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2001
NEWS ARCHIVE
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| ANDERSON TAKES DOUBLE WIN AT FLORIDA STATE LATE MODEL CHAMPIONSHIPS | 
By Thom Watson
LAKELAND, FL: Dick Anderson had to wait an extra week, then had to endure another two hour plus rain delay, but he was able to overcome both and take the Fourth Annual Florida State Late Model Championship Sunbelt Super Late Model Series 125. Then Anderson jumped in another car and won the SARA Late Model Series 100 without being seriously challenged. Jamie Burrows led wire-to-wire to take the SARA Open Wheel Modified Series 35.
The Sunbelt Super Late Model Series 125 began last Saturday night but was quickly postponed as the rain came down after running only 20 laps. The race started at lap 20 and in the running order at that time. Anderson was on the point when the green flag flew and never looked back. Only the caution flags allowed the rest of the field to catch up with him. Michael Williams was able to keep Anderson in sight and would stay with him on the restarts for about 10 laps, then Anderson would gradually pull away. Just before the rain delay, Williams started leaking oil. The delay only prolonged the inevitable, as the rear end broke five laps after the restart and Williams was done for the night. Eight-year-old Molly Shannon from nearby Lakeland, was trying to escape the rain underneath the grandstands, was rooting for the green #40 of Williams and was sad to hear he was having mechanical woes. This was her first race at USA International Speedway and in spite of the rain last week and tonight planned to come back again with her father.
With Williams out, Jeff Scofield moved into the runner-up spot and David Rogers moved into third. Both were able to keep up with Anderson and all three cars were able to pull away from the rest of the pack on long green flag runs. But they never were able to threaten Anderson's dominance. Anderson and Scofield then pulled away from Rogers. Anderson had a two-car length lead when the checkers flew.
The best race for position was for the third spot as Michael Franklin, Jr. kept trying to dive below Rogers on the turns but never could out-race him down the front and back stretch to take the spot. This lasted for the final 12 laps with Rogers able to hold on for third and Franklin finished fourth. In a battle of the "X" cars, the 27x of Mike Fritts was able to pass the 31x of Jason Burkett on lap 123 and take the fifth finishing position.
After a short victory lane celebration, Anderson jumped in the 28x SARA Late Model and this time started on the outside pole as Tony Amico drew the lucky pole starting pill. Mike Hovis was the fast qualifier with a lap of 21.643 seconds and a speed of 124.75 mph. He unfortunately drew the ninth starting pill. Hovis, his crew chief, Jay Murphy and his car owner, Denny Burber were all pretty happy with the qualifying effort, as the whole crew was very relaxed in the hours prior to the green flag. Hovis has a new set of priorities as he now has a daughter to think of. "We are just doing some of the bigger races and concentrating on the 6-pack series at Charlotte County Speedway this year" said Hovis.
At the drop of the green flag, Amico was able to hold on to the point position for just a few laps as Anderson quickly passed for the lead and took off on another dominating run. He was able to build up several leads of 8-10 car lengths and only the caution flags allowed the rest of the field to keep up with Anderson. Jason Boyd moved into second place by lap 20, but never got close enough to Anderson on long green flag runs to be a threat. Michael Faulk moved into third place on lap 24 as he passed Amico in turn two.
As the halfway point of the 100-lap race approached, the top five positions were set and would not change. The running order was Anderson, Boyd, Faulk, Bobby Beauchemin and Joe Sumansky. From lap 57 through 66, Anderson had about a three-car length lead with the next four cars running nose-to-tail. As the race continued, Anderson was able to pad his lead. Only in the last few laps when Anderson was behind some lapped cars, which slowed him down, allowed Boyd to catch up to Anderson's rear bumper. Once out of the lapped traffic, Anderson went on to win his second race of the night by one-car length.
Jamie Burrows quickly took the lead on the first lap and led wire to wire in the SARA Open Wheel Modified Series 35. Burrows had several challengers during the race, but none stout enough to pass him. Jeremy Gerstner held the runner-up spot for the first 13 laps. Dwayne Dempsey took over second and challenged Burrows on lap 21 by trying to pass on the outside coming off turn two. Dempsey tried to pass for the next four laps but couldn't get it done. Dempsey would bring out the race's only caution by spinning in turn four. On the restart, Steve Hauser, Jr. took over second, stayed on Burrows rear bumper but never seriously threatened for the lead. Burrows went on to win by one car length. Hauser, Jerry Symons, Larry Martin, and Aric Almirola rounded out the top five.
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