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10/15/2016
Atlanta Motor Speedway
2016 Road Course Series Kicks Off
Legends and Bandolero drivers returned to the infield road course at Atlanta Motor Speedway Saturday afternoon for the first of two straight days of both and left- and right-hand turns as the 2016 Road Course Championships got underway.
Rookie Bandolero Division
Leading off the full day of racing, the Rookie Bandolero Division took to the 0.7-mile course with the No. 19 car of Mickie Mohwish from Cumming on the pole. Using a quick start off the green flag, Caleb Williams of Lamar, South Carolina passed Mohwish entering the first turn to jump into the lead, and that's where he would stay. Williams led all 10 laps to take the checkered flag by a wide margin, with Dacula's Gianni Esposito following for the second-place finish. Rounding out the field were Riley Griffin of Macon, Mohwish and Brody Graham of Flowery Branch.
Outlaws/Bandits Division
Blaze Crawford of Fayetteville won the pole and led all 10 laps in the combined Outlaws/Bandits Division feature. Finishing in second was Max Hennebaul of Monroe, while McDonough's Nathan Jackson rounded out the top-3.
Young Lions Division
Connor Younginer of McDonough led from flag to flag in the Young Lions Division feature to earn a trip to Victory Lane. Following him were Griffin's Cody Hall, Hunter Johnson and Cale Hall, while Ringgold's Canon Cochran rounded out the top-5.
Semi-Pro/Pro Division
Josh Hicks came away with the win in a wild combined Semi-Pro/Pro Division feature that included no fewer than six lead changes over the course of the race's 10 laps. After winning the pole, Cumming's Dylan Murry led the first two laps before Corey Heim of Marietta snatched the lead as the field sped down the frontstretch on Lap 3. Heim led the next two laps, but contact with a tire barrier on the fifth lap would force him from the race, drawing a caution and handing the lead to Griffin's Bubba Harrel on the ensuing restart. Harrel led the following three laps, before a fierce battle between Harrel, Hicks and Murry saw door-to-door racing down the stretch as the trio fought for the lead. On the final lap, contact between Harrel and Murry brought out the yellow and checkered flags, leaving Hicks in the lead and the winner of an edge-of-your-seat thriller.
Masters Division
In the Masters Division feature, Philip Young of Acworth took the pole and led each of the first five laps, but a patient Tony Armbruster of Covington stole the lead from Young as the pair crossed the start/finish line on the sixth lap, and he never looked back. Armbruster led the final five laps for the victory, and Young held on for a second-place finish. Rounding out the top-5 in order were Randy Shubert of Conyers, Jim Foster of Macon and Bill Plemons of Locust Grove.
Below are the complete results from Week 1:
Rookie Bandolero Division
- Caleb Williams (Lamar, SC)
- Gianni Esposito (Dacula, GA)
- Riley Griffin (Macon, GA)
- Mickie Mohwish (Cumming, GA)
- Brody Graham (Flowery Branch, GA)
Outlaws Division
- Blaze Crawford (Fayetteville, GA)
- Andrew Dollar (Atlanta, GA)
- Max Brady (Marietta, GA)
- Trey Tadrzak (Stockbridge, GA)
- Ashton Whitener (Monticello, GA)
Bandits Division
- Max Hennebaul (Monroe, GA)
- Nathan Jackson (McDonough, GA)
- Logan Nalley (Canton, GA)
- Ryan Younginer (McDonough, GA)
- Colsen Cochran (Ringgold, GA)
- Justin Campbell (Griffin, GA)
- Kenneth Henderson (Alto, GA)
Young Lions Division
- Connor Younginer (McDonough, GA)
- Cody Hall (Griffin, GA)
- Hunter Johnson (Griffin, GA)
- Cale Hall (Griffin, GA)
- Canon Cochran (Ringgold, GA)
- Ricky Springer (McDonough, GA)
- Andrew Dollar (Atlanta, GA)
- Clay Thompson (Bowersville, GA)
- Rafe Slate (Eatonton, GA)
- Annabelle Mohwish (Cumming, GA)
- Carden Cochran (Ringgold, GA)
Semi-Pro Division
- Brandon Brock (Hampton, GA)
- David Lawrence (Senoia, GA)
Pro Division
- Josh Hicks (Senoia, GA)
- Currie Pierce
- Mike Weed (Newnan, GA)
- Adam Roberson (Pikeville, TN)
- Dylan Murry (Cumming, GA)
- Bubba Harry (Griffin, GA)
- William Plemons III
Masters Division
- Tony Armbruster (Covington, GA)
- Philip Young (Dallas, GA)
- Randy Shubert (Conyers, GA)
- Jim Foster (Macon, GA)
- Bill Plemons (Locust Grove, GA)
- Robert Cheney (Stockbridge, GA)
- Barry Bowen (Covington, GA)
- Lisa Scott (Dallas, GA)
- Bill Whatley (Acworth, GA)
Week 2 action in the 2016 AMS Road Course Championships follows with a full slate tomorrow afternoon. For more information, contact the Atlanta Motor Speedway ticket office at (770) 946-4211, (877) 9-AMS-TIX or visit www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.
Article Credit: AMS Legends
Submitted By: Luke Behnke