Page 2C THE NORTH GEORGIA NEWS January 25, 2017 THE NORTH GEORGIA NEWS January 25, 2017 Page 2C Home Stretch... continued from 1C Baenninger. third quarter scoring. Jones questioned the blown Following his fourth quar- Junior Riley Barrett call and was quickly T’d up. ter heroics at Fannin County on crushed the Wildcats slim Already in the midst of an 8-2 Friday, Allison picked up where comeback hopes with seven in run, GAC used the technical to he left off on Monday when he the final frame on 3-of-4 shoot- extend the run to 12-2 and take sank two first quarter treys at ing from the line. Allison and a 34-17 lead late in the second Andrews. Drake, Union’s other Crawford Colwell each sank a quarter. Finally a basket by freshman starter, also sank an pair at the line while Banton and Barrett ended the run and the early three during a 5-point first Candler Colwell each added a Panthers trailed 34-19 at the as the Panthers built an 18-13 basket for the Panthers. half. lead after one. Panthers 47, GAC 62 – The Spartans continued Union continued pull- After suffering a 44-point loss to pull away following a 19-9 ing away in the second quarter to the Spartans in Norcross last third quarter that put Union in a behind five from Crawford month, Union County was able 53-28 hole entering the fourth. Colwell and four from Banton to hang around with private A technical on GAC for as they took a 32-22 advantage school powerhouse Greater hanging on the rim while at- into the half. Also contributing Atlanta Christian, despite never tempting a dunk allowed the When: February 11, 2017 6 pm-9 pm to the scoring column were pulling within single-digits Panthers to open the fourth Wright and Davis, who each after halftime. with an 9-2 run to pull within at North Georgia Technical College posted three first half points for The Spartans opened 18 at 55-37. Cost: $50 per couple the Panthers. with a 7-2 run and led 17-7 after Following a Spartan bas- The third quarter was one before the Panthers settled ket, Union answered with five * $10 for each additional Daughter all Union thanks to a 22-10 down and made some noise in unanswered to make it a 15- Dinner is included and Limo rides are avail- outburst that allowed them to the second quarter. point game with 1:49 to play. open up a 22-point advantage Trailing 20-9, Union Crawford Colwell was able entering the fourth. pulled within seven on multiple the only Panther in double fig- on a first come first serve basis. Crawford Colwell hit occasions but couldn’t claw any ures with 14. Banton finished A limited of tickets are available at 3-of-3 at the line, en route to closer. A technical foul was is- with nine, Wright and Barrett a 7-point quarter while Allison sued to Coach Jones after the scored seven each, while Can- the Union County Recreation Office located knocked down a trey along with officials missed an obvious out- dler Colwell and Davis had 4 at 310 Wellborn Street. a deuce during the third. Banton of-bounds call in front of the points each. Meanwhile, Alli- chipped in four, Drake, Candler scorer’s table that turned into a son finished with 2 points. You must purchase in advance. Colwell, and sophomore Cole- lay-up on the other end. son Daniel rounded out Union’s A few feet from the play, NASCAR 2017 By Gerald Hodges/the Racing Reporter NASCAR HOF Inducts New Members CHARLOTTE, NC -- Five his appearance at the team shop new members were inducted into in the days following the tragedy the NASCAR Hall of Fame, helped carry the organization Friday, Jan. 20, 2017. They are: through its grief. , Rick Hen- He knew his family mem- drick, , Raymond bers would want him to continue Parks, and . racing. Real heroes know how to The founder and owner persevere in the face of disaster, of , Rick and that is why Richard Chil- Hendrick’s organization is rec- dress, , and Mark ognized as one of NASCAR’s Martin, three living legends were most successful. Hendrick Mo- chosen. torsports owns an all-time record Childress, who started off 11 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as a driver, almost left the sport car owner championship titles - after his friend and driver, Dale six with , four Earnhardt was killed at Daytona with and one with in 2001. NASCAR Hall of Famer Terry Richard Childress at Talladega “Losing Dale was like los- Labonte. Hendrick also has 14 in 2011 ing a part of myself,” said Chil- total NASCAR national series at every level of NASCAR. dress. “It wasn’t just me that was owner championships, most in He won 49 times in the Xfinity affected, it was the entire team. NASCAR history. Gordon and Series, holding the series wins Junior forward Crawford Colwell (24) goes up for two of his game high 15 vs Hayesville, NC. Photo/Todd Forrest He represented so much to the Labonte combined to win four record for 14 years. He retired organization. After Dale won his consecutive titles from 1995-98. with 96 wins across NASCAR’s last championship, we got com- In 2010, Johnson won a record- three national series, seventh on Lady Panthers... continued from 1C placent. For a couple years we extending fifth consecutive cham- the all-time list. In 1998, Martin Union was unable to prevent players scored a basket. 3 assists, and coming up with a didn’t do too well. We had been pionship. Hendrick also owned was named one of NASCAR’s GAC from stretching its advan- Daniel, Adeline Dockrey, pair of steals. relying on Dale’s driving ability the car driven by 2003 NASCAR 50 Greatest Drivers. tage to 20-plus before halftime. freshman Mary Wischmeyer, Brooke Dockrey also and got behind the technology Xfinity Series driver champion The three living induct- At the 2:40 mark of the Brooke Dockrey, and McCarter scored 3 points to go with 5 curve. . Hendrick’s 242 ees joined 1973 Cup champion second, the Lady Spartans went each recorded a deuce. Mean- rebounds. Hemphill’s late, long- “Not only was he a great owner wins in the premier series and broadcaster Benny Parsons distance hook-up gave her 3 driver, but almost everyone re- rank second all-time. and 1949 Cup championship up 39-19 before taking a 45-21 while, sophomore Brianna volved around him. I mean, we Mark Martin struggled to team owner Raymond Parks as lead into the intermission. Hemphill sank a 3-pointer with points for the game. Mary Wis- depended on him. He was our get a start in NASCAR. part of the 2017 class. Down 49-21, Daniel rat- five ticks left on the clock to bring chmeyer had 2 points and 2 steals. leader. Martin had a successful Raymond Parks is one of tled off five straight points to Union’s total to 40. Grace Wischmyer also finished “So, it wasn’t just an career in the American Speed stock-car racing’s earliest - and pull Union back within 23 at the Daniel finished with 18 with 2 points. emotional time for us, we had to Association (ASA), before his most successful - team owners. 4:40 mark of the third. However, points and 5 boards, while Ade- “Our two seniors have make a totally new adjustment in first attempt at NASCAR in Funded by successful business GAC closed the period on a 12-1 line Dockrey had 5 points and 2 been an enjoyment to coach and the way we raced. But during the 1982. He was able to use funds and real estate ventures in At- run for a 61-27 lead. steals. McCarter scored four, and they are just great kids,” Tucker turmoil we learned new things, from the family trucking busi- lanta, Parks began his career The Lady Panthers took Fair continued to do a little bit added. “They come from great others in the shop stepped up, ness, but he finished 14th in the as a stock-car owner in 1938 the final frame by score of 13-6 of everything - scoring 3 points, families too. Their parents are and very slowly, things worked standings. His family funding with drivers Lloyd Seay and as six different Union County grabbing 6 boards, dishing out always involved.” themselves out. ran out and he had to auction his Roy Hall. His pairing with an- “It would have been easy equipment. He landed a ride but other Atlantan, mechanic Red with the number one driver in was fired amid struggles, so he Vogt, produced equipment good racing gone, to just give up. I returned to the Midwest to com- enough to dominate the sport in couldn’t do that, because the pete on the short tracks with ASA the late 1940s and early 1950s. people around me wouldn’t let for another two years. Red Byron won the first NA- me. If I had just decided to sell “When I left NASCAR SCAR title (modified, 1948) out and retire, I wouldn’t be able to go back to Wisconsin, I was a and first premier series title to help my grandsons (Austin broken man;physically, emotion- (1949) in a Parks-owned car. and ) develop their rac- ally, and economically,” Martin Parks’ team produced two pre- ing career. said. mier series wins, two poles, 11 “It’s easy to use hind- “I fell on my face and had top fives and 12 top-10s in 18 sight, but when hard times come, to go home and start my career events. you’ve got to face them. Life is all over again. The perseverance Benny Parsons won the like racing in some ways. You’re ... and building my way back to 1973 NASCAR premier series not going to win every time, but a second chance is probably the championship and could be you’ve got to stay in the game.” biggest thing I’ve done.” called “Every Man’s” champi- Long before he became He returned to NASCAR on: winning enough to be called one of the preeminent car owners in 1987 to what is now the NA- one of the sport’s stars but near- in NASCAR history, Childress SCAR Xfinity Series, won two of ly always finishing well when was a race car driver with limited his first 11 races and found him- he wasn’t able to reach Victory means. A self-made racer, he was self back full time in Cup in 1988 Lane. He won 21 times in 526 respectable behind the wheel. with team owner . career starts but finished among Between 1969-81 he had six top- Martin said he actually the top-10, 283 times - a 54 per- five finishes and 76 top-10s in made the move back to NASCAR cent ratio. One of Parsons’ big- 285 starts, finishing fifth in the because he wanted his ASA crew gest victories came in the 1975 NASCAR Cup Series standings chief to move to . He was named in 1975. Having formed Rich- NASCAR and the loyal Fennig one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest ard Childress Racing in 1972, said he would only leave Martin Drivers in 1998. Parsons also Childress retired from driving in if Martin stopped running in the was known as a voice of the 1981. He owned the cars that NA- ASA. They were later reunited at sport making a seamless tran- SCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earn- Roush. sition to television following hardt drove to six championships He is often described as his NASCAR career. He was a Hayesville attempted to get Union Co. junior Bailey Daniel off her game with physical play whenever she drove and 67 wins between 1984-2000. the “greatest driver never to win commentator for NBC and TNT into the paint. However they were unsuccessful as Daniel scored 16 of her team’s 34 points. Photo/Todd Forrest In addition to Earnhardt’s cham- a championship,” but Martin’s until his passing in 2007, at the pionships, Childress drivers have legendary career is so much age of 65. given him five others. Childress more than that. He came incred- Racing Trivia Question: Union Wrestling at Burnt Mountain Classic was the first NASCAR owner to ibly close to that elusive title Who was the winner of the 1959 win owner championships in all many times - finishing second Daytona 500? three of NASCAR’s national se- in the championship standings Last Week’s Question: ries, and his 11 owner titles are five times. Over the course of What year was the first Daytona second all time. Childress also his 31-year Cup Series career, 500 held? Answer. 1959. owned the vehicles driven by Martin compiled 40 wins (17th You may contact the Rac- NASCAR Xfinity Series driver all time) and 56 poles (seventh ing Reporter by e-mail at: hodg- champions (2008) all time). Martin saw success [email protected]. NT(Jan25,Z21)CA and (2013), as the 2011 NASCAR Truck Series driver champion Taz Matetzschk bowls perfect game Austin Dillon. When Rick Hendrick was diagnosed with Leukemia in 1996, things looked bleak for him and his organization. But after months of treatment, and good leadership, Hendrick and his organization returned stron- ger than before his illness. “I’m fortunate to be here,” Hendrick said. “I have to go ev- ery 90 days to get blood work done. I’ve been in remission since 2000. “I never thought I wasn’t going to make it. I thought I’d Union County wrestling at the make it and loved it so much. I Burnt Mountain Classic in Pick- had my brother and my dad, and ens County over the weekend. my son working there. The Panthers went toe-to-toe “It was a family affair with some of the top programs in North Georgia, such as Class and it never crossed my mind to AAAA’s Gilmer County and quit.” Sonoraville and more than held Another adversity struck their own. Hendrick in 2004, when his Pictured above right is senior brother and his son lost their Bryan Nelson (far left in picture) lives when a Hendrick plane Stanley Tyler presents Taz Matetzschk “300” Game Award Trophy after placing third. And pictured crashed into a mountain as it on the bottom right is senior Zach was preparing to land for the fall On Monday, January 16th, Taz Matetzschk reached the Payton (far left) after placing race at Martinsville. Hendrick pinnacle in the game of bowling. Taz has bowled for years and third in his respective weight never thought about getting out is the Secretary for the Monday Night Men’s league. Needless division. of the business then, either, and to say, It was a great night. Congratulations Taz! N(Jan25,Z8)CA