The Balcoms were the real story at Jax Raceway on Saturday, June 14.
By Kevin Turner 06/14/03

No, they're not a new racing team, they're a husband and wife team who both took home trophies after aggressive showings on the Northeast Florida dirt track.

Cindy Balcom, who posted a commanding victory in the #2 car in the hobby stock division's second heat, returned in car #22 for the Powder Puff feature race, followed by Belinda Horton and Veronica Clark. She powered her way from the eighth slot to the lead in the sixth lap and held onto it despite threatening moves from Horton to take the win in the 12-lap event. She had also driven the same car to victory in the Powder Puff heat race earlier that night.

David Tyrell's #69 1980 Camaro was the winner in the 20 lap Hobby Stock race, the evening's final event, but Mrs. Balcom gave him a run. She returned in the #2 car for the event and turned in a masterful performance although she came up short. She moved up from seventh to threaten the top three by lap 10. She finished second, followed by Ricky DeLoach, #96. DeLoach had led for most of the race, but in a bold move, Cindy Balcom stuck to Tyrell like glue as he passed teammate DeLoach to take the lead, dropping DeLoach quickly to third.

Bobby Balcom came out the winner in his  #2 car  in the Grand American Modified feature race after 25 hard laps battling to pass leader Marty Whitener and keeping #14 Gene Tatum at bay. Balcom got his chance to lead in lap 12 as Whitener fell victim to mechanical trouble. Bobby Balcom held the lead spot for 13 more laps to take the trophy, followed by Tatum and Kevin Bayless' number four car.

Kenny Bayless emerged victorious in the 20-lap Sportsman event in his #43 car. Coming from the third position, Bayless muscled past Terry Jones, #74 and Chris Thompson, #55. Bayless assumed the lead in lap nine and never looked back.

Brian Smith, #54, took the prize in the late model feature. He had come up from fifth as crashes and mechanical issues thinned the field. 16-year-old Bodai Massengill initially held the second place slot and put in a fine performance before his car fell to mechanical issues resulting from a few friendly bumps. Gary Barrett was third before bumping sent his car hard into the wall near the review stand, throwing a shower of sparks. Chris Thompson took second place in his #55 car and John Luster rounded out the top three, placing in car #67.