THE TOWNS COUNTY HERALD December 9, 2015 Page 11 Towns County Sports Towns County’s Leader In Sports www.townscountyherald.net • E-mail: [email protected] Ledford honored by Atlanta Track Club Photos from last weekend’s King of the Mountain Wrestling Tournament Photos by Lowell Nicholson Towns County Cross Country Coach Jeannie Ledford was awarded the Paul Koshewa Award for Out- standing Dedication and Girls Cross Country Coach of the Year on Wednesday Dec. 2, at the Atlanta Track Club annual banquet. Ledford has had four consecutive girls State Championships and two boys runner up teams. The community would like to let Coach Ledford know how very proud they are of her. The Towns County Herald would like to thank Coach Ledford for her success not only developing cham- pions on race day, but outstanding young men and women that the community that we will be proud of for many years to come. Thank you, Coach Ledford for all you do for the youth in our community. NASCAR 2015 By Gerald Hodges/the Racing Reporter Harvick Is Top Money Winner The 2015 NASCAR Sprint more thankful. So will there be Cup season is over. Kyle Busch another year? No, there won’t be. was honored as the champion last I am so ready. I am so content be- Friday night at the season ending cause I’m just so proud of all that banquet in Las Vegas, but Kevin I’ve done. I will say it’s been ab- Harvick, the 2014 champion, was solutely amazing, and I couldn’t the big money winner. have ever imagined how my life In addition to many manu- would turn out. facturer and sponsor contingency “Motorsports has pro- awards, Harvick’s track winnings vided me lifelong memories and totaled $9,012,821. stories that I get to reminisce and Any way you look at it talk about for years and years to that’s a pretty good paycheck. come. NASCAR in particular has Harvick will not collect all of changed my life in ways that I that. Depending on his contract, could never really even describe. his percentage will be somewhere It’s still really just a blur to me. between 50-60 per cent. The re- It seems like it was just, you Kevin Harvick mainder goes to the Stewart-Haas know, not that long ago that I was Racing team, owner of his No. 4 traveling from Indiana to North years, Danica Patrick has a new Chevrolet. Carolina to see what NASCAR crew chief. “It’s just exciting,” said was even all about, and now here Billy Scott has been named Harvick. “I think when you race I am 25 years later stepping away crew chief for the No. 10 team of your whole life and you accom- from one of the most prestigious Danica Patrick. The 38-year-old plish what you’ve raced for your series in all of motorsports and a from Land O’ Lakes, Florida, whole life, it’s exciting. I’ve been fulfilling career. comes to SHR from Michael fortunate to experience that last “Thank you. Thank you.” Waltrip Racing where since 2014 year and know that feeling and EARNHARDT IS MOST he was the crew chief for the No. know how gratifying that is. You POPULAR DRIVER 55 team, which featured drivers The Middle School King of the Mountain. Photo/Lowell Nicholson know, it’s fun to see that excite- Dale Earnhardt Jr. won David Ragan, Brian Vickers and ment. his 13th consecutive Most Popu- Michael Waltrip “It’s been a great couple lar Driver Award, becoming the He also served as crew years, and I know we’re disap- first driver to have won the award chief for MWR’s No. 15 team pointed about finishing second, since 16-time winner Bill Elliott and driver Clint Bowyer from but it’s kind of the theme of the was named the recipient at the June 2015 through the end of the year, finishing second. conclusion of the 2002 season. season. Prior to that role, Scott “Unfortunately it’s just Earnhardt was awarded was a race engineer working un- one short, but all in all, it’s been a the trophy and the National Mo- der crew chief Rodney Childers, great couple years, and I couldn’t torsports Press Association will who joined SHR in 2014 and led be prouder of our bunch of guys. donate $10,000 in Earnhardt’s Harvick to the 2014 Sprint Cup At least we know what we have name to the charity of his choice. championship. to shoot for next year.” NASCAR fans cast 410,000 Meanwhile, Michael Bu- The remaining top-10 votes during the year’s 11-week garewicz has been promoted money winners: 2. Joey Logano voting window that ended with from race engineer on the No. 4 - $8,400,213, 3. Jimmie Johnson the Sprint Cup Series finale race team, driven by Kevin Harvick, - 7,238,747, 4. Denny Hamlin - at Homestead. to crew chief for the No. 14 team 6,537,373, 5. Brad Keselowski CHASE ELLIOTT WINS of Tony Stewart. The 33-year-old - 6,497,691, 6. Dale Earnhardt SNOWBALL DERBY from Lehighton, Pennsylvania, Jr. - 6,095,610, 7. Jeff Gordon PENSACOLA, Fla.— replaces Chad Johnston, who has - 6,026,506, 8. Matt Kenseth - Kyle Busch developmental left SHR to work as a crew chief 5,973,076, 9. Martin Truex Jr. driver, Christopher Bell took the on the No. 42 of Kyle Larson. - 5,391,296, 10. Clint Bowyer - checkered flag in the 48th Snow- We have great people at 5,223,413. ball Derby, but was disqualified Stewart-Haas Racing and these Note: Kyle Busch missed during a post race inspection for changes prove that,” Stewart, 11 races due to injuries, and that illegal weight placement, and said in a press release. “We were is why his winnings (4,892,617) runnerup, Chase Elliott was de- able to promote from within are not equal to the other top clared the winner. while also adding new talent. drivers. Fans that remember the “Change isn’t easy, and An emotional Jeff Gor- 2013 Derby, the driver who in- that’s particularly true when it don received a standing ovation herited the win was KBM’s Erik comes to my relationship with by everyone at the banquet after Jones, after Elliott was DQ’ed. Chad Johnston. He served as my being introduced by Tom Cruise. This year there was a role rever- crew chief during two very diffi- The pair chatted and kid- sal as Bell was disqualified and cult seasons. He was always sup- ded each before Gordon began to Elliott took home the trophy. portive, and he’s become like a speak, struggling several times as The win was Elliott’s sec- brother to me. I think very highly he tried to hold back the tears. ond, the other coming in 2011. of Chad.” “Now I’ve had a lot of “We gave him (Bell) three The SHR shake-up was people this year ask me, why not chances to get the weight right expected following disappointing just one more year?” said Gordon. this week,” said Five Flags Pit seasons for both drivers. Patrick “Make it an even 24. It made me Steward Ricky Brooks. finished 24th in the standings, think, yeah, for a second about it, Remaining unofficial top- while Stewart finished 28th. but then I really quickly respond- 10: 2. Zane Smith, 3. Ty Majeski, Stewart announced in ed, hey, this goes all the way back 4. Dalton Sargeant, 5. Bubba Pol- September that the 2016 season to April of 1977 for me. When I lard, 6. Casey Smith, 7. Preston would be his last as a driver. first was introduced to a quarter Peltier, 8. William Byron, 9. Der- Racing Trivia Question: midget, so to me it’s more like ek Thorn, 10. Daniel Hemric. How many Cup championships 38 years. It’s been a long time. Defending winner John did Richard Petty win? It’s been an amazing ride. To all Hunter Nemechek’s car caught Last Week’s Question: those who know my stepfather, fire while he was leading the race Where is Martin Truex Jr.’s John Bickford, they know that with 25 laps to go in the 300-lap hometown? Answer. It is May- by maybe August or September race. He finished 21st. etta, New Jersey. of 1977, I was racing profession- PATRICK AND STEWART You may contact the Rac- ally. That’s just the way it worked NEW CREW CHIEFS ing Reporter by e-mail at: hodg- in my family, and I couldn’t be For the third time in four [email protected]. NT(Dec9,Z17)CA.