Senoia’s Tina Johnson and Fayetteville’s Ashton Winger recently made an impressive showings at Week 3 of the Atlanta Motor Speedway’s Winter Flurry.
Week 3 races on Jan. 17 marked the half-way point of the six-week Winter Flurry racing series at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Bill Plemons of Locust Grove led flag to flag to take the win in the Masters feature race, his first start of the Winter Flurry season. Plemons held off Johnson, winner of the Master’s feature in Week 2 of Winter Flurry, as the pair battled nose-to-tail in the final three laps of the race. Robbie Woodall of McDonough, points leader in the Masters division entering the race, rounded out the top three.
In the Semi-Pro feature, Stockbridge’s Taylor Jorgensen ran a strong race at the front of the field for the first 13 laps before Zach Leonhardi of Cartersville eclipsed Jorgensen on lap 14. From there, Leonhardi never looked back and took his second Semi-Pro division victory in as many weeks. A spin on lap 15 dropped Jorgensen to third place, where she finished, while Bailey Woodall of McDonough claimed second place.
The Outlaw feature race supplied healthy competition between Winger and Outlaw Division points co-leader Connor Younginer. Winger led from the pole for the first 12 laps before Younginer outran him in turn two of the 13th lap. Younginer then led each of the following six laps and looked like a lock for the checkered flag before an untimely spin on the race’s final turn dropped him six places. A patient Winger restored his lead on the final straightaway for the victory, while Josh Hicks of Senoia – the other Outlaw Division co-leader – claimed second place. John’s Creek’s Austin Greer rounded out the top three.
Clay Tompson of Powersville put together a solid race from start to finish in the Bandits feature and never trailed, to reclaim the points lead over Social Circle’s Lawson Ingold. The two have traded wins in each of the season’s first three Winter Flurry races, with Thompson winning in Weeks 1 and 3, and Ingold taking the checkered flag in Week 2. Ryan Howell and Nathan Jackson finished third and fourth respectively, to hold the same rankings in the points standings.
A caution-filled Beginner Bandelero feature saw Wilder Etheredge of lead a total of 14 laps, including each of the first 11, before Savannah’s Gauntt Hudgins made a pass on lap 12. Etheredge and Hudgins ran nose-to-tail, thrice trading leads over the next six laps, before Etheredge got loose in turn 2 on lap 17 and crashed hard into the wall on the backstretch, bringing out a red flag and eliminating him from competition. Hudgins led the final three laps, holding off Samuel Oliver from The Rock, to claim the checkered flag for the second time of the season. Covington’s Cameron Potter claimed the third-place finish.
Week 4 of the affordable, family-friendly winter racing series Winter Flurry returns to Atlanta Motor Speedway on Jan. 31. Spectators are afforded the opportunity to access the garage area with an infield spectator ticket for just $12 for adults, $5 for children ages 6 through 11 and is free for children ages five and younger. Driver registration for Winter Flurry is only $25 per race.
For more information, contact the Atlanta Motor Speedway ticket office at 770-946-4211, 877-9-AMS-TIX or visit www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.
Beginner Bandolero:
1. Gauntt Hudgins (Savannah), 2. Sam Oliver (The Rock), 3. Cameron Potter (Covington), 4. Wilder Etheredge, 5. Ryan Younginer (Jonesboro)
Bandits:
1. Clay Thompson (Powersville), 2. Lawson Ingold (Social Circle), 3. Ryan Howell (McDonough), 4. Nathan Jackson (McDonough)
Outlaws:
1. Ashton Winger (Fayetteville), 2. Joshua Hicks (Senoia), 3. Austn Greer (Johns Creek), 4. Will McConnell (Dallas), 5. Hayden Swank (Woodstock), 6. Trey Tadrzak (Stockbridge), 7. Connor Younginer (Stockbridge), 8. Jonathan Cook (Sunny Side), 9. Rickey Springer (McDonough)
Semi-Pro:
1. Zach Leonhardi (Cartersville), 2. Bailey Woodall, 3. Taylor Jorgensen (Stockbridge), 4. Jeff Holden (Gainesville), 5. Jenson Jorgensen (Stockbridge), 6. Amber Fleeman (Dacula), 7. Dylan Murry (Cumming), 8. Brandon Brock (Hampton), 9. Jason Treschl (Lagrange), 10. Sabastain Aras (Bogota, Columbia), 11. Miranda Meredith (Locust Grove)
Masters:
1. Bill Plemons Jr. (Locust Grove), 2. Tina Johnson (Senoia), 3. Robbie Woodall (McDonough), 4. Mark Swan (Dunwoody), 5. Mike Kennedy (Alpharetta), 6. Martin Snyder (Kennesaw), 7. Dennis Aiken (Villa Rica), 8. George Flanigan (Nashville, TN), 9. Rutledge Wood (Senoia), 10. Joe Creasy (Holmer), 11. Wes Potter (Covington)
