Story by Bruce C. Walls
Photos by:
Bruce C. Walls
Susan Taylor-Walls

De Leon Springs, FL-Gates for the American Kart Racing Association’s (AKRA) Fifth Annual Christmas in Dixie were scheduled to open at 2 p.m. Sunday December 27th. But by 10 a.m. that morning a line of trailers were at the gate eagerly ready to compete in what would be the largest of three major dirt karting events held in central Florida the week between Christmas and New Years. So the gates at Volusia Speedway Park in De Leon Springs, FL were opened early for racers from 11 states who were joined by Canadian and Australian teams for two days of competition on the speedway’s ¼-mile sealed karting clay oval.

The entire event was presented in free live streaming video on AKRA’s web site. Over 12,000 people, including a Japanese family, viewed each day’s mains.

Mind Game Motorsports and Walt Barnes Racing, provided event fast time awards. Each fast time winner received a 12 pack of ‘Sport Drinks’ in addition to watches and other contingency prizes.


One of the highlights of the 2009 Dirt season has been young gun Spencer Davis’s quest for 100 wins this season. The 11-year Dawsonville, GA, based Davis reached that milestone the weekend prior to Christmas in Dixie at Shiloh Speedway in Shiloh, GA. Davis padded his 100 trips to Victory Lane with four wins that Saturday night for a total tally of 103 wins. Davis extended that record to 107 with four Christmas in Dixie wins. After turning a hat trick the first day he finished the event with a fourth win the second day.

Davis’s first Christmas in Dixie win came in Day 1’s fifth class Junior 2 Blue (Mixed). Scott Neary spun the pole lap with a 14.240 seconds rounding. Davis turned a 14.267 seconds lap for the outside pole. Behind them in row two were Owen Dubble and Chase Smith who produced qualifying lap times of 14.505 and 14.636 seconds.

When the initial green flag waved fifth fastest qualifier, Chase Teachey, fought his way to the front. On lap three Neary accidentally wheel hopped him on his way by bending Teachey’s rear bodywork to where the left side pinched down on his tire. His bodywork stayed bent over the wheel causing it to heat up.

Teachey led the restart, but his left rear tire began smoking forcing him to slow it down. Davis tried to take it on the restart, but his efforts fell short. Next time around Davis completed the pass and took the lead. In just a few laps Davis pulled away from the field building a comfortable 1.5 seconds advantage over Smith and Dubble who were fighting for second. At mid-race Davis owned a 2 seconds lead.

Suddenly, with just five laps remaining, caution flags flew in every corner. Davis’s lead evaporated just as fast. While he led the restart Davis’s competitors were now on his tailpipe. Davis took the green flag and roared away from a field squabbling over positions behind him. In just a few laps Davis built another 2 seconds lead. This one he took to the stripe.

In the final laps Dubble finally passed Smith for a distant 2.868 seconds second place finish. Dustin Smith was fourth across the stripe followed by Abigail Fry for the top five of seven.

“That last caution worried me, but I thought the kart would come back to me,” described Davis, who was piloting a new Phantom Seraph chassis powered by a Southern Express motor.

Five races later Davis started on Junior Sportsman Champ’s pole, which he earned with a 14.730 seconds lap. When the green flag flew so did Davis who turned in a perfect run. After shaking off some early challenges Davis left the field battling for finish positions behind him. Third fastest qualifier Matthew Boyd fought his way to second trailing Davis by 1.926 seconds. Dubble finished third and was followed in the top five of seven by Blaze, Burns and Prince.

“I had to work for this one. I had to have some side stripes because I was getting beat to death on my ribs coming out of turn two,” Davis explained after win number 105. “The Phantom Icon 20th Anniversary kart handled pretty good and Bradley’s motor was strong,” he credited.

Before the night was over Davis captured a third win taking Junior 3 Gold wire-to-wire. Davis turned a 13.503 seconds lap for that pole. Eddie Alkire shared front row with Justin Hamilton and C.J. Leary behind them in row two.

Once again when the green flag flew Davis rocketed away from the rest of the field. Hamilton took second from Alkire with Davis over 2 seconds ahead of him under the mid race signal. In the final laps Hamilton made a valiant effort to catch Davis shaving nearly half a second off Davis’s led trailing him at the stripe by 1.262 seconds. Leary trailed Hamilton for third and Alkire completed the field.

Davis returned to Volusia Speedway Park the next day to finish his sweep of the Christmas in Dixie Junior Sportsman Champ classes. A 14.799 seconds rounding earned Davis the pole from where Davis mounted a perfect charge to the checkered flag. Caution waved two laps into it. Davis led the restart. In two laps Dustin Smith fought his way from a fourth place start to second. Davis shook off his early challenges and sped away from the field left to fight over the scraps.

In the final laps Dubble drove his machine up to second where he would finish by a distant 2.272 seconds. Further back Matthew Boyd brought home a third place finish. Brayton Haws was fourth across the stripe followed by Brandon Dils in fifth.

William Prince, of Hedgefield S.C., produced a trio of wins. He won the first day’s Junior 1 Purple (Mixed) and day two’s Rookie Box Stock and Junior 1 Flathead Only.

Sunday Prince scored Junior 1 Purple (Animal & FH)’s pole with a 14.149 seconds best of four laps effort. Haws was second fastest with a 14.513 seconds rounding.
Prince and Haws shook hands while exiting the grid. Then they were competitors.

Prince pulled into the early lead with Haws threatening to take it from him. After shaking off Haws early challenges Prince ran away from the field building a 6.5 seconds mid race advantage over Haws and the rest of the field.

Before Prince could take that advantage to the stripe it evaporated with a waving of the caution flag for debris on the racetrack-debris that was part of Prince’s exhaust system. Prince led the restart and showed them to the stripe. Dillen Brown finished a distant 3.680 seconds behind Prince. Haws was next across the finish line followed by Sam Neary and Millsboro, DE based Zach Bullis.

Haws handled Rookie Box Stock’s qualifying with a 14.751 seconds run. He and outside pole winner Teachey diced up the early lead with Prince behind them fighting his way from a fourth place start. Prince passed Teachey for the lead on lap 16. Once lap later Prince was leading a three-lap shootout.

When green flag racing returned Prince tried to break away from Teachey who was just 0.663 seconds late at the stripe. Haws trailed in third, Smith was fourth followed by Chris Barnes who completed the top five.

Prince produced a 14.584 seconds lap for Junior 1 Flathead’s pole. When the initial green flag waved Haws hustled from a fifth place start to the lead-passing Prince on the third circuit. Haws continued escaping his pursuers building a huge lead. Then with just five laps left caution waved erasing the led he’d built.

With Prince poised behind him Haws took the final green flag. Prince quickly passed Haws and hung on as Haws tried desperately to steal it back from him. Haws was just 0.353 seconds behind Prince when they passed the stripe for the final time. Piloting a new Ultramax Racing, Chassis Millsboro, DE driver Zach Bullis took third and was followed in the top five Dillen Brown and Garrett Rahn.

“That last caution was pretty important,” said the nine-year-old Cooter Powered Phantom Racing Chassis pilot. “The kart ran good and the motor had plenty of power.”

Davis dominated Junior 2 Flat Head’s qualifying with a 13.973 seconds pole-winning lap. From dead last Mobile, AL based Dustin Smith piloting an Eddie Mishue Racing Engines powered Eclipse Kart threaded his way through the field past Matthew Boyd for the lead. Smith crossed 0.273 seconds ahead of Boyd. Behind Boyd in the top five were Dubble, Chase Smith and Davis.

“The cautions worried me a little bit, but I got through it,” said the 12-year-old winner. “My neck was hurting and all that on the last laps. I knew how close we were. The Eclipse kart was handling pretty good. I want to thank Eddie Mishue, my dad and David Ham my Crew Chief.”

Prince produced Junior 1 Purple’s (mixed) pole turning a 14.409 seconds lap. Haws was second fastest at 14.525 seconds. Prince quickly took the early lead. After four laps he was leading what would be the race’s only caution flag. Prince lost control of his machine in turn three. He gathered it back and held onto second crossing a distant 3.935 seconds behind Haws. Chris Barnes and Dillen Brown were third and fourth.

Multi winners also included two double winners. C.J. Leary spread his wins over both days, while Matthew Boyd earned his on the second day of racing. Leary locked Junior Box Stock’s pole with a 14.256 seconds rounding. After 20-laps of battle Leary took the checkered flag with a narrow 0.499 seconds advantage over Teachey, the outside pole winner.

“It was pretty good,” Leary, described adding, “The Millinium Chassis handled the best it has all weekend. I didn’t really know how big a lead I had. I want to thank JB’s Racing Team, Capps Racing, Justin Posey Motorsports, TK Racing, my parents and my grandparents”

Monday Leary led the way in Junior 3 Gold. He spun the pole lap in 13.547 seconds and roared away from the field when the green flag flew. Without a caution to slow him down Leavy rallied on building a huge 9.020 seconds lead over Justin Hamilton at the stripe. Eddie Alkire was third.

Blaze Burns blistered the track with a 13.905 seconds Junior 2 Flat Head Only pole-winning lap. Boyd, of Blackshear, GA, was second fastest qualifier at 13.995 seconds. Boyd blasted by Burns for the early lead and showed the field home from there. Fifth fastest qualifier, Davis, threaded his way through the field reaching a distant 3.088 seconds behind Boyd. Dustin Smith crossed a tick later with Burns and Dubble rounding out the top five.

A 13.801 seconds lap earned Dustin McGraw Stock Lite’s pole. Dustin Snider was second fastest at 13.839. Behind them in row two were Jason Burke and Blake Trawick. Burke broke between McGraw and Snider for the early lead. Burke’s Capps Racing Engines powered Ultramax kart was over four seconds ahead of McGraw and Dee Paschal who were squabbling over second.

Burke owned a huge lead at the halfway mark. McGraw tried closing the gap, but was loosing ground to Burke who crossed 5.042 seconds ahead of McGraw. Paschal, of Unadilla, GA was third followed in the top five by Snider and Alan Gauthier.

“The kart was real fast. I’m real happy with it, said the 16-year-old Mims, FL based Burke. “I didn’t know how big a lead I had. I thought they were right on me the whole race. I just tried my best every lap. I want to thank N Ox Supreme Lubricants, Dixie Cross Roads, Toro and Eco and all my sponsors, my dad, Capps Racing Engines, Josh Robinson for all of his help and everybody else that helped me. It was a real quick kart and a good race.”

Joseph Murrul I was the quickest of Junior Champs field. Murrul clocked a 14.858 seconds pole-winning lap and went on to a perfect performance in the main where he was 3.103 seconds ahead of J.R. Houston.

Super Heavy racers were next off day 1’s grid. With Kris Brooks on the pole (13.579) and Alex Cline (13.816) starting next to him a great battle was about to unfold. After taking the green flag Brooks, Cline and Earl Mewhorton went three-wide for the led. Brooks burst out of the middle of the sandwich and started running away from the field.

Drafting nose-to-tail, Cline and Mewhorton began closing in on Brooks. Cline got beside Brooks and passed under him. Brooks lined up in second behind Cline and started threatening him as they raced down the backstretch. Before the next lap was complete Brooks was back leading the field. Brooks was hooked up from there building a massive 10.016 seconds lead over Mewhorton at the stripe. Kyle Bowers battled his way to a third place finish. He was trailed in the top five by Cline and Tim Woods.

“That was nice. I didn’t think I’d have it, but I ended up with it at the end. I didn’t know if I had anything for him (Mewhorton). He (Mewhorton) slipped high coming off turn two and I got a spot to go through. The Shadow kart handled real good. The tires stayed under it all night and the DLR motor ran strong.”

With Dee Paschal and Walt Barnes starting on row one, Senior Stock was just as exciting. Paschal’s best effort was 13.925 seconds; Barnes was a tick slower at 13.972 seconds. When the initial green flag flew Barnes blasted into the lead with Paschal in hot pursuit.

Barnes lost the led slipping off the track exiting turn four. He returned to the track in second chasing Paschal down the front straight. Paschal owned a comfortable led at mid-race, but things were about to change. Joe Hartman tapped another competitor sending them off turn four bringing out the caution flag.

Now Barnes was on Paschal’s tailpipe. When the green flag returned Barnes blasted by Paschal. Paschal drops to third while Jay Messer moved up to second. Barnes kept the lead to the finish where he owned a 1.447 seconds victory margin over Messer. Coby Cressinger, Paschal and Don Tingley took the remaining top five positions.

“That caution was real important,” said Barnes, an MGM Racing Chassis factory pilot. “There’s a couple of wet spots out there on the racetrack and I hit one of them and it took off on me and I ran off the racetrack and fell back to second and that caution really helped me run Dee (Paschal) down. He was having some problems too; he kept adjusting his carburetor or something. My crew did a good job today and I’m pretty pleased with everything the MGM chassis was good and the motor pulled strong. I also want to thank WBR Racing.”

Don Barry blasted out a 14.492 seconds lap for Box Stock Heavy’s pole. Tyler Wright was second fastest followed by Messer and Brian Hunter in row two. The initial green flag signaled the start of not only the race, but also a four-way fight for the early lead. After a lap was completed caution waved.

Barry managed to hold onto the lead fighting off challenges from Wright. When green flag racing resumed Wright whipped by Barry for the lead. He was building on it when racers in the second pack ploughed into each other bringing out the caution flag for a second time. Hunter hustled by Wright for the led while sixth fastest qualifier Kyle Bowers was threading his way to the front. Bowers, of White Bluff, TN, blasted by Wright for the lead with just five laps remaining.

Bowers held the lead with Wright finishing a half second behind him. Barry won the battle with Messer for third, Messer followed in fourth with April Barnes rounding out the top five.

Local Brian Hunter, of De Leon Springs, FL piloted his PEC Racing Engines powered Prowler kart to Stock Medium’s Victory Lane. Brandon Bull’s best qualifying time of 13.329 seconds was best of 23 entries. Mallory was second fastest at 13.541 seconds.

The two front rows headed for turn one four wide. Breaking from the others fifth fastest qualifier Brian Hunter took the lead with Austin Struth and Bull nose-to-tail behind him as they raced down the back straight. Hunter held onto the led as racers behind him traded positions battling for a chance to chase down Hunter. It wouldn’t happen. Despite several cautions Hunter crossed under the checkered flag with Justin Gay glued to his tailpipe 0.406 seconds late. Struth, Bull and Michael Stewart made up the rest of the top five.

“Those cautions worried me a lot because we weren’t real good on take offs. But once we got going I knew we could hold them off. Knowing how good the kart was kept me going. It’s been decent all day, but it really took off in the feature,” said 16-year-old Hunter. “I want to thank my dad especially because if it weren’t for him I wouldn’t be here. Mike Gunther for helping us with tires, David Rowan of PEC, Ed and Jason Kimble of Prowler Karts, Vega Tires and everyone who’s helped us over the years.”

Donnie Nall did it all in Senior Champ. The Lawsonville, N.C. native clocked the pole lap in 13.680 seconds then captured the feature over half a second ahead of David Parks. It wasn’t an easy win. “It was a tough race,” Nall admitted. “But we had a real good handle on it.”

It started with a four-kart pile up under the flag stand. Nall led the single file restart rocketed away from the field for a few laps then had Coby Cressinger close the gap on him. Before Cressinger could challenge Nall for the lead the second caution flag flew.

Nall led the restart. Cressinger had to get around David Parks before he could concentrate on Nall. Once he got by Parks Cressinger began pressing Nall for the lead. Five laps remained when the race’s final caution flag flew. Nall led the restart escaping his closest pursuers who were fighting over second. Parks won that battle. Bowers was fourth across the stripe followed by Houston in fifth.

“I just want to thank Firestone Tires, definitely Duane Browning for a real good engine, Laser Karts, Mike Dowell and Cameron Reese for doing the tires for this chassis, I want to thank Eddie here and ‘Little Buck,” Nall credited.

Sunday’s features included a Box Stock Ladies Only Main. Earlier Amy Long locked in the pole with a 15.006 seconds rounding. April Barnes joined her on row one. Behind them in row two were Angie Smith and Kami Lipari. Long led the early going. Smith fought her was to second reaching it on lap eight. Long owned a comfortable lead under the ½ way signal that evaporated with the caution flag on the next lap. Long led the restart with Smith now close behind. Smith got the jump on the restart with Long desperately trying to recapture it. Long finally go beside Smith for a side-by-side battle to the checkered flag. Long inched by Smith in time to take the final flag with a narrow 0.686 seconds edge. Lipari was third, Barnes fourth.

“ We drove a long way for an exciting finish,” said Long of Selinsgrove, PA “This is a good time to come down here being in the warmer weather. I have to thank Colby and Trenton; Cooter did a wonderful job with the motor. The kart handled pretty well. The track’s a little on the rough side and there are some spots where it was hard to hang onto the kart, but overall it went well. She got underneath me there and all of a sudden she was getting a little tight in one and two to so I figured I’d stick it down under and put it through.”

Day 2’s (Dec. 28th) highlight was a 20-lap $2,000 to win Pro Stock race. Thirty-racers attempted to qualify for 27 starting positions. Dee Paschal produced the pole lap with a 13.063 seconds trip. Darren Brown was second fastest at 13.082. Talent continued through the deep field. Thomas Underwood and Brian Hunter made up row two. Starting on row three were Nall and Chad ‘Houdini’ Haithcock and on row four Cody Mallory and C.J. Waldron. Spencer Malick and Dustin Snider started on row five.

After a couple of warm-up laps they got the green flag. While the front pack made it through the first turns mid pack racers piled up between turns one and two. Paschal showed them around once then lost the lead to Mallory. Mallory led them through another restart and then to the stripe. But at tech Mallory was found with illegal fuel.

That reshuffled the official finish. Second place Haithcock, of Hilton Head, S.C., Mallory’s teammate, was declared the official winner. Rounding out the official top five were Darren Brown, Paschal, Dustin McGraw and Whit Satterwhite.

“The Millinium Vector kart was really good. The motor was really good thanks to Millinium High Tech Racing and J.T. Stillwagon. It’s kind of a weird way to win one. You’ve got to finish second to be in that position anyway. Tough luck to Cody. We’ll work on things and get that right. We struggled most of the day. I qualified fifth kind of mid-pack not right on, but we got the tires a little softer, got the combination right. I think we were pretty good. A little off Mallory, but at the end we came out victorious,” Haithcock said. “I want to thank my dad, Chops, Eye Candy Graphics, Elrod Speed Shop and everybody who makes this possible for me. Mallory really had a better kart. He seemed to be better on the long run. I settled into second and kind of took it I was going to finish there. The mishap with tech sometimes things work out your way sometimes they don’t. This night was good for me.”

Bobby Potter tamed the lion of 4-cycle racing Limited Modified with a top-qualifying lap of 13.120 seconds. Brandon Hoover turned in a 13.157 seconds fast time lap for the outside pole. Potter and Hoover scrapped over the early lead while fifth fastest qualifier John Bryan Nall marched his way to second. Kevin Dugger came with him when he passed Potter for the lead. Nall’s Capps Racing Engines powered Prowler kart was side-by-side with Dugger’s machine under the white flag. Next time around Nall nipped Dugger by 0.468 seconds under the checkered flag. Hoover was third followed by Potter and Tim Woods for the top five.

“The last couple of laps were tiring. I didn’t have much energy left, but still kept it in there and held on the end and came out with the win,” said the 16-year-old Middleburg, FL based winner. “The Prowler chassis handled great it was steady the whole time. Everything was fine. It was fast. I just want to thank Mike and Lee Capps.”

A 13.215 seconds lap earned Mallory Animal Medium’s pole. Mallory backed that up with a perfect run with Donnie Nall in hot pursuit 0.170 seconds back. Justin Gay, Shay Chavous and C.J. Waldron rounded out the top five.

“I seen them telling me he (Donnie Nall) was coming. There wasn’t a whole bunch we could do the guys in the back were just covering the racetrack with sand and I was kind of cleaning it off for him. The Seraph chassis was awesome, best thing I’ve ever rode, anything-Phantom builds is top notch. I can’t say enough for them. Harrill helps Woody here a lot at Elrod Speed Shop definitely the last two months they had the top tire program in the country in my opinion,” Mallory explained. “I really want to thank Ron Powell if it weren’t for him I wouldn’t be here and we’ve got a lot more of this to come I believe. Tod’s motors were awesome. He’s been good to us.”

Super Heavy’s field finished the main the way they qualified. Alex Cline captured the pole and win. Kyle Bowers and Lucas Johnson followed him across the stripe.

Jacksonville, FL native Tyler Wright topped Day 2’s Box Stock Medium beating outside pole winner Don Barry by 1.783 seconds. Kyle Bowers clocked the pole lap with a 14.222 seconds rounding. Wright struggled in qualifying turning in a 14.580 seconds lap that was fifth fastest of 10 entries. The first attempt to get them started fizzled with a turn three crash. On the restart Barry led a freight train by Bowers.

Wright took charge of the field just before mid-race and continued expanding his lead to the end. Bowers was third across the stripe. Trenton Shaeffer and Brian Hunter followed in fourth and fifth.

“This makes up for the last two days,” Wright beamed. “We’ve been chasing it for a while. The Phantom Phenom holds up pretty well. We’ve won a lot of races with it it’s been great. I didn’t know how far ahead I was I just stuck it out and held on to the end. I want to say a big thanks to the Williams family, Capps Racing Engines, my mom and dad for all their help and support and Lucas Oil.”

Bowers blasted around the track in 14.333 seconds for Box Stock Lite’s pole. Walt Barnes was second fastest qualifier earning the outside pole with a 14.554 seconds rounding. Bowers broke into the early lead with Wright engineering a freight train that would rumble by him next time around. Barnes and Bowers worked the draft together and closed in on Wright. At mid-race they were on his tailpipe.

In the final laps Bowers, of Nashville, TN got a shove from Barnes and shot by Wright for the lead. Barnes dropped back to fourth. Wright held second. Bowers took the checkered flag with a 0.911 seconds advantage. Howell was third. Long completed the podium.

“We traveled a long way to get this win and it feels good,” Bowers said. “Me and the guys worked real hard I’d like to thank Matt Connell, my dad he’s the supplier for all the karts. I want to thank God and my mom, she couldn’t make it, but she was watching it on the Internet. I’m sure she’s jumping up and down at the house. The Seraph Chassis handled like a dream. We really didn’t have enough gear on there so I was kind of slow on the restarts I was just trying to keep close and hoping to get some help from behind me. It handled perfect I could put it anywhere I wanted to. What hurt me was the slow restarts. Other than that it was all good.”

Friday evening March 5th AKRA will recognize their racer’s 2009 achievements at a dinner banquet to be held at Dexter, GA’s Community Center. That Saturday they’ll be back battling on the ¼-mile clay oval at Dexter Raceway.