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PAGE 4B - THE COMMERCE (GA) NEWS - MAY 7, 2008
Auto Racing
Russell Fleeman picked up his first GAS the victory at Peach State Speedway,
series win of 2008 Saturday night, as he took Photos by Brandon Reed
Fleeman Grabs First GAS Win of '08
Russell Fleeman celebrates in victory lane after winning the
100 lap Georgia Asphalt Series event.
By Brandon Reed
After coming so close in the
GAS season opener last month,
Russell Fleeman finally grabbed
his first win of the season
Saturday night at Peach State
Speedway as he ran away with
the Spring Fling 100.
“It feels so good to be back
in victory lane," Fleeman said
after the win. “We’ve tested, we’ve
struggled a little bit. We had a flat
leading the race the last time we
were here. We got our game on
this past week, and came to the
track focused, and it paid off.
We’re real proud of it.’’
Fleeman said despite having
had a strong car in the season
opener at Peach State on April 5,
he still had some worries when
the series returned to Jefferson.
“We tested up here, and during
the day, we had some showers on
the track, and it seemed to change
the track a little bit,’’ the Dacula
native said. “But we played our
cool there at the beginning of the
race, and the car came to us. I’m
very proud.’’
Fleeman fell back early in the
event, as Jefferson’s Joey Senter
pushed his car out front early,
followed by Decatur’s Ryan Seig.
Seig took the lead from Senter
on lap 17.
Fleeman soon found his
groove, worked his way around
the Senter, then went to work on
Seig. At one point, the two lead
ers went three wide with a lap
car in the middle as they fought
for the top position. On lap 41,
Fleeman finally made the pass
on Seig for the top spot.
Once he got out front, there
was no looking back. Fleeman
moved away from the field, as
Wes Burton, Richard Johns and
Jefferson’s Nick Potts began to
make their way through the field.
The first caution of the night
flew just nine laps in, as Josh
Atkins of Cumming spun on the
backstretch. Another spin several
laps later by Tony Clark slowed
the event for a few laps.
The most serious accident of the
night occurred at the entrance of
turn one, as pole sitter T.J. Reaid
and Braselton’s Jimmy Garmon
tangled and spun. Two more cars
would become involved in the
melee before it was over. Garmon
was able to continue, but Reaid’s
night was over.
On the restart, Burton got a
great jump, picking up two spots
and giving Fleeman his only
real challenge of the night. But
Fleeman soon cleared all traf
fic, and moved away from the
Kannapolis, NC, driver.
As Fleeman led the way, a seri
ous battle began to develop for
fourth place between Senter and
Johns. Towards the end of the
race, Johns and Senter were fight
ing side by side as they tried to
negotiate the lap car of Garmon.
The two cars touched, and Johns
backed off to allow Senter to
regain control. The two would
continue to fight to the check
ered flag.
In the final laps, Burton began to
reel in the fast Ford of Fleeman.
But when the checkered flag fell,
Fleeman was over two and a half
seconds ahead of second place.
Seig finished third, while Senter
held off Johns for fourth.
Rookie Kyle Mitchell came
home in sixth position, while Potts
finished seventh. Watkinsville’s
Zac Kittle recorded his best GAS
finish of the year with an eighth,
with Roger Delp and Chris
Whorton rounding out the top
ten.
The GAS series next heads
to the Watermelon Capital
Speedway in Cordele on June 7.
They will return to Peach State
on July 3.
Local Action
Local divisions also competed
at Peach State Saturday night. In
the sportsman division, Robbie
Gunterman came back from a
bad start to take the win, beat
ing out Chuck Cooper and Keith
Barrett at the finish.
In the truck series, Steven
Mothershed was leading the
pack until something went wrong
with his truck, handing the lead
to Mike Davidson. Davidson
spent the rest of the race fight
ing with Wes Whitfield of Homer
and Matthew Rouse for the win.
Rouse came out on top, holding
off Whitfield, Davidson, Andy
Gaddis and Joel Townsend at the
finish.
Mike Davidson had the car to
beat in the Outlaw Late Model
class, holding off Hoyt Stephens
for the win. Terry Martin took
home third, while Russell Shore
and Bryan Hardeman rounded
out the top five.
Jefferson’s Steve Hill won the
Mini Stock division as he held off
William Earnest, Spanky Hicks,
B.J. Thrasher and Tim Greer for
the win.
The next event for Peach
State Speedway is May 24, as
the National Vintage Racing
Association will bring their clas
sic racers to the Jefferson high
banks. Local divisions will also
race that night.
'Pinks All Out' Taping At Atlanta Dragway
Speed’s popular “Pinks All Out’’ television show
will be taping this Friday and Saturday at the
Atlanta Dragway. The program features grass roots
drag racers getting the opportunity to win a share of
$18,000 in prize money, with $10,000 going to the
winner.
The event is an open competition for door cars
only. Competitors must pass tech inspection based
on the NHRA rulebook. Cars must run 12.99 sec
onds or quicker in the quarter mile.
The event will also feature a variety of exhibi
tions and competitions, and will provide on-track
activities throughout the Saturday shooting day. A
midway area will also be set up for local vendors,
manufacturers, supporters and local groups.
Spectator tickets are available for both days. For
more information, log on to www.atlantadragway.
com, or call 706-335-2301.
CHS Track and Field
Lady Tigers Take Seventh At State
By Brandon Reed
The Commerce Lady Tigers
track team wrapped up its 2008
season with a seventh place
finish in Class A in the Georgia
High School Association Girls’
State meet in Albany over the
weekend. Fifty-four Class A
teams participated, and the Lady
Tigers placed in all the events in
which they competed..
Vanessa Chandler won
third in the 400-meters with
a personal best time of 60.40.
Brittany Sewell took sixth in
the 100-meters, and seventh
in the 200-meters, setting new
personal records in each. Ellie
Hardigree placed third in dis
cus, also a new personal record,
while Kaylin Canup finished
seventh in the long jump with a
personal leap of 15’ 6.250”.
The 4x100 relay team of
Jasmine Sanders, Kaylin Canup,
Chandler and Sewell placed
fifth, and the 4x400 relay
team of Chandler, Amber Bell,
Jasmine Grier and Sewell fin
ished third.
“Top to bottom in each event
this year was the best competi
tion I have seen in the many
years of being there,” said
Commerce coach Pam Canup.
“In every event the races were
all close.”
Canup also pointed to the
team’s group of seniors, Sewell,
Canup, Bell, Hardigree, Terra
Hancock and Felicia Grier, as
key members who have finished
in the top 10 in state in three out
of four years. Sewell and Canup
have scored at the state meet all
four years.
“This is a group of girls that
will be missed,” the coach said.
Ellie Hardigree, pictured here from an earlier state meet in Albany over the weekend,
meet, placed third in discus at the GHSA girls Photo by Justin Poole
EJCHS Track and Field
East Jackson’s Brooklyn Watkins, shown here petition in the pole vault,
from an earlier meet, placed fifth in state com- Photo by Brandon Reed
EJCHS Girls End Track Season
By Brandon Reed
The East Jackson Lady Eagles
track season ended last week
end, as Brooklyn Watkins fin
ished fifth in state competi
tion in the pole vault. Watkins
equaled her personal best at
8’6”.
“That was a great accomplish
ment for a freshman,” said
coach Steve Collins.
With the points scored by
Watkins, East Jackson tied with
five other schools for 30th place
finish in state competition out
of 47 schools.
Collins said the Eagles’ inau
gural girls track season has
been pleasing to watch unfold.
“All in all we are farther along
than I had hoped,” he said.
“We could have and should
have finished higher in some
events, but when you post 11
season best (performances) in
the region meet, you can’t ask
for much more. The bar will be
raised next year, but for this
year we are pleased with our
season.”
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