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Savannah, GA
- The 2nd Annual Race of Champions event
at Oglethorpe Speedway Park brought a taste of the old with
the new this year. Defending event champion, Bill Elliott,
won the first of two 10-lap events for the stars of the
NASCAR Nextel Cup Series and was looking like he would clean
sweep the racing action for the second straight year at OSP.
But, 2003 Nextel Cup Series champion Matt Kenseth put all
rumors of his not being able to pilot a dirt late model to
rest in the second go around taking Lonnie Brant’s Loves
Seafood Chevy to victory lane in front of 3,041 adoring
fans.
“That was a lot of fun,” said Kenseth in
victory lane. “I did not realize how fast these cars can
get on the track. They were really flying through the
corners.”
Bill Elliott overtook Casey Mears on lap
four of the first race. Kenseth followed his through but
would not be able to catch the 1988 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series
champion who won both of the races last year behind the
wheel of a street stock car owned by Larry Milton. Elliott
was using a Milton prepared late model this year and looked
as though he would be the man to beat in the second race.
“That man gave me a fast car last year,”
said Elliott afterwards at the airport. “I was excited to
see his car in my pit area again this year.”
In the second race, Matt Kenseth was able to
shoot out to the early race lead leaving Elliott with the
duty of trying to find room to pass. He got close a couple
of times, but would have to settle for second in the second
go around for the stars visiting OSP. Jimmy Spencer would
end up third in the second race after slapping the wall in
race number one. Mears was last in the second race after
leading four laps of race one.
“This place is a lot of fun,” said Mears.
“What a great group of fans. Everyone is so polite.”
“This is what it is all about,” mentioned an
elated Spencer. “Look at all these fans. You can’t get
this close to the fans at the big races. Friday and
Saturday night racing is really what this sport is all
about.”
Track management would not say whether the
“Race of Champions” event would return next season to OSP.
Attendance was down from last year’s race and lack of
sponsorship support was evident throughout the week.
The late models also were on the special
event card Friday night. Jacksonville’s Steve Whitener
flexed his muscle winning his first race at OSP over Glenn
Yawn, Donnie Bazemore, David Browning and Shane Walker.
Race fans were entertained by thirty-one of the crate engine
powered late model racers on Friday night.
“The race fans definitely got their money’s
worth tonight,” said track vice president Andy Stone. “They
saw some of the biggest stars in NASCAR along with an
excellent race show.”
The Sunset Novelties Mini Stocks completed
the show with Chris Johnson narrowly beating Charles Swann
and Bobby Morris to the finish line. The top three cars
finished within a car length and half of one another as the
crowd jumped to it’s feet in approval.
Oglethorpe Speedway Park will crank back up
this weekend, June 3, with a full night of NASCAR Dodge
Weekly Series action. The late models, street stocks, mini
stocks, pure stocks and 440 will compete along with a track
favorite, FREE Rides in the Race Cars taking place. Gates
open at 6pm with racing set to begin at 8pm. Additional
information can be obtained by calling 912-964-8200 or by
visiting
www.ospracing.net.
Official
Results from Friday, May 27, 2005
Late Models (Feature): 1-Steve Whitener, Jacksonville, FL
2-Glenn Yawn, Rincon 3-Donnie Bazemore, Rincon 4-David
Browning, Jacksonville, FL 5-Shane Walker, Bloomingdale
6-Shane Riner, Guyton 7-Sean Meeks, Guyton 8-Shawn
Pritchard, Rincon 9-Justin Sims 10-Anthony Meadows
11-Matthew Daniels 12-Leland Prewitt, Savannah 13-Casey
Barrow, Guyton 14-Shawn Smith 15-Anthony Craft 16-Randall
Byrd 17-Corey Fletcher 18-Curtis Cline 19-Ronnie Gordon
20-Jeff Hunter 21-Jim Manka 22-William Pritchard
23-Branden Yawn 24-Chuck Field 25-Mark Davis
Sunset Novelties Mini Stocks (Feature): 1-Chris Johnson,
Rincon 2-Charles Swann, Garden City 3-Bobby Morris,
Guyton 4-Mark Susen, Hardeeville, SC 5-Troy Godbee,
Savannah 6-Josh Carter, Guyton 7-Brian Turner, Savannah
8-Ed Geiger, Bloomingdale 9-Dale Miles, Cobbtown 10-Randy
Fields, Rincon 11-Buddy Jacoby, Rincon 12-AJ Horton,
Statesboro 13-Randy Gregory, Midway 14-Jimmy Swanson,
Hilton Head, SC 15-David Johnikin, Savannah 16-unknown
17-David Sanchez, Hardeeville, SC 18-Kenny Gregory, Midway
19-Ricky Cannady
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