Delaware’s Joseph Watson Thrills Georgetown Fan Appreciation Night Crowd with $3,000 Victory
GEORGETOWN, DE – Fan Appreciation night drew a large First State crowd to Georgetown Speedway on Friday night.
After 25 laps, the home state driver gave them something to cheer about.
Joseph Watson, who lives just north of the speedway in Milford, Del., picked up a $3,000 payday in the Chesapeake Paving 25-lap Modified main driving the iconic No. 30 owned by his grandfather, Eugene Mills. Watson bested his brother – Jordan – for the triumph.
Half-price grandstand admission – with $10 tickets – filled the historic oval on a beautiful night for racing.
After a dominant heat-race victory, ‘Jo-Jo’ launched off the outside pole of the 23-car starting field and took the top spot from fellow front-row starter Ryan Watt at the outset. The race was not without its share of twists and turns, however.
A grinding incident brought the race to a halt at lap eight when an apparent broken hub sent Brandon Hightower’s No. B52 flipping end over end on the frontstretch, igniting a multi-car tangle. Hightower, a Louisiana native, was transported to a local hospital for evaluation but was released shortly after midnight.
A second incident occurred moments later when Ryan Godown and Jordan Watson tangled. Godown’s No. 26 veered off the backstretch and into a Stockley Tavern billboard, bringing the billboard to the ground. Godown was uninjured but done for the event. Jordan Watson continued unscathed.
The second half of the race became a battle of the “Watson Boys” on their parents’ – Glenn and Donna – wedding anniversary.
Lapped traffic slowed Joseph’s pace in the closing laps, allowing Jordan to close to within a car-length, but Joseph held on to pick up his second Modified victory in the BD Motorsports Media LLC era of Georgetown history.
Announcer Pete Wortmann asked Joseph what he thought when he saw his brother on the front row for a restart.
“I wasn’t letting him beat me,” he said, drawing a laugh from the crowd.
Despite an ailing powerplant, Jordan Watson, also of Milford, nursed the Brent Hall-owned No. 18 to a $2,000 runner-up finish. H.J. Bunting completed a Milford sweep of the top-three positions in the Blades HVAC No. 65. Watt, of Boyertown, Pa., placed fourth and Matt Stangle, driving the Danny’s Pizza Pizzazz No. 51, recovered from an off-track excursion to complete the front five.
Ad-Art Sign Company heat winners were Joseph Watson, Carson Wright and Stangle.
“The Thrill” Matt Hill of Georgetown rode the rim to victory in the First State Chevrolet RUSH Late Model 20-lap main, worth $1,000. Hill unseated race-long leader Austin Hubbard with a sweeping outside move in turns three and four.
Trevor Collins, the defending speedway champion, rallied to third late in the distance with Joey Warren and Donald Lingo Jr. completing the front five.
Warren and Hubbard were the $50 Ad-Art Sign Company heat winners.
The Southern Delaware Vintage Stock Car Club boasted a pair of 12-lap features. Jamie Eicholz won the Modified main event over D.J. Cameron, while the Sportsman main went to Chris Killen.
The 12-lap Little Lincoln event was a thriller with a series of unpredictable events unfolding throughout the main. Jordan Herbert was the best of the survivors, taking the win over Sean Smith.
The field of 17 Delaware Super Trucks rain their 12-lap headliner without a single caution flag. Mattie Long took a popular victory over Shane Clogg and Nate Benson.
Kevin Taylor won the 12-lap Delmarva Charger feature in a hotly contested event over Ashley Merritt.
Racing resumes at Georgetown Speedway on Friday, June 4 with the Deron Rust Memorial paying $3,960 to win for 33 laps for the Chesapeake Paving Modifieds. Blue Hen Dispose-All Crate 602 Sportsman ($1,396 to win), Southern Delaware Vintage Stock Cars, Little Lincolns, Delaware Super Trucks and Delmarva Chargers complete the program.
Georgetown Speedway, originally constructed by Melvin L. Joseph in 1949, is located at the intersection of Route 113 and Speedway Road in Georgetown, Del., just miles from the Delaware beaches and less than a 40-minute drive from Ocean City, Md.
A website is live for the speedway at www.thegeorgetownspeedway.com. Like Georgetown Speedway on Facebook, follow @thegtownspdwy on Twitter, e-mail georgetownspeedway@gmail.com or contact the speedway hotline at 302.563.GTWN (4896).
FAN APPRECIATION NIGHT RESULTS SUMMARY – GEORGETOWN SPEEDWAY MAY 14, 2021
Chesapeake Paving Modified Feature Finish (25 laps): JOSEPH WATSON, Jordan Watson, H.J. Bunting, Ryan Watt, Matt Stangle, Richie Pratt Jr., Jimmy Horton, Ryan Riddle, Tom Moore Jr., Logan Watt, Jordn Justice, Norman Short Jr., Ryan Godown, Blaine Bracelin, Ron Roberts, Brandon Hightower, John Willman, Carson Wright, Jim Britt, Mike White, Scott Hitchens, Bruce Hooper.
Did Not Start: Kevin Sockriter
Ad-Art Sign Company Heat Winners ($50 Each): Joseph Watson, Carson Wright & Matt Stangle
First State Chevrolet RUSH Late Model Feature Finish (20 laps): MATT HILL, Austin Hubbard, Trevor Collins, Joey Warren, Donald Lingo Jr., Travis Justice, Mike Wharton, David Dill, Robert Smith, Joe Pete, Ben Scott, Tippy Martinez, Curtis Reed.
Ad-Art Sign Company Heat Winners ($50 Each): Joe Warren & Austin Hubbard
Southern Delaware Vintage Modified Feature Finish (12 laps): JAMIE EICHOLZ, D.J. Cameron, C.J. Schirmer, Roscoe Clough, Dave Parsons, Robert Paczkowski, Harold Sylvester, Kelly Putz.
Did Not Start: Brayden Ritter
Southern Delaware Vintage Sportsman Feature Finish (12 laps): CHRIS KILLEN, Terry Chaney, Glenn Lyon, Don Davidson, Maddy Jefferson, David Tucker II, Robert Blann, Todd Miller, Dave Schamp, L.J. Walbert.
Little Lincoln Feature Finish (12 laps): JORDAN HERBERT, Sean Smith, Todd Sammons, Bryan Perry, M.J. White, Melvin Joseph, Bunky White, James Harmon, Dylan Betts, Eric Reed, Kirk Lawson, Wayne Seaton.
Delaware Super Truck Feature Finish (12 laps): MATTIE LONG, Shane Clogg, Nate Benson, David Smith, Ryan Efford, Zack Phillips, Dick Beauchamp, Mark Townsend, Travis Martin, Adam Smart, Scott Trice, Andrew Nelson, Bruce Cornelius, Brian Jones, Thomas “Action” Jackson, Bill Dean.
Delmarva Charger Feature Finish (12 laps): KEVIN TAYLOR, Ashley Merritt, Jordan Long, Randy Merritt, Paul Gary, Jonathan Pitcher, Jean Martinez, Jay Lowman, Chris Carroll, Joe Waters.
Did Not Start: Wyatt Cummings
Sources: Brett Deyo/Georgetown Speedway PR