Story by: Langley Austin ~ langley@RACE22.com

Easley, SC(September 7, 2010) -- On Monday, September 6th as the rest of the world celebrated Labor Day watching the Boise State, Virginia Tech football game on ESPN, racers filled the infields and fans filled the stands of several eastern region asphalt tracks.

One of those such races was held at Historic Greenville-Pickens Speedway just outside of Greenville, SC, a track that has as much history as any short track in the country and on this day they added to that history with one of the biggest races in the tracks history. The stage was set for the SH Carter 125 as Greenville Pickens Speedway was attempting to revive a tradition that was lost through the years of staging a big Labor Day Monday race during the Upper State South Carolina Fair.

The flat 1/2 mile track hadn't staged a big race in many years partly due to the Fair staging NASCAR Day, where the big names like Earnhardt, Wallace, Waltrip and others would come sign autographs during the fair, but with NASCAR Day being done away with in recent years, it was time to bring back a little NASCAR to the Upper State South Carolina Fair. The decision was then made to revive the Labor Day Monday tradition of staging one of the biggest Late Model races in the country on the NASCAR sanctioned oval.

The race was expected to draw a lot of cars and big names from around the region, but with late notice on the reviving of this tradition being given just one month before the race was scheduled to be held, the regional big names didn't have much time to prepare. Alex Yontz, who is the only driver to win a Late Model Stock Car race on the famed Martinsville and Bristol Speedway's was the only regional 'hot shoe' to make the trip south to Greenville Pickens. Daniel Pope II from the Nashville, TN area also made the trip, but was sidelined in practice due to an engine failure.

Even if the regions big names weren't headlining the show, the race showcased the UpState's finest group of drivers. Names like Marty Ward, Anthony Anders, Randy Porter, Toby Porter, Roger Powell, David Roberts, Gene Morgan and Randy Gentry just to name a few. Plus, there were up and coming stars in the UpState making an appearance including Trey Gibson, Justin Sorrow, John Lewis Hightower and Jeremy Burns just to name a few. That was just the beginning of a solid field of 19-cars that took part in the SH Carter 125 and brought tradition back to the UpState.

Qualifying set the field for the SH Carter 125 with the visitor, Yontz from Walnut Cove, NC taking the pole as the young gun was out to prove how fast he could be. Yontz, who has seen his share of ups and downs over the last couple of seasons wasn't in the Barber Automotive #98 car he had been wheeling, but rather he was back in his familiar black and orange #55 car. However this time the young driver wasn't driving a car owned by his father, but rather was behind the wheel of an Ed Berrier setup car that he'd never raced before.

Behind Yontz was a stacked field starting with former track champion, Roger Powell, who had his car being tweaked on by six-time Hickory Motor Speedway winner this season, Kyle Mansch. Powell was back at Greenville and ready to prove that he hadn't forgot how to get around the old place, but starting behind Yontz and Powell was young hot shoe, Jeremy Burns, who picked up his first career win this season and Anthony Anders, who is always a threat for wins no matter where he races.

The rest of the top ten lined up with Toby Porter, Trey Gibson, Marty Ward, David Roberts, Randy Porter and Randy Gentry. From the drop of the green flag it was obvious what drivers were hungry to get up and contend for the lead and what drivers were conserving and waiting to make a run at the end. On the start, Powell jumped out to the early lead as Yontz did exactly as planned and began to fall back through the field to save his tires. Burns and Anders were quick to get by Yontz and set a fast pace up front trying to keep pace with Powell, who was leading the field.

It wasn't until lap 63 as the field continued under a long green flag run that began from the drop of the green flag that Powell was challenged for the lead as Burns wanted the top spot. Burns took the top spot away on lap 66 as Powell seemed to have used up his car at this point began to fall back moving Anders up to second position as well. Burns looked to be in good shape out front as the race continued under green flag until lap 101 when the first caution of the day waved over the field.

The caution was brief as a car had stopped on the track and we quickly went back to green flag racing, but this green wouldn't even last a full lap as Roberts made it three wide with Powell and R. Porter as the three made contact. Roberts would pull away with little damage and Powell and Porter would continue on, but wouldn't be able to contend for the win with damage done from this incident. This set up a final restart and a 24-lap shootout to the finish as Burns prepared to try and hold off Anders, who on the short lived restart had powered by him and this would prove to be the battle for the win.

On the restart Burns would prove that he had what it takes to put his car back out into the lead, but the young man would still have to survive a challenge from Anders, who wasn't about to go away. Anders challenged the young driver and gave him all he could handle, but in the end it would be Burns who would drive away from Anders to take the biggest win of his young career. Anders would settle for second with Ward, the man who many thought would be the driver to beat, never was able to challenge for the top two spots and settled for third.

T. Porter rallied for a fourth place finish with young Justin Sorrow picking up a nice fifth place finish after battling hard all day and keeping his nose clean. Gibson, who was quietly hanging around the top five all day ended up finishing sixth with Roberts rallying from the crash and a couple of pit stops to finish seventh. Powell ended up eighth after having the dominant car early on with Carnes, a three-time winner this season at nearby, Anderson coming home ninth ahead of Headen, who finished tenth despite making a couple pit stops during the two cautions at lap 101. John Hawkins fought hard all day and came home with an eleventh place effort with R. Porter, who was involved in the altercation with Roberts settling for 14th.

The altercation with Roberts, R. Porter and Powell wouldn't be forgotten after the checkered flag waved either as members of the Porter team charged at Roberts car as he came down pit road. A few words were exchanged, but eventually both teams and drivers would calm down and discussed the situation very civil. Both drivers spoke to us after the altercation on pit road and we'll have their interviews up later this week for you to view on our YouTube Page.

Meanwhile, Burns was doing doughnuts and a burn out on the front straightaway to the roar of the large crowd on hand. Burns is a crowd favorite and you could tell the fans were behind him as they cheered him on as he celebrated with his family and crew in victory lane following the race. The young man may also be somewhat of a heart throb as young girls could be heard hollering "I love you" to Burns following the race as he was interviewed by the track. We may well have seen the birth of a new superstar at Greenville Pickens, as a kid became a man in one of the biggest races ever on a track dominated by veterans.

It wasn't the race everyone expected, but with a great crowd on hand and a stout field of Late Model Stock Cars featuring the best drivers in the UpState and one money chasing big name, the race had to been considered as a success for Greenville Pickens Speedway. Hopefully this will mean that the reviving of this tradition will be renewed every year on Labor Day!

SH Carter 125 Results:
1 - Jeremy Burns #81
2 - Anthony Anders #36
3 - Marty Ward #97
4 - Toby Porter #80
5 - Justin Sorrow #8
6 - Trey Gibson #33
7 - David Roberts #18
8 - Roger Powell #21
9 - Ralph Carnes #2
10 - Kenneth Headen #99
11 - John Hawkins #26
12 - Randy Gentry #43
13 - Alex Yontz #55x
14 - Randy Porter #32
15 - Gene Morgan #45
16 - Doug Noe #22
17 - Barry Boggero #51
18 - John Lewis Hightower #116
19 - Dale Dove #55