Terry "Sunshine" Finnell Enduro Star

"What happens on a cloudy day, you ask for "Sunshine"

Driver supreme is Terry Finnell, a driver that runs in the Enduro class and is always in the top of his class, except when he has had motor problems and that is been his main problem this year.

If you don't know Terry let me introduce you to him.

Terry drives the "Yellow" #32 Enduro car, needless to say that is why this writer gave him the nickname "Sunshine".

He was Born in Tucker Georgia and was raised in Henry County, Georgia and is really close friends with Hobby car champ, Jeff Carter.

When he is racing, he is running in the Enduro class, and has always had a good car when its right to race at West Georgia Speedway.

His car is a Camaro, and you see a lot of fast drivers in Camero's, so I guess that is why he runs that body style.

When asked what were his favorite tracks, he said East Alabama, and of course the harded track there is "West Georgia Speedway" or as it is known as "The Burg".

Everyone knows that winning at West Georgia Speedway is not easy, and if you have your car set up just right it can be done, but it takes the wear and tear on the car as well as the drivers itself.

Now when not racing Terry has a family and is a hard working man, who continues to keep his family happy in these tough times.
He has been married 9 years, and in those 9 years he is the father to 3 children, 1 boy and 2 girls. His wife supports him in his racing career and that is something very special in the life's of these drivers.

When not racing, Terry works for Charter Cable, his motto is "NO GREEN, NO SCREEN".

Terry is still a young man, that knows his way around a race car, he also knows it takes cash to keep a car together as well as get one that is a winning car.

Some info on his birthday, it is July 22, 1972, so you see he is still a young man with lots of miles ahead of him. That also goes for as racing miles also, Tery shows some real talent and that is something that you don't find in all drivers.

You have to remember Terry has only been racing for 5 years, and in racing that is not long at all, compared to some of the veteran drivers that have been racing for years and years and years.

He has some great crew members, Hobby car champ, Jeff Carter, pure mini driver Robbie Carter, Jeff Carters secret weapon "Spotlight", and J.T. Finnell.
With out a crew Terry would be struggling all by his self, but that is not the way racing goes.

He does have some big name sponsors, like "Carter's Wrecker Service", "Neely Body Shop" "Spotlight on Craft".
Sponsors make racing easier, and also do great things to help out those companies that appear on the side of race cars.

All I can finish with is that #32 "Sunshine" Terry Finnell, will look great with a checkerd flag in his hand, and when that happens you know we can all take a sigh of releif as we will now know that "Sunshine has arrived"

Thanks,

Tino Patti
a Freelance Photographer / Video Journalist
With WORLD WIDE Blogs

"Big Jeff Carter, a man of his Word"

"Jeff Carter, "The Magic Man"

Racing is in the Blood of Jeff Carter, and his entire family, he comes from a long line of dirt track drivers, and when you have this much dirt in you veins then you can get racing fever early in life.

Jeff was born on 8-21-1962 in Henry County, Georgia where he was raised, and had a wonderful life.



His family and friends, include his uncle, Turk Norton , who ran the dirt track located in Senoia Georgia ,and can you remember when Senoia was dirt?, I remember it as Asphalt when I was filming there and all I can really remember was that it was so hot , that I could not wait until the asphalt cooled down late in the evening hours, about the time the Street Stock cars would run, and since the drivers were so hot from being there so long, tempers flared in the last race of the night, it was always a classic. It was at that track, I got some good experience regarding asphalt racing, and that is DIRT is the best, Asphalt is for getting you to your local dirt track, and watching these men man handle the cars. His other close friends, are racing legend #54 "The Headman" Mike Head, and when he comes to a race you know he is coming to race no second place for Mike if he has anything to say about it. Mike Head is about the same size as Jeff, both are huge men, and both are gentle.
Then another friend of theirs is a long time dirt racer, that raced, Senoia, and 7 Flags Speedway when it was open and he was Bill Plemons, he must have raced before I arrived to video tape racing at 7 Flags Speedway, but from all I hear he was a real top notch driver.

That is the same way Jeff Carter is, I mean he is a big man in stature, and speaks softly, but drives a super fast Hobby car, that is clean as a whistle when it arrives at a track, and gets a good cleaning before it heads to the next track. sometimes I believe his car is so clean you could eat off the front bumper, when he unloads his car. The Red and Yellow body with his famous "Checkered" top makes his car unmistakable.

Jeff has been racing for 3 1/2 years , he has had 5 wins, and come in 2nd a numerous amount of times. One thing for sure is when Jeff Carter is racing you know he is on the track, and he is known by this reporter as "The Magic Man", because he has a tendency to bring his car from what seems to be no where to the front in a hurry. Ask his fellow competitors, if they see that Red and Yellow #3 coming from behind, they tend to have a fear burst out of their body. Should they try and block the big man, or what, no matter, Jeff waits his time for just the right move where he can pass the car that is in front. He then blows by them and you know ,they have no idea what happened except they just think a red streak past them and how?

The best driver's know when to go, and when to slow, so you see Jeff Carter has learned, from the best of drivers.
His crew maintains his car to the hilt, I mean he has some of the best crew members and they are, Robbie Carter his Son, Terry Finnell and Mark Quinton , and "Spotlight" Pair a man in his own world. Then there is Johnny Allen, and lets not leave out the backbone of this racing team, his wife, Lisa "55 Ounce Coke" Carter.

I mean Lisa has been a big part of Jeff Carters life, they were married on December 22, 1989, and between them they have two wonderful kids, a daughter Haley and a son Robbie. His son Robbie is now driving in the Pure Mini Class, and with time may get the Carter fever. Haley above does a split every time her daddy Jeff wins, she has to be getting tired?.

Lisa is a great cook, and a wonderful supporter, she backs Jeff in what ever he does, and that makes for a wonderful marriage.



When not racing, Jeff Carter has his own business, he drives a "Tow Truck" and when we say Tow truck, don't get any idea about a small truck, we are talking a massive peice of rolling metal, that moves BIG things, like broke down tractor trailers, bus's or anything that is huge and has to be moved. If you have a Big job and need a Big Man that can and will do the best job call "Carter's Wrecker Service" why because they are "wreck amended", they can be reached by calling 770-506-0438 or you can fax them at 678-565-0988. They are located in Stockbridge, Georgia so you see they are a well known local company that does a great business and when Jeff works he works, there is no play in this man.

Jeff drives in the ever demanding Hobby car feature, at West Georgia Speedway and at times races at East Alabama Speedway, but when it all comes down, West Georgia Speedway is where Jeff calls his home track. It is there you can see him almost every Saturday night battling drivers like Blant Duke, and others.

His Hobby car is a Monte Carlo, and has some great sponsors on the car, like of course Carter's Wrecker Service, (now that makes sense) , plus Hester Dry Wall, Phil Printing, and Neeley Body Shop.

When you arive at West Georgia Speeday located in Whiteburg, Georgia there is no way that a fan can miss Jeff's hobby car, as when he rolls it out of the hauler, it shines like a new car just purchased, and he and his crew make sure that everything is ready for racing. "Spotlight" one of the key crew members, keeps a hidden notebook, that has everything writen in it, special things, like every time the car's tires air pressure is changed, or maybe the last times the spark plugs were changed, it's all secret, and Spotlight keep track of it all.
Spotlight tightens every lug nut before Jeff crawls behind the wheel of this fast Monte Carlo hobby car. everything is checked and double checked.

As this gentle giant continues to race, I look for him to win more and more races, it is just a matter of time before the "Magic Man" plans on showing us some great racing action.

So if you want to see some fast Hobby car racing, check out West Georgia Speedway, every Saturday night, and keep your eye open for the #3 in the hobby car feature.

Families, and crew members, of this driver or outstanding, and they all are super friendly.

If you ever get a chance on meeting the big man, tell him Tino said "Where is the Magic?", he will smile and shake his head, and say "Watch me".

For more information regarding Jeff Carter, keep up with my local blog at

http://douglcountyliar.blogspot.com


It is there you can read everything that is happening in the racing world and more about Jeff Carter his wife Lisa Carter and his wonderful family.

Secret Note: Jeff is known to make a mean steak, that he cooks on the grill, so you know this
is one special person.


See you at the track and Jeff Carter "MADE THE LIST OF TOP DRIVERS".

Thanks,

Tino Patti

A Freelance Photographer/ Video Journalist
and MSA Contributing writer

TOP Dirt Racing Driver's Profiles

"Top Drivers Profiles, their place"

This is a special BLOG !!!, it is meant to highlight those dirt drivers that are special, and have shown that they have that talent that can make them one of the best drivers at any track, if your name is here, you have made the "LIST OF THE BEST".


Some of the top Hobby car drivers from West Georgia Speedway, located in Whitesburg, Georgia are listed below, each driver will get their stories told on this specail page.

#01 of Blant Duke has always been the man to beat in this all out war on the race track, he shows no mercey and never lets up. He will be a name that we will get closer to.

#3 of Big Jeff Carter, another Hobby car driver that shows no fear, this big man, knows his way around any of the top dirt tracks, and he knows "The Burg" or West Georgia Speedway, so we will be talking about him in depth.

#69 The Legend Rosco Collins, the man that has won and raced almost every where, when he is racing at the "Burg", "Driver's beware, the legend is loose". we will get to know Rosco better so hang in there.


Modified Mini drivers come in all sizes, and years in age, so we shall get to know those special drivers, like the "King" Richard Bagby, and his style of racing, at any track here in the south.



The young gun #19, of Richard Dale a offspring of Richard Bagby, he has a racing style that only is his. He works hard during the week only to race on the weekends, and have the glory of out running his father at times.
This could be Richard Dale's year to win a number of Checkered flags, he is due.



Those men in those "Fast Crate Cars" . like the blue #K17 of Mark Knight, one of the kindest drivers you will ever meet. He takes his work serious just like he does when he runs his crate car where ever he shows up to race, we will go more in depth about Mark Knight, so be ready.



The famous #16, driven by Tony Kemp, who is and always will be a star and a true fan favorite, knowing Tony Kemp is a joy, because during the week Tony works hard as all drivers, but Tony has a attitude that some drivers never get, I mean he is special , look forward to the article about Tony Kemp.

We had a top gun, in that of Mark Sims, who was running Crate until, this morning March 19th, 2009, he informed me that he was moving up to Sportsman, all I can say is that Mark has running the gamet, I mean I first saw him race and win in Pure Mini cars, then he moved to Modified Mini cars, then he chose to move up to the fast and furious Crate Cars, where he stayed for a while "Never winning at the Burg", so now I hear he is moving to the Sportsman class, where there is more money and more work, and more time invested. Good Luck Mark, maybe you will get that long awaited WIN, I hope so.

Then we have the Sportsman features, these are the cars the fans all come to see, because they are the fastest and when these men race at the "Burg", they not only race against other top drivers they race against the track, remember this is one of the hardest tracks on cars and if you win there you can win anywhere. We will focus on #99 of Rucker Orr, a man that is driven to win, when he comes into West Georgia Speedway, you know he is there to WIN, and not take 2nd place. His huge tractor and trailer come in and behind it fly's the black "Jolly Roger". That flag waving in the wind, means trouble is headed in, and your sense of excitement is raised just by seeing that. Rucker is the kind of driver, that some just wish they were, he is focused and he works on his car, he is never afraid to push it to the limit, and I am proud to say that I enjoy watching Rucker Orr race. Then there is the FAMOUS # G1, driven by a man that does not look like a driver because he is so short, but shortness of height does not count when he is on the track. Glenn McWaters, knows West Georgia Speedway better than most Sportsman drivers, he has learned the track by heart and knows where every rut or hole is and avoids them. Glenn is a proven winner and and when the #G1 takes the track, you know there will be a race, and you know he will run in the front. Glenn McWaters is a proven winner and has won at almost every track he runs, but Glenn has held West Georgia Speedway has a track that he knows he can win at, so he calls it his home track if you will. We will go in depth all about Glenn McWaters in a feature soon to come.

Other Sportsman cars that showed up were the #18C of Shane Criswell, who on opening night came out to win the 1st race of the season, it may have been a tighter race except that the #99 of Rucker Orr, who had qualified on the pole, had his motor seize up after qualifying, so that took him out of the running. Then the famous #G1 car of Glenn McWater's was not there he was taking a break and was in a motor home in the infield at Atlanta Motor Speedway to watch the running of Nascar's 500 mile race. Driver Craig Scott brought his #0 car, to the track, he ran hard as he always does, but he could not catch Shane Criswell, he did not have enough motor. I am sure Craig will go back to the drawing board and bring out something faster this Saturday Night.

Racing at West Georgia Speedway can be a thrill, then he can be a driver's nightmare, but all in all the fans got their moneys worth of racing, and that is what makes West Georgia Speedway racing exciting, because this is the last of the great "Historic" race tracks in the South, and Sammy Duke and his family have really made the track come to life with the widening of the backstretch plus the red and yellow guard rails painted, it's those little things that make fans want to come back to see their hero's race on Saturday nights.

Anyway if your NAME is on this BLOG that means you have made it to the TOP DRIVERS PROFILE List, so good luck and show me you can and will race hard.

Thanks,

Tino Patti

Freelance Photographer/ Video Journalist

MSA Contributing writer