|
| Racing at Putnam County Speedway | by Clinton Terry
The weather was great for the first time in two weeks allowing The New Putnam County Speedway to resume racing action. All four open wheel classes ran on Friday night and all six stock classes ran on Saturday night.
In the 360 Sprints class it was Kenny Adams taking the win in by a comfortable margin. The racing was tight at the beginning of the race and the 9-car field fought for positions throughout the 30-lap feature, but no one really had enough to catch the dominating Adams. Sport Allen, Terry Witherspoon, Frank Carlson, and Danny Jones rounded out the top 5.
The Limited Sprints showed up in a large number as well Friday night as 12 cars took to the 3/8-mile clay oval. Clyde Poole was the big winner on the evening as he out lasted the field through a few cautions and pulled away with the win. David Kelly, Tim George, Johnny Law, and Jim Flack round out the top 5.
In Mini Sprints action, this was my first time seeing them; Tommy Denton made a couple of great moves to come out on top. John Craddock, Jesse Teed, Rob Feeney, and Allen Craig followed him to the line.
The big show on the night however was the mod squad. The Open Wheel Modified cars where the show of the evening as 18 cars came out to race, but only one car could win and Marion Sizemore did just that. It was a race filled with caution after caution, and with the field continuously restacked Sizemore worked his way to the front and survived to win the 20-lap feature event. Jason Lowe, John Bradley, Robby Barris, and Chip Owens round out the top 5.
(Side note: I’m not able to give a great recount of the Friday night action because I was driving the pace car and wasn’t able to see the on track action from the drivers seat of the car.)
In Saturday night stocks, car count was lowered a little by regional tracks making their opens and others hosting big money races, but 5 outta 6 isn’t bad. Seven cars came out in the mini-stocks, a vast improvement over 3 on opening night. Pete Close came from the fourth starting position to pick up the win, but only by a stroke of good luck. The dominating car on the evening was Robert Douglas in the 56 cars. Douglas took the lead coming out of turn two on lap 2, and proceeded to run away from the field. After a caution around lap 6 Douglas took off again, to what seemed to be the dominating end of the race. But it wasn’t to be, going into turn 3 with a half lap advantage on the field Douglas right front tire deflated. Choosing to stay out on the track would pay off as he only lost 1 position in the remaining 5 laps to come home second. Timmy Gamble, Joe Clark, and Ray Grimard round out the top 5.
Pure stocks showed up in strong force as 14 cars started the 15 Lap feature, but it wouldn’t end that way. Numerous cautions and high attrition brought the field down to 7 cars. The lucky survivor was Mike Tripp. In a lot of close racing due to restarts, Tripp proved he had the car to beat as he beat Floyd Martin, Jr to the strip by ½ a lap. Paul Gladin, Brenda Little (making her first dirt race ever), and Ronnie Crutcher round out the top 5.
The Hobby Stocks came to race Saturday night and race they did. 12 cars started the race, but once again high attrition brought the final tally down to 6. That didn’t hurt the action as Al Robinson- winner in week one- and Ronald Soltis turned off lap after lap on each other’s bumpers. It looked for a majority of the race that Robinson had too much for Soltis. After a restart at lap 8 they both pulled away from the field, and I mean pulled away. By lap 15 there was only 5 cars on the lead lap, granted some where out of the race, but it played a part. As the leaders took the white flag they caught up the battle for 3rd between Danny Miller and Mike Scranton. As the four cars battle down the backstretch Scranton dived to the inside and made contact with Miller going into turn 3. When the two 4th place cars spun in turn 3 Soltis went low, and Robinson went high. Soltis beat Robinson to the stripe by a car length taking the victory. Mitch Wise, Mike Scranton, and Danny Miller round out the top 5.
Street Stocks also brought out 12 cars and put on another impressive show. Attrition and cautions lowered the field total, but the competition was fierce among the leaders. 4 cars battled trough the first 7 laps of the race but by lap 9 Kenny Durham, Martin Johnson, and Kenny Hall had pulled away from the field. On lap 13 Hall made a move to the outside and got around Johnson going into turn 3. Hall proceeded to chase down the leader but couldn’t handle well into the turns. On lap 18 coming to the white flag Hall smashed hard into the rear-end of Durham spinning Durham around in 3 and leaving his own front end bowed up. Officials decided to put Hall to the rear, at this point 5th, and if Durham was able to continue he could go back to the point. Continue he did and held of Billy Costello in a remarkable green-white-checkered battle. Robert Ammons, Kenny Hall, and Martin Johnson round out the top 5.
Ten Limited-Late Models showed up for racing on Saturday evening. “Wild Bill from Hollyhill” Kopka set the pace for the evening. He and Travis Rhoden waged a tight battle for the lead spot during the first 7 laps when cautions kept restacking the field. After the field settle down it was clearly Kopka’s race to lose, which he would not do. Travis Rhoden settled for 2nd followed by Rod Russell, Tracy Groves, and Floyd Martin.
And finally, the Late-Models ran a brief 20-lap event. The feature was reduced to 20 laps instead of the usual 30 due to many local drivers decision to run the $3000 race at Jax Raceways. Anyways, it was J.O. Nobles taking a commanding victory over the other 5 cars in attendance. Robbie Hager and Bruce Durden waged a bit of a battle for the 2nd position, but Hager came out on top, with Mark Bope and Spud Lockwood rounding out the top 5.
In other Speedway news, after listening to driver’s complaints a decision was made in the Late-Model and Modified classes concerning payout for the winners and finishers. Starting in May, so other drivers can get a chance to prepare, Late-Model winners will be paid $1000. Modified winners will be paid $800 for a 15 car field, which won’t be a problem considering both Mods races so far have had more than 18 cars. The track itself is slowly become very race able. Though a little hard and tight in the corners there appears to be to distinct ways of getting around the track. A little rough in the corners but the owners and officials are listening and working to make the racing fair and exciting for all. Please, if you have any comments about the racetrack respond to this article or post your comments on Karnac.com’s message board. We do care about what you have to say.
Thank you and I look forward to seeing you out at The New Putnam County Speedway.
Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board!
or send a letter to the editor!
|
