| Doug Heveron Bags Another Charlotte T.B.A.R.A. Victory | By C. Whalin
The fifth round of the TBARA 2003 schedule got underway at a freshly surfaced Charlotte County Speedway on Saturday night, with a healthy turnout of 21 cars.
This made for 3 heat races, each consisting of 7 cars and 8 laps. The 33c car owned and driven by John Sambor from Eustis, Florida took the pole for the first heat race and led the heat until he was passed on turn 2 of lap 3 by Shane Butler in the 18 car, who had started the heat in forth position.
Shane went on to take the checkered flag for the first heat, just as he had done at the last TBARA event at Sunshine on 3/1.
The second heat saw the 68 car owned by George Rudolph Jr. and driven by Dude Teate from Leesburg, Florida go from third to first on the first lap and stay at the front to take the win in that heat.
The third heat of the evening proved to be an event. At the first turn of the first lap, Scott Adema in the 2 car and the Joey Aguilar driving the 96 car had a meeting of metal, resulting in the 2 car performing a slow roll onto it's side. This brought out the red flag while the 2 was pushed upright. Amazingly, there was no major damage to the car or the driver and Scott chose to continue in the heat race, though he did of course have to restart at the back.
The second start of the race was disallowed, as the cars were not evenly paced as they crossed the line. So it was third time lucky for the start of heat 3. The 56 car driven by Bobby Rose started on the pole and led for the first 6 laps until it was passed by Doug Hevron in the 22 car, which went on to win the heat.
For the feature race, the 56 car lined up for it's second pole position of the night.
Joey Aguilar finished in the second spot
The race, which was to go green, white, checkered without caution, was arguably the best race of the season so far from a spectator point of view. The 56 led the field until lap 5 where it was overtaken by the 22 car, which had started in fifth position.
Also on lap 5, Sonny Hartley pulled the 32 car into the infield and retired from the race. The 22 car began to build a lead, as cars were lapped left and right. On lap 9, the 61 car owned and driven by Scott Steffe retired to the infield, as did the 80 car of Wendy Mathis on lap 21 where smoke could be seen coming from the inside of her car.
The 22 car took the checkered flag with a commanding lead over the second place car number 96 driven by Joey Aguilar, and having lapped some cars as many as 3 or 4 times.
For winning both it's heat and the feature, the 22 car also wins the Barfield's Clean Sweep award.
FEATURE
1) 22 Doug Heveron; 2) 96 Joey Aguilar; 3) 68 Dude Teate; 4) 18 Shane Butler; 5) 3X Bo Hartley; 6) 56 Bobby Rose; 7) 29 Gary Gimmler; 8) 2 Scott Adema; 9) 88 Sport Allen; 10) 19 Keith Butler; 11) 33c John Sambor; 12) 5W Randy Woodall; 13) 51 Mark Gimmler; 14) 15 Murray Hall; 15) 6 Skeeter Faulconer; 16) 47 Richard Waddell; 17) 6F Bill Pettijohn; 18) 80 Wendy Mathis DNF; 19) 61 Scott Steffe (T/P) DNF; 20) 32 Sonny Hartley DNF; 21) 3 Richard Burnett DNS
HEAT 1
1) 18 Shane Butler
2) 33c John Sambor
3) 3X Bo Hartley
4) 19 Keith Butler
5) 51 Mark Gimmler
6) 47 Richard Waddell
7) 6F Bill Pettijohn
HEAT 2
1) 68 Dude Teate
2) 32 Sonny Hartley
3) 80 Wendy Mathis
4) 88 Sport Allen
5) 5W Randy Woodall
6) 61 Scott Steffe (T/P)
7) 3 Richard Burnett
HEAT 3
1) 22 Doug Heveron
2) 96 Joey Aguilar
3) 56 Bobby Rose
4) 2 Scott Adema
5) 29 Gary Gimmler
6) 15 Murray Hall (T/P)
7) 6 Skeeter Faulconer
Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board!
<news@karnac.org>or send a letter to the editor!
|
