Carolina In the Hills of Franklin County

It’s not the biggest or the best equipped but Franklin County Speedway, under the direction of Langley Austin (Race22), is making the best of it with good racing and some oddities thrown in for the fun of it.

The night of July 10th (Fabrication Associates, Inc) had yet another visitor series racing on the short track. Carolina Pro late Models, Carolina Crate Modifieds and East Coast Flatheads brought the show to the hills of Callaway. The track has also hosted the SMART Modifieds, the CARS Tour and more on the recent schedule.

The draw for MOD-4 and “Any Car” brought some spice to the night with the MOD-4 splitting the races with 2 winners. Darrell Chrisley took the starter and Trey Cooper took the second race as the sun was fading.
Hay bale racing was weird but entertaining as competitors ran the laps while having to round two hay bales at each end of the front stretch. (We probably should have grabbed some photos… But we were kind of taken in by the spectacle and just let the cameras dangle…) The late night “Any Car” event was taken with a clapped out 5th Gen Camaro which put the mirrors to the other entries.

Big engine racing with the visiting series of races was also a fun watch. Those East Coast Flatheads with the 1940’s car bodies were a pleasure. It took you back to those early moonshine days that started the sport. Johnny Johnson (#99), a veteran racer of 52 years, took top honors for the win. Wayne Lawson and Donovan Freeman took the 2nd and 3rd spots. *Freeman was driving the #6 with “James Rogers” over the window.

Any time you can throw Modifieds on the track at Franklin County you’ll have a show. The field of six cars representing the Carolina Crate Modifieds ran 62 fast laps with a few lead changes until Kevin Orlando made the front and held for the win. Dan Speeney and Cayden Lapcevich rounded the top 3.

The Carolina Pro Late Model Series easily had 14 cars on that little oval. The lead was challenged and changed over several times with some spins from speed or contact bringing out the cautions. Anyone questioning the draw of “young blood” into the sport of racing would be surprised by the young faces climbing in those cars as practice and racing filled the day. First time out on the Franklin County surface even brought a top 10 finish to a young lady barely 14 years old. She was holding her own with Late Model drivers well beyond her years behind the wheel. We’ll be looking forward to her, and these other young folks, to push this sport forward.

Katie Hettinger – 14 years old and racing in the Carolina Pro Late Model Series

At the checkers for the 100 lap CPLMS race, was Gus Dean for the win as Tyler Church and Nick Loden crossed for 2nd and 3rd.

Keep an eye on Franklin County Speedway… There are some fun, racey things on the books for the rest of the summer! Photos from July 10 are below!