As a new season dawned at Caraway Speedway drivers and teams were filled with grand expectations and confidence from previous testing but only one driver in each division was able to leave today with a trophy and photos in victory lane.
The 2018 season kicked off with the Money Madness 99 highlighted by a 99-lap Late Model Stock Car race featuring some of the regions best drivers. Travis Swaim was the pre-race favorite and he backed up the optimism with a pole run in qualifying.
Swaim driving a car prepared by Jamey Caudill would put himself out front with the first place qualifying effort and when the green flag dropped he asserted himself as the car to beat. Swaim was the car to beat from the drop of the green flag but he had several suitors looking to take the top spot from him. He would hold on to the lead through several yellow flags and multiple challenges mostly from Justin Carroll.
Carroll would slip back and was showing some smoke from his car for much of the race but managed to climb back to second and eventually made his charge for the top spot. On lap 80 he made his move after Swaim had dominated the race and Carroll took the top spot. He brought along with him outside pole winner Ryan Millington, who like Carroll had been biding his time and saving his tires.
Millington stayed glued to Carroll and with five laps to go he made his move and assumed the top spot. From there it was over as Millington pulled away and picked up the victory. Carroll finished second with Swaim third. Ryan Wilson and Nick Leitz completed the top five of the 11-car starting field.
In other divisions:
Mack Little used a little muscle to get by Tommy Neal for the win in the Limited division. Neal had the save of the day as he drifted his car all the way through turns one and two after contact from Little. Little would get by him and after surviving a late race restart went on to pick up the win ahead of Josh Lowder who got by Neal coming to the checkered flag. Jimmy Wallace and Jeremy Clay completed the top five finishers.
In Chargers Austin Harris, son of former Late Model Stock Car driver and 2017 602 Tour Limited Champion, Rock Harris picked up his first win. Thomas Chappel, John Whaley, David Creed and Anthony Barnett completed the top five.
AJ Sanders picked up his second win of the weekend in the Mini Stock division. He got his first win on Saturday at Southern National Motorsports Park and backed it up today with a dominating performance. Johnny Baker, Michael Lowery, Justin Owens and Doug Rembold completed the top five finishers.
Tommy Raino picked up the win in the U-Car division. Gregory Williams, Tim Price, Braxton Tucker and Doug Harris complete the top five.
Caraway Speedway will be back in action this Sunday, March 10th. The action will be highlighted by a 125-lap PASS South Series Super Late Model race and a 99-lap Southern Modified Racing Series feature. Plus 40-laps for the Limited Late Models, 25-lap Chargers, and 15-lap Mini Stocks.
