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| Brian Finney blows away Florida Pro Foes at Columbia Motorsports Park | by Dave Westerman
Merritt Island's Brian Finney and his Bob Steele Chevrolet crew had his Monte Carlo dialed in perfectly Saturday night as Finney dominated all 125 laps of racing as the Florida Pro Series Super Late Models finally got their second race of the year in the books.
Newcomer Marc Mitchell of Tallahassee made an immediate impact as the only car to run in the sixteen second bracket in time trials turning a quick lap of 16.970. However, Mitchell's car came up light on the scales and his time was disallowed. After some discussion, Mitchell and his crew opted not to add weight and begin the race from the back of the grid, instead loading up and heading back to the State Capitol.
Thus, defending FPS Rookie of the Year Jay Middleton ended up with quick time in the North Florida Medical machine and he drew a six while Finney, who timed second quick, drew the pole with point leader Wayne Anderson on the outside of the front row.
Finney snared the lead at the drop of the green with Anderson quickly following him into turn one, however caution would fly just as the field was completing the opening lap.
Fourth-starting Jonny Kay got a bit high in turn four and spun around, backing into the turn four wall just hard enough to end his race much earlier than planned.
On the restart, Finney, Anderson, and Michael Faulk began to pull away from the rest of the field. Meanwhile, Jacksonville's David Browning, who missed practice and qualifying and started dead last, had already moved up five spots by lap fifteen. By lap 20, 11th starter Jeff Scofield had moved up to fifth and was coming strong.
Two laps later, Scofield moved into fourth spot, but leader Finney was already a half lap in front of him with Anderson still second but unable to match the speed of Finney's machine.
Scofield was still on the move taking third from Faulk on lap 36. Browning was not far behind and charging as well until his engine soured on lap 48 and he retired from the event.
The field stayed under green until lap 51 when Faulk spun while battling Rich Pratt for fourth, losing two laps in the process.
Once again, there was another long green flag run which was working to Finney's advantage. By halfway, only seven cars were on the lead lap: Finney, Anderson, Scofield, David Froelich, Middleton, Pratt and Doyle Boatwright.
Kent Bissell spun on lap 75 for the third caution of the race. On the restart, the engine in Kevin Finney's machine blew going into turn one coating the track with oil and bringing out the red flag for a long clean-up.
Once the green flew, it finally looked like Anderson might have something for Finney, but as the laps clicked off, Finney again began to pull away to a comfortable advantage.
The final yellow flag would come out on lap 118 as David Froelich lost power in his mount while running fourth. As other drivers took evasive action, Rich Pratt looped his car at the top of turn one but he remained on the lead lap.
Anderson did his best to make the five lap dash for the checker interesting, but Brian Finney had the field covered on this night and he sped to his second career Florida Pro Series win, picking up an extra cash bonus as well from Troy Groeb of Groeb Farms near Ocala.
Anderson held off Scofield for third spot with Middleton fourth and Boatwright fifth. Pratt finished sixth, on the lead lap, slowed by a spark plug wire that apparently got knocked off during his spin.
Michael Faulk, driving for Blake Construction, and Georgia's David Hodges, Jr. were seventh and eighth, both two laps down. Kent Bissell was ninth, three laps back while Froelich was credited with 119 laps, good enough for tenth spot.
No rest for the weary as the Florida Pro Series drivers head for Hialeah Speedway on May 24th to make up the race rained out two weeks ago, the come right back to Columbia Motorsports Park on May 31st for another 125 lap event.
FLORIDA PRO SERIES RESULTS - COLUMBIA MOTORSPORTS PARK - 5/10/03:
1) Brian Finney, Merritt Island #80
2) Wayne Anderson, Wildwood #84
3) Jeff Scofield, Plant City #07
4) Jay Middleton, Lake City #74
5) Doyle Boatwright, Starke #57
6) Rich Pratt, Anthony #0
7) Michael Faulk, Gainesville #25
8) David Hodges, Jr., Valdosta, GA #16
9) Kent Bissell, O'Brien #97
10) David Froelich, Loxahatchee #22
11) Steve Lamb, Miami #99
12) Jimmy Britts, Orange Park #92
13) Kevin Finney, Merritt Island #180
14) David Browning, Jacksonville #6
15) Fain Skinner, Live Oak #1
16) Jonny Kay, Deerfield Beach #77
DNS Marc Mitchell, Tallahassee #17
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