RACING WEST GEORGIA STYLE
August 9th, 2008 proved to be my last time filming at the old rundown historic track in Whitesburg, Georgia.
I know this is going to really sound crazy, but when some one tells you that you can not film the races anymore and it is just prior to the first feature race of the night, you can say that my heart was not in my work. I have mentioned how I was fired because of a mysterious camera that sent crazy signals to the time clock and some how knocked out a microchip and blew the light. The camera was not on, and my film camera does not send signals out, the camera does when turned receive signals from a hand held microphone. Some one did not want me filming a certain driver tearing other drivers up. I wonder who?
Getting back to the nights action, the Modified Mini race was a good race car #16 of Huie Stewart would go on to win followed by car #20 of Ryan Heppner with Richard Dale finishing in 3rd place, while his father Richard Bagby broke a rear end and you could see sparks flying, I was just hoping the car did not catch fire needless to say he was out for the night, something I hated to see happen.
The enduro race was a hard fought battle, cars were all over the track, the #15 of driver Eddie Harris would get the win, but he would be spun by the #8 car, #57 of Jeff Harris would finish in second place followed by car # 8 of Lee Owensby. Car #32 of Randy Brady was all over the track all because he needed fresh tires. Randy had the motor just in the dust bowl of West Georgia Speedway there was no way he could make his car stick. Next week he promises to have better tires.
Then there was the famous Hobby car race, featuring some of Georgia's toughest drivers, such as Jeff Carter and Blant Duke plus Lee McElwany. Joe Hillman would have made the show but he had engine troubles prior to his feature race.
So the lineup looked great from where I was filming as Jeff Carter in his famous red #3 lined up on the inside pole, while right beside him was the #01 of Blant Duke.
When the race went Green, I knew we were in for a great race, all except Jeff Carter who's cars tires went South on him and he was sent back in a huge dust storm, the track as always was dry as a bone and racing was miserable. With no traction there was no way of catching Blant Duke, was he legal, I guess he was no one dared protest him.
So the hobby race was a blow out because Blant Duke took the win and even had to make a round with the checkered flag to make sure everyone knew he was back. In 2nd place was #56 of Lee McElwany and in the third place was car #8 of Michael Nelms.
Then there came the Crate Car race always a exciting race, this was my favorite race to film because I knew two of the drivers and knew they were always capable of winning. #16 of Tony Kemp and #K17 of Mark Knight would always put on a show.
But then Saturday night was different, as car #19 with driver Jeremy Hall took the lead and seemed that he was not looking back, for several dusty laps car #19 seemed to own the speedway, until #16 Tony Kemp made his move and past him, leaving #K17 of Mark Knight to run in third place where Mark would finish. The secret came out after the race that the reason Mark could not catch Tony was because of tires that were worn out and had no traction where Tony and car #19 had good tires on their cars. Also I found out that car #19 driven by Jeremy Hall was Tony Kemps old crate car, so that is also where all the power was from.
Then the Sportsman rolled onto the track, would this be another repeat of the prior Saturday night when Fletcher Cavender would run all over Rucker Orr? The battle seemed ready except no one counted the #G1 car of Glenn McWater's to be a threat, wrong!. When the cars lined up we had Rucker Orr on the poll with G1 of McWater's right along side, in row two was car #26 of Fletcher Cavender but when the green flag flew we had Rucker Orr's #99 blowing everyone away, there was one chance for G1 for Glenn Waters's to get around him, he tried but Rucker laid on the gas and he was gone and no way to catch him. He was cruising, the race which was my last to film proved to be a winner as again Rucker Orr took the Win and carried the flag around the old speedway. So Orr would win, and coming in 2nd place was G1 of Glenn Waters's and in 3rd place was car #26 of Fletcher Cavender.
So my night came to a close, as I was hot and mad and disgusted because after all the good I have done to promote West Georgia Speedway I was getting the boot because of a wild made up story regarding my camera blowing out the timer light when my camera was never on, and it does not send radio signals out. The crazy things people can make up, what next my camera is able to zap a car to the winners circle!
Thanks Tino (a MSA Reporter)
August 9th, 2008 proved to be my last time filming at the old rundown historic track in Whitesburg, Georgia.
I know this is going to really sound crazy, but when some one tells you that you can not film the races anymore and it is just prior to the first feature race of the night, you can say that my heart was not in my work. I have mentioned how I was fired because of a mysterious camera that sent crazy signals to the time clock and some how knocked out a microchip and blew the light. The camera was not on, and my film camera does not send signals out, the camera does when turned receive signals from a hand held microphone. Some one did not want me filming a certain driver tearing other drivers up. I wonder who?
Getting back to the nights action, the Modified Mini race was a good race car #16 of Huie Stewart would go on to win followed by car #20 of Ryan Heppner with Richard Dale finishing in 3rd place, while his father Richard Bagby broke a rear end and you could see sparks flying, I was just hoping the car did not catch fire needless to say he was out for the night, something I hated to see happen.
The enduro race was a hard fought battle, cars were all over the track, the #15 of driver Eddie Harris would get the win, but he would be spun by the #8 car, #57 of Jeff Harris would finish in second place followed by car # 8 of Lee Owensby. Car #32 of Randy Brady was all over the track all because he needed fresh tires. Randy had the motor just in the dust bowl of West Georgia Speedway there was no way he could make his car stick. Next week he promises to have better tires.
Then there was the famous Hobby car race, featuring some of Georgia's toughest drivers, such as Jeff Carter and Blant Duke plus Lee McElwany. Joe Hillman would have made the show but he had engine troubles prior to his feature race.
So the lineup looked great from where I was filming as Jeff Carter in his famous red #3 lined up on the inside pole, while right beside him was the #01 of Blant Duke.
When the race went Green, I knew we were in for a great race, all except Jeff Carter who's cars tires went South on him and he was sent back in a huge dust storm, the track as always was dry as a bone and racing was miserable. With no traction there was no way of catching Blant Duke, was he legal, I guess he was no one dared protest him.
So the hobby race was a blow out because Blant Duke took the win and even had to make a round with the checkered flag to make sure everyone knew he was back. In 2nd place was #56 of Lee McElwany and in the third place was car #8 of Michael Nelms.
Then there came the Crate Car race always a exciting race, this was my favorite race to film because I knew two of the drivers and knew they were always capable of winning. #16 of Tony Kemp and #K17 of Mark Knight would always put on a show.
But then Saturday night was different, as car #19 with driver Jeremy Hall took the lead and seemed that he was not looking back, for several dusty laps car #19 seemed to own the speedway, until #16 Tony Kemp made his move and past him, leaving #K17 of Mark Knight to run in third place where Mark would finish. The secret came out after the race that the reason Mark could not catch Tony was because of tires that were worn out and had no traction where Tony and car #19 had good tires on their cars. Also I found out that car #19 driven by Jeremy Hall was Tony Kemps old crate car, so that is also where all the power was from.
Then the Sportsman rolled onto the track, would this be another repeat of the prior Saturday night when Fletcher Cavender would run all over Rucker Orr? The battle seemed ready except no one counted the #G1 car of Glenn McWater's to be a threat, wrong!. When the cars lined up we had Rucker Orr on the poll with G1 of McWater's right along side, in row two was car #26 of Fletcher Cavender but when the green flag flew we had Rucker Orr's #99 blowing everyone away, there was one chance for G1 for Glenn Waters's to get around him, he tried but Rucker laid on the gas and he was gone and no way to catch him. He was cruising, the race which was my last to film proved to be a winner as again Rucker Orr took the Win and carried the flag around the old speedway. So Orr would win, and coming in 2nd place was G1 of Glenn Waters's and in 3rd place was car #26 of Fletcher Cavender.
So my night came to a close, as I was hot and mad and disgusted because after all the good I have done to promote West Georgia Speedway I was getting the boot because of a wild made up story regarding my camera blowing out the timer light when my camera was never on, and it does not send radio signals out. The crazy things people can make up, what next my camera is able to zap a car to the winners circle!
Thanks Tino (a MSA Reporter)
1 comment:
I would like to correct a statement in your article. The #26 did not run all over the #99 car. 99 was trying to move the 26 down in the mud and the 26 would have none of that. He has had problems with the 99 in several races past where 99 would try to move him out of his line and finally the 26 had enough. That boy in the 99 had already been told if he drove the 26 like that again that he (26) wasn't going to let out of the gas. Sooner or later 99 will get the hint.
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