RACING NEWS FOR AUGUST 7TH, 2015
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It’s going to be Meyhem tonight with the return of the “Modifieds of Mayhem” for race #7 on their 2015 schedule. The last time they were here, Mobile’s Donnie Hamrac took home the victory. A past champion at Five Flags and a driver who knows this track as well, if not better, than any other driver that will be in the lineup kind of had the race fall in his lap. Sitting in third position with the laps winding down, leader Billy Melvin and Ryan Paul got together with Melvin spinning out. Both Melvin and Paul were sent to the rear of the field which left Hamrac as the new leader. After the restart there was no catching him as he checked out and took the victory. Look for the #8 of Donnie “The Hurricane” Hamrac along with a host of the south’s best Modi- fied drivers such as Melvin, Paul, Adam Crawford, Ryan Redman and several others looking for a victory on America’s Favorite Home Track. Speaking of Mayhem, let’s add a little spice to the show with the annual Demolition Derby. This usually draws one of the best crowds of the year. I guarantee the fans won’t be disappointed because I promise a lot of metal crunching, smoke and flying parts. See story on page 3 on on demo driver attorney Marcus Michles. But the schedule doesn’t end there. Also on the card for the evening will be Super Stocks, Sports- man and Bombers. Can you believe all this for only a $5 ticket! After tonight only three more weeks of racing remain before we close the door on the 2015 season. We will return on August 28th with the Pro Late Models, and then we will switch to Saturday nights on September 19th with the Allen Turner Tune Up for the Pro Late Models which will be 100 laps, along with the Super Stocks, Sportsman and Bombers. We will close the regular season on Saturday, September 26th with the Deep South Crane Rentals Super Late Models for the last Blizzard Series race of the year. Pro Trucks, Sportsman and Bombers will also run for their 2015 Championships on the 26th. One last note – GET YOUR SNOWBALL DERBY TICKETS ! See Ya! Listen to Them Roar: Mods Gaining Steam, Cars Thanks to First-Year Mayhem Series Stan Narrison couldn’t wrap his head around this revela- tion. A few years ago, shortly after Narrison had assumed promoter duties for Mont- gomery (Ala.) Motor Speed- way, he was inundated with requests from drivers and fans to host more shows fea- turing open-wheel modifieds. This, despite the car turnout for modifieds events being paltry at best. Some races would only see three or four compete. A perplexed Narrison began investigating reasons why the supply didn’t meet the demand. He quickly discov- ered that modified drivers felt disrespected. “They never felt like the track was committed to them,” said the 55-year-old Narrison, who entered the promotion ranks in 2000. “When I took over, I told them if they came out for that first race, I’d guarantee them we’d run five the next year. .--Continued on page 2-- By Chuck Corder
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Update on Modifieds of Mayhem Open Wheel 50 lap event, and Demolition Derby.
Transcript of RACING NEWS FOR AUGUST 7TH, 2015
It’s going to be Meyhem tonight with thereturnof the “ModifiedsofMayhem” for race#7ontheir 2015 schedule.The last time theywere here,Mobile’sDonnie Hamrac took home the victory.ApastchampionatFiveFlagsandadriverwhoknowsthistrackaswell, ifnotbetter,thananyotherdriverthatwillbeinthelineupkindofhadtheracefallinhislap.Sittinginthirdpositionwiththelapswindingdown,leaderBilly MelvinandRyan Paul gottogetherwithMelvinspinningout.BothMelvinandPaulweresenttotherearofthefieldwhichleftHamracasthenewleader.Aftertherestarttherewasnocatchinghimashecheckedoutandtookthevictory.
Look for the #8 of Donnie “The Hurricane”Hamracalongwithahostof thesouth’sbestModi-fied drivers such as Melvin, Paul,Adam Crawford,Ryan Redman and several others looking for avictoryonAmerica’sFavoriteHomeTrack.SpeakingofMayhem, let’sadda littlespice to theshowwiththe annual Demolition Derby. This usually drawsoneof thebestcrowdsof theyear. Iguarantee thefanswon’tbedisappointedbecauseIpromisealotofmetalcrunching,smokeandflyingparts.Seestoryonpage3onondemodriverattorneyMarcus Michles.
Butthescheduledoesn’tendthere.AlsoonthecardfortheeveningwillbeSuperStocks,Sports-manandBombers.Canyoubelieveallthisforonlya$5ticket!
Aftertonightonlythreemoreweeksofracingremainbeforeweclosethedooronthe2015season.We will return on August 28th with the Pro LateModels, and thenwewill switch toSaturdaynightsonSeptember19thwith the Allen Turner Tune UpfortheProLateModelswhichwillbe100laps,alongwiththeSuperStocks,SportsmanandBombers.
WewillclosetheregularseasononSaturday,September26thwiththeDeep South Crane Rentals Super Late ModelsforthelastBlizzardSeriesraceoftheyear.ProTrucks,SportsmanandBomberswillalsorunfortheir2015Championshipsonthe26th.
One last note – GET YOUR SNOWBALLDERBYTICKETS!SeeYa!
Listen to Them Roar: Mods Gaining Steam, Cars Thanks to First-Year Mayhem Series
Stan Narrison couldn’t wrap his head around this revela-tion. A few years ago, shortly after Narrison had assumed promoter duties for Mont-gomery (Ala.) Motor Speed-way, he was inundated with requests from drivers and fans to host more shows fea-turing open-wheel modifieds.
This, despite the car turnout for modifieds events being paltry at best. Some races would only see three or four compete.
A perplexed Narrison began investigating reasons why the supply didn’t meet the demand. He quickly discov-ered that modified drivers felt disrespected.
“They never felt like the track was committed to them,” said the 55-year-old Narrison, who entered the promotion ranks in 2000. “When I took over, I told them if they came out for that first race, I’d guarantee them we’d run five the next year.
.--Continued on page 2--
By Chuck Corder
Modifieds Continued-
Car Photos Tom Wilsey
251-597-4747
Video Ted Baber850-458-2501
Our first time, we had 22 open wheel modifieds come in. I told them right then, they were on the schedule for next year.”
And so the foundation was laid for the Modifieds of Mayhem, a touring series that features 50 lappers and hits some of the southeast’s legendary tracks from Pensacola to South Alabama Speedway in Opp.
It is somewhat modeled after the Southern Super Series for Super Late Models.“We wanted to do something that didn’t burden the racer and didn’t make it so costly to travel to these other tracks,” Narrison said. “That’s why we don’t have a lot of back-to-back races.
“In some ways, I think we’re exceeding my expectations. In other ways, I think we’re just beating them. These guys aren’t used to traveling yet. But I think that’ll change as people understand the tour and get more comfortable with traveling.”
Aug 28Pro Late Double 20/30PlusProTruck,SportsmenandBomber
Saturday, Sept 19ProLateModel100Allen Turner Tune-Up,SuperStock,SportsmenandBomber
Saturday, Sept 26BlizzardProTruck,SportsmenandBomberDSC Night of Champions
Friday-Sun Oct. 23NOPI Nationals
Saturday, Nov. 21Snowball Preview
Thursday, December 3 - Sunday Dec 6th48th Annual Snowball Derby
In their inaugural season, the Modi-fieds of Mayhem will make their second trip to Pensacola on a blockbuster night for Five Flags Speedway.
Donnie Hamrac, (whose car is pictured on page one) the reigning Modifieds Snowball Derby champion and two-time track cham-pion at Five Flags, won here in June.
The 43 year old from Semmes, Ala., currently leads the Modifieds of Mayhem points stand-ings by just 24 points over 31-year-old Ryan Paul. “We’ve got a little bit of a target on us over there,” Hamrac said. “Every race, we’re just trying to stay ahead of Ryan Paul. It’s no surprise. Ryan Paul can wheel a racecar.”
In six races for the fledgling series this season, there have been four differ-ent winners. Only Hamrac and Donald Crocker have been repeat victors.
“I love this format — running 50 laps every week,” Hamrac said. “After watching Bubba Pollard and Chase Elliott over the years, I’ve learned a lot about tire management. Pensacola is rough on tires. The reason we do so well there is we save our stuff for the end.”
Paul hopes to rip a page out of Hamrac’s playbook this weekend and hoist his first checkered flag of the year. Paul drives the Jimmy Hammond No. 07, which fans are used to seeing in Victory Lane in recent years with Bubba Pollard in the seat.
“I’ve raced a lotta stuff, and drove a lotta stuff,” Paul said, “and I’ve never driven anything like these modifieds. I absolutely love them and this series. They are under-tired and overpowered beasts and I friggin’ love them.”A ship superintendent at the Mobile docks in Mobile, Paul has been racing since he was 6 and driving earlier than that.
The west Mobile native, who now lives just over the state line in Hurley, Miss., was a national champion go-kart driver — dueling against the likes of future NASCAR stars Brian Vickers and Aric Almirola — before going on to win a state championship in a Legends car.
Read the rest of Chuck’s story on our web site: www.5flagsspeedway,com
By Chuck Corder
Insanity Pleas: Lawyer Marcus Michles Ready for Second Demo Derby
Leaveittoalawyertoconcoctawayforhisownfamilytosuehimforemotional distress.MarcusMichles—one partnership half of the Pensacolapersonal injury law firm of Michles &Booth—nearlybroughtalawsuituponhimself following his Demolition DerbydebutlastyearatFiveFlagsSpeedway.
Michles’ 16-year-old daugh-ter Madison and her younger brotherCameron, 14, knew the chances dearol’dadwouldgettossedaroundbythecompetition were high. Watching theirfatherengageinwhattheypicturedasharmlessfunwouldbeperfectpaybackfor all the times he banished themto their rooms or swiped their smartphonesasformsofpunishment.
Thereality,though,wasmuchharsher than they imagined and leftthemscarred.
“ The kids were reduced to tears,” saidMarcusMichles,whosepracticehasbeenopenfor12yearsinPensacolaandalsohasofficesinFortWalton Beach andCrestview. “They’re notusedtoseeingdadgetcrushedbycars.”That’swhywhenMichles—aformerU.S.Armycaptainwhoservedwiththe82ndAirborneDivisionandhasjumpedoutofplanes—takesanothercrackat the annual Demolition Derby winner-take-alltitle on Friday, his familywill bemiles from thefamedhalf-mileasphaltoval.
MichlesnearlywontheDemoDerbylastyear. But, the novice settled for third when his1970ChevyImpalafailedtogetunhookedfromarivalcar.Headmitstheshockofengulfingflamesand crumpling steelwas a bit toomuch for hisfamilytoabsorb,astheypensivelywatchedfromthegrandstandsandtheTurnNo.1partydeck.
Lookingback,obviously,Ididn’tpreparethemsufficientlyenough,”Michlesrecalled.“Thecarwasonfireandwewerealljustbashingeachotherup.It’snotnaturalforthekidstoseethat.“More importantly, it was the look onmywife’sface,asiftosay,‘Youidiot!Whatareyouthink-ing?!’”Leaveittoalawyer’swifetobethevoiceofreason.
CindyMichles,Marcus’wifeof17years,andtheirchildrenwon’tmakethesamemistakeagain.TheywillheedMarcusMichles’wishesandfindsomethingelsetodothisFridaynight.Partofthatdo-as-I-say-not-as-I-doparentingphilosophy.“When they’re old enough to understand it’s allOK,Ihopethey’llcomebacktothetrack,”MarcusMichlessaidofhischildren.
Fortherestofthefansthatwillfloodthebleachers theDemoDerby has becomeoneofthehottestticketsontheFiveFlags’schedule.
Read the rest of Chuck’s story on the Demo Derby on our web site: www.5flagsspeedway.com
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