Racing series filled with contact and cautions

Once again the grandstands and pits were packed as spectators and competitors alike flocked to Senoia Speedway to see the best in short track racing. Last Saturday night's events included not only a full racing program but also the Parts Pro Truck 100 lap feature.

Josh Noles qualified for the pole with the fast time of 15.13 seconds, while Mike Davidson started on the outside pole with a time of 15.19. With the wave of the green flag, Noles quickly assumed the lead, closely followed by Williams. By the seventh lap Noles was slowly pulling away from Williams. Later, on lap 79, after several caution flags, race leader Noles came up on lapped traffic just as he crossed the start/finish line. Entering turn one, Noles was bit too high and while trying to regain the correct line made contact with the slower car and spun. This put Williams on the point with Noles forced to start in the rear of the field.

Although Noles staged a brilliant comeback, he laps ran out before he could catch race leader Williams, who brought home the victory. The pay-off sheet showed Williams in first, Mike Davidson second, and Noles in third.

In Sportsman action, Charles White won the feature's pole position by winning his first heat race of the season, while Andy Cash also won his heat and started outside pole. At the drop of the green, the black #16 of White and the blue #12 of Cash raced door-to-door for the first lap. The caution waved on lap 2, and the single file re-start saw White on the point followed by Cash.

When racing resumed, Cash mounted an all out assault on White, who somehow managed to turn back every move Cash made for the lead. In the meantime, action in the rest of the field was heating up as Sportsman point leader Rod Williford began weaving his way towards the front. On lap 13, Cash found an opening and powered ahead of White to take the lead, and the next lap Williford passed White for second. After swapping paint for several laps, Williford passed Cash as the pair exited turn 2 and then held on for the win. Cash took second, White third, Alan Kimball placed fourth and Mark Lore finished fifth.

It was a special double points race in the Street Stock Division, with Robbie Gober in his black #17 starting on the pole and Mark Lore in driving the #41 in the number two spot. On lap five Larry Pierce attempted to pass Gober on the inside as the two exited turn four, but didn't have the necessary horses and quickly maneuvered back into the third spot as the field entered turn one. Gober pulled ahead on lap 14 and went on to victory. Lore finished second, and Pierce finished with a hard fought third.

In Mini-Stocks, Cary Hamilton used his pole starting position to power ahead of outside pole sitter Mike Chambers. By lap six, Ty Steward was on Hamilton's bumper as the leaders entered turn one. When Hamilton appeared to run a bit high off the fourth turn on lap 10, Steward shot underneath the leader. Unable to complete the pass, Steward and Hamilton then raced door handle to door handle until the race's 13th circuit, when Steward powered to the front. Steward finished first while Hamilton finished in second place and Chambers finished third.

Legends Group A saw some of the best drivers in the nation battling it out for top honors. Future ASA star Doug Stevens sat on the pole, with Legend's sensation Reed Sorenson in the outside front row spot. At the drop of the green, Stevens jumped to the front with Dwight Pilgram, who started third, nipping at his heels. After a caution on lap two, the re-start saw Stevens in front, Pilgram second, Sorenson third, and Andy James in fourth. Stevens managed to hold onto the lead while Sorenson passed Pilgram for second, and Jonathan Davenport, a nationally known Legends racer, passed both Pilgram and James to take third. Stevens, however, was not to be denied and slowly pulled away from the field of hot shoes for the victory. Sorenson finished second, with Davenport, James and Chris Vaughn rounding out the top five.

After a post race inspection, however, Sorenson was found to be illegal and disqualified. Davenport, James and Vaughn each moved up a spot in the finishing order, with Pilgram being awarded fifth.

In Legends Group B, pole sitter Doug Ludwig bolted to the front when the green was displayed, with Cindy Anderson glued to his bumper. The racing action for third through fifth was a battle between Ron Johnson, Michelle Thierault and Bobby East, son of former short track ace, Johnny East.

On lap eight the trio ran three abreast around Senoia Speedway's 3/8ths high banked asphalt oval, with East gaining the third spot on lap nine , with Johnson taking over fourth and Theriault fifth. As Ludwig and Anderson dueled for the top spot, East began closing and finally caught the lead group. The wave of the checkered stopped East's quest for victory and Ludwig went home with the win. Rounding out the top five were Anderson, East, Johnson and Theriault, respectively.

Dale Akridge scored another victory in Roadsters, with retired Delta Pilot Lloyd Whittenburg taking second. In Bandolero action, Matt Peoples took home top honors, with Trey Maughan second, Merci Bristol third, Adam Akridge fourth and Brandon Jackson fifth.

This Saturday night's action at Senoia Speedway includes a full racing program including the hard charging, super powered Late Models. For more information, visit our web site at www.senoiaspeedway.com or call 770-599-6161.

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