Fastrak Hammerdown 50

Posted on 05/01/09

2009 FASTRAK Racing Series All rights reserved

Red Springs, NC (Apr-19)Virtually every major racing series has stops on their respective schedules where in the back of every drivers mind looms concern about 'THE BIG ONE'. In the Cup Series, the restrictor plate tracks seemingly peg the anticipation meter the most. Bristol and Martinsville are next due to the tight, close quarters racing both venues offer which often result in wholesale changes in the point standings.  In comparison the third stop in 2009 FASTRAK Southern/Smokey Mtn./Mid East Touring Series Saturday night at the 1/4 mile Hammerdown Speedway saw the same kind of concerns.  Certainly, the thought in the back of the minds of just about everyone was not whether or not the big one was going to happen but when. As behaved as all competitors vow to be ahead of the drop of the green flag, forced opportunities always seem to become the order of the day resulting in a myriad of calamities changing the landscape of the point standings.   

 

Amazingly, the field of drivers assembled here Saturday night in Red Springs, NC at Michael Weeks 'up and coming' Hammerdown Speedway put on a driving clinic that would benefit any driver at any level of  oval track racing, and yes; even the Cup Series.

 

In masterful fashion from his second row starting position, Woodruff SC driver Owen Osteen was on the point by  the fifth lap and never looked back en route to scoring a popular win amongst the Hammerdown Speedway faithful. Osteen found a way around the tight 1/4 mile Hammerdown Speedway different from the rest of the field as was demonstrated by his lap times throughout the event. Unless Osteen was in lapped traffic, his lap times were within 2 tenths of a second of one another every circuit around the speedway.   

 

The FASTRAK Hammerdown 50 saw everything that makes the FASTRAK Racing Series so appealing to race fans as well the competitors. Tight, close quarters racing, positions being contested every lap throughout the event, even multiple car battles which saw side by side racing lap after lap. In one such battle, Lee Cooper, David Smith and Ron Parker who are a threat to win everywhere they go, swapped positions back and forth a number of times, lap after lap in what would make anyone's "best of" highlight reel. The event clearly demonstrated the level of respect and professionalism seen more and more amongst the drivers in the FASTRAK Southern/Smokey Mtn./Mid East Touring Series.

 

Saturday night also produced some surprises. Virginia Tech senior, David Watts of Buchanan, Va who did not set the world on fire in FASTRAK Qualifying, surprised the field by passing the most cars including Cooper and Parker as well as 2008 FASTRAK Grand National Champion Royce Bray.

 

The one thing the FASTRAK Hammerdown 50 did not produce was 'THE BIG ONE'. The caution flag did not make its first appearance until the 18^th lap when Colt Smith of Woodruff, SC looped his # 44 in Turn 2 .

 

As competitive as the event was, in the last 25 circuits around the speedway, the caution flag never flew again truly demonstrating why, on this particular night, this field of drivers were among the nation's best.

---

There were a number of additional awards presented;

$250 Ramada Inn & Adeleio's Restaurant Long Haul Award

Shawn Jett & Kyle Thomas traveled almost 8 hours from West Virginia to Hammerdown Speedway and agreed to split the award.

 

$100 Beasley's Body Shop Top Gun Award

Awarded to pole sitter Donald Bradsher who circled Hammerdown Speedway in 14.416 seconds during FASTRAK Qualifying

 

RACEceiver Time Management Systems Hot Shot Award

Presented to the driver recording the quickest lap throughout the entire day including hot laps, FASTRAK Qualifying or any race event

 

Owen Osteen 14.003secs Lap 25 of FASTRAK Hammerdown 50

---

FASTRAK Hammerdown 50

 

	No.	Name	Hometown
1	20	Owen Osteen	Woodruff, SC
2	6	David Watts	Buchanan, VA
3	2	Chris Steele	York, SC
4	21	Royce Bray	Hull, GA
5	8	Ron Parker	Lawndale, NC
6	57	Lee Cooper	Woodruff, SC
7	57K	Kyle Thomas	Pennsboro, WV
8	116	David Smith	Inman, SC
9	1	Shawn Jett	Harrisville, WV
10	71	Gene Nasworthy	Gray, GA
11	93	Donald Bradshaw	Alamance, NC
12	0	Brett Dysart	Southern Pines, NC
13	44	Colt Smith	Woodruff, SC
14	9	Mike Garrett	Murrayville, GA