History was the theme of the evening and David Odell, Tina Stephens and Brittany Finley authored their own new chapters in the sport scoring big wins at Gresham Motorsports Park Saturday.
Odell notched his first major Late Model Stock car win capturing the CARQUEST Auto Parts Pro Late Model 100-lap main event while Stephens and Finley became the first women to win at the new track on a night when members of the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame made the track’s history come alive.
Odell ran a strong race, benefiting from a late tangle by leaders Bubba Pollard and Johnny Henderson. He then made his own luck grabbing the top spot from Shawn Simpson on the restart with 14 laps remaining and then held off a late-race challenge from Beau Slocumb to win his first major event since capturing a Truck race at Opp Speedway in Alabama several years ago.
“We were aiming for a top-six or top-seven finish,” said Odell in Victory Lane. “If we could have done that, we would have been just fine. We’re a low budget team. Slocumb has his stuff figured out and to beat him is so exciting.”
It looked like no one would challenge Pollard after he slipped by Hunter Robbins for the lead on a lap 24 restart. The Senoia, Georgia driver pulled out to a sizeable lead as Robbins, Henderson, Simpson, Kyle Sirizotti, Odell and Slocumb battled nose-to-tail for second through seventh.
Pollard still held the lead as Henderson slipped into second on lap 42. The two then ran off from the rest of the pack and appeared to be in a position to settle the win between them only to make contact and crash out of the race with 19 laps remaining.
That left the door open for Odell and he stepped through with flying colors taking the checkered flag in front of Slocumb, Sirizzotti, Simpson and Robbins. Hoschton’s Jimmy Garmon, Jeremy Mullinax, Rodney Benefield, James Nealis and Frederick Moore completed the Top-10 finishers.
Meanwhile, more than 25 members of the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame were on hand for GMP’s first event as the Official Track of the Georgia Hall and fittingly, Stephens and Finley made history by becoming the first women drivers to win on the new Gresham Motorsports Park half-mile oval.
Stephens controlled the Outlaw Late Model main event, holding off David Murphy by less than a car length at the checkered flag. Moments later, Finley made it two-for-two for the ladies as she backed up her fast time in the division by winning the Truck Series main event over Brian Huff, Bill Hoose, Michael Foy and Joel Townsend.
Spanky Hicks captured the Mini Stock main event out-dueling Jefferson’s Steve Hill, for the win while Doug Sexton won his second Renegade Street Stock main event of the season to round out the list of victors on the evening.
Next up at Gresham Motorsports Park will be the Super Late Models For Super Dads. The June 19 GMP event will be the perfect Father’s Day weekend activity as the Super Late Models return for a second time this season. Also on the action-packed racing card will be the Outlaw Late Models, Renegade Street Stocks and Mini-Stocks.
For more info, call 706-367-9461 or go online to www.greshammotorsportspark.com.
