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Posted: 09/06/09
07:17 AM
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The Starstruck Report, News and notes from 9/4/09
Hello friends and welcome once again to the Starstruck Report. It was a very cool night last Friday as we met on the track to drop the final curtain on the 50th anniversary season at Southside Speedway. Some of the points races literally were decided on this last night of the season. This made for more drama as we sat there waiting to see who would be the last to say "I won" and hold that big trophy naming them track champion for 2009. Let's get to the action.
Street Stock (25 laps): This long night of racing started off with Street stock action where they ran their final race of the season. Since this was a 25 lap race, caution laps didn't count in this race. Todd Ruggles (40) started this race on the pole. However, Ethan Ayers (69) would lead the first lap. Around lap 2, Herbert LaRue (26) appeared off the pace. He would end up stalling around the turn 3 gate bringing out the first caution of the night. Todd Ruggles (40) also spun in turn 4. During the restart, Wayne Groome (8) took the lead initially only to lose it immediately to Mike Ganoe (82). Lap 18, Chris Kantzler (01) and Chris Bryant (6) made contact in turn 1, however, the cars straighted up and no caution was called. Lap 19, Chris Bryant (6) brought his car in the pits. Lap 21, Justin Dunkum (13) went in the pits. Mike Ganoe (82) went on to claim the checkered flag. James Loving (97) won the points race this year and was named track champion. Gary Turner (17) would be this year's rookie of the year. Here are the official results.
1. 82 Mike Ganoe
2. 08 Wayne Groome
3. 69 Ethan Ayers
4. 06 Brian Smith
5. 51 Joe Henderson
6. 25 Michael Sutphin
7. 97 James Loving
8. 17 Gary Turner
9. 79 Robbie Groome
10. 01 Chris Kantzler
11. 92 Ricky Stotler
12. 15 Shawn Sutphin
13. 70 Charles Thacker
14. 911 Travis Nicely
15. 29 Paul Clemons
16. 81 Nicholas Hemesath
17. 32 O. K. Wilson
18. 59 Chris Jones
19. 13 Justin Dunkum
20. 6 Chris Bryant
21. 40 Todd Ruggles
22. 26 Herbert LaRue
Ucar (25 laps): Lauren Edgerton (24) started this race on the pole. On the first lap, David Blankenship (4) spun and no caution was called. Rusty Bennett (92) would take the lead on lap 2. This race stayed clean and green and Bennett (92) would claim the checkered flag. Mike "Rowdy" Chapman (18) won the points race this year. Austin Dodge (87) was the divisions rookie of the year. Here are the results from the final race.
1. 92 Rusty Bennett
2. 91 Frank Silva
3. 24 Lauren Edgerton
4. 99 Daniel Thomas
5. 34 Bryan Scott
6. 3 Charlie Simons
7. 87 Austin Dodge
8. 18 Mike Chapman
9. 6 Corey Lawrence
10. 22 Timmy Mixell
11. 59 David Kerns
12. 77 Josh Thomas
13. 5 Jody Young
14. 7 Mark Richards
15. 09 David Gonce
16. 88 Wes Simons
17. 4 David Blankenship
18. 27 Sean Ryan
19. 04 Jamie Hite
20. 12 Mike Shiflett
21. 58 Chad Fimple
22. 57 Jason Marshall
23. 17 Jordan Bell
Grandstock (30 laps): The Grandstocks took the field on a night that would determine this years champion. Sadly, this year's points leader Donnie Newman (69) had been in the hospital and unable to race. Due to the race being tight, the champion would be named after this race. Todd Ruggles (40) would start the race on the pole, however, he would lose the lead to Daniel Shelton (27) on the first lap. Lap 2, Cory Willoughby (7) went off the pace. Lap 8, Keith Mackta (00) took the lead. On lap 14, Wayne Bordonie (14) spun in turn 4. The restart was attempted and stymied by a pile up in turn 3 that included B K Wilson (82), MIchael Moore (89), Richard Skeens (04) and Bill Nixon (49). Lap 24, Wayne Bordonie (14) spins hard in turn 2. Keith Mackta (00) would claim the checkered flag. Tommy Tatum (62), a past champion, returned and claimed this year's prize as track champion. Bubba Carr (54) was this year's rookie of the year. Here are the race results.
1. 00 Keith Mackta
2. 36 Mark Simpson
3. 62 Tommy Tatum
4. 84 Shawn Hopkins
5. 27 Daniel Shelton
6. 01 Chris Hott
7. 03 Brian Myslivy
8. 40 Todd Ruggles
9. 26 Donnie Johnson
10. 55 Justin Brown
11. 49 Bill Nixon
12. 47 John Wilson
13. 14 Wayne Bordonie
14. 54 Bubba Carr
15. 11 Woody Ellington
16. 07 Chris Willoughby
17. 89 Michael Moore
18. 82 B. K. Wilson
19. 04 Richard Skeens
20. 7 Cory Willoughby
Late Model Sportsman (50 laps): Chris Hopkins (43) had the fastest lap in qualifying. However, due to the dice roll, the field was inverted by one position. Shayne Lockhart (95) would start this race on the pole. Shannon Marano (6) would wreck his car in the pits during practice. It busted the radiator. Russ Ellis (33) let Marano drive his car during the first pace laps and then switched drivers. This way, Marano could get credit for the points. On the first lap, Andy Kemp (27) spun in turn 1. "Racing" Jason Pittman (51) would go in the pits and Russ Elllis (33) had to go in the pits to change a defective radio. On lap 22, Sam Hunt (9) spun in turn 4. Charles Lamb (44) and Greg Fernandez (02) would be in the pits during this caution. Lap 25, Travis Patterson (14) hit in turn 2. Shayne Lockhardt (95) would claim the checkered flag. Chris Dodson (0) was this divisions track champion. He has claimed 3 out of the last 4 titles for this division. Andy Kemp (27) was the division's rookie of the year. Here are the final race results.
1. 95 Shayne Lockhart
2. 43 Chris Hopkins
3. 39 Brandon Hendrick
4. 0 Chris Dodson
5. 15 Jeff Oakley
6. 2va Lin O'Neill
7. 11 Roy Hendrick
8. 33 Shannon Marano
9. 18 Brad Davis
10. 59 Neil J. Culley
11. 20 Sonny Allen
12. 1va Chris Ward
13. 86 Kevin Minter
14. 9 Sam Hunt
15. 50 Raymond Pittman
16. 27 Andy Kemp
17. 14 Travis Patterson
18. 12 Michael Solaimani
19. 02 Greg Fernandez
20. 45 Charles Lamb
21. 51 Jason Pittman
MACKA (20 laps): Clint Moon (91) started this race on the pole. Lap 6, Stanley Holmes (38) spun in turn 2. Lap 12, George Dehner (7) went in the pits. Around lap 15, Mitch Bartholomew (2) took the lead. He would claim the checkered flag driving from the back all the way to the front. Stanley Holmes (38) raced back to claim the track championship. Interesting stat, this division was won on consistency. He had no wins on the season. Here are results from the final race.
1. 2 Mitch Bartholomew
2. 11 Buzz Moore
3. 91 Clint Moon
4. 16 Wes Simmons
5. 38 Stanley Holmes
6. 18 Brad Davis
7. 01 Stan Holmes
8. 28 Ricky Gum
9. 55 Ryland Craze
10. 12 Wesley Givens
11. 8 Tommy Chambers
12. 7 George Dehner
Modifieds (50 laps): Billy Morris (20) had the fastest lap in qualifying. Ryan Boggs (50) started this race on the pole. Chris Dodson (55) went in the pits during the pace lap to start last and move Billy Morris (20) up one position to start the race. The first attempt to start the race ended up bringing out the caution when Irvin Bell (17) and Warren Lipsford Jr (43) made contact in turn 2. Chris Hoylman (37) was in the pits. Yes, Hoylman was driving the 37 this week. It was announced on the PA as Jason Palmore and yes, that is the car Palmore usually drives on the tour. On the restart, Stinson (4) takes the lead on the first lap. Lap 7, Billy Morris (20) makes contact with Ryan Boggs (50). However, no caution was called till Boggs (50) had a tire going down. Therefore, they didn't send Morris (20) to the back saying he wasn't involved in that caution. Yes, the caution was called for the flat tire. Lap 25, Warren Lipsford Jr (43) in pits. Around lap 30, Morris (20) takes the lead from Stinson (4) and doesn't look back. Michael Johnson (38) would go in the pits. Morris (20) would win the race and claim the points championship at the same time. Alan Purser (41) was this year's rookie of the year. Here are the final results from the last race.
1. 20 Billy Morris
2. 4 Thomas Stinson
3. 51 Kyle Wood
4. 55 Chris Dodson
5. 8 Mike Rudy
6. 21 Ryan Wilbourne
7. 50 Ryan Boggs
8. 36 Chris Johnson
9. 23 Stacey Wilbourne
10. 37 Chris Hoylman
11. 17 Irvin Bell
12. 38 Michael Johnson
13. 43 Warren Lipford
Race of Champions, Street Stock Division (25 laps): The 2009 season came to a close with a street stock event that had the top 15 in points race for 25 laps. Michael Sutphin (25) started this race on the pole. On lap 3, Mike Ganoe (82) took the lead. Lap 14, Chris Kantzler (01) and Gary Turner (17) spun in turn 1 but no caution was called. Ganoe (82) would claim the checkered flag in a very clean and green race. Here are the final results.
1 82 Mike Ganoe
2 97 James Loving
3 29 Paul Clemons
4 25 Michael Sutphin
5 81 Nicholas Hemesath
6 15 Shawn Sutphin
7 70 Charles Thacker
8 79 Robbie Groome
9 911 Travis Nicely
10 13 Justin Dunkum
11 6 Chris Bryant
12 01 Chris Kantzler
13 17 Gary Turner
14 32 O. K. Wilson
15 06 Brian Smith
Now let's move on to the commentary side. Since most of the races were clean, I can't really give out too many tough luck awards this week. First off, I want to say congratulations to all the track champions who were listed above. It's been a hard season and it takes alot to be named champion at the end.
Performance of the week: Mitch Bartholomew (2 MACKA) would take the honors this week for his win after starting in the back.
Streaks ended: Two major streaks ended this year at the track. In Grand Stock competititon, the 01 car had a lock on the division the last few years with three different drivers, namely Mike Gwaltney, Joey Bryant and Chris Hott. That car didn't run a full season. Bobby Tatum (62) ended that streak as this year's champion. Thomas Stinson (4) was the modified champion for the last 5 years. Billy Morris (20) ended the streak this year. Yes, history was made in the end.
Looking back: This season had some interesting moments. Sadly, we had a Grand stock title lost in the hospital since Donnie Newman (69) was unable to race. We had three passings this year with Kevin Grubbs, Wayne Patterson and Pops, who drove 51 for a long time. We had a cooler rule that was eventually rescinded and attendance dropped during the ban. However, it did pick back up after the rule was dropped. Yes, the 50th anniversary of Southside Speedway really did have some memorable moments.
Another year has come and gone and we now wait the next few months till we meet again next April for the 51st season. It's true by this time, the teams and drivers are a little tired from all the hard work they did to make the show go on and entertain us week in and week out. I know for me, that final walk through the pits is always a little bittersweet. No matter how objective I try to be in these columns, I am a racing fan first. I can never thank the drivers and the crews enough for all the stories they share with me each week, be it in the pits or dinner after the races. It has meant more to me than you know. I do want to take a moment to thank Sue Clemments and the staff for keeping the track running and making a golden anniversary possible. True, we all have moments when we get wound up over certain calls but seeing the track close would be even more upsetting. Thank you for all you do to keep things going.
During the offseason, I plan on finishing my science fiction novel that I have started. My email larrystarstruck@yahoo.com is always open to all of you with questions and comments. May God bless each of you. That's all for now, I will see you at the races next season.
*Larry Starstruck*
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