New Senoia Raceway Opens This Saturday

NEW SENOIA RACEWAY SEASON OPENER THIS SATURDAY NIGHT
By Katherine Adams

March 30, 2011 (Senoia, GA) Tim and Tony Moses are set to open the gates for their second season at the helm of New Senoia Raceway this Saturday, April 2nd. The second year promoter tandem will welcome back stock car racers and race fans to the 3/8ths mile speed plant just west of Senoia, Georgia on Georgia Highway 16. Six divisions of dirt track racing are on the opening night event card that kicks off a twenty-four event season which will culminate in late September. The grandstand gates open at 5:30pm with racing set to begin at 8:00pm.

Saturday’s opener marks the second time for the Moses to open up the forty-two year old facility. The brothers reopened the race track last April with a clay surface for the first time since the late eighties when the original dirt track was paved over with asphalt. They enjoyed a successful first year and are now ready to open for their second go around this Saturday night.

Last year’s late season surge by Senoia’s Joe Armistead, Jr. in the Mike Wheelers Automotive & Transmission Late Model division has most short track racing experts excited about a new year of competition. Armistead used a dominating performance the final two months of 2010 to nab five feature wins and match the five wins by Bowden’s Shane Criswell. The division also features Thomaston’s Shane Fulcher (four wins in 2010) and ‘Racin’ Jason Williams of Locust Grove (three wins in 2010), along with track favorites Rucker Orr (Newnan), Scott Duffey (Newnan), Ricky Williams (Fayetteville), Carey Smith (Carrollton), Daniel Goodman (Senoia), David Burton (Fayetteville) and Glenn Morris (Fayetteville). A youth movement continues this year within the division as a pair of 14-year-olds suit up to challenge the veteran competitors. Brooks driver ‘Magic’ Matt Dooley will be expected along with youngster Marty Lunsford.

“The racing in the Late Models should be great this season,” said Tim Moses. “There are several drivers that could win the feature race on any given night. Plus, we have a couple of new competitors that will challenge the guys that did well last season.”

The Crown Security Crate Late Models will once again run under the national sanction of the NeSmith Series. This offers the local contingent of racers an opportunity for regional and national honors. Newnan’s Parrish Duncan took home the track title last season through consistent finishes. Duncan failed to pick up a feature victory en route to his track title. LaGrange’s Tod Darda captured the most checkered flags for the crate division in 2010 as he visited victory lane seven times. Newnan’s Craig Scott, the ‘Zero Hero’, is expected to challenge for the title this season. Other competition for the crown should come from Troy Tyson (Fayetteville), Trey White (Stockbridge) and Jeremy Hall (Carrollton).

The pre-season expectation for the Newnan Bonding B-Cadet class is uncertain. Several drivers that experienced success in 2010 will be looking for that return of good fortune this year. Grantville’s Blake Griffin, Stockbridge’s Jeff Carter and Union City’s Billy Bright, Jr. all were dominant at the speedway during different months of the 2010 race schedule. This year they will see additional competition entering the arena with Newnan’s Marcus Caswell, Box Spring’s hot shoe Sam Moore and Newnan’s Lee Fuller looking for greater success. Newcomer Matthew Knight (Villa Rica) will also look to make an impact on the division. Knight’s father Mark competed last season at a couple of races.

“My son Matthew will run my B-Cadet class this season,” said Knight. “I will be running in the late model class and when the go kart track is completed, my youngest son Ryan will most likely compete there.”

Family and fun is one of the most important facets to the Moses operation on Saturday nights from April through September. That is not more evident than in the Mini Stock division at New Senoia Raceway. Third generation driver, Robert Caldwell of Meansville, will have family members Thomas, Kenny and Mike by his side throughout the season. He also will include sons Tyler and Jack in the weekly racing activities. Caldwell will have his hands full chasing the laurels in the four-cylinder class as eleven different drivers won a feature last season.

“Our Mini Stock class showcased some of the best racing last year,” said track promoter Tim Moses. “They raced side by side and sometimes three wide. They bumped and banged a little. But, when it came down to racing, they put on a great show for the fans. There is not one single driver that dominated and I think that will remain the same in 2011.”

Douglasville’s Matt Black picked up three feature wins in 2010. Black built a new car during the off season and has set his sights on the point’s title for the Mini Stocks.

“We have solidified some good sponsors on the race car with the addition of Black’s Services and Padgett Town Produce,” said Black. “Good funding helps in the team’s pursuit of a track championship.”

Returning stars in the Mini Stocks that will be working to keep Matt Black’s goal of a championship season from happening include, Gary Parker (Barnesville), Joe Spencer (Grantville), Bobby Arnold (Newnan), Bo Chambers (Griffin), Stephen Hill (LaGrange) and Dusty Jones. Plus, the Coweta county short track racing family of the Brights will be back in full force.

“The Brights have been very supportive of the racing program at New Senoia Raceway,” said Tim Moses. “They will bring half a dozen cars to race and a large number of fans to cheer them on. Everyone who visits the speedway will see their bright orange team shirts.”

Another big supporter of the speedway was also one of it’s most dominant race teams in 2010. Newnan’s Scott Sherrer won a season high thirteen feature races last year in the Summit Racing Supplies Hobby Stock division. Sherrer may have won more had he not been out of commission for over a month after a bad crash sidelined his race team. Sherrer will see his biggest competition this year from track rival Mike Parker (Moreland), Clifton Moran (Carrollton), Winford Minix (Senoia) and Gary ‘Cornbread’ Brand (Franklin). It will not be easy to repeat that many wins in 2011.

All divisions will be in action this Saturday night including the new Bomber division. The time schedule for this Saturday’s ‘Season Opener’ includes the pit area and trackside parking opening at 4:00pm. The grandstands will open at 5:30pm. Hot laps will begin at 7:00pm with the season’s first race set to go green at 8:00pm.

Grandstand admission is $12 for adults, ten and under will be admitted for free. Trackside parking (outside turn one and turn two) is available with admission set at $25 per person. Pit passes are $25.

For additional information on New Senoia Raceway, visit the speedway website at www.newsenoiaraceway.com or call the speedway at 770-599-6161. You can also join the speedway’s Facebook family by searching for New Senoia Raceway on your Facebook page.