory which was hotly contested by Garrett Lloyd in 2nd and Rhett Carter who finished 3rd.

Sunday, July 16, 2017

Videos & Recap of racing from EAMS Saturday, 7/15/2017 - The Jimmy Thomas Tribute Race


Submitted by Lamar McClellan

Road Warrior - 15 Laps:
1 - #97 Derrick Pearce - started the night in one car which broke in hot laps, then jumped into his teammates car and dominated the race from the pole.
2 - #D9 "Granddaddy" Diem - won out in a 4 way battle for 2nd that lasted most of the race.
3 - #29 Chris Barfield - involved in a great battle up front - settled for P3.
4 - #16 Robert Price - also involved in that same battle.
5 - #17 Brian Robinson - ran P3 most of the race until slipping high off turn 2 and dropping back to P5.


Hot Shots - 15 Laps:
1 - #1 Lee Tint Man Hutchinson - started outside pole and battled to lead every lap under intense pressure every lap.
2 - #5 Jonathan MrNascar Merritt - started 16th and steadily moved through the pack taking 2nd on the last lap.
3 - #51 Robert Hutchinson - started 5th, ran as high as 2nd before dropping to 3rd on the last lap.
4 - #5 Billy Tidwell - from pole battled at the front of the pack all race until dropping 2 spots over the last 3 laps.
5 - #22 Taylor McElhannon - started 10th and moved into the top 5 just past half way.



Southern Thunder Late Model Series - 40 Laps:
Team Larry Harrod did a perfect job in Time Trials by sitting both cars on the front row.
1 - #27T Terrance Nowell - started 2nd, ran P2 and P3 for most of the race and then started working #92 Joseph Brown and little by little crept up on him until he was able to do the perfect slide job entering turn 3 with about 5 laps to go and then pulled away for the victory.
2 - #92 Joseph Brown - started 3rd, took the lead entering turn 1 on lap 1 and lead 35 laps before succumbing to a slide job by Nowell.
3 - #27 Larry Harrod - started 1st, ran P2 and P3 all race long.
4 - #27G Garrett Lloyd - started 5th, fell back to P6 mid race and then rallied back to 4th at the finish.
5 - #110 Rick Culpepper - started 4th, fell back to P6 on lap 21, but moved back to 5th on lap 22.


Hobby - 15 Laps:
1 - #294 John Michael - started on pole and withstood an early challenge to lead them all.
2 - #99 Randy Renfroe - struggled to get past #29 Will Gordon and then was not able to close the distance on JM, though he was gaining at the end.
3 - #29 Will Gordon - ran P2 early and then settled into 3rd.
4 - #2 John Holcomb - started the night at Senoia and came to EAMS when Senoia got rained out.
5 - #98 Travis Timms - good, solid run.


NeSmith Street Stock - 15 Laps:
1 - #51 Bradley Frakes - started 2nd and won in his first visit to EAMS this season, surviving a spin on the initial start.
2 - #25 Herbie Donath - survived a knock down drag out battle for 2nd - great racing!
3 - #71 Grady Holmes - started pole and found himself in a great battle for all of the top 5 positions.
4 - #24J Jason Price - started 6th and eked out a 4th place finish in a photo finish.
5 - #24 Allen McConnell - started 8th and worked his way up to 5th, almost 4th in a photo finish.


UCRA 602 Sportsman Mini-Series - 25 Laps:
1 - #00 Richie Stephens - started 3rd, took the led on lap 1 and lead them all for his 3rd straight UCRA win at EAMS.
2 - #66 Brian Hansford - started the night at Senoia, came to EAMS when Senoia was rained out, sat on the pole and ran P2 all race.
3 - #01 Blant Duke - started 6th, was involved in a collision on one of the initial starts, survived, quickly moved up to P3, dropped back to 5th after running high off turn 2, then rallied back to 3rd.
4 - #22 Keith McGuire - started 5th, ran as high as P3 early, then dropped back to P4 on lap 19.
5 - #17 Jason Price - started outside pole, was crowded off track on one of the starts and collected Duke, but both were able to continue with Price running top 5 all race long.


Next race at EAMS is next Saturday, 7/22/2017.




Monday, July 10, 2017

Recap of the racing at EAMS Saturday 7/8/2017



Submitted by Lamar McClellan

EAMS Late Models - 25 Laps:
1 - #27 Larry Harrod - checked out - led flag to flag - never in doubt.
2 - #5 Thomas Lewis - started 3rd and battled with #110 Rick Culpepper for several laps before claiming 2nd and pulling away.
3 - #110 Rick Culpepper battled all race long - early with Lewis and later with #1D Dalton D Cook. He lost the early battle but won the later one.
4 - #1D Dalton D Cook - after winning his last 4 starts at EAMS, this had to be a disappointment - raced hard all race long battling for one position and then another.
5 - #5B Brand Lewis - good solid run - persevered.

UCRA 602 Sportsman - 25 Laps:
1 - #00 Richie Stephens - just like last race - all Richie all day long.
2 - #17 Jason Price - one of Jason's best runs in his Sportsman car.
3 - #79 Cord Dodgen - in a car typically driven by Marc Gooden - excellent run for Cord.
4 - #1 Josh Cox - from the pole appeared to be an obvious 2nd place runner to Stephens, but made a couple of mistakes and had to battle to finish 4th.
5 - #62 Jessie Hughes - recovered from a very poor qualifying run.

Smith, Lykins, Stevenson & Williams Double Up At Senoia Raceway


Submitted by Ted Austad
Photo credits: Francis Hauke

(Senoia, GA – July 9, 2017)   Dennis Lykins, Jr. of Sharpsburg along with Locust Grove’s Billy Stevenson and Alabama’s Dean Williams clean swept the double features for their respective divisions Saturday night at Senoia Raceway while Senoia’s Clint ‘Cat Daddy’ Smith won a pair of features with victories in the Super Late Models and Limited Late Models.  The track entertained fans with a full night of racing and several make-up features from the week prior.  A total of twelve feature races took place.

Acworth’s Cass Fowler finally conquered the unique gumbo clay surface to notch his first career win at the 3/8ths mile track.  Fowler bested the field of Limited Late Models in the second feature.  McDonough’s Ted Willingham won the Hobby Stock feature while Hampton’s Mark ‘Mad Dog’ Newton won his sixth straight Mini Stock main event.  Alabama’s Dunie Dillard won the Bomber Bash and pocketed the $1000 winner’s share for that division’s special event.

Tuesday, July 4, 2017

Videos: 4th Annual Georgia Showdown At Cochran Motor Speedway


The 4th Annual Georgia Showdown presented some very exciting racing action and finishes at Cochran Motor Speedway. The venue was packed and the fans sure got their money's worth. Check out the videos below. (They will be posted as they are completed.)

Southern Thunder Late Model Feature

Monday, July 3, 2017

Top 5 finishers at East Alabama Motor Speedway Sunday, 7/2/2017



Submitted by Lamar McClellan

NeSmith Dirt Late Model Series (37 cars) - 50 Laps:
1 - #66 Jake Knowles
2 - #18 Chase Edge
3 - #66K Dylan Knowles
4 - #55 Montana Dudley
5 - #1N Jordy Nipper

UCRA Sportsman Series (25 cars) - 25 Laps:
1 - #00 Richie Stephens
2 - #10 Austin Scarbrough
3 - #71K Jim Rogers
4 - #17M Brandon McDaniel
5 - #6 Donovan Singer

Hobby (16 cars) - 15 Laps:
1 - #5 Justin Sapp
2 - #30 Tim Bosley
3 - #29 Will Gordon
4 - #99 Randy Renfroe
5 - #2 John Holcomb

NeSmith Street Stock (13 cars) - 15 Laps:
1 - #29 Josh Tomlin
2 - #25 Herbie Donath
3 - #02 Tyler Turvin
4 - #24 Allen McConnell
5 - #55 Zack Lee

Road Warrior (9 cars) - 15 Laps:
1 - #17 Brian Robinson
2 - #999 Chandler Diem
3 - #16 Robert Price
4 - #02 Jeff Stone
5 - #29 Bryanna Vinent

Hot Shots (23 cars) - 15 Laps:
1 - #1 Bryan Britton
2 - #11 Clint Thornton
3 - #51 Robert Hutchinson
4 - #2 Patrick Harrelson
5 - #41 Joseph Collins

Sunday, July 2, 2017

Smith Guards The Gumbo Winning Head Jr. Memorial At Senoia

Clint Smith


Submitted by Ted Austad
Photo credits: Frances Hauke


(Senoia, GA – July 2, 2017)   Thirty-seven competitors from six states converged on Senoia Raceway this past Saturday to chase after the 20th Annual Michael Head, Jr. Memorial title and $5454 pay day.  Two-time defending Super Late Model champion, Clint ‘Cat Daddy’ Smith of Senoia, successfully defended the gumbo clay track by outrunning Whitesburg’s Austin Horton for the victory.  It was Smith’s first Southern All-Star Series victory since July of 2009 and his first major touring series Super Late Model win at his hometrack Senoia Raceway.  The victory came on a night that the track began to come apart due to the near ten inches of rain that had fallen in the previous six days.

“It’s go time on this kind of condition at all times,” Smith said of the track’s fast, but physical surface. “After I got out front and got a little bit of a lead, there was no way to get into turn one without just killing your race car.  All this rain, these torrential downpours every day, hats off to (co-promoter and track prep guru) Doug Stevens just to give us a racetrack that we could race on tonight at all.  And to finally get a big win here, I’ve always been no good in big shows, so glad to get it done tonight!”