National Late Model Sportsmen Series Brunswick Results 1999-06-09

HOOD, RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME IN NLMS

SPEEDWIRE Donnie Helmly (June 9, 1999) The National Late Model Sportsmen series made their stop at the fastest half-mile dirt track in the south this past weekend, as 26 teams emerged on to Golden Isle Speedway in Brunswick, Georgia for the two day show. The teams showed up on Friday night for qualifying and heat race action, which saw the top three qualifiers win their respected heat events.

Point leader Skip Pannel came into the event needing a respectable finish, after bad results from a week ago at Valdosta left him losing points to his chasers. Pannel came off the trailer ready to make up those points. Pannel set fast time setting a blistering time of 18.980, almost a second faster than the second place time. Pannel went on to win the first of three heat events. Three time series winner, and most recent, Johnny Collins set second fastest time turning the track in 19.029, with Ivedent Lloyd turning in the third fastest, with both winning their respected heat events.

Pannel would lead the field for the first 15 laps of the 100 lap $4,000 to win event, until a broken rear end would put him in the pits for the night, putting Collins up front. Collins would hold on to the lead until lap 69 when his right front tire began going flat. The loss of air would cause his Pontiac Grand Prix to slide up the track, giving former series champion Ivedent Lloyd room to make the move to the front spot, and put Collins back to second fighting an ill handling car. Lloyds lead would be short lived, as he would slow on the next lap after losing a drive shaft, which sent him to the pits for the remaining laps. Collins took back over with Wesley Hood, Mike Mishoe, Henry O'Steen and Cecil Eunice in the top five. Lap 74 would see Collins lose the remaining air in his right front tire, which would send him to the pits for a new one. Collins got a break at that point, as a wreck brought out a caution flag, allowing him to tag the rear of the field without going down a lap. Wesley Hood of South Carolina took over from there, and held on for the remaining 25 laps to claim his first series win of the season. Mishoe looked as though he would take second but ran out of gas on the final lap. Bobby Oglesby moved up to finish second with Kacey O'Steen, Johnny Collins and Lee Jackson rounding out the top five. Sixth through tenth was Chuck Chitty, Mike Mishoe, Mike Carter, Dennis Smith, and Billy Godowns.