This is the prize that 34 drivers will do battle for today at Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, Georgia in the Rheem World Crown 300. Photo by Brandon Reed
The countdown clock is almost to zero at Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, Georgia, and only one question remains going into today.
Who will wear the crown in victory lane after winning the Rheem World Crown 300?
When the green flag falls on today’s 28th incarnation of the southern short track racing classic, 34 of the best short track stock car jockeys will do battle on the high banked, half-mile speedway, all vying for the title “King of the Short Tracks.”
Stephen Nasse, Pinellas Park, FL, will lead the merry chase from the start, having won the pole in Friday’s time trials.
But he’ll have to fend off one of the top short track drivers in the country, as Senoia, Georgia’s Bubba Pollard will start on the outside of the front row.
Pollard has all the momentum in the world after winning an emotional victory Saturday in the Beau Slocumb Memorial 100 Pro Late Model feature, a race named after Pollard’s late friend.
Also looking to contend is Kannapolis, NC racer Daniel Hemric, piloting the defending winning car in the event. Hemric rolls off from the fifth position, and has been fast in practice each day.
Erik Jones and Cale Gale could also both have a say in who wears the crown, as both have had stout rides over the previous four days. Jones will start sixth, with Gale seventh.
Kenzie Ruston paced one practice session on Friday, and has been in the top five or ten on the speed charts all weekend. She will be looking to make history as the first woman to win the World Crown. She rolls off ninth.
Overlooked by many so far in this World Crown weekend is Dawsonville, Georgia’s Chase Elliott. With Elliott in Phoenix, Arizona at the NASCAR K&N West event this weekend, crew chief and former driver Ricky Turner practiced and qualified the car.
Elliott will arrive at the track for the first time this weekend on Sunday morning. That means he’ll start the race at the back of the 34 car field, and will have to meticulous as well as fast to become a factor in the event.
If you’re looking for a dark horse, look no further than 12th place starter Mike Garvey. Garvey, of McDonough, Georgia, is a former winner at Gresham Motorsports Park. But he’s been snake bit over the years in the World Crown. Garvey has been fast in practice, and if he can avoid trouble and out run bad luck, he could finally score a long overdue World Crown victory.
Other dark horse candidates include former World Crown champs Jimmy Garmon and Russell Fleeman. Garmon, the 1998 champ, rolls off 14th, while Fleeman, the 2008 winner, starts 18th.
The event format itself could be the biggest wild card, as the race will be run in three segments. If a single driver can sweep all three, they stand to pocket a cool $20,000.
The first segment will consist of 100 green flag laps, with $4,000 going to the driver leading at the end of the segment. Then all lead lap cars, along with the first car one lap down, will be inverted based on a fan vote on www.greshammotorsportspark.com.
The second segment will run 75 laps, with $6,000 going to the leader at the end of that run. Following the flag, only cars on the lead lap plus the first car one lap down will advance to the third segment.
The final segment, a 25 lap shoot-out for a $10,000 prize, promises to be one of the wildest in short track history.
The driver that survives the format, out drives the competition and out runs misfortune will stand tall in victory lane later today, crowned as the “King of the Short Tracks.”
For schedule and ticket info, visit www.greshammotorsportspark.com.
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World Crown 300
Gresham Motorsports Park – Jefferson, GA
Starting Line Up – Nov. 13, 2011
1. Stephen Nasse
2. Bubba Pollard
3. Casey Smith
4. Andy Loden
5. Daniel Hemric
6. Erik Jones
7. Cale Gale
8. Donnie Wilson
9. Kenzie Ruston
10. Steven Dorer
11. Heath Hindman
12. Mike Garvey
13. Chris Wimmer
14. Jimmy Garmon
15. Ross Kenseth
16. Johnny Henderson
17. Dwayne Buggay
18. Russell Fleeman
19. Austin Theriault
20. Scotty Ellis
21. Mark Day
22. David Quakenbusch
23. Eddie Hoffman
24. Clay Alexander
25. Jeff Fultz
26. Colt James
27. Gus Dean
28. Steven Legendre
29. Dalton Grindle
30. Andrew Ponstein
31. Allen Karnes
32. Randy Gentry
33. Rodney Benefield
34. Chase Elliott
