Post by dalejrfan on Feb 28, 2006 23:17:01 GMT -5
CatDaddy takes back-to-back Bama Bash wins
GLENCOE, Ala. -- Clint Smith (aka. CatDaddy) of Senoia, GA took another impressive victory as he successfully defended his "BAMA BASH" title, Sunday at Green Valley Speedway in Gadsden, AL. The four day mega-event wrapped-up Sunday, after rains forced officials to consolidate the Dirt Super Late Model portion of the event, Saturday morning. Smith piloting his familiar white/blue #44 "JP Drilling, Base Racing Fuel & Oils, Integra Race Shocks" sponsored GRT / Racetek, Pontiac Gran Prix racecar, railed the large half-mile Northern Alabama dirt track with a flag to flag 40 lap victory.
"We really like coming here…" stated Smith as he climbed out of "his office" in Victory Lane, "I’m glad this year we didn’t have to chase down anyone on the last lap." continued the WoOLM series "Outlaw" superstar, in reference to last years last lap BAMA pass. "We’re on the road so much throughout the season, it’s good to race here, near some old friends and family."
Qualifying locked in the top 18 fastest that saw only thirty-four SLM’s teams sign-in on Sunday morning. Home-track advantage seemed to go around as three of the top five qualifiers hailed from nearby AL residences. Reigning and multi-time Track Champion, Robert Gant from nearby Flat Rock, AL set the standard early, clocking an impressive 15:146 lap around the 1/2 mile clay-banked facility. As the final qualifier hit the track the yellow/red #22 "Whites Logging, Studio 306, American Race Tires" sponsored GRT / Race Engine Design, Ford Taurus seem to have the pole locked down. Unfortunately CatDaddy had other ideas. Smith’s 2nd of two qualifying times hit a 15:144, grazing Gant from the BASH pole.
Dingus Griffin and Randall Walker hammered home 3rd and 5th overall fastest qualifier with fellow CatDaddy neighbor "Little" Joe Armistead Jr. pumping out a 4th over-all qualifying time. In the "B" Main: Last Chance Consi. 2005 Southern Thunder Tour series champion Chris Noah raced his new team to victory in the #40 "J&K Tire, Riverstone Graphics, Concrete Construction II" sponsored GRT / Gaerte, Pontiac Gran Prix. Brian Barno, Randy Burrows, Tyler Landers, Bo Shirley and "The Headman" Mike Head also all earned transfer spots to the BASH feature.
As the green flag flew over the field Smith, powered into the lead with Gant, Walker, Armistead and Brian Smith following. The field stretched out over the next ten circuits until the first yellow flew when Burrows went for a solo spin off of turn four. Smith lit up the next restart quickly putting some distance between himself and Gant. B. Smith began charging towards the front until Scott Howard reared caution #2 in turn two. This would also see the end of "Little" Joe, as Armistead pitted amidst a fluid leak while in solidly in fourth.
Back under green, with a new top five that consisted of CatDaddy, Gant, Walker, B. Smith and now TJ Alford in his #007 "TJ Alford Motorsports, Renegade Racing Fuels" Warrior / TA Machine, Pontiac GTO, the field roared back to life. Just over a handful of laps Jay Brinkley stalled his machine near the halfway point to rear another yellow. All eyes at GVS began watching as the #5 "Miller Bros. Coal Inc, Starette Trucking, Mike Vaughn’s Auto Exchange" MasterSbilt / Race Engine Design, Pontiac Gran Prix, of Ronnie Johnson. RJ began hustling thru traffic and "The Chattanooga Flash" started picking off positions, one by one using the very bottom of the track. As the laps wound down RJ and the # 15 "Brooks Construction" sponsored Rayburn / Walker, Chevrolet Monte Carlo of Walker went at it for third place.
Late back-marker traffic hindered CatDaddy’s distancing power, but also allowed RJ to pull past Walker and set up a challenge on the number-two man Gant. Unfortunately caution covered the field for the final time as Noah and Jody Davis collided down the back-stretch, with just three to go. With clear sailing ahead, the checkers waved over the field, netting Smith $4,000 for his second consecutive "BAMA BASH" victory. Gant was second with Johnson, Alford and Walker rounding out the top five. The next Dirt SLM mega-event for the Green Valley Speedway is the "Keith Hays Memorial" scheduled for April 28th and 29th. The first regular season race at GVS is in two weeks on Saturday, March 11th.
GLENCOE, Ala. -- Clint Smith (aka. CatDaddy) of Senoia, GA took another impressive victory as he successfully defended his "BAMA BASH" title, Sunday at Green Valley Speedway in Gadsden, AL. The four day mega-event wrapped-up Sunday, after rains forced officials to consolidate the Dirt Super Late Model portion of the event, Saturday morning. Smith piloting his familiar white/blue #44 "JP Drilling, Base Racing Fuel & Oils, Integra Race Shocks" sponsored GRT / Racetek, Pontiac Gran Prix racecar, railed the large half-mile Northern Alabama dirt track with a flag to flag 40 lap victory.
"We really like coming here…" stated Smith as he climbed out of "his office" in Victory Lane, "I’m glad this year we didn’t have to chase down anyone on the last lap." continued the WoOLM series "Outlaw" superstar, in reference to last years last lap BAMA pass. "We’re on the road so much throughout the season, it’s good to race here, near some old friends and family."
Qualifying locked in the top 18 fastest that saw only thirty-four SLM’s teams sign-in on Sunday morning. Home-track advantage seemed to go around as three of the top five qualifiers hailed from nearby AL residences. Reigning and multi-time Track Champion, Robert Gant from nearby Flat Rock, AL set the standard early, clocking an impressive 15:146 lap around the 1/2 mile clay-banked facility. As the final qualifier hit the track the yellow/red #22 "Whites Logging, Studio 306, American Race Tires" sponsored GRT / Race Engine Design, Ford Taurus seem to have the pole locked down. Unfortunately CatDaddy had other ideas. Smith’s 2nd of two qualifying times hit a 15:144, grazing Gant from the BASH pole.
Dingus Griffin and Randall Walker hammered home 3rd and 5th overall fastest qualifier with fellow CatDaddy neighbor "Little" Joe Armistead Jr. pumping out a 4th over-all qualifying time. In the "B" Main: Last Chance Consi. 2005 Southern Thunder Tour series champion Chris Noah raced his new team to victory in the #40 "J&K Tire, Riverstone Graphics, Concrete Construction II" sponsored GRT / Gaerte, Pontiac Gran Prix. Brian Barno, Randy Burrows, Tyler Landers, Bo Shirley and "The Headman" Mike Head also all earned transfer spots to the BASH feature.
As the green flag flew over the field Smith, powered into the lead with Gant, Walker, Armistead and Brian Smith following. The field stretched out over the next ten circuits until the first yellow flew when Burrows went for a solo spin off of turn four. Smith lit up the next restart quickly putting some distance between himself and Gant. B. Smith began charging towards the front until Scott Howard reared caution #2 in turn two. This would also see the end of "Little" Joe, as Armistead pitted amidst a fluid leak while in solidly in fourth.
Back under green, with a new top five that consisted of CatDaddy, Gant, Walker, B. Smith and now TJ Alford in his #007 "TJ Alford Motorsports, Renegade Racing Fuels" Warrior / TA Machine, Pontiac GTO, the field roared back to life. Just over a handful of laps Jay Brinkley stalled his machine near the halfway point to rear another yellow. All eyes at GVS began watching as the #5 "Miller Bros. Coal Inc, Starette Trucking, Mike Vaughn’s Auto Exchange" MasterSbilt / Race Engine Design, Pontiac Gran Prix, of Ronnie Johnson. RJ began hustling thru traffic and "The Chattanooga Flash" started picking off positions, one by one using the very bottom of the track. As the laps wound down RJ and the # 15 "Brooks Construction" sponsored Rayburn / Walker, Chevrolet Monte Carlo of Walker went at it for third place.
Late back-marker traffic hindered CatDaddy’s distancing power, but also allowed RJ to pull past Walker and set up a challenge on the number-two man Gant. Unfortunately caution covered the field for the final time as Noah and Jody Davis collided down the back-stretch, with just three to go. With clear sailing ahead, the checkers waved over the field, netting Smith $4,000 for his second consecutive "BAMA BASH" victory. Gant was second with Johnson, Alford and Walker rounding out the top five. The next Dirt SLM mega-event for the Green Valley Speedway is the "Keith Hays Memorial" scheduled for April 28th and 29th. The first regular season race at GVS is in two weeks on Saturday, March 11th.