THE November NORTH 23, GEORGIA 2016 THE NEWS NORTH November GEORGIA 23, 2016NEWS Page Page 5B 5B Union swim teams strong at Murphy Lady Panthers put one player from Murphy, NC - Union 50-Yard Freestyle: 500-Yard Freestyle: County High School attended 3rd Place: Gavin Thomp- 3rd Place: Katie Yaboni a swim meet on Saturday Nov. son, 3rd Place: Kaiya Wilkes, 4th 200-Yd Free Relay: each class on All Region Softball Teams 19 at Hiawassee Valley Pool in Place: Ean Harkins, 5th Place: 2nd Place: Jeremy Herum, Murphy, NC. Grace Weldon, 8th Place: Tyler Gavin Thompson, Aidan Francis, 2016 Region 7-AAA All Region Softball Teams 200-Yd Medley Relay: Harkins, 8th Place: Kindle Kolb, Brian Williams. 1st Place: Gavin Thomp- 9th Place: Savannah Damon, 4th Place: Nathanael PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Nikki Carver - Sr - North Hall son, Jeremy Herum, Aidan Fran- 10th Place: Megan Foster. Allison, Ean Harkins, Tyler cis and Brian Williams. 100-Yard Butterfly: Harkins, Steven Williams. PITCHER OF THE YEAR: Macy Banks - Fr - East Hall 3rd Place: Leilani Schroed- 1st Place Brian Williams, 100-Yard Backstroke er, Megan Foster, Grace Weldon 2nd Place Kaiya Wilkes. 1st Place : Brian Wil- and Kaiya Wilkes. 100-Yard Freestyle: liams, 5th Place: Sloan Sutton, FIRST TEAM ALL REGION: 4th Place: Nathan Cobb, 1st Place : Aidan 5th Place : Savannah Damon Ean Harkins, Tyler Harkins and Francis, 2nd Place: Jeremy 100-Yard Breaststroke Laken Chambers - Sr - Union County Steven Williams. Herum, 4th Place: Steven Wil- 1st Place: Aidan Fran- Steffanie Redmon - Jr - East Hall 200-Yard Freestyle liams, 4th Place: Megan Foster, cis, 4th Place: Jeremy Herum, 3rd Place: Tyler Harkins 5th Place: Gavin Thompson, 5th 5th Place: Steven Amanda Briskin - Jr - Greater Atlanta Christian 200-Yd Indiv Medley: Place: Kindle Kolb, 6th Place: Williams, 7th Place: Leilani 2nd Place: Grace Weldon, Ean Harkins, 8th Place: Schroeder. Ansley Holman - Sr - Lumpkin County 6th Place: Leilani Schroeder. John Mancuso. Maggie Schandera - So - Dawson County Girl Scouts introduced to Pickleball by volunteers Ashlyn Brewster - Sr - North Hall Julian Garrett - Sr - North Hall Macy Galloway - Sr - Fannin County Amelia Veal - Fr - Greater Atlanta Christian Jillian Lawn - Jr - Union County Sydney McGinnis - Sr - Dawson County Mary Wischmeyer - Fr - Union County

SECOND TEAM ALL REGION: Claire Holcomb - Sr - Greater Atlanta Christian Aladriel Arnold - So - Union County

Coaches on back row, (L-R): Bud Patrick, Hiawassee; Cathy Berggreen, Blairsville; Karen Staffins, Mor- Skyler Caine - Jr - Dawson County ganton; Kathi Patrick, Hiawassee, seated are Girl Scouts Natalie Glass - Sr - Dawson County Twenty Girl Scouts, from volunteers taught them the Staffins arranged the event, 4th grade through high school, basics of the game, including and recruited the Patricks and Kadie Chambers - Jr - Lumpkin County enjoyed learning about the fast paddle use, ball control, and a Cathy Berggreen, Treasurer of growing sport called Pickleball. variety of shots. the BPC, to help. The game is Misty Goodman - Jr - Lumpkin County The Fannin County troupes, un- Kathi and Bud Patrick, easy, fun, quick, and great ex- Abigail Brown - Fr - East Hall der the guidance of Leader Te- USAPA Ambassadors for the ercise for all ages. resa Watkins, met on November BPC, are committed to sharing Ms. Watkins would like Jennifer Lopez - So - East Hall 10th at the Fannin County Rec- their knowledge and enthusi- any girls who are interested in reation Center in Blue Ridge, asm for the game with North Scouts to email her at metlwat- Macy Clark - So - North Hall GA. Blairsville Pickleball Club Georgia communities. Karen [email protected]. N(Nov23,Z8)CA Carson Negley - Sr - North Hall More photos from Saturday’s Mitchell Abby Jenkins - So - Greater Atlanta Christian Henderson benefit 5K and Prayer Walk Kadie Sullens - Jr - North Hall NASCAR 2016 By Gerald Hodges/the Racing Reporter Johnson Gets Seventh Cup Championship Homestead, FL - Jimmie and Edwards) in this year’s Chase Johnson’s NASCAR Sprint Cup will only get half of what driv- win this past Sunday moved him ers received last year. According up into some elite company. to ESPN, the overall point fund Johnson joined Richard last year was $21.765 million, Petty and Dale Earnhardt as the with the champion slated to earn only drivers to have won seven about $4.7 million (’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Champi- take was less because he missed onships. 11 races), and this year it will be “This is beyond words,” less than half that amount. said Johnson. “What great strat- Second place last year paid egy the team came up with to get $2.1 million, third $1.58 million, me here tonight. What an honor. with seventh place on back earn- It’s so unbelievable. You dream ing less than a million. As part of about something like this, but the new charter system and in an you don’t know how big it really effort to make their revenue shar- is until it happens.” ing more predictable, NASCAR While Johnson won the and the team owners’ Race Team race and championship fair and Alliance agreed to pay the cham- square, his chances didn’t look pion less but spread the point good until after the race’s next- fund more equitably throughout to-last caution. Up until that time the top-25 drivers and teams. , 2016 NASCAR he had been running in the mid- Drivers typically get paid Sprint Cup Champion dle of the field. a percentage of purse and point- World Truck Series champion- On a restart with eleven fund money in addition to a base ship Friday at Homestead-Mi- laps remaining, Joey Logano got salary. The overall point fund in- ami Speedway. into the back of Carl Edwards, creased in 2016, NASCAR Chief “I’m not going to lie; who was running second. Ed- Operating Officer Brett Dewar today I was a little bit nervous wards went low, trying to block said, but he wouldn’t elaborate, when we qualified 19th, but Logano, but came down too far. citing confidentiality clauses in the I knew that we’d race good,” Edwards’ left rear bumper made charters, about the distribution. said Sauter. “The trucks are just contact with the front of Loga- “I think it is a million-and- so good. All the product that no’s car. a-half to win a Cup,” six-time they’re building at GMS Rac- Edwards No. 19 spun, Cup champion Jimmie Johnson ing just -- and doesn’t hurt to crashed into the inside wall, then said. “The last time I stood on have power under the came back up the track taking out stage, it was seven-and-a-half hood, and we executed like we several other cars until it came [million]. It’s a huge change.” needed to. Had solid pit stops to rest against the outside wall. NASCAR stopped pub- tonight. We made some posi- A total of nine other cars were lishing how much money a tions up on the racetrack like caught up in the melee. driver earns for the team each we needed to, and here we are. The race was red flagged week in the purse and does not Great year. Couldn’t be more for 31 minutes while speedway plan to publicize the bonus struc- proud. crews cleaned up the debris. ture as it has in the past, citing “I don’t think it’s com- That restart may have cost the new charter system structure. pletely sank in quite yet, but Edwards his first championship, The 36 charter teams get dol- you know, it wouldn’t be pos- because he was leading the other lars from two pools of money sible without these two guys sit- three Chase contenders at the based on participation -- a fixed ting next to me. That’s for sure. time, and seemed to have the amount each team gets, and then I can remember last September fastest car. an amount based on the team’s when I flew to Las Vegas and “I knew Joey was there,” finishes the previous three years, the Gallagher family brought said Edwards. “I thought I had most heavily weighted to the pre- me to their house and cooked enough time to clear him, but it vious season, which means that me a wonderful meal and said didn’t turn out that way. This was the champion will earn more for this is our goals and this is what the race of my life and I thought his team over the next three years we want to do. You know, when I had it. When that caution came than if he had finished lower in I went and checked out the shop out, I risked it all. I gave it my the standings. and saw their ultimate vision for best, but it didn’t turn out that Except for the series ban- where they wanted GMS Racing way.” quets, this concludes the 2016 to be, I knew it was something During the caution period NASCAR racing season. that I wanted to be a part of.” Edwards walked to Logano’s SUAREZ WINS RACE Sauter’s team finished the Bowling Scores pit area and told his crew chief, AND CHAMPIONSHIP 2016 season with three wins, 12 Monday Night Ladies: “That was all my deal.” Daniel Suárez, captured top-5s, 19 top-10s, one pole po- Joyce Trenton 213, Monita Rod- After the track was cleaned the Xfinity Series championship sition and the championship. up and racing resumed, the lead- Saturday at Homestead-Miami Matt Crafton was runner- gers 209, Series 568. ers were , Kevin Speedway by winning the last Monday Night Men: Ron up for the championship, after Harvick, Kyle Busch, and Jim- race of the season in only his sec- being passed by Sauter after the Wingate 234, Joe Teague 226, my Johnson. One lap later, Ricky ond year of full-time NASCAR race’s last caution. 235, 226, Series 687, Dewey Allen Stenhouse spun bringing out the racing. The driver of the No. 19 “We were really good at 203, 206, Tim McVay 247, Walt race’s last caution and sending Toyota is the the beginning and then was ter- Whitlock 209, Branden Hartness the 267-lap race into overtime. first Latin American to win a na- rible there on the last run and 224, 288, 238, Series 750, Jay Bur- Kyle Busch, who was running tional series title. came up short,” he said. “We rell 228, Stanley Tyler 202, Greg fifth, pitted for tires and a car The Monterrey, Mexico, were just really bad on that last Whittenberg 229, 202, 220, Series adjustment under caution. When native dominated from the out- run for whatever reason. We 651, Taz Matetzschk 226, Jeremi- he returned to the track, he was set of the season, racking up four just went the wrong way for ah Plott 245, 256, 200 Series 701, ninth. When the race went back top-five and nine top-10 finishes whatever reason. It just got re- Mel White 204, 203, Doug Tanner green, the leaders were Larson, in his first 10 contests. Suárez led ally tight on that last run. The 222, 215, Bart Rodgers 228, 242, Johnson, Harvick, and Logano. the points standings following 14 run before that was just a little Series 661. Johnson got a great jump on Lar- separate races in the regular sea- bit free, and on that last run it Young @ Heart Seniors: son and by the time the two lead- son and made his way into the just got really tight on entry.” Gene Langford 204, 214, Series ers had reached turn-1, Johnson Xfinity Series Chase with his win Christopher Bell was 599, Bruce Burnett 226, Jim Kid- was out front and pulling away. at Michigan. third in the final points, while der 220, Stanley Tyler 236, 246, The other two Chase con- was second was fourth. Paul Napolitano 200, Bryan Cuth- tenders that were still on the in Chase points, followed by Jus- Racing Trivia Question: bert 245, 214, Del Neiffer 226, track; Joey Logano and Kyle tin Allgaier, and Eric Jones. What year did the Sprint Cup 205, 205, Series 636. Busch could only watch as John- SAUTER GETS TRUCK Chase begin? Thurs Night Fun Mixed: son moved farther and farther CHAMPIONSHIP Last Week’s Question: Branden Hartness 236, 210, Tim ahead. Kyle Larson finished sec- ’s third- The first Homestead Sprint Cup McVay 204, Doug Roberts 202, ond followed by , place finish in the season end- race was held on Nov. 14, 1999. Joey Logano, Jamie McMurray, ing Truck Series race was good Who was the winner? Answer. Jimmy Southern 226, Brett Hogsed Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth, AJ enough to earn him the 2016 . 220, Shay Roberts 202, 226, Se- Allmendinger, Denny Hamlin, championship. You may contact the Rac- ries 624, Curtis Corn 200, Bonnell and Michael McDowell. After eight seasons of rac- ing Reporter by e-mail at: hodg- Thomas 201, Ray Everett 206, 227, The top-four finishers ing in the series, Sauter earned [email protected]. NT(Nov23,Z19)CA Photos by Todd Forrest 242, Series 675, Tee Turner 209 (Johnson, Logano, Kyle Busch his first NASCAR Camping