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5 Flags Opens Up With Record Speeds

Five Flags Speedway opened the 2009 racing season Friday night with Brandon Odom of DeFuniak Springs winning the Pro Late Model feature.  The question of whether or not offseason improvements to the racing surface would produce faster speeds was quickly answered as three drivers broke the Pro Late Model track record during qualifying.  In setting fast time, Odom lowered the record of 17.23 seconds to 16.99.  The new invert procedure put Odom starting the feature race in the tenth position.  The 16-year-old driver wasted little time getting to the front, moving into second by lap eight.  He passed pole sitter Blake Ferguson on lap 20 and led the rest of the way for his second career win."The car was so good tonight, I don't think it would have mattered where I started," Odom said.  "I just took my time and passed whenever I could.  I could definitely tell a difference in the track.  It was a lot faster and had a lot more grip." Defending champion Johanna Long qualified second and started ninth.  She was up to fifth early, just behind Odom, when she nearly spun out due to contact from Keith English.  She fell back to eight, but battled her way to third by lap 25.  Long passed Ronnie Smith for second on lap 37, but could not catch Odom in the closing laps.  "I think I would have had a chance to win if (English) hadn't come down on me," Long said.  "I'm not sure if he just didn't see me or what.  The car was really fast.  I don't know if I was faster than Odom, but I think if I could have been up there earlier, it would have been a good race."  Smith finished third with English and Ferguson finishing fourth and fifth respectively.Odom will carry momentum from the win into next week's ASA Southeastern Tour race, which is expected to attract many of the South's top Late Model drivers.      "We were trying to use tonight to get ready for the ASA race," Odom said.  "We've got a really fast car and should have really good chance at running up front and maybe winning next week." Todd Jones drove from the eighth starting spot to win the Modified division feature.  Jones's dedicated the win to his car owner Sid Corr, who passed away Thursday.  "We worked all winter getting this car ready to race," Jones said.  "Sid built this car and motor and had everything right on it before he passed.  I've drove for him off and on for the past five years and this is the first time I've won a race in his car.  I know he would be happy."  Kevin Peel finished second and Chris Cotto finished third.  Billy Hoover started from the pole in the Sportsmen feature and led every lap to take the win.  Jim Pokrant finished second after William Kitchen, who held the position the entire race, slowed on the final lap.Wayne Burkett finished third with 102.7 WXBM radio host Marty White finishing fourth in his first Sportsmen division race.  Thomas Faddis finished fifth as Kitchen coasted to a sixth place finish.Michael Kitchen won the Bomber feature, holding off his brother Pete Kitchen in the closing laps.  Tim Holland finished third.  Pro Late Model - 1. Brandon Odom; 2. Johanna Long; 3. Ronnie Smith; 4. Keith English; 5. Blake Ferguson; 6. Keith Thorpe; 7. Allen Pierce; 8. John Thompson; 9. David Jones; 10. Harry Murchison; 11. Shain Cheney; 12. Kyle Bryant; 13. Nathan MachenModified - 1. Todd Jones; 2. Kevin Peel; 3. Chris Cotto; 4. Tim Martin; 5. Tuffy Hudson; 6. Phillip Merryman; 7. Nathan Ingersoll; 8. Ron Schneider; 9. Kip WhiteheadSportsmen - 1. Billy Hoover; 2. Jim Pokrant; 3. Wayne Burkett; 4. Marty White; 5. Thomas Faddis; 6. William Kitchen; 7. Steve Buttrick; 8. Tina Davidson; 9. Sean Slye; 10. Randy Thompson; 11. Bubba WinslowBomber - 1. Michael Kitchen; 2. Pete Kitchen; 3. Tim Holland; 4. Rick Grimes; 5. Daryl Lynchard; 6. Michael T. Nelson; 7. Kody Grimes; 8. Mike Goraum; 9. Bo Hancock; 10. John Giermanski; 11. Kerner Kafka; 12. Dayton Sidner; 13. William Goulet; 14. Brandon M. Burks; 15. Jonathan Day; 16. James L. Beal, III; 17. Rick Thompson; 18. Courtney Rodrigues; 19. Sam Mellema; 20. Tim Hendrix; 21. Tim Norman

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