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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