Family Traditions Rule at MMP
(March 6, 2006) -- Any time drag racers around the Southeast hear that
someone named "Woodham" or "Smith" won a race, they have to ask "which
one?" That's what happened at Montgomery MotorSports Park on Saturday (3/4)
as Mike Smith and Clarence Woodham took the inaugural MMP 2006 bracket
program race with wins in Super Pro and Footbrake.
 Smith,
from Roanoke, Alabama, is a well-known racer, as is his son, Timmy. This
time it was dad in the finals, as he defeated Houston, Texas racer Chris
White for the top prize. In an all-dragster battle, Smith had an .037 light
and ran a 4.789 second run on his 4.79 second dial-in at 142.09 miles per
hour. He got away with the breakout when White turned on the reds
(-.002) and coasted down the track for a 5.807 second run on his 4.69 second
dial. Steven Grace of Wetumpka (AL) and Tallassee (AL) racer Stan
Coleman were the Super Pro semi-finalists.
 James
Woodham has been the Montgomery MotorSports Park Footbrake champion on three
occasions, but Saturday night, it was his brother Clarence who took the win,
defeating Clanton, Alabama racer Mickey Wells in the finals. Clarence, from
nearby Wetumpka, took his 1974 Chevy Nova to a near perfect run, dialing a
7.74 and running a 7.745 run at 84.93 miles per hour with a .036 reaction
time. Wells' 1983 Mustang ran a 7.126 on a 7.15 dial-in at 76.35 miles per
hour for the breakout loss. Bill Beers of Tyler (AL) and Bobby Hogue of
West Blockton (AL) were the semi-finalists. Hogue raised some eyebrows by
taking his Honda Passport SUV all the way to the semis in a class usually
dominated by American brands.
In the MMP Jr. Dragster class, 2005 track champ 15 year old Maribeth
Kennington of Deatsville (AL), started the year out right by taking the
trophy run. Maribeth is also the product of a family tradition as her dad
Roger and sister Jennifer are both racers.Montgomery MotorSports Park
will hold its next Saturday Bracket program on March 11. Gates will open
at 4:00pm or earlier. For more information, call George Howard Racing at
(205) 251-7311 or the track at (334) 260-9660. |
