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2001
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| Sunday, November 18, 2001 | |
| Paul George Wins National Late Model Series at Volusia | 
It was an Amazing Race Day at Volusia Speedway Park. The crowd was on their feet for an unbelievable finish as VSP Points Champion #88 Paul George from Astor, FL took the lead from #54 Tuck Trentham (DeLand, FL) on the last lap and became the 55th different winner in 133 shows in the National Late Model series. Trentham led every lap until lap 99 when he was held up by lap traffic and George was able to go to the outside and take the lead and the win for the $10,000 top prize! As George crawled out of his racecar, Trentham was there to shake his hand and congratulate him for a clean race. George was congratulated by the entire crowd, his family and fellow drivers for what was one of the most amazing races of the season!
It took several attempts to get a final lineup for the National Late Model 100 lap race at VSP thanks to Mother Nature! The first 16 were determined by qualifying times on October 13 and when the remainder was to be determined by Consi races Mother Nature stepped in and stopped the show, October 14th. When they returned this Saturday they got their Consi races in, several races were run and the lineup was ready but Mother Nature stepped in again and the race was finally run Sunday, November 18.
The Consi race #1 winner was #3 Jimmy Davis-Jacksonville, Fl. The top 4 made it into the feature, it was Davis, #201 Gene Maine-Quitman, GA, #53 John Rankin-Ocala, FL and #17 Joe Kump-WPB, FL. Consi race #2 winner was #22 Brett Carlton-Loxahatchee, GA, it was Carlton, #7 Shane Hylton-Quitman, GA, #68 Trapper Boettcher-Port St. Lucie, FL and #35 Charles Seeley-Coolidge, GA. Rounding out the 26 car field were the VSP track provisional-#11 Roho Sims-Silver Springs, FL and #22 Cecil Eunice-Blackshear, GA, 2000 National Late Model series points champ.
The action began on lap 3 when 4 cars got together in turn 2, #17 Joe Kump-WPB, FL, #7 Shane Hylton-Quitman, GA, #8 Jason Hylton, Quitman, GA and #53 John Rankin-Ocala, FL came to an abrupt stop and Kump ended up in the pits along with Rankin. Rankin was done for the night and Kump made an attempt to return to the track finishing 25th. Turn 2 took another victim as veteran racer #1 Wayne Shugart spun on lap 8. Shugart was able to return to the race and finished 11th.
22 was an unlucky number for #22 Cecil Eunice as he backed his racecar into the inside wall in turn 4 on lap 22. Shugart took that opportunity to come in and have his car checked and the clay washed from the front of his racecar.
#3 Jimmy Davis-Jacksonville, FL was coming up through the field and looked to have one of the fastest racecars on the track when he got together with the #99 of Brett Chilson-DeLand, FL sending both of them to the rear on lap 36. When they restarted it was anyones guess where they would end up. Trentham held on to the lead but defending National Late Model points champion #21 Ivedent Lloyd-Ocala, FL began having a tough time holding on to 2nd place as #07 David Clegg-Bunnell, FL took his spot and then #88 Paul George-Astor, FL took the third place so in 3 laps Lloyd lost 3 spots. As the caution was thrown for debris on lap 40 Trentham was still in the lead and Lloyd had his hands full just holding on to 5th.
Just as it really started to get interesting, about lap 65 the yellow was thrown for #18 Johnny Collins-Jacksonville, FL, that's when #88 Paul George, VSP 2001 Points Champ, put his car in position to take his shot at the win.
#21 Ivedent Lloyd wasn't the only one to have problems, #00 Greg Ward-Daytona Beach, FL was in the top 5 for several laps but seemed to drift high and lose positions and after a top five run Ward finished in 16th.
With two more cautions before the end of the race noone could keep their seat. On lap 80 #07 David Clegg got loose coming out of turn 4 but was able to hold on to his 2nd spot, everyone behind him checked up and #21 Ivedent Lloyd's car seemed to get a boost and was taking positions one by one until lap 84 when the car just gave up and he had to put it in the pits. Even with this disappointing 17th place finish, Lloyd had enough of a lead in the points to become the 2001 National Late Model Points Champion.
In the last 5 laps, if you weren't liking this race...you must have been dead or on your way home! Trentham made several attempts to pass #6 Scott Singler in lap traffic but as he was trying high and low, Clegg went low and George went high and it was George getting around all of them and taking the win.
Other notes for the series: Local driver #23 Lawton Minshew-DeLeon Springs, FL finished 10th, putting him 25th in points, making him eligible to win a race trailer at their Awards Banquet scheduled for January 19th in Daytona.
National Late Model Finish: 1. #88 Paul George-Astor, FL, 2.#54 Tuck Trentham-DeLand, FL, 3.#07 David Clegg-Bunnell, FL 4.#71 Mike Carter-Blackshear, GA, 5.#201 George Maine-Quitman, GA, 6. #22 Cecil Eunice-Blackshear, GA, 7.#3 Jimmy Davis-Jacksonville, FL, 8. #7h Shane Hylton-Quitman, GA, 9. #35 Charles Seeley-Coolidge, GA, 10. #23 Lawton Minshew-DeLeon Springs, FL, 11. #1 Wayne Shugart-Jacksonville, FL, 12. #68 Trapper Boettcher-Port St. Lucie, FL, 13. #6 Scott Singler-Ormond Beach, FL, 14. #8 Jason Hylton-Quitman, GA, 15. #99 Brent Chilson-DeLand, FL, 16. #00 Greg Ward-Daytona Beach, FL, 17. #21 Ivedent Lloyd-Ocala, FL, 18. #2 Bobby Ogelsby-Pooler, GA, 19. #7k Kent Corbin-Bunnell, FL, 20. #22c Brett Carlton-Loxahatchee, FL, 21. #18 Johnny Collins-Jacksonville, FL, 22. #11 Roho Sims-Silver Springs, FL, 23. #17 Dusty Cone-Jennings, FL, 24. #9 Ryan Burton-Ocala, FL, 25. #17k Joe Kump-West Palm Beach, FL, 26. #53 John Rankin-Ocala, FL
The only other division racing due to the rain Saturday were the Mini Sprints. 9 Sprints took the green with #7 Jesse Teed taking the checker.
Mini Sprint Finish: 1. #7 Jesse Teed, 2. #86 Russ Heider, 3. #2 Doug Craig, 4. #71 John Craddock, 5. #0, 6. #14, 7. #4 Bud Schreiber, 8. #19 Ryan Thomas, 9. #33.
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