NASCAR: Jax Raceways Opens 99 Season
9 March 1999
By: Donnie HelmlyJax Raceway opened their 1999 points season Saturday night with five divisions of racing action on the 1/2 mile NASCAR sanctioned Dirt track. A packed grandstand and infield was on hand for some great short track action.
The night started with qualifying for the Late Models and the Hobby Stock divisions. Four time track champion Steve Whitener set fast time for the Late Model division, with David Crews turning in the second fastest time.
Crews got the jump on the fire of the 30 lap event, but it wouldn't last long as Buddy Geiger moved up to the lead, and quickly pulled away to an impressive lead. Whitener moved up to second but never had anything for Geiger. The race was slowed by 3 cautions flags, but Geiger, with the dominate car, would almost immediately pull away from the field. Whitener held on for second, with Crews in third, Robert McCormick, and Mark Padgett rounded out the top five.
The Pure Stock race was an exciting event for all 15 laps. Richard Goodwin took the lead at the drop of the flag, but was overtaken by Mark Whitener early. Whitener would come away with the win, but failed post race inspection. This put Darren Greenslet in victory lane. Windal Clark crossed in second, with Goodwin, Wade McBride and Hardy Jarvis rounding out the top five.
The All new Mini Stock division saw Joey Haslauer take the heat race win as well as the feature event. Jake Hartley, Scott Lawson and Chris Vogel followed him across the line.
The Hobby Stock division saw former champion Eddie Holton setting fast time in qualifying, by almost a full second. Holton was clearly the dominate car as then proceeded to lead all 20 laps of the feature race, over Crag Hall, Tillman Baxley Jr., Mitch McCoy and Perry Dowling. Ronnie Ponce won the heat race for the Open Wheel Modified event, and with the draw being a zero, got the pole for the feature. Ponce took the lead at the drop or the green flag, and held on until the half way point, when Kenny Bayless made the pass on Ponce using the outside grove. Bayless was un stoppable from there and went on to win the event in dominating fashion. Robert Balkcom crossed in second, with Keny Porter, Jerry Campbell and Ronnie Ponce rounding out the top five.