By Dave Westerman

Great weather and a great field of NAMARS midgets highlighted night number one as the 2002 Florida Winternationals got under way Tuesday evening at Orlando Speedworld. Of the 37 midgets in the pits, three have Mopar power. When the checker flew at the end of the 30-lap feature, the Mopars were 1-2-3 headed by surprise entry Jason Leffler.

The night got off to an awesome start as five drivers broke Nick Fornoro's track record of 14.320 set back in 1985. Indianapolis, IN driver Shane Hollingsworth, just 16 years of age, toured the 3/8 mile Speedworld oval at 13.160 sec. to set fast time followed closely by another 16-year-old, Bobby East at 13.172 sec.

Hollingsworth and East would not have much luck after that though. Hollingsworth failed to finish in a transfer spot in his heat, then started the Semi from the pole and was running away with that race when he spun in turn four. He worked his way back to fifth before mechanical problems sidelined him from a spot in the feature.

East finished second in his heat and was on the move in the feature, but got caught up in a couple of minor incidents and dropped out near halfway in the race. John Nervo, Paul Perkins, Teddy Beach, and Dave Steele won the heats while Aaron Pierce topped the Semi as the 20 car feature field was set with Rich Corson and Steve Thinnes on the front row.

Corson took off like a rocket and built up a quick lead as the field jockeyed for position behind him. Tracy Hines and Jason Leffler were on the charge from their 6th and 7th starting spots with Hines leading Leffler past Corson for the lead on lap 15. East spun on lap 19 to bring out the first caution. On the restart, Leffler dove inside Hines and took over the top spot. A lap later, East spun again to bring out caution number two.

On the restart, Aaron Pierce and Sondi Eden tangled with Pierce tagging the fronstretch wall. Unable to avoid the melee, Mike Roselli ran over the front end of John Nervo's car, hit the wall and flipped bring out the red flag. All the drivers were OK, but only Eden was able to continue where she eventually wound up 13th.


Leffler led Hines and Dave Steele, all in Mopar-powered cars, the remaining nine laps as the crowd focused on a late charge by Justin Overfelt, who came from nowhere to pass six cars in the last eight laps to finish fifth behind Corson after starting 16th.

Teammates Teddy Beach and Matt Westfall were sixth and seventh with Steve Thinnes, David Gough, and Dave Baumgartner rounding out the top ten.

Leffler, a surprise entry in the event, was driving the Keith Kunz Special sponsored by Mopar, Keco, Advanced Racing, and Gary Stanton Racing Engines with a Kunz chassis. Hines was behind the wheel of the Wilke/Pak Motorsports Beast sponsored by Mopar, Penray, Seco, and Hoosier Tire, while Steele steered Dino Tomassi's Stanton/Mopar Beast with sponsorship from Mopar Parts, Finish Line Towing, and Penske Shocks.

In Support Class action, Rick "Sock-It" Tumey topped a wild Mini-Stock Feature that saw numerous leaders, spins, and wild action. Tumey worked his way up from tenth in a field of 14 to take the lead late in the race, leading the Dodge of Matt Watts to the line. Charlotte, NC driver Waylon Flynn, who learned to race on this track, was third in his Toyota, while Bobby Orr came back from a penalty that sent him to the rear of the field to checker fourth. Corbin Gibbs was fifth.

Rich Clouser dominated the Super Stock field in his Oldsmobile taking an easy win over Mike Peppler, Big Bob Wines, Ron Whaley, and Bomber Bill Loomis.

Brian Gingras took the lead from Michigan driver Rob Roney with two laps to go and won the Dwarf Car feature. Roney held on for second ahead of Rick Lundeen, Tom Sliwa, and Dan Nyhan.

Action continues Wednesday night at 7:30 PM.

RESULTS:
NAMARS MIDGETS
Time Trials:
1) Shane Hollingsworth, Indianapolis, IN #7 13.160 NTR
2) Bobby East, Brownsburg, IN #4 13.172
3) Teddy Beach, Donnelsville, OH #25B 13.221
4) Dave Steele, Indianapolis, IN #29 13.331
5) Jason Leffler, Columbus, IN #67 13.401
6) Tracy Hines, Greenfield, IN #11 13.441
7) Aaron Pierce, Muncie, IN #26 13.482
8) Matt Westfall, Ludlow Falls, OH #25W 13.514
9) Jimmy McCune, Sylvania, OH #21M 13.542
10) Steve Thinnes, West Chicago, IL #48 13.611
11) Rich Corson, Markham, IL #15C 13.633
12) Mike Roselli, Broadheadsville, PA #98 13.670
13) John Nervo, Akron, OH #21N 13.672
14) Dave Baumgartner, Ottawa Lake, MI #38 13.741
15) Sondi Eden, Crawfordsville, IN #15E 13.780
16) David Gough, Machesney Park, IL #5 13.801
17) Rex Norris III, Indianapolis, IN #63N 13.844
18) Adam Nuetzel, Indianapolis, IN #17 13.845
19) Justin Overfelt, Crawfordsville, IN #78 13.860
20) Rory Price, Edmonds, WA #99 13.901
21) John Batts, Advance, IN #6 13.952
22) Paul Perkins, Antioch, IL #63P 13.955
23) Gene Lee Gibson, Richwood, OH #0 13.966
24) Mel Kenyon, Lebanon, IN #61 14.091
25) Joey Coy, Hull, MA #77M 14.191
26) Jason Willis, Lawrenceburg, IN #25J 14.211
27) David Thompson, Minooka, IL #24 14.500
28) Stuart Birkinbine, Meridian, ID #2 14.533
29) Steve Craig, Leavittown, PA #55 14.621
30) Bryan Kobelarz, Birdsboro, PA #49 14.655
31) B.J. Manson, Grove City, OH #18 14.914
32) Jim Libby, Hull, MA #77L 15.222


Heat One: 1) Nervo, 2) Leffler, 3) Coy, 4) McCune
Heat Two: 1) Perkins, 2) East, 3) Nuetzel, 4) Hines
Heat Three: 1) Beach, 2) Overfelt, 3) Eden, 4) Corson
Heat Four: 1) Steele, 2) Price, 3) Roselli, 4) Westfall


SEMI: 1) Pierce, 2) Thinnes, 3) Gough, 4) Baumgartner - Did Not Make A-MAIN:
Norris III, Kenyon, Manson, Willis, Batts, Craig, Libby, Hollingsworth,
Kobelarz, Gibson.


A-MAIN FEATURE (30 Laps):
1) Jason Leffler #67
2) Tracy Hines #11
3) Dave Steele #29
4) Rich Corson #15C
5) Justin Overfelt #78
6) Teddy Beach #25B
7) Matt Westfall #25W
8) Steve Thinnes #48
9) David Gough #5
10) Dave Baumgartner #38
11) Rory Price #99
12) Paul Perkins #63P
13) Sondi Eden #15E
14) Aaron Pierce #26
15) John Nervo #21N
16) Mike Roselli #98
17) Bobby East #4
18) Adam Nuetzel #17
19) Jimmy McCune #21M
20) Joey Coy #77M


MINI STOCKS (15 Laps):
1) Rick Tumey, Deltona, FL #55
2) Matt Watts, Dade City, FL #3
3) Waylon Flynn, Charlotte, NC #6
4) Bobby Orr, Montverde, FL #30
5) Corbin Gibbs, Plant City, FL #2
6) Rick Sirmans, Pinellas Park, FL #05
7) Chris Thornton, Clearwater, FL #24
8) Tom Rose, Longwood, FL #43
9) Tim McPhail, Pinellas Park, FL #7
10) Bo Davis, Lakeland, FL #67
11) Tom Clark, Lakeland, FL #99
12) Mike Gonzalez, Land O' Lakes, FL #46
13) Tim Clark, Cocoa, FL, #15
14) Mark Gonzalez, Wesley Chapel, FL #47


SUPER STOCKS (15 Laps):
1) Rich Clouser, Grant, FL #8
2) Mike Peppler, Longwood, FL #81
3) Bob Wines, Bull Creek, FL #7B
4) Ron Whaley, New Smyrna Beach, FL #2
5) Bill Loomis, Orlando, FL #32
6) David Gould, Satellite Beach, FL #16
7) Rob Watford, Palm Bay, FL #17
8) Dean McGlothin, Palm Bay, FL #66
9) Scott Tyler, Orlando, FL #27
10) Rip Dyal, Titusville, FL #79
11) Clint McKean, St Cloud, FL #79X
12) Dick Owens, Kahuna, AL, #1
13) Darren Gould, Cocoa, FL #67
14) John Hodge, Palm Bay, FL #00 DNS


DWARF CARS (15 Laps):
1) Brian Gingras, Winter Haven, FL #21
2) Rob Roney, Holly, MI #911
3) Rick Lundeen, Jacksonville, FL #04
4) Tom Sliwa, Southfield, MI
5) Dan Nyhan, New Symrna Beach, FL #09
6) Phil Krauthoff, Stuart, FL #2
7) Bill Burback, Kissimmee, FL #77
8) Bob Quick, Jacksonville, FL #06
9) Jim Biglin, Daytona Beach, FL #07

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