Jamie Farris of St. Augustine takes First Win at Putnam County Speedway Park
By Tera Gunter
In only his third start, 16 year old rookie Jamie Farris took home the bacon and the trophy at Putnam County Speedway Park Saturday night. Starting third in the Mini Stock feature, Jamie quickly showed his mettle, taking the lead out of turn two with Art Souther and Kevin Hawkinberry hot on the youngster’s heels. Souther challenged Farris, pulling alongside of Farris, but Farris held on until he brought out the first caution of the race. Placed at the rear, Farris didn’t let that stop him as he set his sights on Souther and quickly made up ground. Souther’s ride failed him, handing the lead to Hawkinberry. Hawkinberry held the lead over Farris, Freddie McDaniel and Dalton Strehle for most of the race before Farris dug in, wrested the lead from Hawkinberry out of turn 4, and one lap later took the checkered flag over Hawkinberry, Daniels, Strehle, and Souther.
TQ Late Models, a scaled down late model with motorcycle engines took to the speedway and quickly proved scaled down didn’t mean slow. Derek Suits and David Rader dueled for the lead with Rader winning the battle. Winston Carter snagged second from Suits and set off after Rader. Taking the high line out of turn 1, Carter ducked low on the inside of Rader out of turn two, and took the lead on the backstretch before an incident with two others in turn 4 placed Carter to the rear. The restart found Suits in the lead over Rader before Jim Aldous decided second suited him just fine. The battle played out behind the race leaders before Suits took the checkered over Aldous, Rader, Greg Tomlinson, and James Burnsed.
Marc Kinley proved his win last week wasn’t a fluke in the Street Stocks feature. The green flag quickly turned to red as a 7 car pileup in turn 1 changed the starting order. The restart found Ricky Cooper taking the lead out of turn 2 over Richard Adams and Kevin Mills. Mills put up a fight before Kinley snagged third and set off after Adams. Cooper put some distance between his ride and the rest of the field before cautions closed the field back up again. Passing Adams, Kinley challenged Cooper for the lead, took the lead out of turn two and following Cooper’s strategy, quickly placed ground between his ride and the rest of the field. A battle for position behind Kinley and Cooper broke out between Adams, Mills, Tim Dowling, Josh Sanford. Kinley took the feature win with Cooper, Adams, Dowling, and Mills rounding out the top five.
As usual, Hobby Stocks proved to be the largest field with 18 entries and Bruce Birkett leading Tim Dowling, Ron Frank, Ken Durham, and Randy Moody. Birkett held his position before Dowling challenged Birkett, snatching the lead on lap 6. Birkett got loose in turn two and quickly recovered, but it cost him his second spot to Frank. With Dowling, Frank, and Birkett firmly ensconced in the lead, a couple of interesting battles broke out behind the leaders. With David Dowling Sr. out for a few weeks for health issues, David Dowling Jr. took dad’s familiar #66 on a wild ride, moving through the field. David Miller, Jr., who started at the rear of the field also showed his mettle, picking off competitors one by one. By lap 10, David Dowling Jr. was in second, and six laps later, Dowling passed Tim Dowling to take the lead in turn 2. Dowling took the checkered over Tim Dowling, Frank, Miller, and Robert Hicks but was later disqualified, handing the win to Tim Dowling.
Fifteen late models hit the speedway next with Richard Ferry on the pole before the restart after a caution saw Shan Smith taking a lead he would not relinquish. David Crews quickly moved in on Ferry, with Al Larson and Clyde Herron in pursuit. As J. O. Nobles engaged Herron in a battle, Larson placed heat on Crews. Herron and Nobles tangled on turn 2 and the restart saw Crews on the inside of Ferry and taking second in turn 4. As Smith maintained a safe distance, Ferry challenged Crews while defending his own position from Larson. A few laps later, Crews’ ride failed him and Larson gave up his position to Wayne Shugart after getting loose on the front stretch. Smith took the checkered over Ferry, Shugart, Michael Cherry, and Chuck Adkins. In victory lane, an emotional Smith dedicated his win to Rusty Dixon, a fellow racer and friend who lost his life recently in a tragic motorcycle accident.
Robert Douglas took the lead over Ed Rosier in the Modified division. Mike Tripp snagged Rosier’s position and settled in behind Douglas waiting for the time to make his move. After a race incident took Rosier and David Vandevander out of the race, Tripp challenged Douglas, moved into the lead, and led Douglas under the checkered flag for his first win in an open-wheeled modified.
Mark Wolcott Jr. appeared to have the ride to beat as he led 11 laps in the Box Stock division with Shawn Pawlak, Mark Wolcott Sr., and Lonnie McGruder following. Bruce Burk moved through to quickly take up position behind Wolcott Jr. Pawlak held tight to Wolcott Sr. and the race leaders gained ground over the rest of the field. Wolcott fell out of contention handing the lead to Burk. Casey Feaster, who started in the last row, quickly moved into contention, bringing Rodney Alexander with him. Burk took the checkered over Feaster, Alexander, Pawlak, and Dustin Childers.
Racing resumes next Saturday with all divisions and a Powder Puff race on the card. Grandstands open at 5pm and racing begins at 6:30. For more information, visit the speedway’s website at www.putnamcountyspeedway.com , or call 386-649-5372.
