by Rick Anges

The who's who of Florida Late Model racing showed up for the Icebreaker 125 at Desoto Speedway for the opening round of the Florida Pro Series. Names like Orr, Bigley, Anderson, Carlton and Pletcher were there to make a bid at the opening race of the FPS on the high banks.

The day started out rough for the defending champion Ricky Carlton who broke a rear end in practice and had to take a provisional spot in the rear of the field, Pletcher also broke but was not able to make the show. Of the thirty-four cars that were on hand after qualifying and a B-Main the field was narrowed down to twenty-eight.

Young Jonathan Brown #9 and James Powell #37 led the field to the green flag and the race was on. Powell was racing the youngster hard looking low and high but Brown held his line and the lead. Mike Franklin Jr. in the #12 car fresh from a dirt Late Model race in Georgia the night before scraped the wall on the front stretch but was able to gather it up and continue.

Franklin later told me in the pits the brakes failed about half way through the race on the former Bigley ride but was able to hold for a ninth place run. Brian Mansfield brought out the first caution of the race when he spun by himself in the back stretch, problems with the spin ended the day for him. Billy Bigley broke his front suspension in an accident and ended his day early.

Meanwhile the #00 of Dickie Anderson( Fla. Driver of the Year) was slowly slicing and dicing his way to the front of the pack after his thirteenth starting position. The battle up front was heating up as the top five cars were all in a heated battle for the top spot. Brown had his hands full with not only Powell but #38 Shane Sawyer, #53 Richard Till, and the # 26 of Veteran driver Pete Orr.

All the drivers were using up the whole race track trying to catch and pass the leader. And then there was "The King," picking off drivers, eventually sliding past Orr after a bump draft loosening Orr and moving into the top five. All of a sudden you could tell the top guys were now being told he was moving up by their spotters. A mirror full of the 00 is not something you want to see as 125 lap race is drawing to an end. Ricky Carlton #34 last years Fla Pro Champ already at a disadvantage after having to start in the rear of the field tangled up with the #12E of Jeff Emory sending both cars to the rear but Carlton ran tough and came from the rear of the field to finish a hard driven tenth, after the race a worn out Carlton told me "Atleast we brought her home in one piece"!

After leading the race for over eighty laps Brown was challenged by Powell going into three, when Powell came up beside Brown the two made contact sending Brown into a spin but relegating both drivers to the rear of the pack.

This gave the lead to Shane Sawyer who had fought to hold onto third place all afternoon. But by this time Anderson had made his way to the spot behind Sawyer now putting him in the second spot.

After the green flag dropped Anderson took several laps to size him up and like a lion during the hunt made his move, got under Sawyer, loosened him up and drove by.

Anderson was never challenged again and roared home the winner. Sawyer was able to cross the stripe in second, Richard Till hung on for third, Pete Orr fourth and rounding out the top was the #48 of Johnny Kay.

1. Dick Anderson, Harris Racing #00
2. Shane Sawyer, Quality Concrete #38 (top rookie)
3. Richie Till, Xerox Digital Color #53
4. Pete Orr, Central Florida Septic/Winner's Circle Racing School #26
5. Jonny Kay, Extensions Plus/Custom Design Truss Co. #48
6. Mike Bresnahan, Old Bill's Audio #3
7. Glen Whitney, Prof. Shutters Corp/Turf Management #99
8. Mike Good, Briar Corp #27
9. Mike Franklin, Jr. #72
10. Rick Carlton, McNatt Plumbing #34

by Rick Anges

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