Page 3C JulyTHE 8, NORTH 2020 THEGEORGIA NORTH NEWS GEORGIA July 8, NEWS 2020 Page 3C A Pair of Aces: Old Union member NASCAR 2020 By Gerald Hodges/the Racing Reporter notches two holes-in-one in five weeks “Happy” Harvick Scores Fourth Win By Todd Forrest there’s a secret to his success, “My best friend also Sports Editor he’s keeping it very close to has five holes in one, and he’s INDIANAPOLIS, IN - Kevin Harvick and his team [email protected] the vest. always been one ahead of me,” Moody said. “He’ll hit one, are having quite a year. He “No secret, I just get scored his fourth Cup Series lucky every now and then,” and I’ll tie him, then he’ll get win of the season Sunday at Ed Moody is the first to Moody said with a laugh. “My another one, and I’ll tie him the Brickyard. admit that he’s been a pretty last hole-in-one (June 22) was again. Now we’re tied again, Harvick and Denny lucky guy out on the links since actually a little flukey. I hit a so I expect him to get another Hamlin had the two dominant taking up the game of golf. pitching wedge about 100 yards one any day.” cars near the end. After a re- But not even he could and (the ball) landed in front of According to www.holei- start on lap 138 of the 161- have anticipated his new-found the green, rolled about 10 yards noneinsurance.com -- who pro- lap race, Hamlin was able to Midas touch that resulted in and went in.” vides coverage for hole-in-one take the lead from Harvick, an unlikely case of lightning- According to Moody, contests in the unlikely event a and continued to lead until lap striking-twice at Blairsville’s the May 13 hole-in-one was contestant hits a perfect shot and 153. Hamlin suddenly had a Old Union Golf Course. a 9-iron that traveled approxi- walks away with a new truck or right front tire blow out, which In less than six weeks mately 120 yards, under calm another expensive prize -- the sent him into the outside wall, during the spring, Moody fired conditions, before finding its odds of an amateur recording bringing out the race’s last two holes-in-one, the first com- way into the cup. an ace range from 1-in-10,000 caution. ing May 13 on the par-3 second “It was one of the best to 1-in-100,000 depending on Harvick was the new hole. Forty days later, on June the distance, weather and other leader on the restart, followed shots I’ve ever hit,” he said. by Matt Kenseth and Aric “Happy” Harvick Scores Fourth Win 22, he aced the par-three 16th. “It landed just to the right of conditions. However, the aver- Almirola. When the green flag “I’ve been retired for hood dream by winning the has just done a great job, re- the pin with a slight draw. It age overall odds hover around was dropped, Harvick went to Brickyard 150 Xfinity Series ally been the leader in trying about 20-something years but I bounced one time and went in 1-in-12,500. the front and pulled away for race on Saturday. to help other sports figure out decided to give up fishing after the hole.” “Well that sounds about his third Brickyard 400 vic- The win on the Indy road how they’re going to get back my buddy passed away, and Following his recent right, I’ve probably hit the ball tory. course was Briscoe’s third vic- on track. I think when you that’s when I started playing string of masterful shot-mak- that many times,” said Moody “We knew Denny was tory in the last four NASCAR look at the Indy doubleheader, golf,” Moody said. ing, Moody has now tied his after learning the odds. “I prob- getting close on tires and Rod- Xfinity Series races and fifth you hear guys from both sides. Since recording his first golfing buddy with five holes- ably play about three or four ney (Rodney Childers crew of the season. We had Tony Kanaan on my hole-in-one in 1996, the An- in-one. Although, he admits times a week and I just get re- chief) told me to keep the He led 30 laps of the radio show talking about this drews, North Carolina resident that his confidant is overdue to ally lucky sometimes.” pressure on him. Believe me, I 62 lap race, but had to fight particular weekend, and In- has logged five aces. And if pick up his sixth. was pressuring him all I could. back after losing the lead to dyCar and NASCAR running This is the Brickyard. You AJ Allmendinger on lap 59. together. We’re all racers. We want to do whatever it takes to He regained it two laps later, want racing to be successful. win here.” and held off Justin Haley, who “I know it’s kind of Matt Kenseth’s runner- finished 1.717-seconds back. had that stigma for a number up finish was his best since “Everybody knows of years there’s the IndyCar coming out of retirement. growing up my hero in racing guys and there’s the NASCAR “Man we were fast, but was Tony Stewart and getting guys. One thing I learned over that 4-car was really fast,” said to drive for him and watch him the winter doing iRacing, rac- Kenseth. “I really couldn’t get win the Brickyard and that was ers are racers. If you race on close enough to do anything always his signature thing and a computer, in IndyCar, every- with him. We had a good, com- I just wanted to do it,” a smil- body wants to see a good race petitive car, the pit stops went ing Briscoe said. “Honestly, and be part of a cool event. I great, so we will take this and it’s not the same prestige as think it’s going to be a cool go on hoping for a win.” winning on the oval but you event. With Roger Penske The remaining top-10: 3. still won at Indianapolis Mo- owning the Indianapolis Mo- Aric Almirola, 4. Brad Kesel- tor Speedway and it doesn’t tor Speedway, you’re going owski, 5. Cole Custer, 6. Kyle matter if your racing on the to see different things. I think Busch, 7. Michael McDowell, oval, the road course, the dirt this is the first step of many 8. Tyler Reddick, 9. Bubba track or even the parking lot, that will bring exciting shows Wallace, 10. Joey Logano. it’s special winning here.” to the racetrack.” Denny Hamlin, who also Noah Gragson was third, Racing Joke: During has four wins finished 28th. followed by AJ Allmendinger, an off week of racing, Martin “It was a tough day,” Austin Cindric, Ross Chastain, and his wife decided to visit said Hamlin. “We had a fast Justin Allgaier, Alex Labbe, Washington, D.C. They de- car, but maybe we needed a lit- Michael Annett, and Preston cided to stay at the Watergate tle more downforce. I did all I Pardus. Hotel. His wife was concerned could do, but when something Top-10 leaders: 1. Bris- that the room was bugged, but like that happens, you can’t do coe-556, 2. Gragson-535, 3. Martin said, “Don’t worry, I’ll much.” Chastain-501, 4. Cindric-495, check everything.” Hamlin was not the only 5. Allgaier-434, 7. H. Burton- So he looked behind the driver that experienced front 421, 8. B. Jones-383, 9. An- drapes, behind the pictures tire failures. There were six nett-373, 10. Sieg-329. and under the rug. There he other drivers that had front NASCAR AWARDS found a disc with four screws. tires go out on them. BANQUET CANCELED He unscrewed them and threw An early racing inci- NASCAR officials an- the disc out the window. The dent on pit road injured one nounced last week that the next morning, the hotel man- of the tire changer’s on Ryan 2020 Cup Series Awards and ager asked, “How was your Blaney’s car. As the field made Banquet, scheduled for De- stay? How was your room? its way to the pits, several cars cember has been canceled be- How was the service?” checked up and caused a pile cause of COVID-19 concerns. “Why all the questions,” up that completely blocked In the statement, offi- asked Martin. the narrow IMS pit road. The cials indicated that the year- “Well,” explained the crewman was wedged between end celebration would return manager, “The people in the two cars. He was taken to the to Nashville in 2021. The room under you complained infield care center, but did not statement also said that NA- of the chandelier falling on have any broken bones, or se- SCAR’s three national series them.” rious injuries. champions will be honored Weekend Racing: NA- Jimmie Johnson con- with some other postseason SCAR will hold four races at tinues to struggle this season. celebration to be determined the 1.5-mile Kentucky Speed- The seven-time NASCAR Cup at a later date. way in Sparta, KY. Series champion tested posi- “The 2020 NASCAR Thurs., July 9; Xfinity tive for COVID-19 on Friday. Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series race No. 1; Start time: 8 He missed Sunday’s race at Series and NASCAR Gander PM ET; TV: FoxSports1.