Kittleson Wins Orange Blossom 100 in Last Lap | by Jane Smith
Nineteen cars qualified for the Orange Blossom 100with three more added to the field. The #38 of Shane Sawyer once again had bad luck in heat laps and visited the concrete wall damaging his car beyond repair. Justin Drawdy set fast time witha 17.94 followed by Travis Kittleson 18.00, B.J.McLeod 18.25, Barry Willoughby 18.28 and Jack Cook 18.31. After the pill was drawn, it was the #12E of Jeff Emery on the pole.
When the green flag dropped, it was the #11 of David Rogers taking the lead over Emery. JacCook, B.J. McLeod and Barry Willoughby rounded out the top five. Caution 1 came out when th#45 of Mack Hanbury spun in turn 1. When therace restarted, the #12E of Emery was smoking and sliding backwards. This left Jack Cookand David Rogers running side by side for thlead with Cook taking it.
Caution 2 came out when the engine of the #45 let go on the track. Hanbury was pushed into the pits and once again the green flew with Cook in the lead followed by Drawdy, Rogers, McLeod and Kittleson. But after only a few green laps, caution 3 came out for the #31 of Jeff Sloan who spun around in turn 2.
When the race restarted, there was a good side-by-side battle going on between the #19 of Tom Root and the #51 of Jacob Warren for seventh place. Root took the position and caution 4 came out when the #14 of Ronnie Roach and the #17 of Marc Kinley went around on the bottom of turn 4. The #44 of Greg Brook also took alittle spin between turns 3 and 4 avoiding the #14 and #17.
On the restart, Drawdy passes Cook and takes the lead with Rogers, McLeod and Kittleson filling out the top five. Jast as the battle began to heat up, caution 6 comes out for the #44 of Brook who spun around between turns 1 and 2.
Drawdy still holds the lead on the restart but Cook and Rogers are going door to door for the second place position. Cook takes it as Kittleson moves on McLeod taking the fourth place position. At this point, it is Drawdy, Cook, Rogers, Kittleson and McLeod in the top five followed by Willoughby, Root and Warren. Just as it is really getting hot on the track, caution 7 comes out for the #56 who brushes the wall in turn 1.
Drawdy holds the lead but it is the #88 of Kittleson that passes Cook and Rogers and takes the second place position. Caution 8 comes out for the #7 of Matt Griffin as he takes alittle spin between turns 1 and 2. At this point, 18 cars are still racing.
As Drawdy and Kittleson duel side by side for the lead for two laps with touching, Drawdy hits the jet engine and keeps the lead. Kittleson tries but cannot catch Drawdy. But just as the white flag comes out for the last lap, Drawdy cuts a tire and Kittleson takes the lead and wins the race. Drawdy keeps on going and ends up eight.
FINISHING ORDER:
1. #88 Travis Kittleson 2. #96 Jack Cook 3. #11 David Rogers 4. #78 B.J. McLeod 5. #74 Barry Willoughby 6. #51 Jacob Warren 7. #27 Mike Good 8. #12 Justin Drawdy 9. #57 Jim "Hoot" Flynn 10. #19 Tom Root 11. #17 Marc Kinley 12. #31 Jeff Sloan 13. #42 George Murphy 14. #55 Richard Elkins Jr. 15. #7 Matt Griffin 16. #12E Jeff Emery 17. #40 Tom Howell 18. #14 Ronnie Roach 19. #56 20. #44 Greg Brook 21. #03 Marty Zyer 22. #45 Mack Hanbury
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