| Monday, December 16, 2002 | |
| CHARLOTTE ENDS RACE SEASON BY MAKING NOISE FOR TOYS | By Robin Smith Miller
 The 2002 racing season ended at Charlotte County Speedway on December 1 with the running of the Brian Davidson Memorial 150. It was the first time the traditional end to the season race had been held in the speedway in over five years.
The 150 lap limited late model is held in memory of the speedway's owner/promoter, Leroy Davidson's son, Brian, who died shortly after he helped build the three-eighths mile track in Punta Gorda.
This year, 37 stock cars, qualified for the event with North Fort Myers hotshoe, Mike "Hobo" Hovis making the fastest time in qualifying while local racing legend, Randy "Iron Man" Fox was second. Hovis dominated from the start, while Fox saw an early end after a racing altercation with Naples driver, Chris "Big Fish" Turner on Lap 43.
Both drivers went to the rear of the field but Fox soon retired to the pits with engine problems. Bokeelia's Glenn Morris dogged Hovis for the entire race but was never able to make his way around the seasoned veteran. Lehigh Acres own Smokin' Joe Sumasky held on for a third place finish while SARA late model champion, Steve Dorer and Turner rounded out the Top Five finishers.
Hovis has raced at Charlotte County Speedway since it opened its gates over a decade ago. He is a two time limited late model division champion, taking home the honors in 1994 and 1999. In the past several years, he has spent less time at the race track and more time at home with wife, Sandy, and daughter, Ashley.
The Brian Davidson Memorial victory was his first big win in over a year in his Budweiser/Denco Construction Monte Carlo. His car owner, Denny Bubar, and long time crew chief, Todd Schreffler, were the among the first to congratulate him in Victory Lane.
Thanksgiving weekend was chock full of racing events at the speedway with the last points race of the season being held in the sportsman, street stock, pure stock, mini stock, road warrior and thunder trucks divisions. Feature winners were Elbert Butts (pure stocks); John Garrett (thunder truck); Danny Yates (sportsman); Wayne Wilson (pure stock); Dale Dean III (mini stock); and Honkin' Chris Oncken (road warrior).
For the second year in a row Randy Fox will bring home the limited late model championship trophy after winning the war in a hard fought battle against past champion, Glenn Morris. Last year Fox also won the limited late model six-pack series championship, making him only the second dual points champion in the history of Charlotte County Speedway. The first driver to accomplish the feat was Chris "Big Fish" Turner of Naples who added his third open wheel modified championship trophy to his mantle this year. Turner's teammate, Scott Kleiber also of Naples, who narrowly missed taking the 2001 open wheel division title over Buckingham's Chris Dean, was declared the 2002 sportsman division champion.
The only other repeat track champion is thunder truck division champion, Cheryl "The Pearl" Weaver of Port Charlotte who also won the title in 2000. Long time racer, "Tipover" Terry Price of Punta Gorda, got his first ever championship in the street stock division. The other first time division champions are Scott McDaniel of Fort Myers in the pure stock division; Fort Myers mini stock driver, Dale Dean III; and Clete Trimmer, also of Fort Myers, in the road warrior division.
Last Saturday evening, the speedway hosted the first Noise for Toys event at the Toys R Us in Port Charlotte. Approximately 30 racing vehicles, revved their motors every 30 minutes and two pick-up truck beds full of toys were hauled away for the children of Charlotte County after the event was over.
Connie Davidson sang Christmas carols all evening and KIX Country did a live remote interviewing many of the drivers involved. The most touching gift was from Jeff Wilhite of Ocean Electric who brought a trailer filled with 75 bicycles plus extra parts. Several of the younger speedway drivers, Christy Boyette and Brandon Anderson took part in the annual Christmas Parade that day, as well.
Although the official racing season is over, many of the drivers from the speedway look forward to this weekend's second Noise for Toys event that will be held at the Wal-mart Super Center on Lee Boulevard on Friday, December 13 from 6-9 p.m. as the crowning event of the year. Last year over 30 drivers from the Speedway including Fox, Hovis, Morris, Dean, and Price brought their cars to event and enjoyed an evening of camaraderie with drivers and crews from a variety of motorsports, as well as race fans. A race car hauler full of toys a car trunk of food and over $300 was raised to give 300 of the less fortunate children of Eastern Lee County Zone a happy holiday. It is hoped this event will be even bigger. For more information on the event, call Randy Fox, Incorporated at 369-0300 or myself at 369-6999.
Following the Christmas holiday, local race fans can still see some racing action at CCS as they host their annual Eve of Destruction and New Year's Day Hangover Enduro on December 31 and January 1. The track champions and Top Ten division finishers will be honored at the points banquet that will be held on Saturday, January 4 at the Italian American Club in Punta Gorda. For more information on these events, call the speedway at 941/575-RACE.
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