Newspaper Page Text
THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS
PACE 3B
WEDNESDAY, JULY 23, 2008
Down the Stretch
85 season proved nothing is certain
I t’s been an interesting week,
as many of the NASCAR
pundits are already calling
Kyle Busch the 2008 NASCAR
Sprint Cup Champion.
True, that after picking up win
number seven at Chicagoland
Speedway, young Mr. Busch is
very much a favorable candidate
for the title once the tour reaches
Homestead in November.
But to call him the champ this
early brings back memories of
another driver who seemed invin
cible as NASCAR hit its summer
stride, but who saw his champi
onship hopes slip away in a post-
Labor Day slide. In fact, that
driver, a red headed Georgian
by the name of Bill Elliott, had
won the same number of races
as Busch by this time in his big
season.
The year - was 1985.
Bill Elliott and his Harry
Melling owned team served
notice to the competition at
Daytona in February that they
would be a force that year.
First Bill sat on the pole with
a then record speed of 205.114
mph. Then he went on to lead
136 of 200 laps in a show of
dominating force that hadn’t been
seen at Daytona in years.
After two bad luck runs at
Richmond and Rockingham,
Elliott silenced all doubters with
another win at Atlanta, followed
by a third at Darlington.
But, by far, Elliott fired the big
gest shot at Talladega in May.
After starting on the pole,
Elliott held the point early, until
his Ford began Railing smoke.
An oil line had come loose, and
the Elliott team spent two laps in
the pits fixing it.
What happened next is, without
a doubt, the greatest comeback in
NASCAR history.
As lead
er Cale
Yarborough
led the field
around at 200
mph, Elliott
made up both
laps without
the aid of a
caution flag,
to put himself
back on the
lead lap.
As many
watched in disbelief, Elliott then
put the icing on the cake. He
came around everyone again, and
took the lead.
Elliott won the race going
away. Nobody had ever seen
anything like it, and likely never
will again at Talladega.
From there, Elliott seemed
unstoppable.
He picked up wins at Dover
and Pocono, and then recorded
win number seven of the year at
Michigan on June 16.
Just as Kyle Busch this year - ,
everyone felt that Elliott had the
championship in the bag.
Elliott’s performances only
cemented that belief, as he won
two more times, leading to Labor
Day weekend, and the Southern
500, where his victory over
Yarborough’s ailing Ford gave
him a million dollar payday after
his earlier wins at Daytona and
Talladega.
With a 206-point lead, the pun
dits were quick to name Elliott
the presumptive champ.
But it didn’t work out that way.
The win at Darlington signaled
the beginning of a slide for the
Elliott team.
Four races in a row saw Elliott
finish outside of the top ten,
including a 30th place effort at
North Wilkesboro.
Meanwhile, Darrell Waltrip and
Junior Johnson were lurking in
the shadows, watching for their
opportunity.
Waltrip and Johnson were two
of the wiliest competitors of all
time in NASCAR, and when
Elliott faltered, they charged.
Waltrip finished second in three
of the four events that followed
Darlington, and took the points
lead from the Georgia driver at
North Wilkesboro. He also won
at Rockingham, while Elliott fin
ished fourth.
Elliott rebounded with a big
win at Atlanta, closing the gap
to only 20 points with the final
race of the season at Riverside
International Raceway looming
ahead.
With both drivers having seen
success at the historic California
road course, the season finale
promised to be a fierce battle
between the two.
But it didn’t happen.
Transmission woes left Elliott 23
laps down, while Waltrip scam
pered to a fifth place finish and
his third championship.
Elliott’s 11 wins that season
still proved it to be his most
successful, despite missing the
championship. Despite the pun
dits’ predictions, he proved that
nothing in life is certain.
With the second half of the
2008 Cup season, we can see if
young Mr. Busch can continue
his winning ways.
But remember the lesson that
was learned back in 1985. It’s an
old one, summed up best by a
legend from another sport.
It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.
Brandon Reed is a reporter for
Mainstreet Newspapers. E-mail
comments about this column to
brandon @ mainstreetnews. com.
brandon
reed
Auto Racing
BUDGET HEARING
The Banks County Commissioners will hold a public hearing on July 31,2008 at 9:00 a.m. and
6:00 p.m. in the conference room of the Banks County Courthouse for all interested citizens.
This hearing will be for the purpose of discussion of the proposed FY 2009 budget as shown
below. All citizens will have the opportunity to give comments. The budget is available for review
in the Commissioners’ office Monday - Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
BANKS COUNTY
FY2009
Revenues
Exoenditures
General Property Taxes
$3,400,000
General Government
$100,000
Motor Vehicle Taxes
375,000
Governing Body
479,426
Railroad Equipment Tax
7,500
Registrars
60,625
Real Estate Transfer
25,000
Technology/M IS
297,042
Intangible Tax
105,000
Human Resources
216,125
Franchise Tax - Cable TV
2,000
Tax Commissioner
267,485
Local Option Sales Tax
2,700,000
Tax Assessors
371,630
Hotel/Motel Tax - Co 60%
215,000
Courthouse/Buildings
163,429
Hotel/Motel Tax - CVB 40%
140,000
Annex
693,567
Alcoholic Beverage Excise Tax
195,000
Superior Court
266,741
Business & Occupation Tax
50,000
Clerk of Superior Court
217,624
Insurance Premium
580,000
District Attorney
200,417
Beer - Package
4,700
Magistrate Court
130,523
Beer - Consumption
5,500
Probate Court
214,024
Wine - Package
6,000
Probation
38,411
Liquor - Consumption
22,500
Jail Operations
948,708
Building Permits
140,000
Sheriff
1,916,400
Federal payment in lieu of taxes
500
Fire/EMS
2,253,183
Local Government Unit Grants
Coroner
27,744
Court Costs - Probation Fee
56,000
Highways and Streets
1,543,017
Election Qualifying Fee
500
Landfill/Solid Waste
14,450
Sale of maps & publications
1,000
Recyclables Program
47,747
Board of Education Coll Fee
171,000
Public Health Admin.
116,500
Special Police Services
21,000
Public Welfare Admin.
76,000
Ambulance Fees
250,000
Extension Service
107,594
Solid Waste Disposal Fees
1,000,000
Senior Citizens Program
255,673
Public Trans. - State Reimb.
15,000
Public Transportion
43,187
Public Trans. - Passenger Fares
12,500
Recreation Program
385,907
Recreation Fees
40,000
Historic Bldg. Maint.
15,200
Senior Center Receipts
80,000
Natural Resource Cons.
3,589
Recreation Vending Receipts
100
Library Admin.
98,000
Courts
Bldg. Inspection
102,625
Superior
325,000
Planning & Zoning
153,531
Magistrate
25,000
Economic Development
37,500
Probate
350,000
Chamber of Commerce
35,000
VSVRD
15,000
CVB/Motel 40%
140,000
Interest Revenues
200,000
Emergency Communications
869,713
Other
500
Public Utilities
Interfund Transfers
S ewag e/Wastewate r
210,6842
Jail Operations Reimb.
250,000
Administration
308,523
Victims Assistance
33,879
Pumping & Purification
610,730
Public Utilities Operations Reimb
855,000
Distribution
529,502
E911 Operations Reimb
200,000
Prior Year Reserve
2,637,402
Surplus Property Sale
5,000
Capital Lease Proceeds
50,153
Total Revenues $14,567,734
Total Expenses
$14,567,734
Area Racing
Make it an even dozen for Love at Lanier
VICTORY NO. 12
Maysville’s Joe Love earned his 12th win in the Open Wheel
Modified division at Lanier National Speedway Saturday.
BY BRANDON REED
He did it again.
Maysville racing ace Joey Love
picked up his 12th victory in the
Open Wheel Modified division
Saturday night at Lanier National
Speedway.
It was Love's fourth straight win at
the Braselton raceway, a track he has
all but dominated this season.
Several local drivers traveled to
Anderson Motor Speedway in South
Carolina to compete in Friday night’s
GAS Series event. Joey Senter
of Jefferson finished third, while
fellow Jefferson driver Nick Potts
finished eighth and Dacula’s Russell
Fleeman finished ninth. Anderson
native Ralph Carnes took the win,
his first in a GAS series event.
Jefferson native Ryan Crane con
tinued his successful season Sunday,
as he finished second in the All
American 150 at the Music City
Motorplex in Nashville, Tenn.
Russell Fleeman also competed in
the event, but completed only 29
laps before he retired with overheat-
If the battle was meant to intimi
date, it didn't throw Bell's game
off in the least, as he won with a
.019 reaction time, running 4.77 on
a 4.74 dial, alongside Nalley’s .053
light, running 6.88 on a 6.82 dial.
Jeremy Hancock of Commerce
and Michael Brown of Covington
placed in the semi-final round.
Pro Class winner Bruce Wilson’s
victory was a full-fledged family
achievement. His win-light was met
with deafening screaming from his
nieces and wide smiles from his
racing father Jessie, mom Sue and
brother Michael. Wilson secured the
win with a dead-on dial of 6.68,
and the better reaction time of .070
against Monroe's Barry Camp, who
turned in a .159, running a 6.40 on
a 6.39 dial. Wilson, of Tallapoosa,
said he was just glad not to red light,
as he did in his past five races, hav
ing problems. Indiana native Scott
Hantz took the win.
It was an up and down week
end for Suwanee’s Michael Phelps.
Phelps first traveled to Sparta, Ky.,
to race in the ARC A 150. After
starting second, Phelps worked all
night to stay in the running, and
ended up with a ninth place fin
ish for his efforts. Ken Butler, of
Lilburn, was running well until a
ing beaten himself on the tree.
Wilson won his first Wally at the
’01 NHRA Division Two ET finals.
He said he originally planned on
staying at home, if it weren’t for
the Wally opportunity. Greg Allen
of Greenwood, S.C., and David
Simmons of Suwanee finished in
the semifinals.
Winterville’s Steve Winn won in
the Motorcycle category, making his
first racing career triumph that much
sweeter with the simultaneous gain
ing of a Wally by defeating final-
round opponent Jeff Shropshire of
Dallas.
Winn sank Shropshire with the
better package, cutting a .012 light,
and tripping the win stripe with an
11.04 on a 10.90 dial, in opposition
to Shropshire's .046 light and 9.78
run on a 9.63 dial.
Jimmy “Chacha” Heisler of
late race accident relegated him to a
28th place finish. Scott Speed took
the win.
Phelps next traveled to Kenly, N.C.
to take part in the USAR Hooters Pro
Cup event tour at Southern National
Raceway Park Saturday night.
Commerce’s Brian Thomas took
home an eighth place finish in the
American Sprint Car Series feature
event At Cochran Speedway.
page IB
Woodstock and Michael Tlapa of
Loganville finished in third place.
For the second year in a row, the
13-17 Junior Dragster Challenge was
won by Danielle Krause of Peachtree
City, who won with an 8.00 run on
a 7.91 dial and a .036 light, facing
Statham’s Jordan Thurmond, who
beat himself by running a hundredth
of a second under his dial-in with a
7.96 on a 7.97.
Fifteen-year old Valerie Clements
of Central, S.C., and Jeff Osborn,
also 15, of Woodstock, earned the
third-place trophies.
Twelve-year old Wesley Mayfield
of Gainesville won in the 8-12 Junior
Dragster category after Hiawassee's
Daulton Roger fouled at the line.
Ten-year old Hiawassee racer Alex
Krause, brother of 13-17 winner
Danielle Krause, finished in the
semi-finals.
Dragway... continued from
to View Homs Tosirs And Moie
v :;it u YDifTube.CDm/AHPuideos
me Mel IV-3 bedrooms, 2 balhs, lS6fl sq. It.
intruding unlimshcd bonus room
1 h c I ri 5 -1 h e cl r ti o ms, 2 ti a tbs. 118 5 s q 11
l lie fOtil - 3 bn rl ro n ms. 2 ti ?ths, 13D J sq 11
IhB Mimosa - 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2OBI sq. It.
including garage
A rtierj c as Ho m u Place ,co m £■
America s # 1 0n-Vour-Lot CuslomHnme Builder.
Established 1922.
Easy Financing Available!
Gainesville
406 Pearl Nix Parkway.
Gainesville, GA305Q1
404-386-0323
Dawsonville
355 Quill Drive, Suite 140,
Dawsonville, GA 30534
404-386-0323