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| Thanks to Jim Mills of Twice 3 Photography |
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| visit Franklin County Speedway site for all the Pics! |
RACE AT FCS A NAIL BITER TO THE END
The guys and gals of the ECFFRA showed up with 10 cars for the second visit to their favorite Virginia venue, Franklin
County Speedway. The #55 got to start from the pole via a bad run at Ace Speedway two weeks earlier. The 6A started
on the outside pole.
Barrow brought the cars down to a nice start on the green and led the first lap. The faster cars out back couldnt
wait to get to the front as Barrow was putting daylight between his 1940 Ford Deluxe Coupe and the rest of the field.
Chris Malcom in the #4 caught and eventually passed the #55 only to have trouble and fall out after one lap at the point.
The racing was furious all through the pack as the 6A of Rhonda McKnight was duking it out with the #72 of Michael Pike.
The leader was slowed by racing cars back in the pack and was caught by the #99 of Johnnie Johnson and #6 of James Rogers.
A very close race was had till the fall of the checkers on the #55 John Barrow in a Sportsman car followed by Modified winner
#99 Johnnie Johnson.
Its has been years since a sportsman car won the overall race, done once before by old Sportsman Champ Kenneth Tuttle
in his venerable old #16 Coach.
#31 and #00 had good runs as did the #19 Punkin.
Finishing order was:
1-#55 John Barrow
2-#99 Johnnie Johnson
3-#6 James Rogers
4-#21 Clayton Smith
5-#00 Jim Brock
6-#72 Michael Pike
7-6A Rhonda McKnight
8-#19 Jerry Tuttle
9-#4 Chris Malcom
10-#9 Thomas Needham DNS
Don't Miss our next race at Tri-County Speedway on June 27th!!!!!!!!
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| Click Here to visit SMRT Tour Site for Pics and More!!! |
ECFFRA BRINGS ELEVEN CARS TO RETURN TO ACE SPEEDWAY
The largest, oldest and Best Flathead Racing Organization returned to Ace Speedway to run in the SMRT Tour Event to show
the folks at Altamahaw what a Flathead Ford race is really like, and boy did they show them! The SMRT Modified Guys
know that a ECFFRA Race is really a RACE!!@#$%^
A full field of East Coast cars lined up for the start of the 20 lap feature for the first time the East Coast cars have
been at Ace since the Club took the high road. The selfless dedication to true vintage racing showed as the field took
the green to start the race.
Four wide into turn one was a bad idea as #19 Jerry Tuttle slowed high next to the turn two wall. #55 John Barrow
followed and slowed to avoid a collision and spun to the inside collection the #31 Allen Mc Knight and #53 Mike Norman.
Once the mess was cleaned up and the cars hauled away, the race restarted smoothly with everyones nerves somewhat calmed
by the lap one debacle.
Ridgeway Virginias' James Rogers in the #6 Ford took the lead and moved away from the field as the balance of the field
sorted itself out.
#99 Johnnie Johnson next emerged from the knot of cars to persue Rogers. Rogers seemed to have things well in hand
leading about 12 laps. With 7 laps to go #99 Johnson made a power move low to take the lead dodging the slower
cars on the way. Johnson seemed to have things will in hand with a tenuious car length lead.
#4 Chris Malcom from Pinnacle had shaken off the pack and was running down the two leaders. Johnson claimed a blown
headgasket in the closing laps that slowed the #99 and allowed the #6 if Rogers to close in to challenge for the lead, but
#4 Chris Malcom had a different idea as he closed on Rogers for second.
The finish was very exciting with less than a car length seperating the top 3 cars. It was a great race, viewed
from the pits as this reporter sat crashed observing the action. Which brings up the old racing adage "You cant win
the race on the first lap". But us REAL racers know that is just bull (or is it??????????)
Mike Pike in the #72 posted his best finish of 6th with #6A Rhonda McKnight finishing 7th in her first start with the
East Coast Flathead Ford Racing Assn. Thomas Needhad recorded a solid 4th place with the Punkin' Jerry Tuttle finishing
5th.
The finishing Order for Ace Speedway:
1-Johnnie Johnson #99 Modified Winner
2-James Rogers #6 Sportsman Winner
3-Chris Malcom #4M
4-Thomas Needham #9S
5-Jerry Tuttle #19M
6-Micheal Pike #72M
7-Rhonda McKnight #6AM
8-Rosie George #18S
9-John Barrow #55S
10-Allen McKnight #31S
11-Mike Norman #53M
M=Modified and S=Sportsman
See You'all in two weeks a the fast and furious Franklin County Speedway!!!
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| Click Here to visit OCS for cool pics and more!! |
ORANGE COUNTY SPEEDWAY FAST AND WIDE
The boys from the ECFFRA showed up in force at the OCS on Satuday night and a race broke out! Eleven cars made
the pull to northern Orange County to experiance that nice track.
The Pole was covered by #9 Thomas Needham and #19 Jerry Tuttle. A smooth start allowed # 55 John Barrow to jump
out to a comfortable lead. Making his first start of the 2008 season was perinneal favorite, Rosie George in the newly
painted #18. #15 Wayne Tuttle made his first start of the season and ran like a man possessed, duking it out with #18
Rosie for the 7th spot.
Eventually old age and experiance won out as Rosie edged ahead a the wire to claim 7th place finish.
Meanwhile, #55 lead and #99 Johnnie Johnson persued at torrid pace that lapped most of the field. Two cars racing
side by side slowed Barrow's pace for #99 to jump to the outside for the pass. Barrow fell in behind and gave chase
making it exciting.
As the laps wound down, a blown engine by the #9 car left a oily spot in tuns 1 and 2 that #99 and #55 ran through, barely
avoiding wall. A race to the finish found #99 Johnnie Johnson winning the Modified and #55 John Barrow winning the Sportsman.
Finishing Order as follows:
1- Modified Winner - Johnnie Johnson #99
2-Sportsman Winner - John Barrow #55
3-James Rogers #6
4-Jerry Tuttle #19
5-Donovan Freeman #7
6-Mike Pike #72
7-Rosie George #18
8-Wayne Tuttle #15
9-Thomas Needham #9
10-Clayton Smith #31
11-Chris Malcom #4
See Ya Next Friday at ACE Speedway
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| Click Here for Reds Online Catalog of Flathead Headers and Speed Parts!!! |
WOW!!! BEST RACE
EVER AT FRANKLIN COUNTY
Thats what the fans were saying as the Boys of the ECFFRA raced hard and
fast at the speedy 3/8 mile track.
Clayton Smith, fresh from the "uplifting" ride at the Tri-County Speedway
was on the pole for the second race of the season. Jerry Tuttle was slated for the outside pole but had to take it to
the pits before the start leaving 4th place starter John Barrow on the outside pole.
The starter waved the green and Barrow took the lead and paced the field
at a fast pace. Chris Malcom followed at an equal pace taking a look inside off turn 2 an about every lap, only to bogg
the flathead down and drop back in line.
Barrows pace was fast and smooth for 15 laps appearing to have the lead
and win well within reach until a later discovered cut tire causes a slow leak in the RF tire, causing the earlier fast #55
for push and wallow through the corners. Barrow finished 4th.
Fast from the start running no worse than second, Chris Malcom took the
lead on lap16 and never looked back. Steady and fast, James Rogers moved into second place and set sail for the overall
lead, but never had the speed of Malcoms' #4 Ford.
With laps winding down to lap 25 (news to the racers) always fast #99 with
David Atkins moved by the ailing #55 to third place. Thomas Needham in the #9 finished fifth with pole setter Clayton
Smith in the borrowed #6A finished seventh. Jim Brock in the #00 brought his Ronoake Va. based 1940 Ford Deluxe Sedan
in a season high eighth place with newcomer Michael Pike finishing ninth in his #72 1941 Ford Coupe.
The crowd roared at the finish as the old flatheads put on quite a show
of close racing in old stock cars.
Finishing order:
1-Chris Malcom #4 Modified Winner
2-James Rogers #6 Sportsman Winner
3-David Atkins #99 S
4-John Barrow #55 S
5-Thomas Needham #9
6-Claytom Smith #6A
7-Jim Brock #00
8-Michael Pike #72
9-Jerry Tuttle #19
10-Alfred Johnson #11
Don't forget, We Race those Fabulous Flatheads
at Orange County Speedway on Saturday Night May 17th and Ace Speedway Friday Night May 23rd.
Be There!!!!!!!!
EXCITING RACE AT TRI COUNTY - JOHNNSON AND ROGERS
TAKE WINS
The old cars showed up a that fast 1/2 mile in Hudson NC for
20 laps of racing. The 10 car field was paced to the green by #9 Thomas Needham and #19 Jerry Tuttle.
On the start the #9 of Needham pulled to a lead with the #19 in hot persuit.
The field followed this parade for several laps with the #19 of Tuttle fading to 5th.
On lap 3 the #31 of Clayton Smith hooked a rut in turn 2 and went for a very scary
tumble into the turn 2 wall. As the field came around for lap 4 all you could see was the bottom of the car, no number
visible.
By the next cautionl lap you could see old Cayton standing in the overturned wreck,
standing up through the passenger door window!
The red flag followed while the excellent track crew at TCMS cleaned up the car and
debris to ready the old guys for another try at racing.
The ensuing restart showed the #9 of Thomas Needham on the point followed by
#99 Johnnie Johnson, #55 John Barrow and #6 James Rogers. Once the cars got back up to full song, the trio of Johnson,
Barrow and Rogers passed the #9 and set a blistering pace for the race win. On lap 8 the #6 of Rogers moved high and
got around the #55 of Barrow for the 2nd spot and the Sportsman lead.
The cars finished in that order 1-4 with 10 more laps of high speed competition.
The ample crowd at TCMS was well entertained by the show put on by the old guys in the even older cars. All
original 1940 era flathead ford racecars!
Johnnie Johnson won the Modified Race and James Rogers won the Sportsman race.
The finishing order was:
1-Johnnie Johnson - Modified #99
2-James Rogers - Sportsman #6
3-John Barrow - Sportsman #55
4-Thomas Needham - Sportsman #9
5-Jerry Tuttle - Modified #19
6-Allen McKnight - Sportsman #6A
7-Eb Clifton - Modified #53
8-Jim Brock - Modified #00
9-Clayton Smith - Sportsman #31
10-Chris Malcom - Modified #4
Next Race at lovely Franklin County Speedway in Callaway Virginia on May 17.
Be there so see the Bestest and Fastest Flathead Ford Racing on the East Coast!!!
FRIENDSHIP OWNERS LEASE TRACK TO DIRT PROMOTER
The only sound coming from the track is that of dump trucks and motor graders!!!!
It has been reported that the track has been leased to a dirt racing promoter for
the 2008 season. As this article is being written it has been reported to this reporter that the trucks are dumping
dirt on that lovely asphalt 3/8 mile track.
After only 3 years of operation as a paved race track, it appears that the track is
going back to its roots. . . dirt. May be the folks in that neck of the woods prefer dirt to pavement racing.
You know the old timers always used to say that "pavement is for getting there and dirt is for racin' "
You know, dirt racing and old flatheads were a mainstay of the stock car racing across
the Carolinas and Virginia for decades, growing from the old moonshiners transporting their goods (and how good!!) to
the marketplace in the big cities. Mabe the flathead guys should consider taking a dirt race or two, just for old times
sake.
You know that making liquor on the farms in the south was considered a normal part
of rural farm life, just as normal as raising crops or livestock. Our founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson and George
Washington, made liquor on their estates free from the taxation of the King. This continued until the US Government
decided that they could tax this sweet comodity, then came regulation and well, those old farmers were reluctant to give up
"Winter" crop. And the rest is Southern History or is it Southern Heritage!
Hasta la vista Friendship.
FRIENDSHIP SPEEDWAY CALLS IT QUITS
It started with a flurry of activity and high hopes of the local racing comminity, many investing in that hope.
And the asphalt dream ends in 2007, without even a sound.
It has been recently reported that Friendship Speedway will not operate as an asphalt race track in 2008.
More later.
"The Original Flathead Ford Racing Organization in VA and NC"
All Rights Reserved 2008 East Coast Flathead Ford Racing Assn., Inc.
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