"Thunder" at the Burg, and Parts everywhere!

The "Burg" Results for 3-21-09 where cars were loaded in pieces

Thunder at the "Burg" on Saturday night, as cars were making their way around, and some were getting into what looked like a Demolition Derby, but it was really just Southern Style racing, with a little extra. Car's took the track looking pretty clean, but after the race had began, car's started to look like they needed to head to the junk yard. It was that kind of night at West Georgia Speedway, in Whitesburg, Georgia.

The Modified Mini cars took the track to run there feature, and when the green flag dropped, #19 of Richard Dale, took the 1st lap, only to see the "Yellow" flag flying. Which meant it was time for a restart.
That restart was more than enough, as #6 Richard Bagby charged toward the front trying to catch #07 driven by driver Frank Long, the race was going to become a royal battle, and you know things did not look good for #19 of Richard Dale's car, as he started to go backwards, and that is not the way Richard drives. In the whole mix was car #11 driven by Charles Lancaster, who battled hard to catch and grab a 3rd place finish. You know the race seemed to go on, and Richard Bagby did all he could to sneak around #07 of Frank Long, but that was not happening. So, again, Frank Long in his #07 Modified Mini car took the second win of the season, and proves he is the driver to beat in this heated race. As for as "King" Richard Bagby, he would go on to finish in 2nd behind the #07 of Frank Long, something Richard is not known as doing, I mean finishing 2nd to anyone.

Then the Enduro cars took to the track for their feature of the night, and again we had several wrecks, and spins, I admit the track was dry, but it seems to this reporter that these driver's have not made it past the winter mold, and are waiting for some warm weather. The race was a really battle but car #91 of Lee Owensby in his green car, took the victory. He was followed in 2nd by the "Purple People Eater" of the M4 car of long time hard charging driver, Winford Minnex, a legend at West Georgia Speedway. With all the cautions, I was sure that Winford Minnex was going to make a charge to get a win, but his car was off, or the #91 was just to powerful. In 3rd place finished the #79 of Shane Barrett, who is good friends with Crate car driver, Mark Knight.

Then the Hobby cars took the track, and that was a real show, not only because of all the hard racing, but the cars that were being torn up, and some were driven by legends of the racing sport. One driver that made the show, was the #92 of Joe Hillman, who was a standout driver at 7 Flags Speedway before it closed down, this time he would be racing the orange and white #92 and it was nothing like the famous #01j that made him a legend, even though Joe Hillman battled hard and got around several wrecks, and finished in 3rd place at the "Burg". When that green flag dropped we knew we were about to see some hard charging racing, because you get this much talent on a track, and some thing has to give, as it did it coming out of turn 2 on the 1st lap, when the #3 driven by Jeff Carter spun the #01 of Blant Duke, both cars cut tires and would have to hit the pit area, get fresh tires so that they could return to the track before the flagman dropped the green flag again. They did and the battle was on again, it was almost like a heavyweight prize fight. On one of the restarts, Blant Duke split the middle making it 3 wide in front of the grandstand to gain the lead, he bumped car #22 Brian Clayton and also car #31 of Blake Griffin, I mean it was a gutsy move. He grabbed the lead but in the process car number #57 was spun on the backstretch and #3 of Big Jeff Carter had no where to go except into the side of his car, so that added more damage to Jeff's car. The restart would prove more exciting, as cars were spinning everywhere, and famous driver's like the great #69 of Rosco Collins, was just battling to stay a live in the race, I mean there were times that Joe Hillman in his #92 and Rosco where having some great duels, and it was like old times.
But the end was so fantastic, that would you believe I never saw the checkered flag flying, all I saw from where I was at was #3 of Jeff Carter against the inside fence, tangled up in a mess of 2 other cars, I found out later that the #01 of Blant Duke would go on to win, but there was something that I missed and that was some how #69 of Rosco Collins, got tied up with Blant Duke, that I did not see, because I was watching the 3 cars that had crashed on the front straight, making sure that all the driver's were alright.

When the Hobby car race was over, I am sure the fans had their money's worth, but there were some driver's that were over heated regarding the driving styles. Well, we will see what happens next Saturday Night at the "Burg". Order of finish was the #01 of Blant Duke and in 2nd place was the #31 of Blake Griffin, how he survived I have know idea, and finishing in 3rd place and some how missing all the wrecks, was that of car #92 of Joe Hillman. All in all there were a lot of torn up race cars, and very upset drivers, but this is what happens when you try to race at "The Burg". What will happen next Saturday Night?, by the way, did anyone see Blant Duke being spun by car #3 of Jeff Carter at the start of the race, I mean that was incredible.

Then the Fast Crate cars, took the track and that is when we were about to see some real racing action, and a young man whose name is Cary Smith in his super fast #89 would put on a show, until the end of the race, then he would make a mistake, that took out several cars, and let the ever charging #16 of clean driving Tony Kemp take the lead, it was this lead change that for some strange reason, coming out of turn 4 had Cary hit the rear end of Tony Kemp's car, and that triggered a chain reation of cars behind, taking out maybe more than 4 cars. I spoke with the hard charging Tony Kemp as I figured he was just waiting for Cary to make that mistake, and you could see that was about to happen as he was climbing high on the banks and not getting any grip under his tires, he was probably thinking where is Tony at, when all he had to do is take a slight look back and he could see that every lap Tony was giving it his all and it was a matter of time. I hate it for Cary Smith, but one day he will take the checkered flag and win at "The Burg".

Ok fans could stretch, and get some food from the concession stand and get ready to watch the most antispasted race of the night, those Sportsman car. 13 cars would start the race but that is not how many would finish, this was also the night the Blant Duke was getting his chance to drive the famed #99 back-up car of Rucker Orr, the car was the Black with silver numbers, and looked intimidating. It was also the night that Rucker Orr would be sitting on the pole after blistering the track in Qualifying with a time of 14:39, a time no one could match.

When the race started, we had some surprises, as #1 of Ben Hill was behind the wheel ,and we had not seen Ben in a while at Whitesburg, welcome back Ben. The car that won last weeks race #13c of Shane Criswell was racing in Alabama, so that left #13 of Roger Cassell, to sit beside pole leader Rucker Orr. The Sportsman feature was rocked and rolled by Rucker Orr, as he seemed as if he was "Locked and Loaded" and was not looking back, more so after his car motor troubles on opening night, when his more seized up and gave away, that is one reason he never made the race. But tonight even with Blant Duke driving his back-up car, he was focused and no one was getting in his way. That's the way Rucker Orr is focused, and when he is racing he is another animal, that takes no prisoners. All kidding aside, I had about as bad a night as the drivers, I had camera trouble, nothing that would interfere in the capturing of the race, just minor headaches, so I want you all to know that I have sunk $3000.00 into new camera equipment so that I can capture every exciting win, and victory, and all those wrecks better. So if you need a DVD please let me know, and the cash will go back into a fund for camera payments. Hope to see you all at the "Burg" next Saturday Night in Whitesburg, Georgia.


Right now my plans or to only film, Modified Mini to Sportsman car features, drivers in the Pure mini class, will have to pay $20.00 up front for me to stay and film their races, because I have a full schedule as it is, the $20 is non-refundable, that means if you make the race do not finish, or wreck I have no control. Those are the new rules sorry if this offends any driver.







Many Thanks, Tino Patti

a Freelance Photographer/ Video Journalist
an contributing writer to MSA magazine