KIDS BIKE RACES, MODS OF MAYHEM AND MARTY Tonight is the fifth race for the Modifieds of Mayhem 2015 tour, but will be their first visit here. This is a new series for these open wheel cars, and looking over the results of the first four races it sure seems to be just the right combination for a healthy car count and some good ole hard nose racing. The series consist of four different racetracks: Mobile International Speedway, South Alabama Speedway in Opp, Al., Montgomery Motor Speedway and here at Five Flags. Come race time tonight you can look for some of the fastest Modifieds the South has to offer as drivers such as Donnie Hamrac, Billy Melvin, (Profiles inside) Ryan Redmond, Jeff Letson and a host of others who will be chasing points trying to become the 2015 champion of the new series in their inaugural year. Thanks to Montgomery Motor Speedway promoter Stan Narrison for coming up with the idea of this new series. Included in tonight’s program our great fans will be treated to even more hard-nosed racing with the Super Stocks, Sportsman and Bombers. Also adding to the events will be the much anticipated annual KIDS BIKE RACES. Hope you brought your helmets!!!! Probably the most popular event on tonight’s program will be honoring the most popular radio D J “ever” in the Pensacola area. I’m speaking of Marty White. While it would be rare, some people might not know what he looks like, but everyone knows what he sounds like when they hear him because he’s been on the air for well over 40 years in this area. Marty feels like it’s time to give it up and let someone else take over. He will be retiring at the end of this month and I assure you he will be missed. From all your friends, Good Luck on your retirement Marty! Someone might take over for you in the stiudio,, but NO ONE will ever replace you!!!!
A Fitting Sendoff: By Chuck Corder
Would you be shocked to learn the man, who has entertained Pensacola radio listeners for four decades with his bluecollar comedy and homespun delivery, started out in the principal’s office? If we’re going to blame somebody, it’s Burma Davis. It was 1972 and Davis, the youngest principal’s secretary ever hired at Tate High School, had her plate full of responsibilities. One was overseeing the office assistants — a group of student workers, who served as helpers for Davis. She had to find tasks to keep the teenagers’ idle hands busy. After all, they were receiving course credits for answering phones, greeting visitors, etc. It wasn’t like they were going to skip out on such an easy “A.” (Continued inside Page 2)
Marty White Continued She plucked one young man, a senior with an engaging and effervescent personality, to boom the morning announcements through the school’s speakers. “He had a lot of personality, full of confidence and was real creative,” Davis remembers. National Anthem:
Maddie Mae Driskell, Bratt, FL
June 26 Pro Late Double 20/30 Pro Truck, Sportsmen, Bomber, Vintage July 10 Pro Late Double 20/30 Super Stock, Sportsmen, and Bomber July 24 Super Late Blizzard #3, Plus Pro Truck, Sportsmen and Bomber Aug 7 Modifieds of Mayhem #7 Super Stock, Sportmen, Bomber PLUS Faster Pastor and Demolition Derby Aug 28 Pro Late Double 20/30 Plus Pro Truck, Sportsmen and Bomber Saturday, Sept 19 Pro Late Model 100 Allen Turner Tune-Up , Super Stock, Sportsmen and Bomber Saturday, Sept 26 Blizzard Pro Truck, Sportsmen and Bomber DSC Night of Champions Friday-Sun Oct. 23 NOPI Nationals Saturday, Nov. 21 Snowball Preview Thursday, December 3 - Sunday Dec 6th 48th Annual Snowball Derby
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Nearly 45 years after Marty White got his high school “break,” the longtime and popular disc jockey at NASH 102.7 FM can still be described as full of personality, confident and creative. To this day, Pensacolians still love the sound of 59-year-old Marty White’s voice. They’ll only get to enjoy that privilege a little while longer before he officially retires later this month. For a few years, Pensacolians loved to watch him race here at Five Flags. “We’re so proud of him,” said Donna White, Marty’s (much) better half for 27 years. “He’d give you the shirt off his back without knowing you. I appreciate Tim (Bryant) and all of y’all for thinking to do this. “(Marty) wanted no hullabaloo, just something short and sweet, so I’m tickled to death.” For more than 20 years across the Florida Panhandle, Marty White became a prominent fixture on radio dials thanks to the “Hometown Morning Show.” It was top rated for 16 years! “Radio has been good to us,” Donna said. “We’ve had a lotta good times; he’s done stuff you normally wouldn’t get to do. Davis recommended Marty to be the public address announcer at Tate football games. The rest is history. A few years later though, Marty took matters into his own hands. “I was at Five Flags Speedway with some friends,” Donna continued. “He was sitting behind us. He spilled a beer down my back. That was the first time I saw him after high school.” It wouldn’t be the last. Read all of Chucks story on our web site.
For Donnie Hamrac and David Jones, a final destination ended up as their starting point. The two Mobile-area drivers had been friendly acquaintances at short tracks across the southeast for a number of years. But when the producers of the 2009 major motion picture “Final Destination” filmed key action sequences at Mobile International Speedway, Hamrac and Jones laid a foundation for a formidable partnership that endures today. “I knew him somewhat, but the movie really brought us together,” the 43-yearold Hamrac said. “He had his car there — one or two of ’em. David, his dad ‘Pops’ and me all hung out with each other and got to talking.” What they talked about was Hamrac driving Jones’ Alabama Pipe and Supply Modified. The plans finally came to fruition two years later, and in 2012, Hamrac captured the first of back-to-back championships at Five Flags Speedway.. The near-unbeatable duo at Five Flags returns to Pensacola as Hamrac holds a slim lead in the points chase for the newly-created Modifieds of Mayhem. “We hope to get back to Victory Lane over there,” Hamrac said. “We hope to get back to Victory Lane, period. Hopefully, our setup for Pensacola works this go-round. If not, we’ll have to start doing some testing to get our advantage back.” Read the rest of Chuck’s story on our web site.
Look up “racer” and the first entry defines the term as “a person, animal, or thing that races or takes part in a race.” Billy Melvin certainly fits that description. After all the Birmingham, Ala., native has spent well over two decades chasing checkereds on short tracks. But Melvin goes beyond the pale in personifying what it means to be a racer. “I’ve never done anything but work and race,” said the 48-year-old Modifieds of Mayhem driver, who owns Associated Heating and Cooling in Birmingham. “And the only reason I work is so I can afford to race. Racing’s an addiction there’s no help for. You get hooked on drugs, alcohol, you can get help for that. Racing, you’re sorta stuck. I wouldn’t work a job this hard for anybody.” Melvin reels off these epic observations with ease because it’s his truth. He continues to race out of love despite the sport taking its toll on him. After 20-plus years of wrecks and collisions, Melvin has undergone two spinal fusions. To this day, he continues to battle chronic bone spurs and degenerative arthritis throughout his back. More on our web site: www5flagsspeedway. com
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FINAL 1 10 Okie Mason 2 13 David Beale 3 17 Chris Cotto 4 8 Donnie Hamrac 5 66 Heath Mills 6 57 Jason Huffmaster 7 7 Robert Chason 8 117 Michael Swilley 9 88 Joe Thornton 10 99 Brandon Howell
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Marty in High School