The 2011 Season Has Concluded

 

News Flash- Josh is the 2011 Southern Regional Racing Series Points Champion!!!

 

9/16/11- Josh sets new track record at Boyd's Speedway (13.010)!

 

The putnam race Team is looking for new sponsors to add to the team. If you are interested in joining a team that will work hard to promote you, please contact josh. we appreciate all of our sponsors!

 

The 2011 Pierce car

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-RECENT RACE RESULTS-

 

11/4 & 5- Greenville Speedway- Making their first ever trip to Greenville Speedway (Greenville, MS) for the annual Gumbo Nationals, the crew would join 32 other Super Late Models vying for a spot in the $7K to win, PRO sanctioned feature event. Knowing that the car was gonna be bad under motored for the big gumbo track, the team gave it a shot anyway. On Friday night the 33 entries would be divided into 2 groups for qualifying. Josh would qualify 10th in his group for a 5th place starting position in the 2nd of 4 heats. Josh would finish the heat in 4th locking into the 15th starting spot for the main event. On Saturday, those that didn't lock in would get another chance in the b-mains and a last chance dash. With the 24 entries locked in for the 70 lap main event, Josh would gain 2 positions to finish the feature in 13th place. Not too shabby for the first time at the track and a small spec engine!

10/28- Magnolia Motor Speedway- Josh had committed to running at the local Tennessee National track this weekend instead of attending the Cotton Pickin' 100 at Magnolia Motor Speedway. But, after the track decided at noon Friday to cancel the show at Tennessee National, Josh and the crew took off to Magnolia to try for the Cotton Pickin' 100.  The team knew that they would be at a disadvantage because they didn't get to practice and tune the car the night before. The 66 car field was split into 2 groups for qualifying and then the 2 groups were split into 4 b-mains. Josh would start the 2nd b-main outside 3rd row. With a combo of 2 different makers of tires on the car, the right front tire just wouldn't do it's job in the heat and Josh wouldn't make it into the main event. Up next will be the teams first ever trip to Greeneville, MS for Greenville Speedway's "Gumbo Nationals".

10/22- Tennessee National Raceway- The team went in preparation for next weekend's $4K to win "Shannon Hickerson Memorial" race. Josh would qualify 3rd fastest securing a 2nd row inside starting position for the feature. Josh would advance to take the win!

10/15- Smoky Mountain Speedway- The second night of the SRRS double header would find the Putnam Race Team at Smoky Mountain Speedway (Maryville, TN). 26 cars would register in. Josh and the crew knew from the start that the little motor in the car would be a big disadvantage on this huge track. Starting the feature in 11th position, Josh would still move up two spots to finish the feature in 9th place. Rickey Tucker of the Southern Regional Racing Series officially announced Josh as the 2011 Points Champion!

10/14- Boyd's Speedway- This weekend would be a Southern Regional Racing Series double header and the final 2 races of their 2011 season. 30 cars would register in for the first night at Boyd's Speedway (Ringgold, GA). Only 2 cars of the 3 groups of qualifying would lock into the feature and Josh would have to run a heat race. Starting the heat in 3rd, he would finish 2nd securing an 11th place starting position in the main event. By lap 6, Josh had gained several positions when the yellow flew for Tony Knowles. On the second lap of the restart, Tommy Kerr (4T) would dump Josh going into turn 1 causing Josh to spin bringing out the caution flag. With the SRRS "No Fault Caution" rule, Josh would be sent to the rear of the 24 car field. By race end, Josh had rebounded to an 8th place finish.

10/8- Thunderhill Raceway- Tonight, Josh would set the fastest time overall and would choose to start the feature race on the outside pole and give the inside to the #S4 of Seth McCormack. Josh was on the receiving end of 2 bad calls and got put to the rear twice. Seth McCormack was leading with Josh right behind him. Josh got into Seth's rear bumper when he slowed in turn 3-4 but Josh got in the brakes and let him go. Seth was half way down the front stretch when he spun himself out. They blamed it on Josh and put him in the rear. Josh was coming back toward the front and was passing Jacob France on the outside when Jacob spun out. They called that on Josh too. How do you spin someone when you are almost past them on the outside?!?!? After talking to the "officials" they did let him restart on the rear instead of sending him to the pits. In the few laps left, I think he came back to about 3rd or so.

10/1- Duck River Speedway- 36 Super Late Models registered in for the last race of the season for the Tennessee Super Series being held at Duck River Speedway (Wheel, TN). Locking in just 3 cars from each of the 4 groups, Josh wouldn't qualify in the top 3 of his group and had to start a b-main on the outside pole. He would finish second in the b-main, locking him into the feature event. Just 4 or 5 laps into the feature, Josh was being held up by a slower car and he would attempt to pass him on the outside in turn 1. The slower car move up a bit squeezing Josh up into the loose stuff on top of the track. Josh's car would lose it's grip and hit the wall with the right rear quarter. The damage would put Josh out of the rest of the race.

9/24- Thunderhill Raceway- Josh and the 212 team went to Thunderhill Raceway's special "Topless Brawl". A 40 lap, $4K to win Super Late Model event. 27 race cars registered in for the event. Josh would set the fastest time over all with an 11.726 qualifying time. this would insure the pole starting position for the feature event. Having the choice of starting inside or outside pole, Josh chose to start the race on the outside giving the inside pole position to the #27 of Chuck Proctor. When the green flag fell, it would be Josh that would take the lead. Josh maintained a comfortable lead through several cautions and restarts with Proctor as his closest competitor. After leading all 40 laps of the race, Josh took the checkered flag and the $4k jackpot.

9/17- North Alabama Speedway- Saturday night would find the crew at North Alabama Speedway for it's 7th Annual Bama Brawl. 30 Super Late Models would register in for the event. Divided into 2 groups for qualifying, Josh would set the fastest time in the 2nd group securing the outside pole starting position for the 40 lap feature. At the drop of the green, polesitter Ronny Lee Hollingsworth would take the lead with Josh in hot pursuit. On lap 18 of the race, Josh would fall back to 4th position but on lap 29 Josh would pass David Breazeale and David Gentry to reclaim 2nd place. Josh would be putting major pressure on Hollingsworth for the lead but would have to settle for the runner-up position.

9/16- Boyd's Speedway- The crew  went to Boyd's Speedway (Ringgold, GA} tonight for the Volunteer Racing Series sanctioned race. Out of 27 Super Late Models that registered in, Josh would set the fastest time overall. His 13.010 lap time would also break the all time track record! This would lock him into the pole starting position for the main event. Outside front row starting Riley Hickman would take the lead on the start of the race with Josh hot on his heels. Less than half way through the feature, the car would develop mechanical issues forcing him to retire for the remainder of the race.

9/10- North Alabama Speedway- In preparation for next week's Bama Brawl, the crew would take the car to North Alabama Speedway. Out of 17 Supers, Josh would take his Pierce Scorpion racecar to the fastest overall qualifying time and the pole starting position for the feature race. Second starting, Mark Fields, would jump to the lead on the start of the feature with Josh hot on his heels. At one point, Josh would pass Mark for the lead only to be blocked by a lap car and have to drop back to second. Josh would take the lead on the white flag and take the win! Runner up Fields and third place, Daniel Miller, apparently didn't see that the race was over and were still racing on the lap after the checkered and both ran into Josh on the front stretch after the race.

8/27- Thunderhill Raceway- Tonight, Josh would qualify fastest in his group in the Tennessee Super Series 40 lap, $3K to win event. This would lock him into the outside pole starting position for the feature. Polesitter Ray McElhiney would take the lead on the green with Josh giving chase. Josh would challenge McElhiney for the lead several times but would end the race with second place.

8/20- Thunderhill Raceway- Josh and Curtis, along with Cale Finley, got an early start this morning and were able to repair the car in time to travel to Thunderhill Raceway for their weekly show. Josh qualified 2nd fastest overall. Fast qualifier, Tony Morris, would choose the outside pole starting position which put Josh starting inside Pole for the feature. The car was good both in the bottom and top grooves. At the drop of the green, Josh would take the lead.  By the time the checkered flag flew, Josh had almost a half track lead on the rest of the field!

8/19- Green Valley Speedway- The team traveled to Green Valley Speedway to enter the PRO Dirt Series $2k to win race. Josh would qualify 4th fastest in his group securing an 8th place starting position for the feature. Just 4 laps into the main event, Tim Busha and Bo Shirley would make contact setting off a chain reaction of cars wrecking in front of Josh. Seeing the events unfolding, Josh would manage to stop before becoming involved but the cars behind him didn't. One car rammed into the rear of Josh shoving him into Shirley and Josh ended up smashed in the middle of the melee. The damage was too severe for him to continue and nixed the plans to go on to the PRO sanctioned race at Talladega Short Trace the next evening.

8/13- Smokey Mountain Speedway- Another SRRS sanctioned race held at Smokey Mountain Speedway, Maryville, TN. With the threat of rain for the evening, officials would try to hurry the afternoon along. Josh would qualify 3rd fastest out of his group and have to start on the pole of the heat race. He finished 2nd in the heat which gave him an 8th place starting position for the main event. The cars were staged and ready for the feature when the rain finally came. The feature would be postponed until 1pm the next afternoon. On Sunday, the 2 classes that had gotten rained out the night before, were preparing for hotlaps. With the threat of rain again, officials decided to line up the Supers and run the feature. With no chance to hotlap and make any adjustments, a wrong call on the setup of Josh's car would put him too loose in the feature. Josh would still log a 7th place finish. With this finish, this would put Josh 235 points ahead of second place, Anthony Burroughs, in the SRRS points championship. With only one more race on the series' schedule, it looks like Josh may be the 2011 SRRS Points champion! Way to go Josh and everyone at Putnam Racing!

8/6/11- Thunderhill Raceway- Josh would set 3rd fastest time tonight at Thunderhill Raceway. Starting the feature 2nd row inside, Josh would finish the race in 1st place. Way to go Josh!

8/5- Boyd's Speedway- Tonight would be a Southern Regional Racing Series sanctioned 40 lap, $3K to win, points race held at Boyd's Speedway in Ringgold, GA. Out of 38 entries such as Dale McDowell, Ray Cook, Eric Jacobsen, Ronnie Johnson, Skip Arp, Tim Busha, Anthony Burroughs, William Thomas and more, Josh would set the quickest lap time of all securing the inside pole starting position for the feature event. McDowell would jump to the lead on the start of the race with Josh in second. At about the half way point, Ray Cook would slide past Josh for 2nd on a double file restart. Josh would try to take 2nd place back several times in the last 10 laps but lap traffic would hold him back. Josh would still log an impressive 3rd place finish.

8/04- North Georgia Speedway- Josh, along with 26 other supers, entered North Georgia's "Top Dog 50". A 50 lap, $5K to win race. Josh would qualify 3rd fastest in his group but only the top 2 would lock into the feature. Josh would finish 2nd in the B-main insuring a 14th place start in the main event. On lap 6, there would be a multi-car pile up in the middle of turns 3-4 and Josh would have no place to go. He made light contact with another car just before he got his car stopped. At the driver's meeting, race director Chris Tilley had said that if the track was blocked with no place to go, the driver would get his spot back. On this pile up, it was changed to "if you make any contact at all, you go to the rear". Josh and several others were going to have to restart the race on the rear. Josh wisely chose to take it to the pits instead of chancing getting the car torn up since the next night was a SRRS points race.

7/30- Thunderhill Raceway- The original plan for the team, had they had a good finish the previous night at NAS, was to attend the Southern All Stars "Mike Head Jr. Memorial" race at Talladega Short Track tonight. But with the heavy damage from the night before, the crew worked hard and got the car back together in time to make it to Thunderhill Raceway for their regular Saturday night show. 10 Supers would register in and Josh would set the fastest lap time overall during qualifying. As the polesitter, Josh chose to start the feature race on the outside of 2nd fastest qualifier Ray McElhiney. At the drop of the green, Josh would take the lead and never look back as he kept a comfortable half straight away lead throughout the race!

7/29- North Alabama Speedway- The team went to North Alabama Speedway for the 50 lap, $5K to win Super late model race. 35 cars registered in for the event. During qualifying, Josh would set the 2nd fastest lap overall, only .04 seconds off from Ronny Lee Hollingsworth's fast qualifier time. Josh, Hollingsworth and Klint Byars would be the only 3 drivers to turn laps in the 12 second range. Josh started the feature race 2nd row inside would find himself in 3rd place challenging Byars on the start until a lap 10 spin by leader Hollingsworth moved him up to the 2nd position. For the restart of the race (which was utilizing the double file restarts procedure),  Josh would choose the fastest line (outside) to restart in. On the restart, the inside car of Stacy Taylor (#27) would move up on Josh in turn 1 forcing him to get the right side of the car over the top cushion. This would cost Josh 11 positions before he could get the car gathered up and back on the track. Josh would move up several positions by lap 22 when there was another caution. On lap 23, a big pile up was caused when Bryan Rickman got out of shape and the cars of Mark Fields, David Earl Gentry and Johnny Stokes would get tangled up trying to avoid hitting him. Josh would try to thread the needle between the melee, but would sustain heavy damage putting an end to his night.

7/23- North Alabama Speedway- Out of 22 cars registered in for the SRRS 40 lap, $3K to win race, Josh would set quick time overall during qualifying insuring the pole starting position in the main event. Josh would set sail and lead all 40 laps to take the checkers for the win. Josh is in the number one spot in the Southern Regional Racing Series points championship and this win gives him a 20 point lead over second place Anthony Burroughs. These two drivers have been running a tight race for the points lead often swapping the number one position back and forth from event to event. Also, a shout out to AJ Ferguson for his win in the Limited class. That made two first place finishes for Pierce Race Cars!

7/16- Tennessee National- The Putnam Race Team attended the Danny Sandrell Memorial, 40 lap, $3k to win, super late model race. Josh would qualify into a 3rd row outside starting position for the main event. By just a couple of laps into the feature, Josh would be in 3rd place putting pressure on the second place car of Terry English. In turns 1 and 2, English would suddenly check up in the middle of the corner. Josh's right front tire would jump English's left rear tire and English would spin. The caution was called on Josh and he would restart the race in the rear of the field. Ultimately, Josh would make his way back to an 8th place finish.

7/9- Thunderhill Raceway- Josh would set fast time overall out of the 13 Supers that were there. He would start the feature inside pole and jet to the lead at the drop of the green. He would have the lead by half a straight away until lap 9 when the 5th arm broke on the race car putting an end to his night.

7/8- Magnolia Motor Speedway- Deciding to try for the Lucas Oil $20k to win race, Josh and the crew traveled to Columbus, MS. The track stayed true to it's nickname and quickly turned to "Black Ice". Unable to get the car to hook up, Josh would not make the feature race on the first night's round of preliminaries. With a slim chance of making the main event in the consolation race the next day, the team decided to head for home and race at Thunderhill Raceway the next night.

7/3- North Alabama Speedway- The team was Bama bound after the Mountain Speedway race and would head to North Alabama Speedway for the $2k to win race there. Josh would set fast time overall and start the feature race inside pole. Taking the lead at the drop of the green, Josh would lead the race by a comfortable margin, flag to flag, followed by Daniel Miller, Tim Busha and Todd Morrow.

7/2- Mountain Speedway- The crew traveled from Wartburg for a first time visit to Mountain Motor Speedway in Isom, KY for a $3k to win 40 lap race sanctions by the SRRS and the STARS MDRL. Josh would qualify fastest in his group. According to MDRL race format, everyone would run b-mains and the winners drew for starting positions. Josh won his b-main and drew the outside pole starting position for the feature. Dustin Linville started inside pole and took the lead on the start of the feature. Josh was hard on Linville's tail and was challenging him for the lead when the #5 of Stephen Breeding body slammed him in turn 1 causing Josh to lose a couple of positions. Josh was still able to pull off a 3rd place feature finish.

7/1- Wartburg Speedway- Tonight's race would be held at Wartburg Speedway in Wartburg, TN and was co-sanctioned by the SRRS and the STARS VRS. Not qualifying very well, Josh would have to start his heat race in 5th position. He would finish the heat in 2nd place just behind Clint Smith. He would start the $5k to win feature race in 10th place. Even though the track afforded little passing, Josh was able to make his way to a 6th place finish.

6/25- Thunderhill Raceway- Josh set fastest time over all at Thunderhill Raceway tonight. Starting inside pole, Josh led every lap to take the win!

6/18- Moulton Speedway- Scheduled for a SRRS event at Bluegrass Speedway, it would be a rain out so the team decided to go to Moulton Speedway to try out the new engine by Burns Racing Engines. Josh would set 3rd fastest time overall out of 22 entries. He would start the feature second row inside. Coupled with a wrong choice on tires and a locked down track, Josh would finish where he started...in 3rd place.

6/10- Eldora Speedway- The team traveled to Ohio's Eldora Speedway to enter the annual Dream 100 lap, $100k to win race. During hot laps, Josh's new engine would burn a piston. Without another engine to put into the car, he would be unable to continue in the event.

6/4- Thunderhill Raceway- Josh entered the Tennessee Super Series 40 lap, $3k to win race tonight. He qualified with the fastest overall qualifying lap securing the inside pole starting position for the feature race. Josh would take the lead at the drop of the green. With just a few laps in the books for the feature, Josh would have transmission problems and have to retire for the night.