By Doc Lehman
Loudonville, OH --- Yeah, it’s an old cliché, but when it concerns George ‘The General’ Lee of Loudonville, OH, it’s about the only way to describe the popular dirt Late Model driver’s season thus far: When you’re hot, you’re hot, and the ‘General’ is steamrolling through Ohio tracks like General Sherman’s march through Atlanta. By mid-June, and with more than a handful of rainouts in Ohio, Lee already has six wins at three tracks, the latest being last weekend at Lakeville Speedway for the second leg of their ‘Big 4 Series for Super Late Models’ by leading all 40-laps.
“Our weekend started out at Hilltop speedway Friday night where we set fast time and finished fourth in the dash,” explained Lee, 44. “In the feature while passing for the lead early in the race, we suffered a left rear flat tire. After making a stop for a tire change we restarted on the tail.”
“We had a real good car and restarting on the tail you had to use extreme care due to track conditions because the track had 1" rain the night before and the surface was very choppy. I ran a few laps at the tail, letting everything settle down, and we suffered a broken suspension part on the left front thus forcing us to the pits for the night with a 12th place finish.”
“I really need to thank the crew members from other teams who help with our flat tire. (Doug) Drown Racing was all over my car helping, along with John Stone and many others which just shows that even in competition, we still help each other out! Pretty impressive.”
“Saturday we went to Lakeville for the Big 4 series. We finished second in the second heat race. The top two redrew for starting position for the feature. We redrew #1 position so we jumped to the lead right at the start and led all 40 laps.”
Lee’s $2,000 victory came driving his Rocket Chassis/Malcuit Racing Engines Ford Fusion #21 carrying sponsorship from Maibach Ford of Orrville, OH, Valvoline Oil, Bishop Collision & Repair Center, American Payroll Advance, Cowen Truck Lines, Hague Crystal Clear Water, Mason Racin’, Bert Transmission, Hoosier Racing Tire and Reliable Mold.
Lee’s win total consists of four at Hilltop, one at Federated Auto Parts Wayne County Speedway and last Saturday’s victory at Lakeville.
“We have had a wonderful year,” understated Lee. “Picking up our sixth win for the year is really great. In 2000 we won four races and that was a record until this year. My crew has won these races for me. They never stopped working on the cars this winter. I mean they worked all winter long and when the season started we were prepared.”
Team GLR’s top-notch crew for the 2007 season includes Jeff (Root) Long, Dave Hazelet, Kerrissa Darr, Aaron Hullett, Mark & Ed Hagen, Jerry Phillips and Sherri Lee.
“A lot of people does not see that hard work that goes into this sport of racing,” continued Lee. “I mean ‘WE’ won Saturday night. Sunday the crew worked 10 hours in the garage getting ready for this coming week!
10 hours on a Sunday! They know what kind of week we have coming up and they want everything to be checked out and prepared. So when we do win, it is sweet to see them all pumped up and smiling.”
Even though he didn’t come home with a win, one of Lee’s season highlights so far is his recent trip to Canada for the June 23 ‘Quebec 50’ at Quebec’s Autodrome Drummond sanctioned by the World of Outlaws Late Model Series. He still can’t believe the reception the Late Models got.
“John Mason and I teamed up and put both of our cars in his rig and made the 12 hour tow to compete and what a great time we had!” enthused Lee.
“We arrived at Bert Transmissions Friday morning and spent most of the day at the manufacturing plant before we went to Granby Speedway where Bert's son, Kayle, was competing in his small block Modified.”
“John and I unloaded our cars and had them out for display for the fans so they could get an upfront look at Dirt Late Models. Then the track promoter asked us to make a few laps at intermission so the fans could see the cars running. John and I made a few laps and man the place went nuts! We left the cars out for display until after the evening races and then we loaded up and headed to Drummondville Saturday morning.”
“Saturday when we arrived at the track I knew we were in for a special time due to the overwhelming hospitality we received from the track personal. Doc, these people were pumped up about Dirt Late Models running at their track. Then fans were just wonderful asking questions, taking pictures, the place was just buzzing!”
“I really need to thank John Mason for the chance to make this trip possible. With him allowing Jeff and I to put my car in his rig and have two teams working out of the same truck kind of makes for some busy traffic in the trailer but we made it work.”
“Drummondville Speedway had one of the best productions I have ever seen with driver introductions. The fireworks display was second to none.
Driver introduction with the spotlights on each driver, man, I cant say enough. After the race was over, I think the entire grandstands came through the pits to get pictures and talk with the drivers. They did not care that I did not win the race, they thanked me for coming to their track and running.”
It was a great weekend and John & I made the trip back home Sunday still chatting about what we have been apart of.”
And then it was right back to work getting ready for another race.
“Monday Jeff prepped the car for competition at Wayne County Speedway and we ran up there after work for the Ohio Sprint Speedweek show. They had with Late Models and we won the second heat that started us on the outside pole. We had a real good car in the heat and I watched a little of the Sprint Car 40 lap race and thought I would change my car to help it a little more.”
“Jeff questioned my change and I was busy strapping in for our feature when I told him that it will be ok! Damn if I was wrong. Jeff saw what I had done and he knew I had made a wrong change, but I talked him out of it. We finished seventh. Drivers listen to your crew! They know your car as well, if not better then you (laughs)!”
For this busy holiday week Lee’s plans are to run Muskingum County Speedway’s Lucas Oil Late Model Series race on Tuesday and then will run another four consecutive nights for the upcoming inaugural Ohio Super Late Model Speedweek Firecracker 4 presented by Hoosier Tire Mid Atlantic that will run on consecutive nights July 4-7 at Lakeville Speedway and Federated Auto Parts Wayne County Speedway.
“I just can’t believe the year we’re having so far. I hope it keeps going!”
Lee & Phillips will be spotlighted in a feature article in the August
2007 edition of Dirt Late Model magazine.
Team GLR’s top-notch crew for the 2007 season includes Jeff (Root) Long, Dave Hazelet, Kerrissa Darr, Aaron Hullett, Mark & Ed Hagen, Jerry Phillips and Sherri Lee.
For more on George ‘The General’ Lee visit: www.georgeleeracing.com For more on Trevor ‘Hulkster’ Phillips visit: www.trevracing.com
-Prepared by Lehman Motorsports Services
Team GLR would like to acknowledge their supporters for 2007:
Maibach Ford of Orrville, OH, Valvoline Oil, Bishop Collision & Repair
Center, American Payroll Advance, Cowen Truck Lines, Hague Crystal Clear
Water, Mason Racin’, Bert Transmission, Hoosier Racing Tire, Reliable
Mold, Lehman Motorsports Services, Rocket Chassis & Malcuit Racing Engines.
Loudonville, OH --- Yeah, it’s an old cliché, but when it concerns George ‘The General’ Lee of Loudonville, OH, it’s about the only way to describe the popular dirt Late Model driver’s season thus far: When you’re hot, you’re hot, and the ‘General’ is steamrolling through Ohio tracks like General Sherman’s march through Atlanta. By mid-June, and with more than a handful of rainouts in Ohio, Lee already has six wins at three tracks, the latest being last weekend at Lakeville Speedway for the second leg of their ‘Big 4 Series for Super Late Models’ by leading all 40-laps.
“Our weekend started out at Hilltop speedway Friday night where we set fast time and finished fourth in the dash,” explained Lee, 44. “In the feature while passing for the lead early in the race, we suffered a left rear flat tire. After making a stop for a tire change we restarted on the tail.”
“We had a real good car and restarting on the tail you had to use extreme care due to track conditions because the track had 1" rain the night before and the surface was very choppy. I ran a few laps at the tail, letting everything settle down, and we suffered a broken suspension part on the left front thus forcing us to the pits for the night with a 12th place finish.”
“I really need to thank the crew members from other teams who help with our flat tire. (Doug) Drown Racing was all over my car helping, along with John Stone and many others which just shows that even in competition, we still help each other out! Pretty impressive.”
“Saturday we went to Lakeville for the Big 4 series. We finished second in the second heat race. The top two redrew for starting position for the feature. We redrew #1 position so we jumped to the lead right at the start and led all 40 laps.”
Lee’s $2,000 victory came driving his Rocket Chassis/Malcuit Racing Engines Ford Fusion #21 carrying sponsorship from Maibach Ford of Orrville, OH, Valvoline Oil, Bishop Collision & Repair Center, American Payroll Advance, Cowen Truck Lines, Hague Crystal Clear Water, Mason Racin’, Bert Transmission, Hoosier Racing Tire and Reliable Mold.
Lee’s win total consists of four at Hilltop, one at Federated Auto Parts Wayne County Speedway and last Saturday’s victory at Lakeville.
“We have had a wonderful year,” understated Lee. “Picking up our sixth win for the year is really great. In 2000 we won four races and that was a record until this year. My crew has won these races for me. They never stopped working on the cars this winter. I mean they worked all winter long and when the season started we were prepared.”
Team GLR’s top-notch crew for the 2007 season includes Jeff (Root) Long, Dave Hazelet, Kerrissa Darr, Aaron Hullett, Mark & Ed Hagen, Jerry Phillips and Sherri Lee.
“A lot of people does not see that hard work that goes into this sport of racing,” continued Lee. “I mean ‘WE’ won Saturday night. Sunday the crew worked 10 hours in the garage getting ready for this coming week!
10 hours on a Sunday! They know what kind of week we have coming up and they want everything to be checked out and prepared. So when we do win, it is sweet to see them all pumped up and smiling.”
Even though he didn’t come home with a win, one of Lee’s season highlights so far is his recent trip to Canada for the June 23 ‘Quebec 50’ at Quebec’s Autodrome Drummond sanctioned by the World of Outlaws Late Model Series. He still can’t believe the reception the Late Models got.
“John Mason and I teamed up and put both of our cars in his rig and made the 12 hour tow to compete and what a great time we had!” enthused Lee.
“We arrived at Bert Transmissions Friday morning and spent most of the day at the manufacturing plant before we went to Granby Speedway where Bert's son, Kayle, was competing in his small block Modified.”
“John and I unloaded our cars and had them out for display for the fans so they could get an upfront look at Dirt Late Models. Then the track promoter asked us to make a few laps at intermission so the fans could see the cars running. John and I made a few laps and man the place went nuts! We left the cars out for display until after the evening races and then we loaded up and headed to Drummondville Saturday morning.”
“Saturday when we arrived at the track I knew we were in for a special time due to the overwhelming hospitality we received from the track personal. Doc, these people were pumped up about Dirt Late Models running at their track. Then fans were just wonderful asking questions, taking pictures, the place was just buzzing!”
“I really need to thank John Mason for the chance to make this trip possible. With him allowing Jeff and I to put my car in his rig and have two teams working out of the same truck kind of makes for some busy traffic in the trailer but we made it work.”
“Drummondville Speedway had one of the best productions I have ever seen with driver introductions. The fireworks display was second to none.
Driver introduction with the spotlights on each driver, man, I cant say enough. After the race was over, I think the entire grandstands came through the pits to get pictures and talk with the drivers. They did not care that I did not win the race, they thanked me for coming to their track and running.”
It was a great weekend and John & I made the trip back home Sunday still chatting about what we have been apart of.”
And then it was right back to work getting ready for another race.
“Monday Jeff prepped the car for competition at Wayne County Speedway and we ran up there after work for the Ohio Sprint Speedweek show. They had with Late Models and we won the second heat that started us on the outside pole. We had a real good car in the heat and I watched a little of the Sprint Car 40 lap race and thought I would change my car to help it a little more.”
“Jeff questioned my change and I was busy strapping in for our feature when I told him that it will be ok! Damn if I was wrong. Jeff saw what I had done and he knew I had made a wrong change, but I talked him out of it. We finished seventh. Drivers listen to your crew! They know your car as well, if not better then you (laughs)!”
For this busy holiday week Lee’s plans are to run Muskingum County Speedway’s Lucas Oil Late Model Series race on Tuesday and then will run another four consecutive nights for the upcoming inaugural Ohio Super Late Model Speedweek Firecracker 4 presented by Hoosier Tire Mid Atlantic that will run on consecutive nights July 4-7 at Lakeville Speedway and Federated Auto Parts Wayne County Speedway.
“I just can’t believe the year we’re having so far. I hope it keeps going!”
Lee & Phillips will be spotlighted in a feature article in the August
2007 edition of Dirt Late Model magazine.
Team GLR’s top-notch crew for the 2007 season includes Jeff (Root) Long, Dave Hazelet, Kerrissa Darr, Aaron Hullett, Mark & Ed Hagen, Jerry Phillips and Sherri Lee.
For more on George ‘The General’ Lee visit: www.georgeleeracing.com For more on Trevor ‘Hulkster’ Phillips visit: www.trevracing.com
-Prepared by Lehman Motorsports Services
Team GLR would like to acknowledge their supporters for 2007:
Maibach Ford of Orrville, OH, Valvoline Oil, Bishop Collision & Repair
Center, American Payroll Advance, Cowen Truck Lines, Hague Crystal Clear
Water, Mason Racin’, Bert Transmission, Hoosier Racing Tire, Reliable
Mold, Lehman Motorsports Services, Rocket Chassis & Malcuit Racing Engines.
