Saturday night racing action returned to the newly reconfigured restructured Swainsboro Raceway. Drivers and fans packed the stands with the largest grandstand attendance on record. Ninety-five cars lined the fields to compete in six divisions. Drivers in the Zaxby’s 604 Crate Late Model division tested the newly surfaced track first with 3 laps of hot lap qualifying setting the pace for 2 heat race events. Starting the 25 lap feature event inside pole Swainsboro’s own Ironhead Chesley Dixon and recently dominating all across the state of Georgia, Little Sexy Cody Overton.
As the green fell, Overton took and initial lead with Will Herrington in second as Dixon gets shuffled back. Lap three, Brandon Carpenter starting in tenth quickly moving through field. Jim Rogers starting eighth took over the third position riding the high side. Lap five, Will Herrington pulled a slide job to get by Overton for the lead. Lap 14, Billy Graham became the first to take a hard trip over the concrete wall in turn three and four. Lap 16, Hurricane Henry Carter returning to his home track starts moving to the front. Five to go, Jordy Nipper takes a hard charge for the third position. Three and four wide racing throughout the field in the best late model race ever at Swainsboro Raceway, Will Herrington takes the checkered.
Cody Overton drove super hard to pick up second, Jordy Nipper captured the third position, Jim Rogers fourth, and Benjamin Cranford fifth.
The Southland Insurance 602 Crate Late Model division Ricky McLain and Cody Overton led the field to green. McClain took the lead with Overton second. Lap two, Cameron Tribble moved into third. With the double file restarts after caution, Tribble made several advances to take over the second position but Overton held him off. Halfway, McLain began to pull away from the field as Scott Waters fought for third and Terry Lumley moves into the fifth position. Ricky McLain led flag to flag for the win, Cameron Tribble makes his way to second, Tyler Williams third, Cody Overton fourth, and Terry Lumley finished out the top five.
In the Rustic Grill Street Stock division, George Williamson and Donnie Bazemore both picked up heat race wins. On the start, Bazemore quickly took the lead with Jaime Whitaker in second. Lap five, Williamson begins to shuffle back in the field. Four to go, Dusty Collins tries to make a move toward the front. Donnie Bazemore grabs the win, Jaime Whitaker second, Daniel Roland third, Dusty Collins fourth, and Jimmy Maness fifth.
Twenty five cars turned out for the Daniels Chevrolet Road Warrior division. After three heat races, Jaime Foskey, Tyler Davis, and Dallas Simmons earned the win. As the green fell on the feature, Jaime Foskey took the lead. Going down the back stretch, Jordan accelerates trying to move through the field before entering turn three without breaking and monster trucks over the top of Clarissa Ledford. On the restart, Tyler Davis digs down deep to the inside as Foskey rides high. Davis takes over the lead and Dustin Watkins moves into the second position. As the track gets slick and tires are wearing down, Davis fights hard to hold off Watkins. Two to go, Dustin Watkins makes the move taking the checkered flag. Finishing out the top five was Tyler Davis, Jordan Johnson, Jared Jones makes a last lap pass for fourth, and Jaime Foskey fifth.
New to the racing agenda and crowd favorite, the Lynn & Bobs Crown Vic division rolls to the speedway. Super quiet cars with running blue lights brought super excitement to fans. Several would spin and keep going without caution flag. On the start in the XXX car, Lenny Hobbs takes control with Gary Edwards in second. Edwards spins off turn four never slowing down or bringing out caution. Lenny’s son Trey Hobbs moved into the second position. Father and Son battle several laps side by side. Coming to the checkered flag, Son Trey Hobbs inched by Lenny Hobbs as they were door to door. In post-race inspection, Trey’s first responses was like Forrest Gump, “Man I gotta Pee.” The excitement of this new division has fans on the edge of their seat and cheering for the blue lights. Trey Hobbs took the first ever Lynn & Bobs Crown Vic win, Lenny Hobbs second, Gary Edwards third, in memory of Tony Purvis and Blue Moon Racing Jared Peebles took fourth, and Christopher Morrow fifth.
Ending the best night of racing action was the Bargain Bucket 440 division. Battle warriors Tyler Davis and John Hooks came to green. Davis takes the lead with Hooks stuck to his rear. Starting in the rear working his way through Justin Stevens. Lap five, Stevens night ended short as he was involved in caution off turn two. On the restart, Rod Morris closes in on Hooks for second but Hooks continues to keep sights on leader Tyler Davis. Lap eight, Hooks tries Davis to the outside but Davis holds on. Tyler Davis earns the win, John Hooks second, Rod Morris third, Terry Davis fourth, and Bradley Bratcher fifth.
Regular racing action will resume April 24 followed by the Pine Tree 100 the first weekend in May. Check out Swainsboro Raceway’s Facebook page for all the latest updates. Thank you drivers and fans for the biggest Crank It Up 100 in history!
