by Robin Meiser
You have to give it to USA International Speedway in Lakeland, they do everything within their power to put on a race. The State of Florida is under drought conditions and Central Florida finally gets a full day of rain on February 3. Great, right? Except for the drivers, teams, fans, officials and management who were trying to put on the first Springfest 2001 at the three quarter mile oval track.
With the first two days of racing under the Super Late Models, Late Models and Open Wheel Modifieds belts on February 1 and 2, the skies opened up and sun never came out on February 3.  The FASTRUCK series arrived on the dreary morning as this was supposed to be the day they qualified for their season opening race on February 4 but they never even got a practice session until after 9 p.m.
Florida short track legend, Dickie Anderson (Wildwood), in a Super Late Model; and young Jason Boyd (Orlando) of the Late Model series already had two wins apiece in the first two segments. Should Anderson win all four races he would take home a purse of $75,000; if Boyd could do the same feat in the Late Models, he would win $50,000. Doug Moff (Fort Myers) and Jerry Symons (Edgewater) had each won a segment of the Open Wheel Modifieds.
Race teams huddled in the their trailers, talking about the good old days; Anderson and Boyd's excellent performance the prior two evenings; Billy Bigley, Jr.'s three year NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series deal with Spear Manufacturing; and the upcoming Speedweek. Through it all a slight drizzle continued well into the darkness.
The track vehicles finally hit the racing surface around 9 p.m. to dry the track. At 9:30, the drivers had their meeting and it was decided that only the Super Late Models would qualify that evening. At 10:20 p.m., the green flag was thrown on the 100-lap Late Model feature. Joe Boyd (Riverview) and Dwayne Dempsey (St. Petersburg) sat on the front row.
Before they could complete one lap, Tony Amico (Davenport) got loose on the backstretch resulting in an eight-car pileup. 
The red flag came out while the officials cleared the track and fast work by pit crews brought six of the eight causalities back out to race. When the green flag dropped again, Dempsey led the first lap but Joe Boyd was reeling him in and Jason Boyd was part of a three-car freight train with them by Lap 13. Mike "The Hobo" Hovis (North Fort Myers) was trying to be the caboose and make it a four-car train but began suffering a loose racecar, allowing Shane Sawyer (Royal Palm Beach) to slide into fourth.
Jason Boyd made his move on Joe Boyd on Lap 30 and went into the second position and on Lap 33 he got around Dempsey to take the lead. By Lap 35, he was pulling away from the field and continued to do so until Johnny "Action" Jackson (Ellenton) spun on Lap 41 bringing out the caution flag. On Lap 47, an incident involving Hovis, Rusty Hillman (North Fort Myers), Randy "Hondo" Fox (Lehigh Acres) and Mike Abbott brought out the caution flag but all got their spots back except for Abbott who had made a trip to the pits.
Raindrops began to fall on Lap 70 but the race continued. Third place running Larry Osteen (Orlando) brought out the caution flag on Lap 75 after hitting the front stretch wall.
When the checkered flag fell, Jason Boyd took his third win of the series with Dempsey, Joe Boyd, Sawyer and Hovis rounding out the Top Five.
A few raindrops continued to fall and the Open Wheels came out for their 30-lap event. Houma Louisiana's Chet Morrison sat on the pole with Kiki Thomas (Tampa) sitting along side of him. In a replay from the first race of the evening, the caution lag flew before a lap could be completed. Thomas led the first lap but Dwayne Dempsey, in his second race of the cold, late evening moved to the lead on the second lap. Meanwhile the first segment winner, Doug Moff had moved to second by the third lap after starting fifth.
The caution flags continued to fly as Moff repeatedly tried to pass Dempsey for the lead. Finally on one of the numerous restarts, Moff pulled alongside of Dempsey and passed him for the lead, taking the second race segment winner Jerry Symons with him to move into second. Moff began pulling way from the field by Lap 20 and with two laps to go, Dempsey was battling Symonds trying to regain second but was unable to do so.
Moff took his second win with Symons, Dempsey, Steve Hauser, Jr. (Parish) and Thomas finishing in the Top Five.
By this time it was almost 1 a.m., raindrops were still falling sporadically and the weather was getting colder. Track officials made the decision to run a double feature for the Super Late Models at 2 p.m. on February 4, along with the Late Models, Open Wheel Modifieds and FASTRUCK series. All in all, it was a late show fans won't soon forget.
By Robin Meiser
[Stay tuned for full Results from Sunday, plus video and photo Gallery available]
Saturday Results:
Limited Late Models
1 15 Jason Boyd Orlando, FL
2 7 Dwayne Dempsey St. Petersburg, FL
3 5 Joe Boyd Riverview, FL
4 138 Shane Sawyer Royal Palm Beach, FL
5 29 Mike Hovis North Fort Myers, FL
6 11 David Logan Jupiter, FL
7 07 Rusty Hillman North Fort Myers, FL
8 17 Jason Crossey West Palm Beach, FL
9 4 Randy Fox Lehigh, FL
10 1 John Jackson Ellenton, FL
11 75 Martin Pierce Sanford, FL
12 56 Wayne Morris Mulberry, FL
13 63 Dawayne Bryan Polk City, FL
14 10 Steve Dorer Lakeland, FL
15 77 Tony Amico Clearwater, FL
16 31 Jeff Dufresne Ft. Myers, FL.
17 71 Larry Osteen Orlando, FL
18 47 Chris Fontaine Lakeland, FL
19 3 Edward Howell Bradley Junction, FL
20 38 Ron Regula Miami, FL
21 57 Chad Pierce Orlando, FL
22 23 Mike Abbott Arcadia, FL
23 61 Richard Kelly Gulfport, FL
24 01 Jeff Wogman Ft. Myers, FL
25 58 Keith Lilly Lakeland, FL
26 86 Kevin Ingram Auburndale, FL
27 81 Mike Cioffi Lox, FL
7x Craig Brown Ft. Lauderdale, FL
28 401 Eddie Miller Pompano Beach, FL
29 00 Terry Thompson Lakeland, FL
Modifieds
1 46 Doug Moff Ft. Myers, FL
2 66 Jerry Symons Edgewater, FL
3 6 Dwayne Dempsey St. Petersburg, FL
4 52 Steve Hauser Jr. Parish, FL
5 19 Kiki Thomas Tampa, FL
6 119 Tom Root Orlando, FL
7 26 Joe Fedrico Largo, FL
8 57 Jim "Hoot" Flynn Orlando, FL
9 86 Chet Morrison Houma, LA
10 1 Steve Christman Ft. Wayne, IN
11 64 David Baxley Anthony, FL
12 81 David Seeright Haines City, FL
13 29 Dean Best Edgerton, OH
14 7 Al Marmonde Houma, LA
15 981 David Sonnemberg Auburndale, FL
16 55 Billy Mowery Clearwater, FL
17 98 Jerry Lee Yarbrough Jacksonville, FL
18 152 Robert Ham Ormond Bch, FL
19 14 Aric Almirola Tampa, FL
20 8 D.J. Hoelzle Dunedin, FL
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