| Boyd Wins Goodyear Challenge Series Opening Race at New Smyrna Speedway | by John Barker
SAMSULA, FLORIDA – Jason Boyd of Orlando, FL, driving the Tom Donnelly Plumbing Chevrolet, won the FASCAR Goodyear Challenge Series opening race by winning the Car Quest Road to Charlotte Late Model 100 Saturday night on New Smyrna (FL) Speedway.
“This car’s been fast,” said Boyd. “We built it for Speed weeks and we’re planning on running it all year.”
The winner had key race problems and stumbled several times to eventual second place finisher Larry Osteen of Clermont, FL in his Florida Auto Express Chevrolet finishing close behind the winner after some tough race battles. Boyd led for 87 circuits and Osteen five laps.
“We had carburetor problems just past lap 50,” said Boyd. “The car was fine on the backstretch then cut out on me just past the flag stand and I would bog down.”
“We made a couple of shots at Boyd, but the car was just too loose,” said Osteen. “We made a few adjustments on the front brakes and that helped the car, but I just couldn’t get up under him (Boyd). We had a good race – we were there.”
Tim Russell of Longwood, FL held off several challenges for a third place finishing effort and looked tough, but faltered just enough to drop well off the pace. Russell led the race for eight laps.
“I had a pretty good car in the beginning,” said Russell. “Then about lap 40 it (car) started fading away. The car was bad loose off the corners. I was trying to hold on as best I could and trying to run Boyd and Osteen down. I guess I used up all the tires.”
Boyd fixed early pre-qualifying problems and bested 22 Late Models by turning the three-quarter mile high banked oval in 18.684 seconds or 96.34 mph for top pole honors.
“There was a throw out bearing that was too tight this afternoon and we had to take the transmission and everything out and readjust it,” finished Boyd.
Jerry Symons of New Smyrna, FL, 2002 GCS champion, never left the pit area for driver introductions after his crew discovered a broken pinion gear.
Osteen and Boyd launched by a leading Russell during lap nine on the inside groove. Boyd then went by Osteen on the front straightaway in lap 13 to take the point.
Boyd was then followed by Osteen and Russell. Jerry Artuso of Ontario in the TD Thompson car and Bobby Orr of Montverde followed in fourth and fifth.
The father/son team of Tony Amico of Clearwater. FL and Tony Amico III of Las Vegas, NV both did a slide into the wall between turns one and two in lap 15. There were no apparent injuries.
Following a lap 28 caution, the running order was Boyd, Osteen and Russell. Artuso was fourth and Sean Murphy of Ft. Lauderdale, FL was fifth.
During lap 48, Brad May of Orlando, FL and Tony Amico got together in turn one. At halfway it was still the same running order with Boyd still leading the charge.
In lap 59, Mike Murphy moved into fifth and Chris Lawrence of Deleon Springs, FL followed and former fifth place runner Sean Murphy dropped back to seventh.
Boyd had company in lap 64 as Osteen closed it up quickly, but his handling faltered and he dropped off his charge.
During lap 76, Boyd and Osteen showed plenty of muscle by opening a 30 car lead over Russell and Artuso, who were third and fourth place race runners.
Osteen tried Boyd again during lap 90, still trying to dial the leader in, but again wasn’t able to hold a firm line and slid up high. Mike Murphy and Artuso still contested the third spot.
It was Osteen again pressuring Boyd for the lead in lap 95 through lap 97, but once again Boyd held his spot. Osteen again pressed the winner on the final circuit, but Boyd took the checkered flag.
Following Boyd and Osteen across the stripe were Russell and Artuso, who made a successful pass of Mike Murphy.
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