2016 Durhamtown OffRoad Park
$25,000 Southern SxS National
Union Point, Georgia
November 25-26, 2016
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$25,000 Durhamtown
Southern SxS National Report
Mickey Thomas Wins $12,000
for Pro Overall SxS Win
2016
Durhamtown Southern SXS National
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Union Point, GA (11/30/2016) -The
biggest cash payout in east coast SXS racing history
was given out this past Thanksgiving weekend with
$25,000 up for grabs at Durhamtown’s Southern SxS
National. The two day racing event combined short
course and endurance racing event results to determine
the overall winner, and the $12,000 for the big
win in the pro class went to Georgia’s own, Mickey
Thomas. North Carolina’s Payton Mills secured the
second spot and $5,000 followed by Arkansas’ Mike
Taylor in third with $3,000 in cash and prizes.
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Durhamtown
Souther SxS National Pro Podium (left to
right)
Lee Pope (4th), Mickey Thomas (1st), Payton
Mills (2nd)
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In the winner take all Outlaw class, Yamaha’s
Johnny Greaves took home the overall win after
dominating the short course racing to bring home
$5,000 in cash in prizes, and Johnny Ford and
Maddie Cox rounded out the podium.
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Monster
Energy / Yamaha's Johnny Greaves scored
the Outlaw Class overall win to take home
the winner take all $5,000 Purse |
The two-day short-course and long-course races
were held at Durhamtown’s 6,000-acre off-road
park in Union Point, Georgia. The event kicked
off with short course races on Friday, held on
a roughly mile long GP flat track style short
course that was full of elevation change with
a lot of single jumps. It finished with a three-hour
endurance race Saturday night held on a 10+ mile
course that featured part of the short course,
as well as cross-country sections and plenty of
trees, roots, ruts, and hill climbs to challenge
the racers in the dark, so good headlights were
a must.
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Addict
Racing's Mickey Thomas had some stiff competition
in the Pro class with over 20 racers competing
for the top three money spots |
Tire choice and suspension setup were key to
the short course races and Mickey Thomas, along
with a set of Hoosier Tires, was the man to beat
in the Pro class. Meanwhile Johnny Greaves’ Yamaha
was in its element in the short course Outlaw
events.
“The Yamahas were fast out there, but I set the
car up just right and I had a great race,” said
Thomas. “I just tried to stay patient and I’m
happy to walk away with the win.”
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Joe
Owen Motorsport's Mickey Thomas dominated
both motos on the Short track race on Friday |
With less than an inch of rain since May, the
first several laps of the night race were plagued
by dust. However, as the race continued, the dust
died down, but Thomas certainly didn’t. He dominated
the race prior to and after taking a mandatory
pit stop.
“I knew it was going to be super dusty at the
beginning, so I laid back in the beginning and
then started picking off some guys,” said Thomas.
“I tried to make time, while keeping the car together
because there are so many trees out there and
the dust was so thick. If I had lost focus for
just a second, my race would have been over. After
that, I got some clean air and it was smooth sailing.
I was concerned about starting behind the Outlaw
class, but it worked out OK.”
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Once
Again, Walker Evans Racing's Mickey Thomas
took the checkered flag for the win in the
night race to sweep all three races for
the overall win |
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