Racing under strange conditions

"West Georgia Speedway, unleashed"

Saturday Night May 2, 2009 West Georgia Speedway showed it's strange side. I mean, we had rain prior to the race, the Pits were "The Pits", but some drivers choose to take their cars down into the muddy infield, but then again some drivers stayed outside the pit area and parked. This reporter did not even think about trying it, I am not that crazy. The track was in amazing shape for all the rain that had poured on it, and Brian and Blant Duke did a great job getting the track ready for racing, and I am sure the fans enjoyed that. All I do know is some of the heavy hitters in the Hobby race showed up, including drivers like #92 Joe Hillman, #3 Jeff Carter, #GT47 of Charlie Garrett, plus #69 of Roscoe Collins, who was ready to race, no matter what the track was like.

Now the real story about this strange night, it was unbelievable, I mean it was like you had just entered the "Twilight Zone" more so during the feature Sportsman race, where it was crazy, I mean there were not that many cars, but the way the race developed was a story in itself. Ryan Law #11 from Alabama brought his crew and family to the track, and when they come you know he is there. They love to eat, and Ryan loves to drive. On this May 2nd night, it was a all LAW show. Even though he had #25 Scott Duffy on the inside pole, who has been showing some real signs of improvement, gave it his all and he could have been the feature winner, except for this eerie "FOG" that dropped down and covered the track. The Fog was so intense that as I was doing the video taping of the race, I could not see the back straight, and as for as the turns were after the cars, drifted out of turn 2, they were turned into a ghostly shape. Then the cars were making their way into turn 3 and I could see their outline, and once around turn 4 I had them insight, and they were there, until they rounded back into turn 2 then they were gone. Now I have been filming racing for years, I am no spring chicken at this, and I know that I have seem some strange things at a race track, BUT NEVER FOG that hide the cars, it was incredible. What was worse was the toll it took on the drivers, I mean #13 of Roger Cassell, pulled to the side of turn 1 and 2 and stopped, because he could not see, and when you can't see there is no
way a driver needs to take a chance. So since Roger was not able to see he pulled his car into the pit area, for safty. That did not happen to Ryan Law, because he was in the lead and for some strange reason, he could see the way around this old speedway, and he was not letting some fog wreck his chances of taking a win.
As for as #25 Scott Duffy, I was keeping a close watch of his race car, and he entered turn 1 and spun, it was all because he could not see, he did this about 2 times before coming into the pit area. What would have happened if this night was a night where there were about 13 Sportsman cars, can you imagine the wreck that could have happened and who knows how much damage would have been incurred. Strange things happen at West Georgia Speedway, and this was the strangest I have ever seen. All I can say is Ryan Law from Alabama must have some pretty good eye's and must have been brought up driving in the fog on those winding roads of Alabama. Ryan lead all the 25 laps, how he could see is beyond me , but he did and that was all it took to win, the Sportsman Feature at West Georgia Speedway or "The Burg" as it is known.

Since the rain had moved into the Atlanta area, things did not look good, but if at all possible, Sammy Duke the owner and his staff would make sure the track was raceable. With the track looking good, West Georgia Speedway would have racing again on this wet Saturday night.

I have to admit the cars that did show up were few ready to race, this is the great American southern sport.

Lets get results from the modified mini feature.

Since #6 Richard Bagby did not show up, his winning streak was broke, and since there a small class in the field, the racing would be tough.

But #07 Frank Long was able to win in his class.

2nd place was #9 Evan Lancaster
3rd place #25W Shane Walton

The Enduro class winners were:

Winford Minnix driving his famous #M4

2nd place #12 Gary Brand

3rd place #8 Dustin Smith

When the Hobby class was ready to run, we had some tough guns in the field, that included, #69 Roscoe Collins, #3 Jeff Carter, #92 of Joe Hillman plus others.

This race looked like a real barn burner, and it did not let any fan down.

At the start Jeff Carter, blew away the field and was leading but that was short lived, as winding his way through the pack was #69 of Roscoe Collins, who was wheeling and dealing, and finding ways around cars that there seemed no ways to be. He was going high, and going low, and once he seen a opening around turn 4, to get around Jeff Carter he was gone, really he started making his move on the back streach, and once he gained the lead there was no stopping him. Joe Hillman is still having car problems and he spun at least twice, something is not right and if there is a way Joe will fix his problem.

The race went on,and turned out to be a real fan favorite race, and here are the final results,

The Winner #69 of Roscoe Collins
2nd place was #3 of Jeff Carter

3rd place was #92 Joe Hillman

Congragulations Roscoe!

In the Crate race we were able to watch #16 Tony Kemp, show that he had his car back and ready to race. Last week his car broke and that is not like Tony Kemps car.

This week he would be running against #9 Michael Keener in a new car, not his old blue and orange #8, that he has been winning in. Plus in the race was motorcycle star, #89 of Carey Smith.

The race seemed to easy for Kemp as he blew away his compettion, as Michael Keener's car seemed loose traction on the back straight.

As for as Carey Smith, he kept his car, off the famous walls, and did a great job.

The results were as follows:

Winning #16 Tony Kemp

2nd place went to #9 Michael Keener

3rd place was #89 of Carey Smith.

THEN THE TWILIGHT ZONE HAPPENED, AND IT WAS DURING THE FEATURE SPORTSMAN RACE.

Never have I filmed in such racing conditions, it was like something out of a crazy movie.

When the cars lined up, the weather was fine, and I could see it was going to be a great race with #11 of Alabama native Ryan Law, and #13 of Roger Cassell, plus the #18C of Shane Criswell, not to mention #25 of Scott Duffy and #B2 of Clifton Moran.

Once the green flag fell, it was like a scarey movie, and more so for the drivers, as a heavy FOG fell over the track, which made filming so difficult not to mention how the drivers had to handle it.

Some drivers, did what any sane person would do and that is pull over and stop, why race if you can't see where to place your car.

Some just pulled into the pits and said forget it, which was good in a way.

But one driver that seemed like he was born to race in FOG was #11 Ryan Law, who must have been raised driving in fog, in Alabama.

He never let off the gas and ran as hard as he would have with a clear sky, it was like he was on a rocket and never slowed down, except for cautions.

Ryan was being chased by #B2 of Clifton Moran, and #25 Scott Duffy, who would later pull into the pits, he even tried to lift his viser to see, but that was no good, so he had nothing he could do but try and make his way around this 3/8th oval track. Duffy would go on to spin, in turn 1 and turn 2.

All I can say is the cars that did finish should be very proud because they had done something I know lots of other drivers would not do, and that is try and race in a fog, that made their vision limited.

Needless to say #99 of Rucker Orr did not show, neither did #G1 of Glenn McWaters. But we did have a good field and they did have their work for them in this feature.

The results of the Sportsman feature were:

#11 Ryan Law (who beat the track at it's worst)

2nd place #B2 of Clifton Moran

3rd and not on the track was #25 of Scott Duffy.

So I hope you enjoyed your night at West Georgia Speedway if you were there and if not well here are the results.

Thanks to all, and excuse my lack of blog input because my Computer crashed and I had to spend some big bucks to get her back up and running.

As for my wife she is getting better and she thanks everyone for all their prayers and thoughts.

Thanks Again,

Tino Patti

A Freelance Photographer/Video Journalist

With a WORLD WIDE Blog Following!