Late Model Racing Chase Elliott and John Hunter Nemechek Claim Victory at SpeedFest By Phillip Prichard Bubba Pollard (26) was third, Nemecheck nearby Unadilla, Georgia started on the pole Speedfest 2014 proved to be a memorable (8)was fourth and Payton Ryan (54) was after a seven position inversion along-side event for both John Hunter Nemecheck and fifth in qualifying. fellow Georgian, Scotty Ellis (83) in 29-car Chase Elliott at Watermelon Capital Speed- John Hunter Nemecheck (8)made his field. Ragan led the first nine laps before he way on the last weekend of January. John Late Model racing debut in 2012, but vic- was passed by Chase Elliott (9) who started Hunter Nemechek, son of NASCAR driver tory had eluded him until SpeedFest Pro in the fourth position. Ragan held onto sec- , took the checkered flag for Late Model 125. Nemechek battled with ond the majority of the first half of the race. his first win in the JEGS-CRA All Star Tour. Hunter Robbins (18) where he took the lead NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Chase Elliott, son of NASCAR legend Bill on lap 29. The remainder of the field was star, (5) passed Ragan on lap Elliott dominated the ARCA/CRA Super battling behind Nemechek and Robbins. 87, where he trailed Elliott into the halfway Series race, battling Johnny Sauter in the Seventeen cautions and one red flag proved break at Lap 100. second half of the race to earn the victory. to be an exciting race. After a caution on After the 100 lap break, Bubba Pollard 18 year old, Elliott has proven in the last few lap 110, Garret Jones (88) was closing in on (26) who elected to take no tires started in years that he is dominant force in the Late Nemecheck. the first position. On lap 107, both Sauter Series in 2014. Model Series. This dominance earned Elliott After holding off the field through a and Elliott slipped by Pollard and the excite- Elliott stated the race special because of a ride in the NASCAR Nationwide Series record six green-white-checkered attempts, ment brewed as they raced hard up to lap how hard we had to work to earn it. We had with JR Motorsports for the 2014 season. Nemechek prevailed to earn the victory. 183. to race hard and raced hard with Johnny The Champion Racing Association pow- Finishing in the second position was Elliott battled with a dominant Johnny Sauter since the break all the way to the end ered by JEGS and the ARCA/CRA Super Spencer Davis (129), Korey Ruble (17) was Sauter throughout the 200 lap event, with and we came out on top. Series powered by JEGS kicked off their third, J. J. Haley (99) was fourth, Dwayne Sauter leading for much of the second half. Sauter could not be reached for comments 18th season of competition with the tradi- Buggay (45) was fifth, Elliott spent the final quarter of the race after the race but his actions immediately tional non-points season opener, the 10th (12) (son NASCAR driver ) was working his way under Sauter but was con- after the accident with Elliott served as Annual Zaxby’s SpeedFest 2014 on the last sixth, Hunter Robbins(18) was seventh, Jeff tinually denied the position by the dogged a snapshot for how he felt. While under weekend of January at Watermelon Capital Cannon (33) was eight, Terry Senneker Jr veteran. caution, Sauter drove his No. 5 around the Speedway. Watermelon Capital Speedway (00) was ninth and Christopher Tullis (24T) Sauter pinched Elliott on several occa- track, slammed it (relatively) lightly into is a 4/10s of a mile semi-banked asphalt was tenth. sions and on lap 183, Elliott didn't budge Elliott's entry and promptly retired from the oval located in Cordele, Georgia. The headline event of the weekend of as the two made heavy contact off Turn 4, event. Jeff Cannon (33), an Illiana Motor Speedfest was the ARCA-CRA Super Series sending Sauter spinning from the outside In Victory Lane, Elliott insists that the Speedway regular, qualified on the pole for Speedfest 200. The 29 Car field ended with and out of contention. The move proved to contact was just the result of hard short track the JEGS-CRA All Star Tour event with a some theatrics and controversy but in the be the winning 'pass' as Elliott would hold racing and that Sauter should reach the same best lap time of 15.930. He fell short of last end Chase Elliott captured the victory. off a hard-charging to win conclusion once he gets over the heat of the year’s qualifying record by just .091 of a NASCAR Sprint Cup series star and one last Super Late Model event before moment. second. Garret Jones (88) qualified second, home track favorite, David Ragan (77) of graduating to the NASCAR Nationwide (Continued on next page)

Cup Driver David Ragan led the first 9 laps

John Wes Townley finished 7th in the John Hunter Nemecheck: Zaxby sponsored race winner of the Pro Late Model Now featuring FIBERGLASS DASHES AND PANELS!

6 • FEBRUARY 2014 • www.MotorsportAmerica.com