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The Commerce News
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CONTACT US: Brandon Reed / brandon@mainstreetnews.com / (706) 367-5233 or (706) 335-2927
IB
THE COMMERCE (GA.) NEWS
WEDNESDAY,
APRIL 30, 2008
Auto Racing
Forces Face Off In Historic Southern Nationals
Brown Grabs Commerce To Fuel Victory
By Brandon Reed
It was deja vu all over again.
Last year, John and Ashley
Force made racing history at the
Atlanta Dragway by becoming
the first father and daughter to
race each other in eliminations
in NHRA drag racing history
with the younger Force coming
out on top.
There was a big difference this
year, however. While the Force
duo again faced each other in
eliminations on the Commerce
quarter-mile, this time it was in
the final round, for the win.
For Ashley Force, the result
was the same. She beat her father
with a run of 4.837 seconds at
320.26 miles an hour, racing into
the history books as the first
woman to win a national event
in the Funny Car category.
“I’m just happy to win an event.
That was the main thing. Being a
female, that’s exciting for the
record books and everything,
but my team, we just wanted to
get our first win. To finally get it
done here in Atlanta, we’re just
a little bit relieved but excited
as well.”
Either way the race went it
would have been historic. John
Force, the iconic 14-time champ,
was looking for his 1000th
career round win, as his daugh
ter sought her first victory.
John had fought his way past
teammate Mike Neff, number
one qualifier Tim Wilkerson,
and fellow Ford pilot Bob Tasca
III to get the finals. Ashley
knocked off number six quali
fier Del Worsham, veteran Jim
Head, and three-time Atlanta
runner-up Ron Capps to put
herself into position.
The drivers had raced between
the raindrops all day at Atlanta,
enduring five rain delays
throughout the afternoon.
That number went up to six as
the Team Force cars fired their
engines to roll to the line.
Ashley said the rain did not
help her nerves before the his
toric run.
“That’s about the worst I’ve
felt getting ready to make a run,
ever,” she said. “Obviously, I
need to work on that, because
that’s a big thing with being
a driver. You’ve got to stay
focused, and not let those kind
of things get into your head.”
When the rain stopped, and
the cars finally lined up, Ashley’s
focus was clearly on her job.
As the green light flashed, both
cars leapt forward. But John’s
car broke traction, while Ashley
streaked down the quarter-mile
and into the record books.
Ashley said her father had a
little time to speak with her
before the victory lane celebra
tion began.
“He just came over and con
gratulated me,” she said. “He
told me good job, and he told
my team good job, and then
they whisked me away. I haven’t
seen him since.”
Ashley leaves Commerce with
a 59-point lead in the Funny Car
category, after becoming the
first woman in history to lead in
that division the week before.
Top Fuel
Almost lost in the Force-a-
thon was the fact that Top Fuel
rookie Antron Brown picked
up his second win of the sea
son, taking out points leader
Tony Schumacher in the finals.
Brown, who moved up from the
Pro Stock Motorcycle division
this year, took his dragster down
the strip with a 4.537-second run
at 325.14 mph.
“We just take it round by round
each race.” Brown said. “I’m just
tickled to death to be able to be
a part of this race team.”
Brown made his way to the
finals by defeating David
Grubnic, top qualifier Cory
McClenathan, and Alpharetta’s
Bob Vandergriff, Jr.
“It just felt fantastic,” Brown
said.
Pro Stock
Oklahoma’s Mike Edwards
came into Sunday’s final round
looking for his first victory since
2006. His opponent, Jason Line,
was appearing in his second
consecutive final round.
In the end, it was Edwards
driving his Pontiac to the win,
with a 6.680 run at 206.20 miles
an hour.
“You just can’t describe the
feeling of winning one of these
races in this class. There are so
many good teams and it’s been
so long since I last won. It’s just
an unbelievable feeling to win
one of these races.
“I’m so thankful for this team.
I’m so thankful for God. This
win is for him, I give him all the
glory.”
Edward’s path to victory
lane took him first past Dave
Northrop, then past number four
qualifier Allen Johnson, and for
mer 2007 Pro Stock champ Jeg
Coughlin. Along with being his
first win since 2006, it was his
first final round appearance in
two years.
The day wasn’t as good for
Sugar Hill racers Warren and
Kurt Johnson. Hall of Famer
Warren was defeated by Jeg
Ashley Force raced into the history books Funny Car category in NHRA history. Force
at the Atlanta Dragway, becoming the first had to defeat her father, John Force, to grab
woman to win a national event in the Nitro the win. Photo by Brandon Reed
Coughlin in round one elimina
tions, while Kurt fell to number
three qualifier Justin Humphreys
in round two.
Pro Stock Bike
Pro Stock Motorcycle jock
ey Andrew Hines came to
Commerce on a mission. He
wanted to be top qualifier for
the Southern Nationals.
Not only did he accomplish
that task with a pass setting the
track record for elapsed time at
6.950 seconds at 192.30 miles
an hour, he piloted his Harley
Davidson to his first win of
2008.
“I can’t say enough about what
the guys have done with the
engines back at the shop,” Hines
said. “It was just going down the
track so smooth and so great all
weekend long, I just can’t believe
it. I’ve never had a motorcycle
that’s made that many runs in a
row almost flawless.”
Hines defeated number two 26-year old Ashley Force is all smiles after winning Sunday
Cnntinupri on Paap 2B n i9 ht - See page 3B for more Southern Nationals photos.
9 Photo by Wanda Glover
EJCHS Baseball
CHS Track and Field
East Jackson Sweeps Putnam County
Sam Williamson readies to fire the ball across the field at a recent
game. Williamson went 3-3 against Putnam county in game one of
last week’s double header, and had two hits again game two.
Photo by Lyn Sengupta
By Brandon Reed
The East Jackson Eagles hope
to end their season on a high
note.
Last week, they wrapped up
first-round region tournament
play by sweeping Putnam
County in a Friday double head
er.
Thursday they will travel to
Rabun County to close out their
season with a doubleheader
against the Wildcats. First pitch
in game one is scheduled for
4:30 p.m.
Game One
Putnam County entered
Friday’s match up with a 7-12-1
overall record, while East
Jackson had racked up five wins
in the season.
But the Eagles took the Putnam
team to task, keeping their bats
mostly silent, and racking up an
18-1 win in five innings.
“The north side of Region 8-AA
is without a doubt, from top to
bottom, the best,” said coach
David Robertson “We were play
ing their number five seed, and
the kids were very responsive
to what I had to say. They know
the season is coming to an end.
I wish basically, we could start
over. If we could do that, I think
the record would be completely
different. They’re playing some
great baseball right now. I’m
very pleased, and very, very
proud of them.”
At the plate, Josh Chumley
went 3-for-4 with six RBIs,
including a double, and a three-
run homerun. Taylor Boswell
went 2-for-3, Zaine Hailey went
2-for-3 with an RBI, Ethan Allred
went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, Sam
Williamson went 3-for-3 with 3
RBIs, and Brandon Rucker went
2-for-4.
Sam Williamson got the win
on the mound, striking out 10
batters, and walking none.
Game Two
If the Eagles had been winded
in game one, they didn’t show
it in game two, as East Jackson
trounced Putnam County in
the second game 15-5 in five
innings.
At the plate, Chumley went
3-for-4 with three RBIs, includ
ing a double and a homerun.
Evan Williamson and Boswell
went 3-for-3 with an RBI each,
while Hailey had three hits and
four RBIs in four at-bats. Sam
Williamson had two hits, Rucker
went 2-for-4 with an RBI, Hunter
Beck had a hit and an RBI, and
A.J. Howard had a hit.
Hailey pitched four innings,
Continued on Page 2B
Commerce’s Zach Scannell finished fifth personal record of 44.64.
in the region in the 300-meter hurdles with a Photo by Justin Poole
Tigers Take Fourth At Region Meet
By Brandon Reed
The Commerce Tigers boys’ track and field
team took fourth place over the weekend at the
Region 8-AA meet.
The Tigers finished behind Athens Christian,
Jefferson, and Social Circle in a meet that saw
seven schools take part.
Five Commerce boys qualified for state com
petition.
Chase Keller was crowned region champ in
the long jump with a jump of 20’ 81/4”. Javon
Womack was the region runner-up in the 100
and 200 meters, while the 4x100 relay team of
Torrance Wilcher, Jon Cash, Jack Lowe and
Womack finished second as well.
Wilcher also scored fourth in the triple jump,
and fifth in the long jump. Keller placed fourth
in the 400-meters, while Cash, Wilcher, Womack
and Keller won fourth in the 4x400 relay.
Other team members scoring at the region
meet included Channing Anderson, who
took sixth in the high jump; Zach Scannell,
who finished fifth in the 300-meter hurdles;
and Nick Arostegui, who placed sixth in the
3200-meters.
Commerce coach Pam Canup said not every
one scored, but many athletes had personal
best performances at the meet.
The boys’ state finals will be held May 8-10 in
Jefferson.