Sitting here waiting, has not been my favorite thing to do, more so when I know drivers that are hard chargers and not afraid to tackle "The Burg".
Racing last Saturday night, became known as a wreck fest that seemed to go on and on and on.
But when it was over, the best drivers won, and that was all that mattered. Some of the amazing drivers were taken out in uncalled for wrecks, like Modified Mini driver Richard Bagby, who I thought cleared the Malay of cars that were spinning and sliding every where. Richard took offence at Frank Longs driving style and after Richard climbed out of his damaged race car, he slung his steering wheel hitting Frank Longs cars. Put it this way he was HOT, but at least he didn't toss his racing helmet, with a cost of $500 dollars. For that much cash, that helmet should be made of pure GOLD.
After the mess was cleared up, and #07 Frank Long went on to a win, things seemed to settle down, except that it was now time for those Enduro cars, to try and race.
The track was ready and so were the driver's, which included #M4 of Winford Minnix, whose "Purple car, is not hard to be seen". I call Winford, "Charge Card", because he has to this day bought a DVD off of me, in all the years I have been filming him race. Also in the line up was the #6 of Eddie Swofford, who has been in some dramatic wrecks, just ask #91 of Lee Owensby.
These are all seasoned racing veterans, but we had a new driver on the track Saturday night, driving a clean looking #55, he is, Steve Parker, and was driving Richie Taylor's, old car.
Steve should have been nervous, but he had Richie Taylor giving him some pre-race instructions
and any time you have a veteran of dirt car track wars, helping you I say you have one leg up.
Out of the field of 14 cars that started the Enduro race, Steve finished 7th and you know he never bent a fender, he was driving like a pro, so I see only better things headed his way.
What thrilled me was to see his wife. after the race, yelling and screaming like he had won the Daytona 500. She was one happy lady, and I know Steve was happy to load the car back on his hauler like it came off and all in one piece.
The pictures above are those of Steve Parker, his crew, and his teacher, Richie Taylor plus the one in the middle is of his wife, cheering him on.
Then the Hobby cars were ready for their race, and just like a possum, Roscoe Collins showed up so late that he had to park car up top since the pit area was packed, he was even so late he missed hot laps, so he was forced to start in the rear of the race feature. Some times that is good then again you have a better chance in being caught up in the big wreck ahead of you, and that is not good.
My attention was focused on the lead car #3 Jeff Carter and the #40 of William Blair, not to mention another racing legend, #92 Joe Hillman. It was amazing that in the middle of all these great drivers was the #01 of Blant Duke plus #K17 of Mark Knight, these were some hard chargers and I have left out the #29 of Rusty Johnson and #47 of Jason Causey. Put it this way this was a all-star pack of Hobby cars, and Collins was at the tale end.
Anytime you have this much talent on the track at one time, something has to give. As as soon as the green flag dropped, we had a race, with #3 Jeff Carter leading the parade into turn one and turn two, and down the back stretch. But Carter was not able to hold off, Blair or Hillman, who made hard runs and bumped him, and later passed Jeff, making it look easy.
So the hobby race was on, and leading the way was #40 of William Blair, and #92 of Joe Hillman, and I know somewhere in this bunch was #29 of Rusty Johnson. Racing was getting wild at the "Burg" and everyone was on edge.
The race would see, Jeff Carter having to be towed off the track, all do to a distributor that gave up on his car, which in a good way was great, because had he still been in the race later he could have been involved in a real wreck, between, Johnson, Hillman and Blair.
As Keith the flagman dropped the green again, we knew some thing was about to happen, but I would have never believed that 3 cars would go 3 wide down the back stretch and head into turn 3 together side by side, with no space to spare. Rusty Johnson in his #29 car seen
a opening and was about to split the middle between Hillman and Blair, this would fail to work as Joe's car slip up the track and rubbed Rusty's car pushing him into William Blairs car, needless to say all 3 cars went crazy, and Johnson and Blair would end up with the most damage crashing hard against the fence, while Joe Hillman's car, was spun in circles several times, never got hit, because of some really alert hobby drivers, like Mark Knight.
One thing for sure racing at West Georgia Speedway is always exciting, and never far from having having a car spin. So all driver's have to have their head on straight, because when you are racing at the "Burg" anything at any time can happen.
All this is what makes racing at the "Burg" worth the fans coming to watch because these drivers are all the cream of the crop and they are all willing to take that extra chance.
The Crate race, is exciting, more so when #16 Tony Kemp's car is ready and willing to win.
So for the #8 of Michael "Mouth" Keener has been the car to beat, and when he is there he is the man to beat.
Another great crate car to watch is #89 of Carey Smith, who I nicknamed "Wild Thing" because you never know where he will be, high or low or riding the middle, if you are not watching Smith you need to start.
After we have all refreshed our self's at the concession stand, we can all sit back and watch the Sportsman Feature, that always has some really big guns in the line-up.
One of the top driver's is #99 of Rucker Orr who always puts on a show and never lets out of the gas, he is all go, and never quit.
Also is Alabama native, #11 Ryan Law, who is just a mere 21 years old but drives like a veteran, and this can all be taken since he has been racing for years, in go carts to other car's.
When Law comes to the track he brings, some heavy eaters, who love to grill and cook some great food, nothing like bbq and racing, and having a driver that will be a winner soon.
I was a little upset, as were some scorers as when the green flag dropped, Law bolted to the front, leaving Orr in the dust so to speak, and the yellow came out because they felt that Law jumped the start, maybe he did or maybe he did not, maybe Orr was playing cat and mouse.
On the 2nd restart, Orr took the lead and never looked back, even with Ryan Law chasing him down. In 3rd place was #7 of Steve Nicholson , and running in 4th place was #13 of Roger Cassell, and trying to get around him was young gun, #25 of Scott Duffy, who is a up and coming driver that should win lots of races, he is getting better and better every race.
By the way most of the winning driver's, always order a DVD from me, of every race
, because they can always tell how to set up their cars, to run better and win at the BURG.
So if you would like a copy, call me at any time at 770-361-3019 just ask for me, Tino, and I can help you out.
Then maybe next time your car maybe taking a checkered flag.
Any time you want to see racing at it's best, head on down to West Georgia Speedway, located in Whitesburg, Georgia, where racing goes back to the roots, and this is one of the last "Historic" race tracks in the South.
See you Saturday Night, at the race track,
Tino Patti
A Freelance Photographer/ Video Journalist
With a WORLD WIDE BLOG FOLLOWING!
So the hobby race was on, and leading the way was #40 of William Blair, and #92 of Joe Hillman, and I know somewhere in this bunch was #29 of Rusty Johnson. Racing was getting wild at the "Burg" and everyone was on edge.
The race would see, Jeff Carter having to be towed off the track, all do to a distributor that gave up on his car, which in a good way was great, because had he still been in the race later he could have been involved in a real wreck, between, Johnson, Hillman and Blair.
As Keith the flagman dropped the green again, we knew some thing was about to happen, but I would have never believed that 3 cars would go 3 wide down the back stretch and head into turn 3 together side by side, with no space to spare. Rusty Johnson in his #29 car seen
a opening and was about to split the middle between Hillman and Blair, this would fail to work as Joe's car slip up the track and rubbed Rusty's car pushing him into William Blairs car, needless to say all 3 cars went crazy, and Johnson and Blair would end up with the most damage crashing hard against the fence, while Joe Hillman's car, was spun in circles several times, never got hit, because of some really alert hobby drivers, like Mark Knight.One thing for sure racing at West Georgia Speedway is always exciting, and never far from having having a car spin. So all driver's have to have their head on straight, because when you are racing at the "Burg" anything at any time can happen.
All this is what makes racing at the "Burg" worth the fans coming to watch because these drivers are all the cream of the crop and they are all willing to take that extra chance.
The Crate race, is exciting, more so when #16 Tony Kemp's car is ready and willing to win.
So for the #8 of Michael "Mouth" Keener has been the car to beat, and when he is there he is the man to beat.
Another great crate car to watch is #89 of Carey Smith, who I nicknamed "Wild Thing" because you never know where he will be, high or low or riding the middle, if you are not watching Smith you need to start.
After we have all refreshed our self's at the concession stand, we can all sit back and watch the Sportsman Feature, that always has some really big guns in the line-up.
One of the top driver's is #99 of Rucker Orr who always puts on a show and never lets out of the gas, he is all go, and never quit.
Also is Alabama native, #11 Ryan Law, who is just a mere 21 years old but drives like a veteran, and this can all be taken since he has been racing for years, in go carts to other car's.
When Law comes to the track he brings, some heavy eaters, who love to grill and cook some great food, nothing like bbq and racing, and having a driver that will be a winner soon.
I was a little upset, as were some scorers as when the green flag dropped, Law bolted to the front, leaving Orr in the dust so to speak, and the yellow came out because they felt that Law jumped the start, maybe he did or maybe he did not, maybe Orr was playing cat and mouse.
On the 2nd restart, Orr took the lead and never looked back, even with Ryan Law chasing him down. In 3rd place was #7 of Steve Nicholson , and running in 4th place was #13 of Roger Cassell, and trying to get around him was young gun, #25 of Scott Duffy, who is a up and coming driver that should win lots of races, he is getting better and better every race.
By the way most of the winning driver's, always order a DVD from me, of every race
, because they can always tell how to set up their cars, to run better and win at the BURG.So if you would like a copy, call me at any time at 770-361-3019 just ask for me, Tino, and I can help you out.
Then maybe next time your car maybe taking a checkered flag.
Any time you want to see racing at it's best, head on down to West Georgia Speedway, located in Whitesburg, Georgia, where racing goes back to the roots, and this is one of the last "Historic" race tracks in the South.
See you Saturday Night, at the race track,
Tino Patti
A Freelance Photographer/ Video Journalist
With a WORLD WIDE BLOG FOLLOWING!
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