Submitted by: Billy Goodman
On an awesome South Georgia evening for some fantastic racing, racers and fans filled the 4/10 mile Watermelon Capital Speedway in Cordele, Ga which saw an impressive sibling battle and a driver pick up his fourth win of 2012.
The evening started off with the Go Karts in their fifteen lap event. In a fairly quiet and calm feature it was William Downs picking up the win with Dylan Bailey, Kevin Rogers, Eric Simpson and Don Ross rounding out the top five.
The Bandolero Bandits were up next with youngsters Connor Younginer and Lawson Ingold leading the field to the green in the fifteen lap race. Younginer and Ingold raced side by side in the early states until Younginer prevailed as the leader in the early stages. As the laps clicked by, the top four spots were all up for grabs between Younginer, Ingold, Chandler Smith and Zach Leonhardi. The road to the front for Smith and Leonhardi was no cake walk as both had to come from the back to battle in the front due to recent wins which had them starting in the back. When all was said and done, it was Younginer picking up his first win of 2012 with Smith in a close second, Ingold in third, Lee Hodges in fourth and Abby Marin in fifth.
Up next were the Bandolero Outlaws and this group, without a doubt, was definitely the most exciting and intense race of the evening as it was exciting for the fans and very intense for parents seeing their kids battle side by side. In racing, unlike other sports, it allows brothers and cousins or dads and sons compete but not often do you see brothers and sisters race each other side by side and that was the case in this particular fifteen lap event. The front row to start the race put Taylor Jorgenson alongside her brother Jenson. It all started out calm with Taylor escaping to an early lead with her brother fresh on her track. As the field approached half way, business picked up as Jenson was able to make a move on his sister which resulted in several laps of side by side racing with what appeared to have two nervous parents looking on. In the closing laps some paint was traded between the two siblings with Jenson edging out his sister Taylor for the win. Rounding out the field for the Bando Outlaws was Katelyn Weatherly in third, Mark Younginer in fourth and Jordan McCallum in fifth.
The Mini Stockers rolled on the grid next for their fifteen lap event with teammates Anthony Bustamante and John Tullis securing the front row. Bustamante was able to obtain a great start and the lead early on and never look back. In the end Bustamante was the winner with Brett Roberts in second, Tullis in third, James Pennington in fourth and Banks Perdue in fifth.
The Enduro fifteen lap feature happened next with Cody Hale gunning for his fifth win of 2012 in only his sixth start of the season. As with his prior four starts, for it to happen, he would have to come from the back to the front. Michael Hutto and Benji Cromer led the field to green as the opening laps clicked off and Hale slowly starting to march his way to the front. When all was said and done for the Enduro crew, it was Hale picking up the win with Jimmy Nasworthy in second, Michael Hutto in third, Cromer in fourth and Justin Duckworth rounding out the top five.
Outlaw Latemodels were the final event to take the track for the night in their fifty lap show. Former track champion David Hodges Jr set fast time in qualifying which allowed him to be on the pole bringing the field to green with Stuart Dutton alongside. Challenge for position started mid race on lap twenty one with David Murphy and Kyle McCallum doing battle early on for the fourth and fifth position which continued until the lone caution of the event flew on lap twenty seven which involved McCallum in a single car spin. By virtue of the restart choose rule, McCallum was able to restart beside Murphy and the battle ensued with Murphy once again until McCallum was able to secure the spot for good. As the checkered fell for the final time, Hodges picked up his second win of the season with Billy Chancy in second, Michael Davidson in third, McCallum in fourth and Murphy rounding out the top five.
The next race at Watermelon Capital Speedway will be on June 2nd and will feature the Tampa Bay Area Racing Association (TBARA) Sprint Cars which bring fourth 800 horsepower, 140 mile per hour, ethanol burning wheelie popping action that will no doubt provide excitement for fans of all ages.
Gates for June 2nd will open at 5pm with practice beginning at 6:30pm and racing at 7:30pm. Advanced tickets are available for the event until June 1st with Grandstand adults $15, kids 6-11 $5 and kids under the age of 5 FREE. Advanced pit passes for adults/drives is $25 with kids under 12 not racing $10. Advanced tickets may be purchased at Treasure Mart, located at 401 E 16th Ave. Suite F in Cordele. Tickets day of the show will be $20 for adults in the grandstands with kids 6-11 $10 and kids under the age of 5 FREE. Infield admission on June 2nd will be $30 for adults/drivers with kids under 12 not racing $10.
For more information on our next event or future events, contact the track phone at 229-271-9301, visit www.watermeloncapitalspeedway.com or follow on along on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/themelon. To find out more about the TBARA Sprint Car Series, visit www.tbara.net.
Watermelon Capital Speedway
Race Results 5/19/2012
Race Results 5/19/2012
GO KARTS
1. 37 William Downs of Tifton, Ga.
2. 53 Dylan Bailey of Bonaire, Ga.
3. 22 Kevin Rogers of Leesburg, Ga.
4. 1 Eric Simpson of Fitzgerald, Ga.
5. 47 Don Ross of Ocilla, Ga.
6. 06 Doug Sanneman of Warner Robins, Ga.
7. 14 Mike Coonfield of Bonaire, Ga.
8. 13 Dawn Brackett of Marshalville, Ga.
9. 17 Jamie Bailey of Bonaire, Ga.
10. 22(DNS) Keith Edwards of Sylvester, Ga.
11. 29(DNS) Brandon Hughes of Sylvester, Ga.
BANDOLERO BANDITS
1.107 Connor Younginer of Stockbridge, Ga.
2. 26 Chandler Smith of Jasper, Ga.
3. 01 Lawson Ingold of Social Circle, Ga.
4. 16 Lee Hodges of Valdosta, Ga.
5. 10 Abby Marin of Peachtree City, Ga.
6. 24 Zach Leonhardi of Symrna, Ga.
BANDOLERO OUTLAWS
1. 32 Jensen Jorgensen of Stockbridge, Ga.
2. 3 Taylor Jorgensen of Stockbridge, Ga.
3. 72 Katelyn Weatherly of McDonough, Ga.
4. 95 Mark Younginer of Stockbridge, Ga.
5. 2 Jordan McCallum of Lizella, Ga.
LEGENDS
1. 7 Alex Coffey of McDonough, Ga.
2. 1 Eric Simpson of Fitzgerald, Ga.
MINI STOCK
1. 81 Anthony Bustamante of Byron, Ga.
2. 55 Brett Roberts of Sylvester, Ga.
3. 8 John Tullis of Dacula, Ga.
4. 41 James Pennington of Perry, Ga.
5. 2 Banks Perdue of Cordele, Ga.
6. 66 AW Napier of Cordele, Ga
7. 27(DNS) Chance Smith of Poulan, Ga.
8. 19(DNS) Dolan Youmans of Tifton, Ga.
ENDURO
1. 21 Cody Hale of Americus, Ga.
2. 15b Jimmy Nasworthy of Fitzgerald, Ga.
3. 1 Michael Hutto of Cordele, Ga.
4. 15w Benji Cromer of Andersonville, Ga.
5. 14b Justin Duckworth of Cordele, Ga.
6. 51 Michael Lambert of Americus, Ga.
7. 38 Lamar Poole of Pearson, Ga.
8. 14(DNS) Jeff Davis of Cordele, Ga.
OUTLAW LATEMODELS
1. 16 David Hodges Jr of Valdosta, Ga.
2. 81 Billy Chancy of Kathleen, Ga.
3. 27 Mike Davidson of Lula, Ga.
4. 008 Kyle McCallum of Lizella, Ga.
5. 35 David Murphy of Pendergrass, Ga.
6. 18 Stewart Smith of Barnesville, Ga.
7. 32 Stuart Dutton of Tallahasse, Fl
8. 9 Merle Diem Jr of Americus, Ga.
9. 2 Josh McCallum of Lizella, Ga.
