NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Garrett Smithley returned to Legends racing at his home track, Atlanta Motor Speedway, for last week’s Thursday Thunder races. Photo: Garrett Smithley/Facebook
A night of double feature action for the Thursday Thunder Legends Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway last week saw the return of a series alum turned NASCAR competitor – Garrett Smithley.
The Peachtree City, Georgia driver competed in the Thursday Thunder program from 2008 through 2011 with a few races ran in 2012. Smithley returned to AMS to participate in the racing program that made him a regular competitor in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
“Thursday Thunder has always been really special, explained Smithley. “I started racing Legends and Bandolero cars when I was 15. I raced my first season in 2008 and won championships and races. It’s where I got my start so to come back mean a lot to me.”
Smithley competed in both features of the VP Racing Fuels Pro Division where he battled against the best on the tough quarter mile “Thunder Ring”.
At the start of the first feature, Christopher Clanton took the lead from Dawson Fletcher. However, Fletcher would not go down without a fight. The two battled back and forth for the lead throughout the first two laps, but Clanton prevailed, leading the rest of the feature and winning his first feature race of the season.
Jensen Jorgensen took the lead at the drop of the green flag of the second feature. However on the sixth lap, Christopher Clanton took the lead and never looked back. Clanton would go on to win his second feature of the season and the night.
Smithley finished the first feature in the eighth position, and seventh in the second feature.
Smithley explained how he will continue to promote the Thursday Thunder program as he continues his rise in the NASCAR elite series.
“For me, this is where I started and this is where I want to give back to,” he said. “When people ask me “Hey, where do I need to go and what do I need to do to be a racecar driver?” I tell them to go buy a Legends or Bandolero car and to run in this Legends series.”
The first feature of the Semi-Pro Division began with Davis Rochester taking the lead, but a mistake from multiple drivers led to a complete restart. On the restart, Cale Hall took the lead from Rochester. Hall continued to lead throughout the rest of the feature to win his first feature win of the season.
In the second Semi-Pro feature, Rochester once again took the lead but as quickly as he had it, Drew Dollar took it away from him. However, Hall once again took the lead and ran with it for his second feature win on the night making and the season.
In the first Masters division feature, Bill Plemons, Jr. led from the start. With Robbie Woodall looming behind him, Plemons continued his lead. On the sixth lap of the feature, Woodall made his move, stealing the lead out from under Plemons. Woodall maintained his lead, outrunning Plemons all the way to the finish.
Woodall took the lead at the beginning of the second Masters feature, but immediately lost it to Plemons. Plemons led until lap nine, where Woodall regained the lead. Woodall led for the remainder of the race, once again outrunning Plemons, Jr.
In the first feature of the night for the Associates Group Young Lions Division, Ryan Rackley led the way at the drop of the green flag. Lawson Ingold battled Rackley for the lead over the next few laps, finally taking the top spot on lap five. Ingold led the field for five more laps until Blaze Crawford tapped and passed Ingold on lap 13. Crawford was poised to win the feature until he got loose in turn four coming to the checkered flag, allowing Ingold to retake the lead and score the win.
In the second feature, Austin MacDonald took the lead at the start with Rackley hovering behind him. On lap five, Rackley made his move, passing MacDonald for the lead. But a lap later, Blaze Maddox powered his way past Rackley for the top spot. Maddox led from that point forward, winning the feature.
The only feature of the Chargers Division featured reality television star Josh Owen, from the hit show “Moonshiners”.
Zac Bacon from Buchanan took the lead on the initial start of the Chargers division feature and led for the first 11 laps until Josh Owen took the lead and went on his first Thursday series victory.
Mother Nature rules the rest of the night, washing out the Bandolero division races to another week.
The series will resume with Week 9 next Thursday, July 26. For more information, visit AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com.
Atlanta Motor Speedway – Hampton, GA
Thursday Thunder – July 19, 2018
Week 7 Results
Young Lions Legends
1. Lawson Ingold – Social Circle, GA
2. Blaze Crawford – Fayetteville, GA
3. Ryan Rackley – Valdosta, GA
4. Austin MacDonald – Pictou, NE
5. Ian Hampton – Stockbridge, GA
6. Ashton Whitener – Monticello, GA
7. Gage Roberts – Milledgeville, GA
8. Lucas Ruark – Suwanee, GA
9. Audrie Ruark – Suwanee, GA
10. Annabelle Mohwish – Cumming, GA
11. Hunter Burns – Thomaston, GA
12. Nathan Jackson – McDonough, GA
13. Max Hennebaul – Monroe, GA
14. Michael Gannon – Canton, GA
15. Logan Nalley – Canton, GA
Semi-Pro Legends
1. Cale Hall – Griffin, GA
2. D.J. Canipe – Fallston, NC
3. Nick Woodall – Canton, GA
4. Andrew Dollar – Atlanta, GA
5. Jay Coen – Dacula, GA
6. Pierce Brewer – Locust Grove, GA
7. Max Brady – Marietta, GA
8. Ricky Springer – McDonough, GA
9. Parker Brewer – Locust Grove, GA
10. Amber Fleeman – Dacula, GA
11. Davis Rochester – Lebanon, TN
12. Trey Tadrzak – Stockbridge, GA
13. Sammy Smith – Johnston, IA
Pro Legends
1. Christopher Clanton – Brooks, GA
2. Dawson Fletcher – Canton, GA
3. Cody Hall – Griffin, GA
4. Rafe Slate – Eatonton, GA
5. Jensen Jorgensen – Stockbridge, GA
6. Taylor Jorgensen – Stockbridge, GA
7. Hunter Johnson – Griffin, GA
8. Garrett Smithley – Kannapolis, NC
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10. Russell Fleeman – Dacula, GA
11. Jeff Holden – Gainesville, GA
Masters Legends
1. Robbie Woodall – McDonough, GA
2. Bill Plemons, Jr – Locust Grove, GA
3. Mark Swan – Athens, GA
4. James Meredith – Locust Grove, GA
5. Wade Brewer – Locust Grove, GA
6. Randy Shubert – Stone Mountain, GA
7. Bill Whatley – Acworth, GA
8. Robert Anderson – Covington, GA
9. Tony Armbruster – Covington, GA
10. Kevin Vaughn – Grovetown, GA
11. Barry Bowen – Jackson Lake, GA
12. Dennis Hecht – Hoschton, GA
Week 8 Results
Young Lions Legends
1. Blaze Crawford – Fayetteville, GA
2. Ryan Rackley – Valdosta, GA
3. Lawson Ingold – Social Circle, GA
4. Ian Hampton – Stockbridge, GA
5. Austin MacDonald – Pictou, NE
6. Lucas Ruark – Suwanee, GA
7. Ashton Whitener – Monticello, GA
8. Gage Roberts – Milledgeville, GA
9. Annabelle Mohwish – Cumming, GA
10. Hunter Burns – Thomaston, GA
11. Nathan Jackson – McDonough, GA
12. Audrie Ruark – Suwanee, GA
13. Max Hennebaul – Monroe, GA
14. Michael Gannon – Canton, GA
15. Logan Nalley – Canton, GA
Semi-Pro Legends
1. Cale Hall – Griffin, GA
2. Andrew Dollar – Atlanta, GA
3. Davis Rochester – Lebanon, TN
4. Nick Woodall – Canton, GA
5. D.J. Canipe – Fallston, NC
6. Jay Coen – Dacula, GA
7. Max Brady – Marietta, GA
8. Trey Tadrzak – Stockbridge, GA
9. Ricky Springer – McDonough, GA
10. Pierce Brewer – Locust Grove, GA
11. Amber Fleeman – Dacula, GA
12. Parker Brewer – Locust Grove, GA
13. Sammy Smith – Johnston, IA
Pro Legends
1. Christopher Clanton – Brooks, GA
2. Cody Hall – Griffin, GA
3. Rafe Slate – Eatonton, GA
4. Jensen Jorgensen – Stockbridge, GA
5. Dawson Fletcher – Canton, GA
6. Taylor Jorgensen – Stockbridge, GA
7. Garrett Smithley – Kannapolis, NC
8. Gauntt Hudgins – Savannah, GA
9. Hunter Johnson – Griffin, GA
10. Russell Fleeman – Dacula, GA
11. Jeff Holden – Gainesville, GA
Masters Legends
1. Robbie Woodall – McDonough, GA
2. Bill Plemons Jr – Locust Grove, GA
3. Mark Swan – Athens, GA
4. Wade Brewer – Locust Grove, GA
5. James Meredith – Locust Grove, GA
6. Bill Whatley – Acworth, GA
7. Randy Shubert – Stone Mountain, GA
8. Kevin Vaughn – Grovetown, GA
9. Robert Anderson – Covington, GA
10. Tony Armbruster – Covington, GA
11. Barry Bowen – Jackson Lake, GA
12. Dennis Hecht – Hoschton, GA
Chargers
1. Josh Owen – Columbus, NC
2. Zac Bacon – Buchanan, GA
3. Inman Pope – Loganville, GA
4. Kirk Phillips
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