CARNESVILLE, GA – Round 6 of the 2017 FASTRAK Pro Late Model Series South Region Tour will take place this Saturday night at Lavonia Speedway in Lavonia, GA with the 40-lap $2,000-to-win, $250-to-start 6th Annual Charlie Mize Memorial Race. When we attend a race at a dirt track, we probably don’t stop to think about the legacy of that track.

Many of the tracks we watch races at in Western South Carolina and Northern Georgia wouldn’t be there if not for the efforts of Charlie Mize, who was a premier track owner, operator and promoter for over 40 years. In addition to his efforts at the tracks, Mr. Mize was also the patriarch of a racing family, who’s legacy is still prominent to this day.

Three-time FASTRAK Champion David Smith of Inman, SC is the Grandson of Charlie Mize, and he is also the defending champion of the Charlie Mize Memorial Race.

“I’ve won some higher paying races in my career, but winning that race last year wasn’t about the money,” Smith said. “That trophy with my Grandfather’s name one it was one I had to have. Now the goal this year is to become the first two-time champion of the Charlie Mize Memorial Race!”

While Smith is better known for following in the footsteps of his father as a race car driver, he has also promoted a few races over the years, and someday he wants to be following in the footsteps of his Grandfather as a track and race promoter in the next phase in his racing horizons.

“It was my Grandfather that got me started in racing by taking me to the races since I was a baby,” Smith said. “I grew up at race tracks and I was driving the water truck and the pack cars at a very young age. Having been on both sides off the fence as both a competitors and promoter gives me a unique perspective of the sport.”

Smith said he isn’t planning on hanging up his helmet anytime soon, but when he does, he’s ready to begin the next phase of his racing career. In the meantime, he’s currently doing both for the Charlie Mize Memorial Race this Saturday night at Lavonia Speedway, a track Charlie Mize promoted in the 1970s when it was called Charlie’s Speedway.

“My Grandfather knew how to promote big and was the first promoter in this area to bring in the NDRA back in the 1980s,” Smith said. “He liked bigger shows and he was also an innovator in weekly racing, especially when it came to safety. I’ve been helping out to get some things sponsored for this Saturday night’s race with McCarter Towing paying $100 for the Fast Time Award, as well as TNT Race Cars and Davenport Motors each putting up $50 for Heat Race winner.”

The complete payout for the FASTRAK SE Charlie Mize Memorial 40-lap Race at Lavonia Speedway this Saturday night is as follows: 1. $2,000; 2. $1,000; 3. $700; 4. $600; 5. $500; 6. $450; 7. $400; 8. $375; 9. $350; 10. $325; 11. $315; 12. $300; 13. $275; 14. $265; 15th through 24th $250.

The battle for the 2017 FASTRAK SE Championship has been hotter than a firecracker, as the point lead has changed hands four times among three different drivers in the first five races. Jensen Ford of Piney Flats, TN will bring a two point lead in the point standings to Lavonia Speedway on July 1 over Benji Hicks of Mt. Airy, NC.

Hicks won the FASTRAK SE season opener at Toccoa Raceway in Toccoa, GA on April 1, but after the second race of the season, the defending FASTRAK SE Champion Cla Knight of North Augusta, SC took over the top spot. FASTRAK alum Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, GA won Round 2 at Virginia Motor Speedway in Jamaica, VA on April 8.

Ford took over the point lead after the third race of the season on May 26 at 311 Motor Speedway in Pine Hall, NC that was won by Steve Blackburn of Greensboro, NC. The FASTRAK SE Tour returned to Virginia Motor Speedway on June 3 for Round 4 where Hicks took his second win of the 2017 season and reclaimed the point lead.

Round 5 was held July 17 at Toccoa Raceway, and Ford raced to his first win of the season. With the victory, Ford found himself on top of the points list for the second time this season. In the first five races of the 2017 FASTRAK SE season, Ford has accumulated 155 points, and Hicks is second in the standings with 153 points.

Knight is in the third spot with 144 points, and Matthew Nance of Ronda, NC is fourth with 140 points. Former FASTRAK Champion Ron Parker of Belwood, NC is fifth with 139 points. Phillip Thompson of Knoxville, TN is sixth with 114 points, and is in a tight battle for the Rookie of the Year Award with Dylan Lewis of Oakland, MD, who is seventh in the FASTRAK SE standings with 110 points.

Tyler Bare of Rockridge Baths, VA is eighth in the FASTRAK SE standings with 98 points and Frankie Beard of Hartwell, TN, who is also a local favorite at Lavonia Speedway in FASTRAK Weekly Racing Series competition, is ninth with 80 points. Smith rounds out the top ten in the standings with 71 points.

Beard leads both the FASTRAK Weekly Racing Series National and Division 1 point standings. The FASTRAK Weekly Racing Series Division 1 is made up of Lavonia Speedway, Toccoa Raceway, and Hartwell Speedway in Hartwell, GA. Many of the top Division 1 drivers will be taking on the FASTRAK SE Touring regulars on July 1 at Lavonia Speedway.

Adam Smith of Carnesville, GA is second in the FASTRAK Weekly Racing Series Division 1 point standings and Parker Herring is in the third spot. Drew Benfield of Toccoa, GA is fourth and Derek Harvey of Toccoa, GA is fifth.

Other top FASTRAK Weekly Racing Series Division 1 drivers expected to compete in the FASTRAK SE Touring race at Lavonia Speedway on July 1 include Larry Waters of Cumming, GA, Cody Prichett of Carnesville, GA, Daniel Wilson of Clayton, GA, Jerry Loudermilk of Mt. Airy, GA, Peyton Freeman of Commerce, GA, and the defending FASTRAK Weekly Racing Series National Champion David McCoy of Franklin, NC.

Drivers competing in the 6th Annual Charlie Mize Memorial Race for the FASTRAK SE Tour on Saturday night at Lavonia Speedway will also earn Weekly Racing Series points. Toccoa Raceway will also be in action with FASTRAK Pro Late Model Weekly Racing Series competition on Sunday night. The rain date for the Lavonia Speedway FASTRAK SE race is on Monday night.

Lavonia Speedway is located at 5941 Lavonia Highway, Lavonia, GA 30553. For more information call 706-340-4781, or visit the track web site at www.lavoniaspeedway.net. You can also follow them on Facebook at The New Lavonia Speedway, or on Twitter @LavoniaSpeedway.

Check out the official website for the FASTRAK Racing Series at www.fastrakracing.com and continue to follow our social media networks for the FASTRAK Racing Series. Like and Follow our Fan Page on Facebook plus follow @FASTRAK_SE and/or @FASTRAK_MOV on Twitter to get up to the minute news and details as they become available.

THE 2017 MARKETING PARTNERS FOR THE FASTRAK RACING SERIES ARE CHEVROLET PERFORMANCE, HOOSIER RACING TIRE, VP RACING FUEL, BEYEA HEADERS, ROCKET CHASSIS, TNT RACE CARS, ARIZONA SPORT SHIRTS, SIMPSON SAFETY EQUIPMENT, SAFECRAFT FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS, ROCK AUTO.COM, AND THOMAS CLARKE PERFORMANCE