Mark Sims, a Driver Profile

"MEET MARK SIMS"

What can you say regarding this fearless, crate car driver that has been in all kinds of battles, and he comes out smiling, and why? I mean he is currently 21 years old and was born December 22nd, 1987. From Lithia Springs Georgia, this local boy has some ties that can take him where the Big Time racers are.

Mark is the kind of person, that you really don't understand, I mean he has raced in the Pure Mini division at West Georgia Speedway and he has Won there and lost also, but Mark won more races in Pure Mini than he has in his Crate Car years.

He also has a Father that stands behind every move he makes, and that is something special in this world where Fathers don't seem to care about their Sons, so when ever Mark is at the track there you will see his Father standing along side him, maybe giving him advise or maybe just cooling himself with a fan blowing on himself as Mark prepares the car for a night at the races.

One thing is for sure when Mark takes his 22M Crate car onto the track he is "Locked in and Loaded", sometimes I believe he demands to much from his Car, then again only Mark knows for sure what his car is capable of doing on a given Saturday Night.

You see once he gets strapped into his car, and the visor closes, Mark becomes a different person, he changes, and he is all about racing and getting his way to the front of the pack.


Sammy Duke owner of West Georgia Speedway, shakes hands with future star driver, Mark Sims, one thing about it Sammy Duke is a big Mark Sims fan.

You know there were days, that Mark wished he had not gone to the track, as his pure mini car, ended up hitting the wall during some hot laps at West Georgia Speedway. Those were the days, he had his car painted in the same paint scheme as the Late Great Dale Earnhardt.
Back in the early days, Mark ran in the Pure Mini class and
was always a hard charging driver, he may have crashed on Saturday night, but he was raring to go on Monday Morning, as he stopped by the my home and picked up a DVD of a race to see what he did right and what he did wrong. DVD's or great learning tools, and are watched over and over by winning drivers.

This is a classic photo that I shot, on a Monday afternoon here in Douglasville, Georgia. It catches the young fire in the eye's of Pure Mini Driver, Mark Sims.

In this photo it proves he can relax and have fun, and one thing is for sure Mark always likes to have his photo's taken, that's good because when he gets with the bigger names in racing he will have to put on that charm like he does here.







This is a recent photo, that I call "The Beast Is Back".


Mark Sims unrolls his 22M Black Crate car, that has such a intimidating look. Mark has the uncanny ability to give me the "Thumbs Up" sign as I walked past him.


One thing I have ,and always will is the respect for the way Mark Sims, treats fellow drivers, and fellow friends, he has that unmistakable habit of caring for people and that is not found in too many young people today.

I have yet to ask Mark to pose and him deny me, that is just the way he is made up. Mark cares for people and that's what makes you root for him on the race track. Mark will even do a famous "Lays Potato Chip" Commercial for me, that is just the way Mark is.

So if you want to root for a driver that has talent, he just is a little raw, take a close look at the 22M or driver Mark Sims. One day you will see him some where in racing, you never know he may not be driving, because Mark has the talent too become a dirt track owner, he has that likable personality that makes you all think of him not just behind the wheel of a race car, but maybe one day owning and running his own race track somewhere in the South. I just hope I am along when that happens.

Below is Haley Carter, she is Mark Sims #1 Fan in the State of Georgia!

Even Jeff Carter's Wife "Lisa" gets the royal treatment, as Mark Signs the back of her shirt, now that is CLASS.

Thanks for reading, and the next BLOG will be out soon.......

Tino Patti

A Freelance Photo/Video Journalist
an also a MSA Magazine Contributor

For more Info on Mark Sims head over to:

Tuesday Morning Coming Down

It's fantastic TUESDAY, half way till Saturday and race weekend.

Seems like it has been forever since I stopped to write something on this BLOG but then again I have been trying my best to figure out what to do about my camera. I could go in debt, but who likes that, but some times you have to.

My camera, the Old Panasonic AG-456U reporter and broadcast camera, has decided the time was up for it to give way, THANKS, just what I needed. I lost almost every thing on Opening Night at West Georgia Speedway, because I record onto a DVD as the race goes on, trouble is that the DVD that was in the DVR recorder did not like the brand I was using, it was a off brand called a Ativa. Thanks that is just what I needed. Then since the camera was not focusing proper I was forced to go back and fill using the tape in the camera and hope for the best. All I can say is that when I got home early in the morning hours I was fit to be tied, I was tired, angry and disgusted. So now I have to make that crazy distinction about buying a new camera, one of those High end camera, trouble is I can't make my mind up, I mean it is really driving me crazy. I could go out and purchase the new Canon GL-2 looks like a nice camera, and it should for the price, then again I have been looking at some Sony camera's just to see what I can get for my buck.


This Sony HVR-HD1000U sure looks like the camera I would like to call my next camera, as it is big enough and tough enough to take the work that I will be giving it. I mean race tracks are fun that is if you have the right camera to work with. Sony is a good name but so is Canon, and so is Panasonic. I guess through the years of working not only in racing years, but church services and weddings I was called to have the best and at that time the camera I was using was the best. Now like all things , times have changed and that mean we need to upgrade to stay at the same playing level as we were before.

So here we go again, trying to make my mind up, I know there is a way and a reason for everything, and I know that I will make the right choice, or will I ?.

Well we will all find out in a later post, as I need more time to research each camera to make sure I make the right decision.

So back to the drawing board for me, and I will make sure that the next blog regards, West Georgia Speedway and the happenings there.

Until then,

See You

Thanks,

Tino Patti

Freelance Photographer/Video Journalist

GREAT IDEA, What'cha Think?

"Wanna Have Some Fun, lets tell Sammy Duke to build a DOME over the Speedway so that we can have racing ALL year long"

It is amazing what you can think of when you know we are not having any racing due to the weather.
You want to see some real action, have Sammy Duke and his family build a DOME over West Georgia Speedway and then he can have racing all year long. Just have some vents that would let in fresh air on the sides of the building. I mean, then Sammy would not have to worry about Air Conditioning the building. Plus with a Dome over the race track, he will also be the first to try it in the South. Can you imagine what would happen if drivers knew that there would not be a rain out do to the fact that the place was enclosed with a huge Dome.

Lets just leave the race track like it is, maybe adding the scoreboard that we all would like to see, but really just building a dome and see how many drivers you would attract because they can race all season, and when they want to take a break, sure enjoy, because every Saturday there will be be a race on this "Historic" track. Put the fun back into racing, give the kids what they want, and remember NO WEATHER will stop the racing action. The only trouble I would see is that of drivers hauling their cars to and from the race track, if there was snow or ice on the ground, and how often is the South blasted with ice and snow?

The track could be used for special events also, like Powder Puff races and throw in some Demolition Derby cars. and really have a blast. Make special races that feature 100 laps of pure Sportsman cars, racing for some big cash.

Have the same for Hobby cars, just make their races 50 lap races. and give them some money for coming and racing hard.

Racing would be taken to a higher level, and fans would be treated really special.

I guess what it takes is folks like me and those that read my blog, that love racing to understand that this is a rare sport and one that draws people of all kinds. It is racing that brings the common man down from his pedestal, and they can get with other fans, and really have some great times. No one thinks another is better, just common ground, except when the green flag is dropped and racing begins, then every fan has their favorite driver and they root no matter where that driver comes in.

Georgia has a host of many different driver's that come from all kinds of backgrounds and do all kinds of work, each different and each man takes care of his family. You have drivers like K17 of Mark Knight, he is one of the best crate car drivers that race at West Georgia Speedway, he is a family man, and a hard working honest man, and that is what makes him special. Mark works as a Grading Supervisor and does a great job, I mean grading has to be just right anything 2 feet off and you could have a mess.

Then you can take pure mini car driver's , like C17 of Danny Smith or I know him better as the "Cameo Man" because of his car, Danny is a hard worker and does some back breaking work, but when it is time to race on Saturday Night Danny is there for the racing, he has a wife that stands by him and that is great, families need to share the excitement of racing. Also in Pure Mini is #88 and look alike to Dale Earnhardt Jr, none other than Rocky Johnson, who will battle the best of the drivers every Saturday night at the racetrack. Rocky is also a hard working man that takes his time and puts lots of effort into getting a winning car.
New comer Robbie Carter in the Pure Mini class, is another driver that we have to look forward to making some great strides in his racing career. If you do not know Robbie is the son of Hobby Car driver, Jeff Carter, and we all know how Jeff can handle a car, but we will talk about him later, this is about Robbie Carter in car #4. Robbie ran his first race on the March 7, 2009 at West Georgia Speedway and like his Father told him, Robbie kept his car in the middle of the track and finished 11th out of a total of 18 pure mini cars. He did something that was very impressive, he did not wreck his car, he handled it like a pro and you could see that even if he finished in LAST place Robbie was a true WINNER. You may not know this but Robbie for years was setting up Jeff's hobby car for races, so you see Robbie can and will be a outstanding driver if he does not go crazy when some one gives him a rub, and he takes it the wrong way. He needs to watch his temper and remember, it is only racing. In the Hobby car division, the red and yellow #3 stands out so good among those other cars, the car is brought to the Speedway and unloaded and it is PHOTO TIME that is how good the car looks, and the driver, "Big Jeff Carter" what can you say except, this is one heck of a winning race car driver. He could have won the race on March 7th, but he laid back, he went on to finish in 4th place, but to be honest if he wanted he could have moved a car ahead of him the B1 and but Jeff will not do that, he is that kind of driver, he will beat you legally and he won't try to take you out of a race on purpose. Jeff talks soft but I know he carries a BIG STICK. I have compared him to Buddy Baker, because Buddy was huge, and he drove like it to. Trouble is Buddy wore out too many cars racing with a heavy lead foot. Another driver that was not there in the Hobby class was that of Blant Duke who drives the #01 and is one of the fastest hobby cars on the track, if you beat Blant then you have really made it. Blant was not there opening night at West Georgia Speedway because he had been racing elsewhere when his car was in a huge wreck and it was not repairable for opening night at the "Burg". So I do expect to see Blant back on Saturday March 21st, then we should see some really tight racing. A driver that stands out in Modified Mini, is the #6 of Richard Bagby, who in all rights has won a ton of races at West Georgia Speedway, but has some real battles with car #07 of driver Frank Long, Richard is always running toward the front and has won several races, too many to count. Richard has a fire that builds inside of him when you put him behind the wheel. Maybe it is because Richard has been racing so long and has seen some real action. But you know Richard and his Son Richard Dale work Monday through Friday at Richards shop in Lithia Springs Ga, called "Neighborhood Auto Center". Opening Night at West Georgia Speedway, Richard found himself battling, his son Richard Dale, who was driving the #19 that was made famous by his Father, as hard as Richard tried to pass Little Richard on the top side and bottom, his son was not having him play any games with him. Frank Long ended up winning the race, but coming in 2nd was the #19 of Richard Dale and finishing 3rd was that of Richard Bagby. All in all it was a good race, and that is what makes all the difference in the world.

In the Sportsman class, driver #99 is always at the top of his game, Rucker Orr is the man that drives the fast and furious #99 and has won several races at West Georgia Speedway, he has also taken some heat because of his driving style, but to be honest Rucker is racing to Win, and 2nd place does not enter his mind. Opening night Rucker had a fast car as he showed in Hot Laps, and in Qualifing he blistered the track, only to have his motor seize up and that was it for him. As I was filming I had a chance of watching Rucker and his crew and I knew something was not right, he seemed as if he was in no hurry, well my expectations were right, when the Sportsman cars were called to the track for their feature, Rucker was no where to be seen. When I glanced down to see what was happening at his truck I could see they were putting the #99 back into the hauler and that was that for Opening night for Rucker, maybe he will get them on the 21st. The Sportsman went on and raced and C18 of Shane Criswell took the victory and the 1st Sportsman win of 2009.

So 2009 opening night came to a end with a huge turn out of cars, and fans which I know made Sammy Duke a happy man.


I plan on going indepth on each driver that I believe can become the next racing star, so be ready to read and take some notes because if I write something regarding a driver, I believe in, half of the time it is because he is special and half the time I know he is a driver to reckon with in the future of racing.


Many Thanks,

Tino Patti
Freelance Video/Photographer/
Journalist and MSA contributing writer

RAIN OUT !! NOT GOOD AT ALL !!

"WELL IT'S TRUE,We May Have The 1st Rain Out of the 2009 RACING Season"

1st Rain Out of the Season March 14, 2009

How can this HAPPEN ?, it is not supposed to rain in Whitesburg, and more so at West Georgia Speedway. But the weather has become a real "Mother", and I mean MOTHER!, rain is not what we needed, neither for the drivers are for their families. There goes my Sammy Duke Mystery rain cover, oh well that is what happens when you think Sammy has found the cure for stopping rain.

But think of it this way, today while it is raining you can do all those things you said you were going to do, just never got around to it. I mean like fixing things around the house, are better yet cleaning that you have been putting off.

Then again, it will give those brave men time to work on their race cars, for "Next Saturday Nights racing features".

Then again, some may just stay home and sleep and relax and listen to the rain, as it falls in there area. Nothing like a nice rest, when you have nothing better to do.

Are you and your families can gang up and raid the local eating establishment and not make "MOMMA" cook.

Then again maybe "Momma" CAN really cook, and you will be staying home and enjoying some really good home made cooking. The only thing I would ask is that when all the cooking is done, and your done eating , that you be nice enough, to help clean up the mess. Give Momma a break, remember she is the backbone of the house. Without her things would be a mess, because most men are not cooks, and we are not the best house keepers.

So, all I can say is according to the weather we are going to get 80% of rain tonight, and that will also lead into Sunday so you better have your rain gear on if you plan on going out. And for my sake please watch out for those other drivers that think that they can drive in the rain, and we all know they can't. I am sure there will be lots of calls for fender benders, today.

My wife is up early and as I finish this blog, we are having bisque's and scrambled eggs and coffee, with maybe some bacon on the side. Nothing like a good wife, more so in the early morning hours. You want to hear of a really good cook, you need to talk with Hobby Car driver, Jeff Carter, whose wife Lisa Carter can cook like no one else, when she puts on a meal, she means it. You have to remember she is cooking for a huge family, there is the Big Man Jeff, plus add in his son Robbie, and daughter Haley, and maybe a friend or two that happen to stop by, and you will have some real food, and we can't forget Lisa because she can put some food down also. I hope "Jeffery" got her a 55 oz Coke to start her day off right. What would she do without that Coke?, only Jeff and his family knows.

Well I have had breakfast and am looking forward to lunch, then again I am just looking forward to anything today.

I do have one thing planned and that is I want to clean this computer, office, DVD duplication room up, and straight it up so I know where I can step and where I can't step, this room has become like a "Mine Field", you come in at your own risk.

So since there will not be any racing at West Georgia Speedway, I plan on getting out a DVD of one of the races from last year and watching it and see who wins, that should take all this strain away.

Well I hope to write more later, and give you more updates, but as for as the weather here in Douglas County, it is pouring down rain and COLD, as ever and that's not good at all. So hang in there more to come later. I am working on a story that I hope to share with everyone, so just hang in and check back every once in a while. "STORY" will be coming up later.

Thanks

Tino Patti
Freelance Photographer/Video Journalist

FRIDAY, and RAIN Moving in, BAD NEWS

What is the deal, with the "Rain" moving in?

Racing Fans are a rare breed of people, they come out in all kinds of weather, but when we have rain in the forecast on race day, some how our hearts sink.

I mean it's Friday morning, and the forecast is not looking good for racing at West Georgia Speedway on Saturday night, not even for the other surrounding tracks, it looks like we could have a washout. I am hoping not, but we will have to see if the weather moves to the north of the race track located in Whitesburg, Georgia or decides to come full force and rain out the race.

But lets look at the bright side of this mess, if we can, have you ever noticed that when it is going to rain, and all the forecasts predict rain at West Georgia Speedway, somehow the rain avoids the race track, maybe going to the east, maybe moving to the north, maybe going south, and maybe disappearing so that Sammy Duke can get the racing features all in. This is what I call Sammy Duke's "Mystery Rain Mover" I mean just look at the graphic and you will notice rain pouring on one side, and NO RAIN on the opposite side, that opposite side is what I call the "Historic" HOLE, the track that Sammy Duke built, some how that race track knows when the rain is coming and how to make it move, to one side or the other.

Now I am not saying West Georgia Speedway, or "The Burg" has any mysterious powers over weather, I am just saying I have seen some strange weather events while I was getting ready to film at the "Burg". I have seen heavy thunder storm clouds move over the race track, and in Douglasville where I am from there was pouring rain, but down at West Georgia Speedway, not a drop fell.

Yes I have seen Race fans, head for dry spots when the rain did start to fall some of them would keep sitting on the cement steps and have their trusty umbrella over them, and WAIT till the rain passed over, now these are true
race fans. What I have also seen, was those with no umbrella's head for the inside of the concession stand, and guess what, once in there they were in the buying mood, and food was being sold as well as coffee or tea, because they knew if there was any way Sammy Duke would get the race in, he does not like to call a race.

So on this Friday, all I have to say to ALL those Racing Fans, is if the mysterious "Historic" West Georgia Speedway has anything to say, the rain will miss the track and there will be Saturday Night racing. Then again who knows what this crazy weather will bring us here in the South and the home of fearless racing drivers.

Like Woodstock, which most of you can't remember, and I was there in 1969, there was approaching a Heavy rain storm, and the crowd begain to chant "NO RAIN, NO RAIN, NO RAIN" and believe it or not the rain did not appear and that next day the rock bands played on and on and on and on. So see what "Will Power" can and will do.

Well racing fans are the best, everytime I go down to speak to the fans, they are knowlegable and really know the drivers, and they have those they root for and those they do not like, in reallity it is like any other sport, you have you favorite, an as a reporter I have to look at both sides and not make judgements, I mean I know who I like, and who I would like to win every race that is my choice but I will never air them on this blog or any other way. They know who they are, and that is that.

So if you believe in Prayer, lets all bow our heads and pray that this Saturday Night can be another fun filled night at West Georgia Speedway, where you will see some real racing action.
This is "NOT" Asphalt where you follow someone around, this is where the real men race, because "DIRT" is where the real racers come from.


Again Many Thanks, and I hope to hear from you, comment if you like please.

Tino Patti
a Freelance Photographer/Journalist