| Catarelli & Symons Big Winners at New Smyrna Speedway | by Jane Smith
After being rainned out the week before, the pits at
New Smyrna Speedway were full of Mini Stocks, Pro
Modifiieds, and Goodyear Challenge Late Models on
August 10th. As the sun went down and the cool air
finally came out, the stands began to fill and by
race time, they were full.
With only a few mishaps before and during qualifying,
most cars were able to make the field.
Bobby Orr #26 Late Model took a nice little spin in
practice but did not hit anything, David Castello #l
Mini Stock blew a head gasket and had to change it
before qualifying and made it barely, Brian Finney
#80 Late Model blew his motor in hot laps and was
not able to race, and Eddie Lowery #42 Mini Stock
drove all the way from Hialeah only to blow his
motor in qualifying and have to sit and watch the
race.
In spite of the head gasket problem, Castello #1
Mini Stock sat on the pole for the featured 50
lap Florida Mini Stock Challenge Race. Within
the first four laps of the race, there were three
cautions, the worse being for #5 Rick Sirmans who
blew his motor coming off turn one into turn two.
Tim "Missileman" McPhail #7 and Castello #l put
on a "edge of your seat show" as they battled for
the lead for the first third of the race. Swap-
ping back and forth to lap 17, Castello finally
was able to hold the lead while McPhail slipped
back to fourth on a restart.
Lap 20 was the end of McPhail's night as he had
to retire to the pits with a flat tire.
Robbie Storer #9 took the lead on lap 26 over
Castello, #65 Joey Catarelli, Corbin Gibbs, and
Frank Welch. But just a few laps later, lap
31, Catarelli slipped into the 2nd place spot
putting Castello third.
Catarelli maintained his steam and was able
to take the lead over Storer and keep it to
take the checkered. Following Storer was
Gibbs, Castello, Welch, and Gibbs.
Jared Allison #4 sat on the pole for the 50
lap Pro Modified race. As the green was
thrown, it was Allison and #5 Brian Campbell
fighting it out for the top place. But
lap 5, it was #66 Jerry Symons showing the
group that he had the muscle and the power
to take the lead and never let it go.
With only two cautions in this 50 lap race,
it was more "non-stop racing action" than
slow moving caution laps. Symons was the
man and everyone could see it.
Following Symons to the checkered was #5
Bryan Campbell, #0l J.F. McClellan, #2x
Bobby Blake and #15 Tank Tucker.
For the 100 lap Goodyear Challenge Late Model
race it was Jerry Symons #66 and Wayne Morris
#07 sitting side by side for the green. Symons
had the pole but there was nothing more that
Morris wanted than to win that race.
On the first half lap of the race, there was a
caution. Bobby Orr #26 and #lx Kenny Crites
and #43 Randy Dye all got together going into
turn one. Orr and Crites suffered body damage
but not severe enough to stop their racing and
Dye was able to continue.
Total restart with a few new modifieds as Symons
once again jumped to the lead over Morris and #22
Larry Osteen.
On lap 4 the #43 Dye pitted but does return to the
track on lap 21. Orr #26 retires to the pits on
lap 10 with his night done.
Larry Osteen #22 slides big time coming off turn 4
on lap 25 but managed a great save and keeping his
third place spot.
With only four cautions in this 100 lap race, there
was plenty of green flag laps. The top five stayed
the same until lap 75 when #22 Osteen hit the turn
3 and 4 wall when his tire went down. This put #29
Mike Hovis in the third spot, #05 Joe Artuso in the
fourth spot and #32 Sean Murphy fifth.
Lap 89, everything seemed to change. Symons is
leading with Morris in second and Hovis third.
The fourth and fifth place cars, #05 Artuso and
#32 Murphy, touch sending Artuso spinning. Both
are sent to the rear of the lead lap which put
the #lx Kenny Crites and #77 Tony Amico in the
fourth and fifth place spots.
Last ten laps must be green. On lap 96, the #7
Craig Brown hit the inside pit wall coming off turn
3 but does not cause a caution and finishes the
race.
Following Symons to the checkered was #07 Wayne
Morris, #29 Mike Hovis, #lx Kenny Crites and #77
Tony Amico.
The #36 Tim Russell was not able to make the race
as he had engine problems right before the race.
He was in his car and ready to go on the track
when water showed up at the wrong place.
Also, the #30 Rich Clouser did a great job of NEVER
giving up. Clouser had mechanical problems and
would have to pit but he never stopped trying and
would keep on truckin and that is what it is all
about, YOUR BEST.
OFFICIAL RESULTS
Florida Mini Stock Challenge
l. #65 Joey Catarelli
2. #9 Robbie Storer
3. #l David Castello
4. #2 Corbin Gibbs
5. #96 Frank Welch
6. #87x Burt Morse
7. #24 Chris Thornton
8. #3 Steve Griffin
9. #45 Joe Irwin
10. #02 Wes Pyburn
11. #15 Tim Clark
12. #23 Wayne Wells
13. #40 Dennis Valdez
14. #89 Scott Sharpe
15. #16 Chase Goodson
16. #7x Clint Foley
17. #86 Whitnee Shaffer
18. #77 Tamey Williams
19. #03 Eddie Lowery
20. #98 Jeff Davis
21. #70 Marty Neikens
22. #5 Chris Johnson
23. #33 Bob Delmastro
24. #7 Tim McPhail
25. #36 Whit Satterwhite
26. #29 Richie Acres
27. #v3 Rex Christian
28. #99x Rick Tumey
29. #4 Ron Dubeau
30. #30 Jerry Smith
31. #05 Rick Sirmans
32. #ll2 Justin Edwards
33. 82 Jimmy Warran
PRO MODIFIED
1. #66 Jerry Symons
2. #5x Brian Campbell
3. #01 J.F. McClellan
4. #2x Bobby Blake
5. #15 Tank Tucker
6. #57 Jim "Hoot" Flynn
7. #32 Red Vann
8. #7 Mark Vandebender
9. #4 Jared Allison
10. #00 Brad May
11. #99x Raymond Vann
12. #25 Mike Wilson
13. #19 Tom Root
14. #00x Wayne Southard
15. #l8x Michael Seeright
16. #ll Jim Coverdale
17. #l Andy Saffioti
18. #68 Robert Klinke
19. #3 Wayne Parker
20. #721 John Bennett
GOODYEAR CHALLENGE LATE MODEL
1. #66 Jerry Symons
2. #07 Wayne Morris
3. #29 Mike Hovis
4. #lx Kenny Crites
5. #77 Tony Amico
6. #32 Sean Murphy
7. #05 Jerry Artuso
8. #7 Craig Brown
9. #04 Doug Samion
10. #43 Randy Dye
11. #l Fain Skinner
12. #22 Larry Osteen
13. #30 Rich Clouser
14. #ll Jeremy Fitch
15. #46 Doug Moff
16. #26 Bobby Orr
17. #77x Tony Amico III
18. #36 Tim Russelll (did not start)
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