Photo Credit - Senoia Raceway Media
Submitted by Ted Austad
(March 27, 2016 - Senoia, GA) Jonathan Davenport collected his first career Old Man’s Garage Spring Nationals Series victory on Friday Night at Senoia Raceway taking home $4,000 for the victory to open the race weekend. It was the first time Davenport has raced at the 3/8ths mile Bull Ring since capturing a Legends Car victory over fifteen years ago when the track was asphalt. Saturday night’s program was postponed due to the weather.
Davenport of Blairsville, Ga. piloted the car normally occupied by the veteran wheel man Randy Weaver to the victory. He and South Carolina’s Chris Madden, along with Colbert’s Kenny Collins, dazzled the large crowd with an exciting 40-lap main event.
The feature race saw new track record holder Chris Madden and outside polesitter Kenny Collins take the field to green with Madden in command early. Madden lead the first 11 circuits until the caution came out for Tennessee’s Shanon Buckingham spinning on the front stretch and slamming the inside retaining wall.
On the restart, Madden was shuffled to the top allowing Collins to slide past on the inside of the multi-groove gumbo clay surface. Collins would lead only a single lap before Davenport would grab the lead with a power move to the top side.
The Blairsville native would hold the lead until as feisty Madden would grab the top spot back with a super slide job coming off the fourth turn where Davenport clipped the right rear quarter-panel of Madden nearly sending the leader into the front stretch wall at over 100 miles per hour. Madden and Davenport would work their way around lapped traffic with Davenport gaining control of the lead on the 26th lap. Davenport pulled away after the final race caution securing the win and the $4000 pay day for car owner Randy Weaver. Madden would settle for second with Kenny Collins in third. Chatsworth’s Aaron Ridley ran fourth after a race long battle of side by side, lane switching racing with Zebulon’s Shane Clanton who finished in fifth.
Saturday’s portion of the double-header weekend had to be rescheduled due to the rain that fell throughout Saturday morning. Doug Stevens and his track crew were unable to get equipment on the new gumbo surface when the rain finally ended in mid-afternoon.
“I just do not feel I can prepare this track for the best racing possible,” said a dejected Stevens. “The guys would tear up race cars and the fans would not see the racing we have seen the past few weeks. Sometimes you just have to reschedule.”
The Ray Cook Old Man’s Garage Spring Nationals will now return on Saturday, April 23, to compete in the $6000 to win, 50-lap main event. The night will feature a full night of competition for the Super Late Model tour along with racing in the Limited Late Model, Crate Late Model, B Cadet, Hobby Stock, Mini Stock and Bomber.
Friday night’s racing for the Limited Late Models, Crate Late Models, B Cadets, Hobby Stock, Mini Stock and Bombers will line-up the features to be run on Saturday, April 9th when the track returns to racing action. Those divisions will run a new show on the make-up Spring Nationals weekend.
Those who purchased pit area multi-day wristbands can exchange their wristbands for entry on either April 9th or April 23rd.
Senoia Raceway will take a week off on April 2nd and be back in action on Saturday, April 9th with racing in the Super Late Models, Limited Late Models, Crate Late Models, B Cadets, Hobby Stock, Mini Stock and Bomber divisions.
Grandstand ticket prices on April 9th are $12; ages 5-12 are $5; four and under are admitted for free. Access to the pit area is available for $25; ages 5-12 are $20; four and under are free. Trackside parking is available on a first come, first serve basis. Trackside parking is only accessible through the pit area and pit passes must be purchased.
The pit gates will open at 3pm, grandstands at 5pm, hot laps will begin at 6pm and the night’s first race will be at 7pm.
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 Friday, March 25, 2016
Ray Cook Old Man’s Garage Super Late Models (Feature): 1-Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville 2-Chris Madden, Gray Court, SC 3-Kenny Collins, Colbert 4-Aaron Ridley, Chatsworth 5-Shane Clanton, Zebulon 6-Joe Armistead, Jr., Senoia 7-Casey Roberts, Toccoa 8-Cody King, McDonough 9-Michael Page, Winston 10-Donald McIntosh, Dawsonville 11-Clint Smith, Senoia 12-Austin Smith, Cedartown 13-David Payne, Murphy, NC 14-Stacey Boles, Clinton, TN 15-Tyler Millwood, Kingstown 16-David Breazeale, Four Corners, MS 17-Ashton Winger, Senoia 18-Ricky Williams, Fayetteville 19-Brian Reese, Sharpsburg 20-Mack McCarter, Seymour, TN 21-Shannon Buckingham, Morristown, TN 22-Shane Fulcher, Thomston 23-Robby Moses, Maryville, TN
Fast Qualifier: Chris Madden – 13.332 seconds/101.4 mph (new track record for Super Late Model)
Heat Winners: Clanton; Breazeale; Roberts; Armistead
Total Entries = 31
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