The 2026 Georgia Peach State Race Report

Three Transfer Spots, No Easy Way Through

The pressure started long before the A-mains. Every lower main offered three places in the next race, and finishing third meant another opportunity. Fourth meant the climb was over.

The opening Sportsman EBuggy E-main immediately showed what that could look like. Greg Dyer moved forward from third on the grid to take the lead, while Brad Hohn settled into the second transfer position. Behind them, Allen Jones had to fight for his place in the next round.

The Sportsman EBuggy ladder continued with Jacob Wagner, Gee Blalock, and Kasen Dobinson advancing from the D-main. Doug Ludwig, Andrew Bolton, and Brad Corley then took the C-main transfers. By the B-main, another changing lead battle was developing. Kevin Moyer ran out front before Billy Massengill moved into control, with Dylan Bean following him into the top two. Massengill, Bean, and Moyer earned the three places in the A-main.

Intermediate Nitro Buggy gave Aidan Ridgeway the opportunity to turn his day around. He worked forward during the B-main, caught the early leaders, and took control. Behind him, Toot Hollingsworth and Brian Borle remained involved in a tense fight for the final transfer, with traffic adding another obstacle in the closing laps. Ridgeway won, Rex Damron secured second, and Hollingsworth claimed third. Ridgeway’s day would eventually end on the A-main podium.

The Intermediate EBuggy B-main produced an equally important fight farther down the order. Trevor Michael and Chad Buckland occupied the first two transfer positions, but Bentley Schwartz had Kody Watson closing behind him. Watson had charged from 17th on the grid and reached Schwartz’s back bumper as the race approached its finish. Schwartz protected third and crossed just 0.868 second ahead, keeping the final A-main place.

Open E-Truggy B Main provided the closest lower-main finish of the day. Dee Nice led during the first half, but Sean Salter moved to the front as the race developed. Ryan Tooker then took his turn in the lead, leaving Salter searching for a way back through. Salter attacked to the inside and regained the position near the finish. Just 0.317 second separated them at the line. Joe Jenkins secured third after late trouble cost Dee Nice a transfer.

Sportsman Nitro Buggy also made the third position worth watching. Taylor Foskey, Brandon Smith, and Jeremy Russell advanced from the D-main. Kevin Ramos, Kevin Clark, and Doug Ludwig then finished tightly grouped at the front of the C-main. In the B-main, Derrick Long and Davy Tallent took the first two places, while Charlie Lay secured the final transfer. Ludwig’s attempt to continue his climb ended one position short.

Elsewhere, the three-driver transfer rule kept reshaping the championship fields. Larry Komisar, Michael Delay, and Marlowe Bright advanced into the 40+ Nitro Buggy A-main. Mark Tooker, Jordan Ritchie, and Gilberth Jimenez did the same in 40+ EBuggy. Billy Massengill added a Sportsman ETruggy B-main victory, advancing with Jose Agostino and Corey Humphries.

Toot Hollingsworth, Greg Rupe, and Greg Smith earned their places in Open Nitro Truggy. Jean Sabatier, Captain Jae, and Derrick Long advanced in Sportsman Nitro Truggy. Sabatier would turn that extra opportunity into second in the A-main, while Long finished fourth.

Tim Hobbs Comes Back to Win 40+ Nitro Buggy

Jader Lopez controlled the opening stages of 40+ Nitro Buggy, but the first championship final was far from settled.

Tim Hobbs moved into contention early before trouble dropped him back into the chasing pack. Dustin Loden took up the pursuit of Lopez, closing onto the leader’s rear bumper as the pair worked through traffic. Gene Hickerson and Chris Pace remained close enough to become part of the fight as the fuel stops began changing the order.

A difficult moment around pit lane interrupted Lopez’s run, and Hobbs appeared at the top of the leaderboard. Lopez answered, putting pressure back on Hobbs and briefly reclaiming the lead. The race had become a contest of recovery as much as outright speed.

Lopez then had to continue with a car the commentary described as having a jammed left-rear shock. Hobbs took control of the closing stages and carried his advantage through the final fuel stop. Lopez kept going to secure second, while Hickerson completed the top three.

Hobbs’ victory came after an early setback and a changing lead battle, making the opening A-main a reminder of how much could happen in 30 minutes.

Top five: 1. Tim Hobbs | 2. Jader Lopez | 3. Gene Hickerson | 4. Chris Pace | 5. Dustin Loden

Carter Bright Breaks Away in Sportsman Nitro Truggy

Carter Bright had company at the beginning of Sportsman Nitro Truggy. Breck Burns stayed close during the opening laps, while Derek Dent moved into the early chase.

Bright gradually created room between himself and that battle. As the field worked through traffic and fuel stops, his lead continued to grow. Behind him, positions remained less secure, and the drivers who could keep their trucks running and avoid costly mistakes began moving forward.

Jean Sabatier made the most of his B-main transfer, climbing into contention for a strong A-main result. Chris Harris and Derrick Long also became part of the fight for the remaining podium positions.

Bright finished two laps clear of the field. Sabatier took second, completing his move from B-main winner to A-main runner-up. Harris held off Long for third, with less than two seconds separating them at the finish. Makenzi Brand completed the top five.

Top five: 1. Carter Bright | 2. Jean Sabatier | 3. Chris Harris | 4. Derrick Long | 5. Makenzi Brand

Cole Kasten Keeps Coming Back in Open Nitro Truggy

Cole Kasten looked strong at the beginning of Open Nitro Truggy, but his route to victory became much harder once the fuel stops started.

Trouble in the pits dropped Kasten out of the lead and into fourth. Aidan Ridgeway and Mad Maddy Long moved into the front-running battle, with Ridgeway stretching his fuel runs while Long kept the pressure on. Their different stop schedules added another layer to a race already being shaped by traffic.

Kasten fought his way back toward them, only to lose ground again through mistakes. Each time he closed, another interruption threatened to undo the work. Ridgeway remained ahead, but Kasten kept returning to the fight.

With the race entering its final third, Kasten was back on Ridgeway’s rear bumper. When Ridgeway rolled during their close battle, Kasten checked up and allowed him back through. The contest resumed with Ridgeway still ahead and Kasten immediately applying pressure again.

Kasten eventually regained the lead and made this opportunity count. Behind him, Long suffered a flameout, changing the fight for the remaining positions. William McIver emerged in third, with Ethan McManus and Big Country completing the top five.

Kasten’s win was built on repeated recoveries. He had the speed, but he also had to keep working his way back into a race that refused to stay straightforward.

Top five: 1. Cole Kasten | 2. Aidan Ridgeway | 3. William McIver | 4. Ethan McManus | 5. Big Country

Rain Changes the Stakes for the Remaining Finals

After Open Nitro Truggy, the program came to a stop. Rain forced track repairs, and the broadcast was split into two parts while organizers worked toward a restart.

Drivers were given a practice session before gathering for a short meeting. The decision was clear: the second A-mains were being eliminated. The schedule dropped from 42 races to 34, and the remaining electric classes would have one championship final. The nitro A-mains would still run their full 30-minute distance.

For the drivers waiting to race, there would be no second A-main to recover from a poor start or a costly mistake. Once practice ended and the field returned to the grid, every remaining final would decide its class.

John Bernard Jr. Takes Charge at the Restart

4WD Short Course brought championship racing back to the track, and John Bernard Jr. made the restart count.

Bernard led away while Donnie Williams encountered an early problem. That gave Bernard room to establish himself at the front, but Williams still had a race to recover.

Alexander Sheil became Williams’ target in the fight for second. Williams closed onto his rear bumper and looked to the inside as they worked through the sweeper. Contact complicated the exchange, and race control asked Sheil to give the position back. The two continued racing, with Williams holding second and Sheil keeping the pressure on.

Bernard stayed clear of that fight and secured the win. Williams completed his recovery to second, Sheil finished third, and Kevin Moyer and Jack Orouke rounded out the top five.

Top five: 1. John Bernard Jr. | 2. Donnie Williams | 3. Alexander Sheil | 4. Kevin Moyer | 5. Jack Orouke

Maccoy Martin Recovers to Win 15 U EBuggy

Bentley Schwartz led the 15 U EBuggy field away, while Maccoy Martin’s challenge suffered an early setback. Martin rolled upside down and had to rebuild his race as the positions behind Schwartz changed quickly.

Ashton Webb, Tucker Bennett, and Drake Boyd all featured in the opening scramble. Martin worked back into second and began chasing Schwartz, who had created a useful gap at the front.

Martin closed, clipped the pipe, and had to close again. Schwartz remained ahead until traffic changed the race. With roughly three minutes remaining, Schwartz ran into the back of a lapped car, opening the way for Martin to take the lead.

This time, Martin was able to pull clear. Schwartz became involved in another battle with Webb, and further trouble left him defending third. Webb secured second, while Schwartz held a place in the top three ahead of Toot Hollingsworth and Tucker Bennett.

Martin’s winning margin did not tell the whole story. Before he could build that advantage, he had to recover from his own mistakes and keep returning to the leader.

Top five: 1. Maccoy Martin | 2. Ashton Webb | 3. Bentley Schwartz | 4. Toot Hollingsworth | 5. Tucker Bennett

Brian Borle Wins a Changing Four-Car Fight in 40+ EBuggy

Brian Borle started fifth in 40+ EBuggy and worked his way into a race where the lead battle kept changing.

Jader Lopez led at the tone, but an early mistake handed the advantage to Justin Simonson. John Bernard Jr. and Borle joined the chase, and the leading group began separating from the rest of the field.

Borle moved to the front, but there was little room to relax. At one stage, the leading four were covered by less than two seconds. Lopez lost time on the pipe, while Simonson and Bernard traded positions as they encountered traffic and small mistakes.

That fight gradually gave Borle some space. Simonson suffered further trouble, and Bernard became the closest challenger in the closing laps. Bernard tried to reduce the gap, but a late rollover ended the threat.

Borle completed the win from fifth on the grid. Bernard added second to his earlier Short Course victory, Simonson finished third, and Lopez and Brian Burnette completed the top five.

Top five: 1. Brian Borle | 2. John Bernard Jr. | 3. Justin Simonson | 4. Jader Lopez | 5. Brian Burnette

Shaun Morrow Escapes the Scramble in Sportsman ETruggy

Sportsman ETruggy opened with trouble at the top of the hill and a quick exchange at the front. Kevin Moyer briefly took the lead, then rolled coming downhill and handed the position back to Shaun Morrow.

Chris Harris moved into the chase before getting caught on the pipe. James Tate took advantage of the changing order, climbing from 11th on the grid into second. While the battle behind him kept shifting, Morrow began putting distance between himself and the field.

Tate’s run became one of the stories of the final. He fought with Caleb Roby, held second through the middle stages, and then saw his cushion disappear after getting hung up and rolling. Moyer closed back in, turning the positions behind Morrow into another crowded contest.

Chris Atkins also worked his way forward from 15th on the grid and joined the fight for the top five. Moyer eventually secured second, with Tate completing his charge in third. Roby finished fourth and Atkins fifth.

At the front, Morrow had used the early opening to build the lead he needed. The field continued fighting behind him, but he brought the championship home.

Top five: 1. Shaun Morrow | 2. Kevin Moyer | 3. James Tate | 4. Caleb Roby | 5. Chris Atkins

Shay Brand Takes the Opening as Long Fights Back

Mad Maddy Long led away in Open E-Truggy, but an opening mistake gave Shay Brand his opportunity. Brand moved to the front, with Trevor Michael settling into the chase.

Brand steadily built his advantage while Long worked to recover. By the closing stages, Brand had established control, but the race for second was becoming much less comfortable for Michael.

Long moved into third and closed enough to make the finish tight. Michael held on by just 0.566 second, securing the runner-up position after ten minutes of racing.

Brand took the championship, Michael resisted the late challenge, and Long salvaged third after her difficult start. Justin Simonson and Ethan McManus completed the top five.

Top five: 1. Shay Brand | 2. Trevor Michael | 3. Mad Maddy Long | 4. Justin Simonson | 5. Ethan McManus

Max Mejia Wins a Sportsman EBuggy Race That Would Not Settle

Chris Harris moved into the lead early in Sportsman EBuggy, while Max Mejia worked into position to challenge him.

Mejia began reducing the gap, but neither driver could make the race easy. Harris went wide and allowed Mejia closer. Mejia then landed on the pipe and gave time back. Moments later, Harris became caught under the pipe, opening the lead to Mejia—only for Mejia to roll and hand it straight back.

The exchange kept the race open, and Mejia eventually returned to the front. Behind him, Caleb Roby, Hayden Pascale, and Derek Dent remained involved as the order continued changing.

Mejia reached the finish first to secure the championship. Roby took second ahead of Pascale, with Dent fourth and Harris fifth.

The final result showed a close race, but the commentary captured why: the lead had been won, lost, and won again before Mejia finally made it stick.

Top five: 1. Max Mejia | 2. Caleb Roby | 3. Hayden Pascale | 4. Derek Dent | 5. Chris Harris

Long Holds the Front While Buckland Charges from the Back

Mad Maddy Long led Intermediate EBuggy from the opening lap, with Sean Kochik keeping her under pressure and Wilson Cowart joining the front-running group.

Long began creating room as the battle behind her changed. Ryan Rand stayed involved, and when Cowart rolled, Rand and Kochik moved through. Further trouble dropped Cowart back and opened another opportunity for a driver charging through the field.

Chad Buckland had started 17th after transferring from the B-main. He reached the top five early, continued moving forward, and climbed into third. His recovery gave the race a second story alongside Long’s lead: a bump-up driver was challenging near the front of the championship final.

Long pulled clear to take the win, with Rand securing second. Buckland was still third near the finish, but the order changed in the closing moments. Kochik finished third, Gabriel Santiago fourth, and Buckland fifth.

Buckland missed the top three, but his drive from the back remained one of the strongest recoveries of the afternoon.

Top five: 1. Mad Maddy Long | 2. Ryan Rand | 3. Sean Kochik | 4. Gabriel Santiago | 5. Chad Buckland

Maifield Holds Firm as Phend and Wiggins Apply the Pressure

Ryan Maifield led Pro EBuggy away, but there was little chance to settle into an unchallenged run.

An early rollover cost Seth VanDalen ground and moved Dakotah Phend into second, with Jared Wiggins immediately behind. The leading three ran tightly grouped, and Phend repeatedly closed onto Maifield as they worked through the layout.

Small mistakes created brief gaps, but the pressure kept returning. Phend went wide and lost ground, then closed again. Wiggins stayed close enough to challenge Phend while Maifield tried to build a safer advantage.

With less than three minutes remaining, Wiggins moved into second. He then turned his attention to Maifield, reducing the gap as the race approached its final lap.

Maifield kept the lead and negotiated the final traffic to win by 1.704 seconds. Wiggins finished second, with Phend close behind in third. Brandon Rose and Tater Sontag completed the top five.

VanDalen recorded the fastest lap of the final at 31.957 seconds, but Maifield’s race was defined by protecting the lead under sustained pressure. With the second A-main removed from the schedule, that performance secured the title.

Top five: 1. Ryan Maifield | 2. Jared Wiggins | 3. Dakotah Phend | 4. Brandon Rose | 5. Tater Sontag

Ever Lobos Survives the Trouble in Sportsman Nitro Buggy

Sportsman Nitro Buggy began with a crowded front-running battle. Breck Burns led early, while Max Mejia, Derek Dent, and Ever Lobos exchanged positions through an opening sequence of rollovers and contact.

Lobos emerged at the front, but his race still required patience. Mejia and Hayden Pascale remained in the chase, traffic repeatedly complicated the leaders’ progress, and Lobos had mistakes of his own to recover from.

Quick pit work helped support his run. Lobos recorded the fastest eligible stop of the final at 5.719 seconds, and he continued rebuilding his advantage after interruptions on the track.

Carter Bright steadily moved into contention behind him. With only a few minutes remaining, trouble for Mejia changed the chase again and allowed Bright into second.

Lobos finished the job to take the championship. Bright added second to his earlier Sportsman Nitro Truggy win, while Mejia recovered to finish third ahead of Pascale and Dario Delgado.

Top five: 1. Ever Lobos | 2. Carter Bright | 3. Max Mejia | 4. Hayden Pascale | 5. Dario Delgado

Mad Maddy Long Turns a Pit-Lane Opening into a Second Title

Intermediate Nitro Buggy gave Mad Maddy Long a different challenge from her electric victory.

Long led at the start, but Sean Kochik moved ahead and became the driver to catch. Long stayed close as they negotiated traffic, while the first fuel stops brought trouble elsewhere in the field. William McIver suffered a flameout leaving the pits, and other drivers also lost time during the busy pit cycle.

Kochik’s own lengthy stop around the middle of the race changed the lead battle. Long moved back to the front, and Aidan Ridgeway became part of the contest behind her after working forward from his B-main transfer.

Long built a useful cushion while Ridgeway and Kochik fought over second. Ridgeway moved ahead late, but Kochik remained close enough to keep that position under pressure.

Then, near the finish, Kochik rolled onto the pipe and flamed out. A race spent fighting near the front ended with a costly interruption, reshaping the final order behind Long.

Long secured her second championship of the day. Ridgeway completed his B-main-to-runner-up drive, and Gabriel Santiago took third. Santiago also recorded the final’s fastest eligible pit stop at 5.140 seconds. McIver recovered to fourth, with Eddy Cordoba fifth.

Top five: 1. Mad Maddy Long | 2. Aidan Ridgeway | 3. Gabriel Santiago | 4. William McIver | 5. Eddy Cordoba

Phend Controls the Finale as VanDalen Makes His Late Move

Dakotah Phend led the final race of the day away and began building the advantage that would decide Pro Nitro Buggy.

The chasing order changed through the opening fuel stops, with Brandon Rose involved early and Ryan Maifield moving into the main pursuit. Phend continued setting the pace, leaving the drivers behind him to balance their chase with the demands of traffic and pit strategy.

Seth VanDalen kept himself in that fight. His pit crew delivered a 4.917-second stop, the fastest eligible stop of the Pro final, and VanDalen remained close enough to challenge Maifield despite making an additional fuel stop.

As the race entered its final minutes, the battle for second tightened. VanDalen closed to less than a second behind Maifield, then moved ahead with roughly two minutes remaining. Farther back, Jared Wiggins, Cole Kasten, and Cole Ogden were also fighting over the next positions.

Phend stayed clear of those battles and completed the victory, becoming the only driver to reach 54 laps. VanDalen held second ahead of Maifield, while Wiggins finished fourth and Kasten fifth.

After a day of transfer battles, recoveries, track repairs, and a changed schedule, Phend brought the final championship home. The rain had interrupted Sunday, but all 14 classes still had their deciding race.

Top five: 1. Dakotah Phend | 2. Seth VanDalen | 3. Ryan Maifield | 4. Jared Wiggins | 5. Cole Kasten