by Jane Smith

(KNS-LAKELAND, FL) - Twenty Goodyear Challenge Late Models qualified in the blistering hot sun at USA International Speedway on June l. Instead of the usual Florida June weather, it was more like mid August weather - "too hot to trot."

Mike Greenwell set fast time with a 21,67 followed by Jason Boyd 21.68. Wayne Morris 21.70, Jerry Symons 21.72 and Larry Osteen 21.79. After the pill was drawn by Greenwell, it was Wayne Morris on the pole with Jason Boyd on the outside pole.

When the green flag flew, the field had grown by one and twenty one cars started. The #04 of Doug Samion, who had trouble and could not qualify, was able to make repairs and get his car into the race.

For the first eight laps, the fans held their breathe as Boyd and Morris went lap after lap side by side. Morris seemed faster in the corners but Boyd had the straightaway speed.

By lap 9, Boyd had made a clean jump to the lead followed by Morris, Greenwell, Symons, and Osteen.

By lap 11, Boyd had a good six car length lead over Morris but on lap 15, Morris had gained back some distance and tried to take the lead but could not make the pass stick.

Lap 20 saw the first of two cautions when the #31 car of Casey Johnson spun and hit the wall between turns 3 and 4 with a fire under the hood.

The Safety Crew quickly got to the #31, extinguished the fire, and towed the #31 in for the night. Lap 26, the race went green again.

Lap 29, Osteen #22 looked to make a move on Symons #66 for the fourth place position but was not able to make it work. Suddenly on lap 31, leading the race the #15 of Jason Boyd slowed and went into the pits with a broken rear-end. This gave the lead to Morris with Greenwell, Symons, Osteen and now #29 Mike Hovis in the top five.

Craig Brown #7 on lap 38 slowed and looked as though he was done but suddenly refired his car and it took off again. Before the race, Brown's crew had to put a switch in for his radio and when he used the switch, it somehow shorted his electrical system which cut the car's power. When he figured out the problem, he was able to finally get the car refired and finish the race.

Fifty laps on the board with Morris in control over Greenwell, Symons, Osteen, Hovis, #36 Tim Russell, #12 Joe Sumashey, #10 Brad Barkis, #77 Tony Amico, #34 Jeff Dufresne, and #32 Sean Murphy. On lap 67, the #43 Randy Dye pits, goes back out, and then pits again. Suddenly the #22 Osteen slows while running fifth. Osteen goes in with no oil pressure and is done for the night.

With Osteen off the track, this puts the #36 Tim Russell in the fifth place position. On lap 75, the #04 of Doug Samion started showing smoke. Samion went into the pits and his crew quickly repaired a broken oil line and he returned to the race.

On lap 82 Morris brought out the second and last caution when he had a tire go down and slighly brushed the wall between turns 1 and 2.

Morris pitted but because of the damage from the spin and brush with the wall, his crew had a terrible time changing his tire which caused him to lose the lead lap and he eventually returned to the race, now as a lap car.

The restart on lap 85 now showed Greenwell the lead car followed by Symons, Hovis, Russell and Sumashey. Hovis drops a cylinder and waves Russell by on the restart but officials don't see this and penalize Russell one lap for jumping the start at the finish.

After the race is over, Hovis told the officials he waved him to pass on the restart because of the dropped cylinder and the officials give back the position to Russell.

Lap 89 Symons started looking high, and then low to pass Greenwell for the lead. With fans cheering Symons on, he took the lead on lap 93 and took the checkers followed by #39 Mike Greenwell, #36 Tim Russell, #77 Tony Amico, #12 Joe Sumashey, #10 Brad Barkis, #32 Sean Murphy and #34 Jeff Dufresne.

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