HAMPTON, Ga. - Veteran racer Bill Plemons, Jr. opened up the 2019 season of Thursday Thunder on the Thunder Ring at Atlanta Motor Speedway in high fashion last week.
The Locust Grove, Georgia speedster scored the win in the Wallace Electric Masters Division after holding off challenges from Robbie Woodall.
The pair ran nose-to-tail for the duration of the race, with 2018 division champion Woodall searching for an opening around Plemons for the lead. Plemons never flinched and held off Woodall to take the win.
“Woodall’s a great racer,” Plemons said after the win. “He and I really put on a show because we were getting into each other, bumping each other. He’s a great competitor.”
“I’ve been around a lot longer than I’d like to admit,” Plemons continued with a chuckle. “But I like the cars and I like the people, and as long as I have at least one kid pulling for me up there in the stands I’ll be back here.”
In other action, Mitchell Flater took the first checkered flag of the night, topping the Racing Radios Rookie Bandolero Division. Flater was followed by a persistent Jackson Reynolds second and a hard-charging Briana Freeman in third.
The Racing Radios Bandits Division feature was one of the most exciting of the night. Garrett Gumm led the first 9 laps, but lost the lead when Carson Ruark took command on a restart. Gumm spent the rest of the race trying to find a way back around Ruark. Coming off the final turn, Gumm sped to the inside of Ruark and the pair flashed across the line at nearly the same time, with Gumm getting the edge over Ruark for the feature win.
Just past halfway in the Racing Radios Outlaws Division feature Carson Ramey worked his way around Clay Hocutt. Ramey didn’t look back and took the checkered flag over Mason Maggio, who snagged second from Hocutt on the final lap.
Lucas Ruark started second in The Associates Group Young Lions Division, but wasted little time getting to the front of the pack. Ruark snagged the lead from pole sitter Jaiden Reyna on the opening lap. Nathan Jackson worked his way into second shortly thereafter and worked to chase down Ruark and the race lead. Despite the pressure, Ruark never bobbled and took the victory, followed by Jackson in second and Michael Gannon in third.
The VP Racing Fuels Pro Division featured a battle between William Plemons III and Davis Rochester. While Plemons started on the pole, Rochester surged from his fifth place starting spot up to second by the halfway mark of the 25-lap feature.
From there it appeared the duo was evenly matched, with both running a blistering pace at the front of the field. With just a handful of laps remaining, Rochester saw his opportunity and drove to the inside of Plemons, taking the lead and going on to the victory.
“I didn’t think I had enough to run down William Plemons there, but he just started backing up to me,” Davis said. “This is awesome!.Round one – we’re winners.”
Another great battle followed in the CMS Group Environmental Services Semi-Pro Division. Hunter Wright wrestled the lead from Max Brady on lap eight of the 20-lap feature, but Brady didn’t surrender. He followed Wright’s tire tracks for the remainder of the race, and was within a couple of car-lengths in the final five circuits. Wright however was up to the task, staying cool under pressure and taking the checkered flag.
“I’m just happy we were able to keep our car out front and keep it clean,” Wright said. “Brady gave me a good run. He hung right with me and I was doing everything I could to pull away from him.”
The Thursday Thunder Legends Series presented by Papa John’s Pizza continues with back-to-back nights of racing in its second week of action on Wednesday, June 5, and Thursday, June 6.
For more information, visit AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com.
Atlanta Motor Speedway – Hampton, GA
Thursday Thunder – May 30, 2019
Week One Results
Masters
1. Bill Plemons, Jr. – Locust Grove, GA
2. Robbie Woodall – McDonough, GA
3. Wade Brewer – Locust Grove, GA
4. James Meredith – Locust Grove, GA
5. Aaron Croslyn – Woodstock, GA
6. Phillip Young – Dallas, GA
7. Mark Swan – Athens, GA
8. Tony Armbruster – Covington, GA
9. Kevin Vaughn – Grovetown, GA
10. Robert Anderson – Covington, GA
11. Dennis Hecht – Hoschton, GA
12. Lisa Scott – Dallas, GA
13. Bill Whatley – Acworth, GA
14. Randy Shubert – Stone Mountain, GA
15. Barry Bowen – Jackson Lake, GA
Young Lions
1. Lucas Ruark – Suwanee, GA
2. Nathan Jackson – McDonough, GA
3. Michael Gannon – Canton, GA
4. Ashton Whitener – Monticello, GA
5. Max Hennebaul – Monroe, GA
6. Jaiden Reyna – Cornelius, NC
7. Cutter Love
8. Justin Campbell – Griffin, GA
9. Austin MacDonald – Pictou, NE
10. Kenneth Henderson – Alto, GA
11. Timothy Watson – Panama City, FL
12. Wilder Etheredge – Atlanta, GA
13. Tony Yawn III – Roanoke, AL
14. Cole Cash – Bethlahem, GA
15. Hunter Burns – Thomaston, GA
16. Keaton Hendrix – Homerville, GA
Semi-Pro
1. Hunter Wright – Lebanon, GA
2. Max Brady – Marietta, GA
3. D.J. Canipe – Fallston, NC
4. Gage Roberts – Milledgeville, GA
5. Blaze Crawford – Fayetteville, GA
6. Ricky Springer – McDonough, GA
7. Lawson Ingold – Social Circle, GA
8. Audrie Ruark – Suwanee, GA
9. Brandon Brock – Hampton, GA
10. Nick Woodall – Canton, GA
11. Trent Barfield – Hamilton, GA
12. Ian Hampton – Stockbridge, GA
13. Pierce Brewer – Locust Grove, GA
14. Trey Tadrzak – Stockbridge, GA
15. Jonathan Taylor – Atlanta, GA
16. Camden Prouty – Spanish Fort, AL
17. Ronnie Ragan – Cataula, GA
18. Jason Treschl – Lagrange, GA
19. Jonathan Cook – Sunny Side, GA
20. Zac Bacon – Buchanan, GA
21. Kenny Brady – Marietta, GA
22. Parker Brewer – Locust Grove, GA
23. Connor Younginer – Stockbridge, GA
DNS: Hayden Swank – Woodstock, GA
Pro
1. Davis Rochester – Lebanon, TN
2. William Plemons III – Acworth, GA
3. Ryan Rackley – Valdosta, GA
4. Jensen Jorgensen – Stockbridge, GA
5. Cale Hall – Griffin, GA
6. Dawson Fletcher – Canton, GA
7. Cody Hall – Griffin, GA
8. Gauntt Hudgins – Savannah, GA
9. Tony Yawn – Roanoke, AL
10. Taylor Jorgensen – Stockbridge, GA
11. Joshua Hicks – Senoia, GA
12. Christopher Clanton – Brooks, GA
Bandits
1. Garrett Gumm – Brooks, GA
2. Carson Ruark – Suwanee, GA
3. Kyle Bacon – Buchanan, GA
4. Gianni Esposito – Dacula, GA
Rookie Bandolero
1. Mitchell Flater – Conyers, GA
2. Jackson Reynolds – Marietta, GA
3. Briana Freeman – Bremen, GA
4. Kayli Kade – Hampton, GA
5. Kerbi Mueller – Locust Grove, GA
6. Baylor O’Neil – Grantville, GA
7. Bailey Buchanan – Senoia, GA
8. Gavin Reese – Conyers, GA
9. Mason Reece – Conyers, GA
Outlaws
1. Carson Ramsey – Charlotte, NC
2. Mason Maggio – Palm Beach Gardens, FL
3. Clay Hocutt – Mobile, AL
4. Parker Eatmon – Wilson, NC
5. Ryan Younginer – Locust Grove, GA
6. Bailey North – Hampton, GA
7. Tyler Newcomer – Woolsey, GA
8. Trevor Wester – Canton, NC
9. Kelley Puckett – McDonough, GA
10. Matthew Kade – Hampton, GA
11. Shelby Ruark – Suwanee, GA
12. Sarah Sullivan – Gulf Shores, AL
