Several local drivers found success on racetracks around the country over the weekend.
Commerce’s Ty Lowe grabbed the Crate Late Model win at Hartwell Speedway Saturday night. It was a good weekend for Lowe, as he also picked up a third-place finish at Lavonia Speedway Friday night.
Suwanee’s Michael Phelps had another solid run in ARCA competition this weekend, as he finished 15th in the ARCA 200 at Berlin Raceway in Michigan Saturday. Lilburn driver Ken Butler started seventh in the event, but engine trouble relegated him to a 25th place finish. John Wes Townley of Athens finished eighth. Former Formula One driver Scott Speed picked up the win.
Jefferson’s Bobby Hill picked up a second-place finish Saturday night at Toccoa Speedway in the Hobby class. Nicholas “Worm Dog” Baxter, of Jefferson, finished fourth in the Stock Four Cylinder class.
Braselton’s Shane Sawyer earned a fourth-place finish Saturday night in the Pro Late Model division at Lanier National Speedway. Suwanee’s David Elliott finished eighth. Flowery Branch driver Rodney Benefield won the event, his first in Pro Late Model competition.
It was a rough weekend for the drag racing Johnson family out of Sugar Hill at the NHRA Fram Nationals at Sonoma, CA. After recording the top speed of the weekend in the Pro-Stock category with a pass of 209.33 earlier in the weekend, Warren Johnson went out in the first round when his car broke at the starting line.
For son Kurt Johnson, his weekend ended one race later, as he fell to V. Gaines in round one.
Dave Connolly went on to take the Pro Stock win.
