The first day of the Furious Five series was jammed full of racing action, with double features to start off the series.
After navigating the twists and turns of road courses for the final events of the previous series, the drivers in Atlanta Motor Speedway's Legends program returned to the ¼-mile Thunder Ring, kicking off the Furious Five series with tight, bumper to bumper racing.
Pro Legends
Taylor Jorgensen started 3rd in the first Pro Legends feature, but wasted no time getting to the front. After lap 1 she was up to 2nd, and by lap 3 she had taken the lead from polesitter Cody Hall. From there Jorgensen never looked back, pacing the final 18 circuits on her way to victory.
Starting from the pole in the second Pro Legends feature, Jorgensen took off from the field and didn't look back, cruising to her second win of the day. Cale Hall finished 2nd, while Cody Hall recovered from an incident at the start to finish 3rd.
Semi-Pro Legends
Nick Woodall and Audrie Ruark put on a show in the first Semi-Pro Legends feature. Ruark won the pole and led the first lap, but Woodall was able to scoot by her to take over the lead on lap 2. From there, Ruark stalked Woodall every lap, looking for an opportunity to pounce and re-take the lead, but Woodall never slipped and held off each challenge to take the win.
The pair picked up right where they left off when the second Semi-Pro feature began. Throughout the 20 lap feature Ruark hounded Woodall looking for a way by, but Woodall fended off each challenge. Woodall held off Ruark to take his second win of the day.
Masters Legends
In the first Masters feature, Bill Plemons Jr. put on a clinic, leading from flag to flag and cruising to the win with a healthy gap over his next closest challenger, Mark Swan.
Plemons didn't slow down in the second Masters feature, though he did have to hold off a few challenges from Swan on restarts. Nonetheless, Plemons held serve for all 20 laps, sweeping both Masters feature wins from the pole.
Young Lions
Timothy Watson showed the way from the pole position in the first Young Lions feature, despite having Nathan Jackson right in his tire tracks the entire way. Watson stayed flawless on a restart with 2 laps to go and held on to win the feature.
In the second Young Lions feature Jackson snatched the lead away from Watson for a lap, but Watson found a way back by quickly and never looked back. Watson took his second feature victory of the day, while Jackson settled for 2nd.
Outlaws
While others found trouble behind him in the first Outlaws feature, Mason Maggio held serve at the front of the pack, fending off a challenge from Kenny Brady on the final restart to get the win.
In the second Outlaws feature, Brady hounded Maggio throughout, nearly completing a pass for the lead before an untimely caution ended the attempt. However, Maggio was able to defend his position throughout, and held off Brady to complete the sweep.
Bandits
The first Bandits feature saw bumps and paybacks. After leading the first 12 laps, Carter Griffis was muscled out of the lead by Garrett Gumm. Three laps later when Griffis returned the favor, the contact sent both cars spinning. Their misfortune opened the door for Kyle Bacon, who held on to win.
Griffis recovered in the second feature, taking the lead from Bacon on lap 3 and leading the rest of the way to win. Bacon slid to 3rd in the second feature, surrendering 2nd to Bryson Matthews.
Rookie Bandoleros
In the first Rookie Bandoleros feature, Gianni Esposito picked his way through lap traffic with patience and precision, allowing him to hold off hard charges from 2nd place Briana Freeman and 3rd place Kristen Holland.
That duo went to battle again in the second Rookie Bandolero feature, this time with Esposito and Freeman crossing the line door to door as the checkered flag flew. Esposito narrowly edged out Freeman to sweep the day's features.
Here's the full results from both features, by division:
Feature 1:
Young Lions
- Timothy Watson (Panama City, FL)
- Nathan Jackson (McDonough, GA)
- Kenneth Henderson (Alto, GA)
- Tony Yawn III (Roanoke, AL)
- Carson Ruark (Suwanee, GA)
- Keaton Hendrix (Homerville, GA)
- Hunter Burns (Thomaston, GA)
- Cole Cash (Bethlahem, GA)
- Lucas Ruark (Suwanee, GA)
Semi-Pro Legends
- Nick Woodall (Canton, GA)
- Audrie Ruark (Suwanee, GA)
- Ricky Springer (McDonough, GA)
- Ian Hampton (Stockbridge, GA)
- Max Brady (Marietta, GA)
- Jessie Thomas (Braselton, GA)
- Zac Bacon (Buchanan, GA)
- Gage Roberts (Milledgeville, GA)
- Russell Shore
- Trey Tadrzak (Stockbridge, GA)
- Hayden Swank (Woodstock, GA)
- Bubba Barfield (Hamilton, GA)
Pro Legends
- Taylor Jorgensen (Stockbridge, GA)
- Cody Hall (Griffin, GA)
- Joshua Hicks (Senoia, GA)
- Cale Hall (Griffin, GA)
- Hunter Johnson (Griffin, GA)
- Drew Brown (Greenville, SC)
- Tony Yawn (Roanoke, AL)
- Christopher Almon Sr. (Moreland, GA)
Masters Legends
- Bill Plemons Jr (Locust Grove, GA)
- Mark Swan (Athens, GA)
- Tony Armbruster (Covington, GA)
- Randy Shubert (Stone Mountain, GA)
- Phillip Young (Dallas, GA)
- Dennis Hecht (Hoschton, GA)
- Bill Whatley (Acworth, GA)
- Aaron Crossley (Woodstock, GA)
- Winston Jeshuran (Macon, GA)
- Lisa Scott (Dallas, GA)
- Reza Sedghi
Bandits
- Kyle Bacon (Buchanan, GA)
- Carter Griffis (Homerville, GA)
- Denton Clem (Kathleen, GA)
- Will Peacock (Eastman, GA)
- Garrett Gumm (Brooks, GA)
- Bryson Matthews (Dallas, GA)
Rookie Bandoleros
- Gianni Esposito (Dacula, GA)
- Briana Freeman (Bremen, GA)
- Kristen Holland (McCrae, GA)
- Nathaniel Harry (Concord, NC)
- Kerbi Mueller (Locust Grove, GA)
- Bailey Buchanan (Senoia, GA)
- Mitchell Flater (Conyers, GA)
- Lane Mueller (Locust Grove, GA)
- Baylor O'Neil (Grantville, GA)
- Amhurst Tate
- Christopher Almon (Moreland, GA)
Outlaws
- Mason Maggio (Palm Beach Gardens, FL)
- Kenny Brady (Marietta, GA)
- Justin Campbell (Griffin, GA)
- Shelby Ruark (Suwanee, GA)
- Wil Griffis (Homerville, GA)
- Matthew Kade (Hampton, GA)
- Bailey North (Hampton, GA)
- Ryan Younginer (Locust Grove, GA)
- Tyler Newcomer (Woolsey, GA)
- Kelley Puckett (McDonough, GA)
Feature 2:
Young Lions
- Timothy Watson (Panama City, FL)
- Nathan Jackson (McDonough, GA)
- Hunter Burns (Thomaston, GA)
- Carson Ruark (Suwanee, GA)
- Tony Yawn III (Roanoke, AL)
- Cole Cash (Bethlahem, GA)
- Keaton Hendrix (Homerville, GA)
- Kenneth Henderson (Alto, GA)
Semi-Pro Legends
- Nick Woodall (Canton, GA)
- Audrie Ruark (Suwanee, GA)
- Max Brady (Marietta, GA)
- Ricky Springer (McDonough, GA)
- Gage Roberts (Milledgeville, GA)
- Ian Hampton (Stockbridge, GA)
- Jessie Thomas (Braselton, GA)
- Russell Shore
- Zac Bacon (Buchanan, GA)
- Trey Tadrzak (Stockbridge, GA)
- Bubba Barfield (Hamilton, GA)
- Hayden Swank (Woodstock, GA)
Pro Legends
- Taylor Jorgensen (Stockbridge, GA)
- Cale Hall (Griffin, GA)
- Cody Hall (Griffin, GA)
- Joshua Hicks (Senoia, GA)
- Hunter Johnson (Griffin, GA)
- Drew Brown (Greenville, SC)
- Christopher Almon Sr. (Moreland, GA)
- Tony Yawn (Roanoke, AL)
Masters Legends
- Bill Plemons Jr (Locust Grove, GA)
- Mark Swan (Athens, GA)
- Tony Armbruster (Covington, GA)
- Randy Shubert (Stone Mountain, GA)
- Phillip Young (Dallas, GA)
- Bill Whatley (Acworth, GA)
- Aaron Crossley (Woodstock, GA)
- Winston Jeshuran (Macon, GA)
- Dennis Hecht (Hoschton, GA)
- Reza Sedghi (Macon, GA)
- Lisa Scott (Dallas, GA)
Bandits
- Carter Griffis (Homerville, GA)
- Bryson Matthews (Dallas, GA)
- Kyle Bacon (Buchanan, GA)
- Garrett Gumm (Brooks, GA)
- Denton Clem (Kathleen, GA)
- Will Peacock (Eastman, GA)
Rookie Bandoleros
- Gianni Esposito (Dacula, GA)
- Briana Freeman (Bremen, GA)
- Nathaniel Harry (Concord, NC)
- Kristen Holland (McCrae, GA)
- Bailey Buchanan (Senoia, GA)
- Kerbi Mueller (Locust Grove, GA)
- Lane Mueller (Locust Grove, GA)
- Mitchell Flater (Conyers, GA)
- Baylor O'Neil (Grantville, GA)
- Amhurst Tate
- Christopher Almon (Moreland, GA)
Outlaws
- Mason Maggio (Palm Beach Gardens, FL)
- Kenny Brady (Marietta, GA)
- Justin Campbell (Griffin, GA)
- Wil Griffis (Homerville, GA)
- Shelby Ruark (Suwanee, GA)
- Matthew Kade (Hampton, GA)
- Bailey North (Hampton, GA)
- Ryan Younginer (Locust Grove, GA)
Drivers in Atlanta Motor Speedway's will battle on the Thunder Ring again in two weeks during Atlanta's NASCAR weekend. Following the Gander Outdoors Truck Series race on Saturday, a full slate of Legends and Bandolero competition will be held on the ¼ mile on Saturday, February 23. More information can be found at www.atlantamotorspeedway.com or www.legendsofga.com.