NLMS Season Ender at Oglethrope Speedway

NATIONAL LATE MODEL SPORTSMEN SERIES ENDS SEASON AT OGLETHROPE

October 31, 1999 By: Donnie Helmly (Savannah ,Georgia) The National Late Model Sportsmen Series made its final stop of the 1999 season this weekend as Oglethrope Speedway in Savannah Georgia, played host to "The Showdown on the Coast." Over 40 of the best Sportsmen drivers, showed up at the 1/2-mile clay oval to take a chance at taking home the $5,000 top place prize money.

The winners share wasn't the only thing on all of the minds of the top competitors, as the final point's standings were yet to be determined as well. Skip Pannel of Albany Georgia came into the weekend as the point leader, with Billy Godowns of Lewisville Georgia and Johnny Collins of Jacksonville Florida in hot pursuit.

The weekend began with Collins setting fast time turning in a time of 19.70. Cowpens South Carolina driver Wesley Hood coming in with the momentum of a $10,000 victory from a week ago at Volusia Speedway Park set second fast time 1/10th of a second slower at 19.80.

Heat race action saw Bobby Oglesby of Bloomingdale Georgia winning the first of four. Wesley Hood crossed the line as the second winner, with Tuck Trentham and Billy Godowns taking the top spots in the final two.

The heat events saw many of the top runners making the event, as the top four finishers in each heat race transferred to the feature to make up the sweet 16. The final ten would be determined by the top four finishers from two consolation races, one provisional from the highest consolation finisher's from the dirty dozen from last years points finishers, along with the promoters choice.

When the line up was determined, point leader Skip Pannel was without a starting position, which made for a shake up in the point's race.

The toss of the of the dice would land on six which placed Lake Park Georgia's Gene Ross and Johnny Collins on the front row. The two battled for the top spot side by side for the first lap. Ross would prevail with Collins in second. Ross would lead for 14 laps when mechanical failure put him in the pits for the night. Collins would take over from there until lap 35 when his air cleaner flew off, and Collins was forced to pit for repairs. That put Bobby Oglesby up front where he would stay for the remaining 65 laps. Billy Godowns crossed the stripe in second, and claimed the series championship. The top five was made up of Soperton, Georgia's Jimmy Sharpe, Randy Ellenburg of Valdosta, Georgia and Everett Phillips of Lake City Florida. Cecil Eunice of Blacksher Georgia finished in 11th, but it was enough to take home second in the points, with Johnny Collins bringing home third place in the final points standings after a disappointing 18th place finish.

Top 15 finishers

1    37 Bobby Oglesby      Bloomingdale, GA
2    20 Billy Godowns      Louisville, GA
3    26 Jimmy Sharpe       Soperton, GA
4    28 Randy Ellenburg    Valdosta, GA
5    46 Everett Phillips   Lake City, FL
6    7  David Browning     Jacksonville, FL
7    71 Jody Rogers        Statesboro, GA
8    54 Tuck Trentham      Deland, Fl
9    47 Lark Haskins       Macon, GA
10   3  Jimmy Lee Davis    Jacksonville, FL
11   22 Cecil Eunice       Blackshear, GA
12   18 Michael Lloyd      Jacksonville, FL
13   10 Lee Jackson        Brooklet, GA
14   57 Wesly Hood         Cowpens, S.C.
15   19 Kacey O'Steen      Waycross, Ga