By Mary Jane Cardwell

BRUNSWICK, Ga. -July 12, 2008- As the National Late Model Series thundered into Golden Isles Speedway on Saturday, July 12, 2008, a large crowd gathered and sent Mother Nature and her dose of rain packing. Racing was fast-paced and furious as NLMS drivers qualified and ran heats. Ivedent Lloyd had the fastest time for the evening, running a 17.3 and giving him the pole position in the second heat for the evening. Kent Corbin, Johnny Collins and Brandon Cameron ran 17.5s and each of these drivers held the pole position in the remaining three heats.

Joining Corbin on the front row of Heat 1 was Jeffrey Henry, who quickly jumped to an early lead, never looking back. Henry went on to hold the pole position for the feature event. Henry, Corbin, Mike Massengill and David Browning, Jr. made the transfer to the feature. The remainder of those in Heat 1 would have one other chance to make the feature in one of two Last Chance Races.

Ivedent Lloyd held the pole position for Heat 2. Joining Lloyd on the front row for this event was Darrell Padgett. Hard as he could, Padgett worked to pass Lloyd, to no avail. Lloyd took and held the lead for the entire feature. Michael Lloyd, along with Lloyd, Padgett and Carlton Jackson transferred to the feature event.

Johnny Collins, driving his own car, held the pole for Heat 3 and Dillon Wood joined him on the front row. Collins took the lead quickly and was able to hold on, though Mark Whitener, who qualified 6th for this Heat, passed all but Collins by the end of the Heat. Making the transfer to the feature were Collins, M. Whitener, Dillon Wood and Russell Brown, Jr., who was driving for Lonnie Roberts.

Brandon Cameron held the pole position for Heat 4 and Clay Bedenbaugh joined him on the front row. Reminiscent of an earlier race in Cochran, Cameron and Bedenbaugh traded positions until the checkered flag waved first on Bedenbaugh. Cameron, Adam Bedenbaugh and Chuck Cumby joined Clay Bedenbaugh on the transfer to the feature.

The two Last Chance races, 8 fast-paced laps each, allowed Ben Faircloth, Mallory Harvey, Jimmy Sharpe, Bo Allen, Tyler Ivey, Jeremy Faircloth, Shane Williams and Ron Thomas to transfer to the feature event. David Whitener, Series provisional, and Buddy Geiger, track provisional completed the field.

After a short break, Series drivers lined up to take the green flag for the 40-lap feature. Jeffrey Henry took the lead immediately and barely looked back, as he knew the track was his this summer night and let everyone in the stands know it as well. Behind him, Johnny Collins and Ivedent Lloyd traded places often, each trying to get enough of a run on the other to take their cars to a fight for the lead to no avail. Ron Thomas fought problems early on and left the track. He was quickly followed by Mark Whitener. Chuck Cumby and David Browning also found problems and were forced to end their evenings early.

Throughout the field, Series regulars and those returning from time away from the Series battled to climb through the field to attempt to take on the leaders. Russell Brown, Jr. started in the 15th position, but was able to dodge the problems of others and worked his way through the filed to finish fourth. Dillon Wood, after jumping a late-race restart, was able to hold on for fifth. Jeremy Faircloth, after starting 20th was able to finish 10th. Shane Williams, past winner of three feature events during the SuperBowl at GIS, did not have such a good evening, but did hold on for a 17th place finish.

The car of the evening, with a Mastersbilt Chassis and an H & R Horsepower built engine, was owned and driven by Jeffrey Henry.
Next up for the Series is the joint race in Barberville, Florida on July 19, 2008. Watch the website and the Volusia Motorsports Park website for more information. See ya' at the track.

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