NASCAR

Series to make history at Oglethorpe

Goody's Dash Series accustomed to making history. SAVANNAH, GA (March 21, 2003) - Since the season opener at Daytona the teams have been concentrating their efforts in an unusual direction. On Saturday, April 5, 2003 the Goody's Dash Series will ...

Edited: Mar 22, 2003, 3:38 AM

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Goody's Dash Series accustomed to making history.

SAVANNAH, GA (March 21, 2003) - Since the season opener at Daytona the teams have been concentrating their efforts in an unusual direction. On Saturday, April 5, 2003 the Goody's Dash Series will make history by running on dirt for the first time in its 29-year history.

The Series boasts several entries in the NASCAR history books. To name a few: Youngest NASCAR Champion, David Hutto at age 18. And, he was also the youngest driver to lead a green flag lap at Daytona; First Series in NASCAR to have three female drivers in the same event. This took place in 2002 at Greenville-Pickens Speedway when Arlene Pittman, Kelly Sutton, and Angie Wilson took the green flag. First NASCAR series to allow a foreign automobile to compete; Toyota used the Goody's Dash Series as its spring board into NASCAR. (In 2004 they will enter the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.) The GDS is also the only Touring Series of NASCAR to compete at Daytona and Charlotte.

Oglethorpe Speedway will play host to this interesting event. I use the word interesting simply because that is what the competitors have implicated. Taking into consideration the context and tone of their comments, one would have to incite one specific portion of Webster's definition for this word: engage or excite the attention or curiosity of.

No doubt that is exactly was Ted Austad (Promoter at OSP) and Arlene Pittman had in mind when they approached NASCAR with the idea. Pittman raced full-time in the series in 2002. She will exchange her driver's helmet for a promoter's hat for this event.

"Savannah is such a great market for NASCAR racing," Pittman says. "The region hosted NASCAR's top series many times during the early years. (Richard Petty won the last major event in 1970 at the Savannah Speedway. Al Keller and Lee Petty won the NASCAR races at OSP in 1954 and 1955 respectively.) Bringing the Goody's Dash Series to the track is taking our form of racing back to its roots when NASCAR ran both asphalt and dirt in the same season."

The 2002 Series' Champion Jake Hobgood was the first to practice at the speedway. "For me, it brings back a lot of memories. My family has raced a lot on dirt. I think it is going to be a lot of fun. When the track gets worked in, it will be smoother than a lot of the asphalt tracks we race at," comments Hobgood."

Four-time Series' Champion Robert Huffman will join a host of drivers at an open test session on Saturday, March 22nd. "I am looking forward to it. It will be a new challenge, and I happen to like new challenges."

Kelly Sutton tested at the track and made several comments regarding the experience. "Man, Oglethorpe is a great track! I had a wonderful time testing. You really have to drive with the rear tires and the gas. On asphalt you drive with the front tires. When the back of the car starts to come around you just get in the gas and drive it out of the turn. We are looking forward to coming back and racing April 5th. I don't think I stopped smiling from the time I got there until I went to bed that night! It was great and very exciting."

The entry list is growing every day and it looks like there will be a full field for this historic event. And, interesting it will be, for all those whose curiosity compels them to be a spectator.

Sure, there have been doubts and some have expressed controversial opinions. But these drivers are competitors. And these competitors will be on equal footing, all having to deal with the same elements. They will come prepared and poised to put on a thrilling event, a show for the fans. And along the way, they will have a lot of fun.

-nascar-

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