| DeSoto Speedway Puts On The "Real Deal" For Race Fans ! | By Rick Anges
(KNS) Racing fans came from far and wide to pack the stands of DeSoto Speedway, "The South's Fastest Short Track", to watch one of the biggest draws in the state "School Bus Figure 8's". This awesome but odd spectacle draws crowds at every track they are run at. Tonite's action included a whole card of wild door-to-door sheet metal trading action as upwards of 4,000 rabid race fans piled into the High Banks of Desoto's stands. Over 100 racers were ready to get this night under way.
The Pure Stock class was the first over the hill for their 20-lap feature event. The racing started out fast and furious with the pack running side by side for several laps. # 17 Brian Ambrose and the #52 of John Clouser locked horns for several laps but Clouser was able to eventually pull away. Greg Banach in the #20 got loose coming out of turn four and banged off the front stretch wall collecting the #68 Stewart Bradshaw and the #67 David Yaharus in turn one ending both of their nights. The #4 of Bob Petrilli ran about 5 laps on the outside of the #74 of Paul Huffstutler before using up his tires and fading back into the field. 
After several wild crashes Clouser was able to grab his first ever feature win at Desoto, Huffstutler held off a hard charge from the #54 of Mark Gill for second, fourth went to #56 Gary Flinn and rounding out the top five was Bob Petrilli. This was John Clauser's, first win at DeSoto Speedway, Clauser tows weekly from Melbourne, Florida to race at DeSoto Speedway.
Mini-Stock action kept the crowd on their feet with three wide fender-to-fender racing. Bryan Wagner #4 pulled out to the early lead but #34 Eric Anderson and #35 Greg Krom were able to work their way by bringing along the fast #30 of Jesse Dutilly. Krom eventually was able to make a move and get by Anderson but Dutilly was hot on his tail, the #35 was not to be denied as he held off the late charge and was able to notch his first feature win, Dutilly came across the stripe in second followed by Anderson, Jon Bailey#14 took fourth and Syndee Brown #17 held off the #70 of Tony Elrod for fifth.
Mod-Mini's also saw three wide racing, but Steve Gill #5 proved to be the class of the field taking the checkers in the twenty-lap feature. Chip Gaines #72 was able to hold onto the second spot, Ronnie Allen #68 fresh off a Friday night win at Orlando took third, #7 Steve Martin was fourth and fifth went to #47 Mark Gonzalez.
Charlie Taylor #24 was on the pole for the Street Stock feature but it was a little to much for him as on the drop of the green flag the field split him going three wide into turn one collecting four cars wild tire smoking spinning melee, all were able to continue. The drivers who would started in the back of the field had an added bonus to move to the front as KARNAC.com added a $50 bonus to the hard charger of the race.
#95 Clint Roberts in the only Mopar powered machine of the field took advantage of the early race incident and jumped out to the lead. While Roberts was pulling away from the field the rest of the cars were bunched up bumper-to-bumper and fender-to-fender from second all the way back.
The #05 KARNAC.com car of Bruce Sherwood who had an unfortunate flat tire early in the race battled his way up into the top six when Sue Purington apparently got into some slippery stuff on the top line in turns one and two going around and catching Sherwood in the front fender, exploding the tire ending his night. Purington was able to continue.
John Whitsell made some impressive moves in the #7 and moved within a bumper of Roberts but could not get around him, Roberts held on for the lead with Whitsell in second,
Rich Clouser #8 came from the back of the pack to take third and the $50 KARNAC.com hard charger award. Casey Hall #1 was fourth and fifth across the line was #44 David Cassidy. Seven cars finished the grinding race that started eighteen.
During the intermission the crowd was teased when three of the buses came out for some hot laps. The crowd roared as the big beasts made their way around the track in a brief showing of what was to come.
Rocco Rannallo #67 looked like he was going to pace the field as he jumped out to the early lead in the Open Wheel Modified race. As Rannallo pulled away from the field the race was bumper to bumper all the way back. Hot Shoe Teddy Nelson went out early due to mechanical failure. D.J.Hoezle #8 looked like he might be the only one to catch Rannallo but as he went low to make the pass both cars spun and were sent to the rear for bringing out the yellow. This left the #60 of Mopar powered Pat Nanney sitting in the cat-bird seat, moving into the lead from his third place spot and never looking back, blazing to the victory over Bill Davis #15, third spot went to #20 Tommy Schnader, fourth to #2 J.R. Wade and fifth to Rocco Rannallo who came from the rear to claim the spot.
The high-powered action filled Sportsmen class was up next and gave the crowd a thrill from the drop of the green flag. Cars went spinning on the first lap all were able to avoid any major damage but #41 Gus Coorssen and #98 Lonny Miller both had to dive into the pits to replace flat tires. Jimmy Cook in the #89 was the race leader as the green came out again and after several laps trading sheet metal the #11 Joe Shaver collected the #17 of Veteran driver Clyde Cole sending Cole into wall with a sickening thud. Cole pulled the wounded racecar into the infield where he would sit for the rest of the race with heavy damage from the impact with the wall. Several on track incidents had the crowd roaring as Coorssen and Shaver had some disagreements on the track bumping and banging each other leaving pieces of race cars all over the track. #89 Jimmy Cook was able to hold onto the lead and take the checkered flag, Hal Vickery #31 brought home the second place trophy, "Body Damage" Wallace Ramsey held on for third, Jimmie Best brought the #67 home fourth and James Knight was a solid fifth.
The packed house rose to their feet and the cheers deafening when the school buses came out onto the Speedway. John Sarppraicone made good on his word that if the stands were packed that his wife and promoter Camille could give him a chocolate cream pie in the face and as the crowd roared she delivered the pie in the flag stand!
The buses why they are always a good draw with the close misses in the intersection to the three wide racing in the turns the oooooo's and ahhhhhhh's could probably be heard out to state road 64 by the 4,000 or race fans. Jimmy Gill in the #88 bus came back from losing the lead early to take the win and $1,000. Pran Medera #96 was up on three wheels in the turns to hold off veteran Bus racer from sunshine #00 of Brian Hayn to take second. Early leader #31 Brian McCleod was fourth and #72 John Walenuknoz rounded out the top five.
The School Buses return in September to the high banks of DeSoto and you can count on more buses and plenty of action!
Rick Anges
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