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PAGE 2B - THE COMMERCE (GA) NEWS - AUGUST 13, 2008
Auto Racing
Fonty Flock Made Number 14 Successful
Tony Stewart recently made
the announcement that his race-
car next year, as part of his
buy-in to the current Haas-CNC
team, will be number 14.
The reason Tony went with
this number was his connection
to one of his racing heroes, leg
endary racer A.J. Foyt.
While Foyt is synonymous in
racing with the number 14, the
man who had the most success
in NASCAR with that number
was Georgia Racing Hall of
Fame member Fonty Flock.
Born in 1921 in Ft. Payne,
Alabama, Truman Fontello
Flock, better known as Fonty,
was the middle of three broth
ers who would become racing
legends. Older brother Bob was
an incredible modified racer,
and younger brother Tim would
go on to be one of NASCAR’s
50 greatest drivers.
Fonty ran his first race at the
legendary Lakewood Speedway
in Atlanta in 1939, and won his
first career race at that same
track one year later.
In 1941, Fonty traveled to
Daytona Beach for the annual
beach race, taking the pole for
the event.
While racing with fellow
Georgian Roy Hall, the two
made contact in the south turn,
sending Fonty’s car out of con
trol, and end over end.
Fonty’s seatbelt broke during
the accident, and he came away
with multiple injuries, including
a crushed chest.
Fonty returned to racing in
1947 in the inaugural event at
North Wilkesboro, N.C. in a
ride Bob helped to line up.
Fonty showed that the years
away hadn’t dulled his senses,
as he went out and won the
race.
Fonty began racing on
Bill France Sr.’s National
Down
The
Stretch
BY BRANDON REED
Championship Stock Car
Circuit, a pre-cursor to
NASCAR. Bob was racing for
legendary car owner Raymond
Parks. When he was injured in
an accident, Fonty took over
the ride for his brother.
The car number was 14.
Fonty went on to pilot Parks’
Ford to the championship, with
seven wins to his credit.
The next year, as France was
working hard to get NASCAR
off the ground, he promoted
Fonty as the 1947 NASCAR
champion (although NASCAR
refuses to acknowledge that
today, just as they refuse to
acknowledge anything that
occurred prior to 1972).
Fonty won the 1949 NASCAR
Modified champion, and won
his first cup event in 1950 at the
grueling Langhorne Speedway.
1951 was the year that Fonty put
#14 on the map, as he won eight
times driving Frank Christian’s
“Red Devil’’ Oldsmobile.
Fonty picked up the biggest
win of his career in 1952 when
he captured the fabled Southern
500 at Darlington, leading 341
laps en route.
After taking the checkered
flag, he stopped his car on the
front stretch, stood on the roof,
and led the crowd in the stands
in the singing of “Dixie.’’ His
driving suit consisted of a keen
pair of Bermuda shorts.
Fonty was a fan favorite.
Sporting a pencil thin mous
tache reminiscent of Clark
Gable, and hardly ever seen
without a smile, fans would
come out to see what Fonty
would do inside and outside the
race car.
Fonty would win eight more
times between 1953 and 1956,
but his career came to an end
at Darlington in 1957.
Fonty was piloting a Pontiac
for the ailing Herb Thomas,
and the car had problems early
on. On lap 27, Fonty spun at
the entrance to turn three, com
ing to rest in the middle of the
track.
Young Bobby Myers was rac
ing Paul Goldsmith down the
back stretch, and didn’t see
Fonty’s stalled car until it was
too late.
Myers hit Fonty at full speed,
and Goldsmith was gathered
up into the accident, with all
three cars rolling end over end
several times.
Myers was killed. Goldsmith
was injured, but climbed out of
the car under his own power.
Fonty was badly injured, and
was taken to an area hospital.
He announced his retirement
from his hospital bed.
Fonty Flock died in 1972, at 51
years of age.
Fonty once said that the
younger drivers didn’t know
how to have fun. He said that
they make more money, but
“...much of the fun for them is
gone.’’
For Fonty Flock, piloting
number 14 wearing a pair of
Bermuda shorts, racing was fun,
and it was fun for those who
had the privilege to watch.
Branclon Reed is a reporter
for MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
Contact him at brandon@main-
streetnews.com.
Love, Lowe, Hill Grab Weekend Wins
Joey Love climbs out of his winning ride Saturday night at
Lanier National Speedway. The victory was Love’s 14th on the
year in the Open Wheel Modified division.
Photo courtesy North Georgia Sports Media
By Brandon Reed
Make it win number 14 for
Joey Love, as the Maysville
native beat Shane Howington
in a last-lap showdown at Lanier
National Speedway Saturday
night. Love beat Howington to
the finish line by mere inches
in the Open Wheel Modified
division.
Braselton’s Shane Sawyer fin
ished third in the Pro Late Model
division at Lanier Saturday.
Shawn Simpson took the win,
his eighth of the season.
Commerce’s Ty Lowe found
victory lane again this weekend,
this time in the Fastrak Crate
Late Model event at Toccoa
Speedway Saturday.
Bobby Hill, of Jefferson, also
won at Toccoa Saturday, taking
top honors in the Hobby class.
It’s Hill’s second win in a row at
the historic Toccoa track.
Jefferson’s Joey Senter placed
third in Friday night’s ASA
Southeast Asphalt tour event
at Anderson Motor Speedway.
Suwanee’s David Elliott fin
ished sixth, while Commerce’s
Taylor Satterfield finished 19th,
and Jefferson’s Dennis Wilder
finished 22nd. Jay Middleton
took the win.
After winning the pole,
Lilburn’s Ken Butler III finished
sixth in the ARCA series’ Toyota
150 at Nashville Superspeedway
Saturday afternoon. Suwanee’s
Michael Phelps finished 20th
in the event. John Wes Townley
of Watkinsville was involved in
an accident 51 laps in, and was
credited with a 33rd place fin
ish. Scott Speed won the event,
his fourth of the season.
Doug Day, of Winder, finished
10th in the O’Reilly USCS Sprint
Car Event at North Alabama
Speedway in Tuscumbia, AL,
Friday. Tim Crawley won.
Day then traveled to Atwood,
TN, on Saturday for anoth
er USCS event at Clay wood
Motorsports, where he finished
16th. Marshall Skinner took the
checkered flag.
Andy Lally of Dacula, along
with co-driver Andy Wallace,
of England, finished 19th in his
debut for the new Childress-
Howard Motorsports team in
this weekend’s Grand American
sports car event at Watkins
Glen, NY. The team completed
only 42 laps before experienc
ing mechanical issues with their
Pontiac Crawford. The team is
co-owned by Sprint Cup team
owner Richard Childress.
Lally then traveled to Iowa
Speedway, where he held off a
late charge from Craig Stanton
to win the Grand-Am KONI
Challenge Series Grand Sport
event, along with co-driver
Scott Schroeder. It was the
duo’s first win of the season in
the series.
Sugar Hill’s Kurt Johnson
picked up the win in the NHRA’s
Lucas Oil Nationals at Brainerd,
MN, on Sunday, defeating Dave
Connolly in the final round with
an ET of 6.671 at 207.025 mph.
It was Johnson’s fourth win at
Brainerd, and his 39th career
national win. Johnson’s father,
Warren, also of Sugar Hill, was
defeated in the first round of
eliminations.
Sport Shorts And Rec News
JCPR accepting
nominations for HOF
Jackson County Parks and
Recreation is accepting nomina
tions for its Hall of Fame. Any
Jackson County citizen may
nominate a coach, participant,
volunteer, staff member, or any
other person that has contributed
to Parks and Rec development
in Jackson County. Nominations
will be accepted thru August
15. The election results will be
announced on August 25 with a
banquet held for the inductees
on October 5.
Forms are available at the
Parks and Rec office or for more
information call 706-367-6350.
Archery Tournament
The Banks County Archery Club
will host a 3D Archery Tournament
Saturday, Aug. 23, at 180 Harden
Bridge Road, Commerce.
Shooters will draw down on
20 McKenzie targets. There will
be two money classes (Open
Money and BHR) and eight tro
phy classes (Open Trophy, Senior
Class, Hunter Class, True Novice,
Women’s Class, Youth Class,
Traditional Class and Cubs).
Registration is from 8 a.m. to
2:00 p.m. Entry in the trophy
classes is $10, but kids 12-under
shoot for free; entry for the money
classes is $20.
Concessions and a practice
range will be available, and club
T-shirts will be given to the first 25
people to register.
CHS Baseball
Cottrell To Head Up Tigers Baseball
By Brandon Reed
The Commerce Tigers are hoping for good
things next spring, as Steve Cottrell will take the
helm of the Tiger baseball program.
Cottrell, a CHS graduate, has coached at
Liberty County for the last nine years. Last year,
the Panthers had a 14-14 overall record, and went
6-4 in the region, finishing second in 3S-AAA.
Cottrell serves as a special education teacher
at Commerce Primary School.
He takes the helm of a program that went 11-12
last season overall, and 10-8 in the region, finish
ing fifth in 8-A standings.
Superintendent Dr. James E. “Mac’’ McCoy
says they hope for good things from the addition
of Cottrell to the staff.
“His mom works for us now, and we’re glad to
have him with us,’’ he said.
High School. Softball
Commerce Ranked 8’ East Jackson 5 In Polls
With the loss of several
seniors for both teams, the
GACA Coaches pre-season
softball poll shows the uncer
tainty that some people feel
in how Commerce and East
Jackson will fare in the upcom
ing season, which gets under
way Friday.
The poll, released by GaSports.
com on Friday, has Commerce
in eighth place in the polling
for 8-A. Last year, the Lady
Tigers finished second in the
region.
Eagles Landing Christian
Academy leads the 8-A poll
ing, followed by Gordon Lee,
Wesleyan, Savannah Christian,
Bowdon, Georgia Military
and Calvary Day. Providence
Christian and Taylor County
are listed below Commerce.
In 8-AA polling, East Jackson
is ranked fifth. Last year, despite
having a first-year program, the
Lady Eagles took the region by
storm, coming away as 8-AA
champs, winning 23 games
overall while going undefeated
in the region.
Friday’s poll lists Buford
on top, followed by Berrien,
Greater Atlanta Christian and
North Oconee. East Jackson is
ranked ahead of Blessed Trinity,
Calhoun, Southeast Bullock,
Jefferson and Jeff Davis.
Commerce kicks off its sea
son Friday at the Lanier Point
Invitational in Gainesville. The
Lady Tigers will open tourna
ment play at 6:30 p.m. against
White County.
The Eagles will open their sea
son Friday with a home stand
against Clarke Central. The first
pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.
Outdoors
2008-09 Hunting Regulations Available
The 2008-2009 Georgia Hunting Seasons
and Regulations Guide now is available online
announces the Georgia Department of Natural
Resources, Wildlife Resources Division (WRD).
This guide provides information on season dates,
bag limits, hunting licenses, wildlife manage
ment areas and much more and is available on
the WRD website, www.gohuntgeorgia.com. This
important guide will be available soon at license
agents beginning August 1, 2008.
“The Popular guide is designed to help hunters
understand the laws and regulations for hunting in
Georgia,’’ says WRD Assistant Chief John Bowers.
“We encourage all hunters annually to review
the popular guide and note any changes to their
favorite hunting areas, seasons or activities.’’
Members of the Board of Natural Resources set
hunting regulations by acting on recommenda
tions made by WRD’s professional wildlife biolo
gists and field personnel. Georgia’s game and
fish laws are set by the elected members of the
General Assembly.
Major changes for the upcoming season
include:
• Dove Season: Based on input from dove hunt
ers, the dove season has changed as follows - the
October season will shift to one week later and
provide full day hunting on opening day of the
October season (as opposed to half-day hunting
in past years).
•License Changes: Beginning later this year,
hunters will be able to take advantage of a new
and improved licensing system, which provides
options to purchase a license on-line, by phone
and at select vendors. A service charge is associ
ated with this new system.
•License Revocation Policy: Beginning Sept. 1,
2008, individuals who egregiously or habitually
violate Georgia’s game and fish laws and regula
tions are subject to having their hunting and fish
ing privileges revoked or suspended.
For more information on Georgia hunting sea
sons and regulations, visit www.gohuntgeorgia.
com , contact a local WRD Game Management
Office or call the WRD Hunter Services Office at
(770) 761-3045.
Safety Should Be Priority On The Water
The thought of tragedy or
death probably never enters
the minds of most swimmers
and boaters out enjoying
a day of fun on the water.
Perhaps, it should. Last year,
51 people drowned and 18
others died in boating relat
ed incidents in Georgia. The
Georgia Department of Natural
Resources’ Wildlife Resources
Division (WRD) encourages
everyone to practice safety at
all times when in and around
the water.
Some tips for both boating
and water safety include:
•Designate an operator.
Don’t drink and operate a
boat.
•Take a boating safety course
and/or a swimming course.
•Never swim alone. If you
are a marginal swimmer, wear
a flotation device.
•Don’t mix alcohol or drugs
with boating or swimming.
•Never let children swim or
boat unsupervised.
•Wear your life jacket.
•Don’t overload your boat
with people or equipment.
Check on the capacity plate
for the maximum weight or the
maximum number of people
the boat can safely carry.
Personal water craft opera
tors should also be aware of
these additional safety rules:
•Do NOT jump the wake of
another boat.
•Pay attention to your sur
roundings and make sure you
stay well clear of other ves
sels.
• Know Georgia’s age require
ments for PWC operation.
• Prevention and common
sense can help prevent water-
related tragedies.
For more information on
boating safety or how to take
a boating safety course, visit
www.goboatgeorgia.com or call
(770) 760-3010. To learn more
about water safety, visit the
Red Cross web site at www.
redcross.org.
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