Swainsboro Raceway kicked off the Historical Pine Tree festivities with the South’s Best Dirt Track and Go Kart Racing Events in the history of Emanuel County. Crowd records were broken as over 100 racecars registered for six different divisions to battle for the ultimate one of a kind hard carved pine trophies. Fans lined the grandstands on the edge of their seats leaving standing room only with the maximum crowd capacity.
The nights events kicked off with 32 Southland Insurance Crate Late Model drivers competing in 4 heat race events that locked in the top six for a 20 lap showdown. Ches Chester and Caleb Gay led the field off turn four to green. Chester quickly took the lead as Ryan Davis would claim second. All bets would be on the 97 of Little Sexy Cody Overton taking a quick claim to that fast outside groove in the third position. Lap four, working his way through the pack JJ Reich brings out caution with heavy front end damage giving up the seventh position. After the famous, dixie double file restart, Overton gets his advantage and tales the lead on lap 6. Near halfway, Swainsboro’s Ben Faircloth putting up a challenge in a three wide battle for third. As laps dwindle down, Overton carries the lead as Chester and Gay side by side for second. Lap 14, Chaz Haskins makes it three wide for fourth. Five to go, Eric Register ended a good night battling for 3rd with a left rear flat. Cody Overton takes the checkered, Ryan Davis moves into second, Caleb Gay third, Ches Chester fourth, and Ben Faircloth fifth.
In the Zaxby’s Crate Late Model division 23 drivers saluted fans with a 4 wide pace lap as Pearson Lee Williams and Cody Overton take the green off turn four. Overton to the high side inches to the lead over Williams. The outside groove of the new racing surface appearing to be faster. Ches Chester sets in on the third position. As the top two started working through lapped traffic, just before the halfway point Williams took the lead. Williams and Overton continue numerous laps duking it out door to door weaving in and out of traffic. Fans on the edge of their seat. Pearson Lee Williams becomes the first third generation driver to earn the Pine Tree 100 title with a well-deserved and earned win holding off top competitor Cody Overton in second, Ches Chester third, Garrett Mosley fourth, and Corey Gordon fifth.
Two seasoned drivers took control of front row in the Rustic Grill Street Stock division with Robert Oglesby and Jimmy Sharpe Jr out front. Little Jimmy quick to take the lead as lap four sent Brent Herndon running fourth to the rear. Running in the second position, Monk Gulledge began having issues and slowly falling back. Five laps to go, battling for third Daniel Roland and Jamie Whitaker hook both spinning in turn one. Jimmy Sharpe Jr picks up the win, Robert Oglesby second, Josh Nelms third, Brandon Carpenter fourth, and Monk Gulledge fifth.
Twenty -seven drivers took the green in the Daniels Chevrolet Road Warrior division with 18 year old young Tyler Davis showing up from prom in a tuxedo leading the way. Roger McKenzie brought the power and took advantage of the new racing surface quickly taking the lead as Davis fought setup and handling issues the entire race. However, McKenzie had another Davis to worry about as Kyle Davis moves in to take over the lead. Kyle Davis takes the checkered, Roger McKenzie second, Clinton Love third, Jordan Johnson fourth, and Justin Williams fifth.
Trying make it two in a row for the Bargain Bucket 440 division Tyler Davis took the lead over John Hooks once again. As Davis and Hooks have battled several weeks door to door swapping positions and putting on a good show for fans, one slight wrong move can cause the other a race win. Davis seem to seal the deal early getting a slight lead ahead of Hooks as teammate Rod Morris plays around for second. Just within the halfway point, the lapped traffic that seems to play a role each week. As the leaders work their way through with a multiple groove track, Hooks finds the advantage. John hooks takes the lead to pick up the win over Tyler Davis, Rod Morris, Scotty Hunnicutt, and Mitchell McNure.
After practice and a Thursday night call out paying $710 in the Lynn & Bobs Crown Vic Class, Jared Peebles returned once again to take the checkered earning another $200 plus hand carved pine for Blue Moon Racing Team. Gary Edwards falls short again in second place, Lenny Hobbs third, Trey Hobbs fourth, and Phillip Johnson fifth.
