Saturday, August 30, 2003 Wild Night at Orlando SpeedWorld and the best part, NO RAIN by Jane Smith Bithlo, Fla (August 29, 2003) It may have been very humid Friday night at Orlando SpeedWorld but both heats and features were able to run after two weeks off from rainouts. Even with a three day weekend this weekend, a good number of drivers showed just to feel the heat of the asphalt once again. Gerald White, Jr. had the pole for the Bandolero Bandits and quickly jumped to the lead on the green followed by Matthew Jarrett, Derrick Wood, Hunter Robbins, and Chad Akins. Akins moved to fourth puttling Robbins to fifth as Wood took over second and Jarrett slide to third. Blake Eden moves into fifth putting Robbins sixth. With no cautions in this feature, it was Chad Akins who got the last minute pass to take the win over Gerald White, Jr., Derrick Wood, Blake Eden, and Hunter Robbins. Kevin Henry showed once again that he is has a very good Bandolero Young Gun machine as he had the pole and won from the pole. Henry quickly took the point on the green followed by Chelsea Schilling, Jessica Murphy, Scott Jarrett and Nicholas Wesnick. Kelly brought out the only caution of the feature as he spun in turn 3. Henry held the point on the restart and took the checkered followed by Chelsea Schilling, Blake Diecks, Jessica Murphy and #45. After running the heat races and with the track very wet in turns 1 and 2, it was decided that all feature races would start single file for the safety of the drivers. The low line was just a little slippery. Jim "Hoot" Flynn had the pole for the 15 lap Open Wheel Modified feature in his new brightly painted No. 57. One of those paint jobs that really catches your eye. But before a lap was down, Flynn brought out the yellow as he spun going into turn 1. The field was realigned, single file, with Flynn taking the point on the green. Dave Riley brought out the next caution as he spun in turns 3 and 4. Riley was able to continue but had to rejoin the field in the rear. Flynn held the point on the restart followed by Lynn Dicandio, Jason Boyd, Shane Held and Matt Wheeler. Shane Held brought out the next caution as he spun in turns 1 and 2 and had to retire to the pits for a quick tire change. The field was realigned and the race was green with Flynn and Boyd going side-by-side for the lead. Coming off 4, it almost looked like the two were hung-up as they were as close as close could get. Dicandio, who was running third, had no where to go with the two front cars tied up and hits Boyd's car. The race goes yellow as Boyd is towed in and Dicandio retires to the pits for a quick tire change as the incident had given him a right front flat. The race restarts with Matt Wheeler on the point followed by Glenn Bradley, Dave Riley, Ken McCracken, and Chris Gilespie. But before a lap could be completed, the yellow was thrown again for Flynn who had spun in turns 1 and 2 in the water. This gave Held and Dicandio enough time to get their tires changed and rejoin the field on the same lap as no lap was down in the books from the restarts. Wheeler held the point on the restart and took the checkered followed by Glenn Bradley, Dave Riley, Jim "Hoot" Flynn, and Shane Held. Shane Held and Jim "Hoot" Flynn took the heat wins. Bob Beiler, with his No. 44 "Banana Boat", took his first win Friday night as he led the Super Stock feature from green to checkered. Beiler, who has come close but not quite gotten that first win, did a great job Friday night. Beiler had the pole and jumped to the early lead over Cory Freed, Rich Clouser, Sean Bass, and Justin Reynolds. Reynolds brought out the caution as he spun coming off turn 2 but was able to continue racing. The race went back green with Beiler on the point and Freed in second. But it was the third, fourth and fifth place cars of Clouser, Bass and Whaley who decided to try the "oreo" cookie pass in a very slick turns 1 and 2. With Whaley high, Bass in the middle and Clouser on the bottom in the middle of 1 and 2, you knew something was going to happen. Clouser slide up when he hit the water hitting Bass who in turn hit Whaley who decided it was time to do some wall climbing. Whaley took a wild ride climbing halfway up the wall, looking like he was going to tip, and then coming back down on all fours. All were fine but none were happy. Beiler holds the point on the restart and takes his first win followed by Cory Freed, Rich Clouser, Ron Whaley and Sean Bass. Cory Freed and Bob Beiler took the heat wins. Dick Laszlo had the pole for the Mini Stock feature and jumped to the early lead on the green followed by Scott Reeves, R.J. Arnone, Tim "Missileman" McPhail and Chad Ashley. Reeves powers to the lead putting Laszlo second. The yellow is thrown to check the track. On the restart, it is Tim "Missileman" McPhail on the point followed by R.J. Arnone, Chad Ashley, Robbie Storer, and Randy Blakeslee. Ashley and Storer pass Arnone putting Arnone fourth with Ashely in second and Storer in third. Ashley then catches McPhail and takes the lead with Storer coming along and McPhail settling into third. While running fifth, Blakeslee begins to slow and is out of the race with mechanical problems. This puts Scott Reeves into the fifth place spot. Storer looks every way he can to pass Ashley for the lead but Ashley holds tight and strong and takes the checkered for his first win at Orlando SpeedWorld. Following Ashley to the checkered was Robbie Storer, Tim "Missileman" McPhail, R.J. Arnone, and Scott Reeves. Robbie Storer and Chad Ashley took the heat wins. Wayne Anderson made a surprise visit to SpeedWorld Friday night getting his car tuned up for the Florida Pro race at Columnbia Motorsports Park. Anderson had the pole for the feature race and quickly took the point on the green followed by B.J. McLeod, Rick Bates, Greg Brooks, and Jim Tasker. The first caution came out for Rick Lyons whose machine suddenly blew out a huge black smoke screen causing Scott McKinley to spin in turn 3 in the smoke. The cars were checked and Lyons cars seemed to be okay. Anderson holds the point on the restart followed by McLeod, Rusty Ebersole, Bates, and Brooks. As McLeod hangs tight to the rear-end of Anderson, the two lap the field up to the fourth place car of Bates. Greg Brooks spun in turns 3 and 4 bringing out the last yellow. Anderson holds the point, although he seems to be firing earlier and earlier, and takes the checkered followed by B.J. McLeod, Rusty Ebersole, Rick Bates, and Mack Hanbury. Wayne Anderson and Rusty Ebersole took the heat wins. Next up was the Sportsman feature. Our No. 50 Sportsman, Justin Hall of Titusville, just became a new dad on August 28. Gracie Luella Hall was born at 12:12 p.m. and weighed 7 pounds and 10 ounces. Welcome to our family Gracie!!! Bill Hall had the pole for the Sportsman feature and took the lead on the green followed by Justin Hall, Donnie Smith, Richard Hight and Cory Kaiser. Smith put the medal to the pedal and passed Justin Hall then Bill Hall and took the lead with Richard Hight on his coattails. Justin Hall spun in the water at the bottom of turn 2 but kept on racing with no yellow being thrown. But over on the frontstretch Charlie Vest spun also bringing out the yellow. The field is realigned. Smith once again holds strong with the lead and takes his second win of the season followed by Richard Hight, Robert Hight, Bill Hall and Danny Shearer. Richard Hight took the heat win. Richie Laszlo had the pole for the Strictly Stock feature and lead from green to checkered. Following Laszlo across the checkered was Greg Bruce, Eric Hodge, and Tony Bell. Richie Laszlo took the heat win. Everyone at Orlando SpeedWorld would like to wish Ray Crews a fast recovery. Ray is the gas man at both Orlando SpeedWorld and New Smyrna Speedway and is going thru some health problems. We love you Ray and miss you. Get well soon. Next weekend at Orlando SpeedWorld, 50 laps of Pro Modified action plus Super Lates, Sportsman, Super Stock, Mini Stock and Strictly Stock. And don't forget, Orlando SpeedWorld will have plenty of Saturday action on September 6 as the Classic Auto Racing Series, Legends, Mod Lites, Pro Challenge, TQ Late Models, Mini Cup and Bandoleros return to the high banks of Orlando SpeedWorld. OFFICIAL RESULTS BANDOLERO BANDITS 1. #60 Chad Akins 2. #38 Gerald White, Jr. 3. #33 Derrick Wood 4. #17 Blake Eden 5. #18 Ryan Rust 6. #9 Matthew Jarrett BANDOLERO YOUNG GUNS 1. #9 Kevin Henry 2. #75 Chelsea Schilling 3. #26 Blake Diecks 4. #40 Jessica Murphy 5. #45 6. #7 Nickolas Wesnick 7. #97 Scott Jarrett SUPER LATES 1. #84 Wayne Anderson 2. #78 B.J. McLeod 3. #47 Rusty Ebersole 4. #4 Rick Bates 5. #45 Mack Hanbury 6. #44 Greg Brooks 7. #96 Dick Ruckh 8. #5 Rick Lyons 9. #112 Scott McKinley 10. #19 Jim Tasker OPEN WHEEL MODIFIEDS 1. #96 Matt Wheeler 2. #4 Glenn Bradley 3. #05 Dave Riley 4. #57 Jim "Hoot" Flynn 5. #55 Shane Held 6. #56 Ken McCracken 7. #20 Lynn Dicandio 8. #20G Chris Gilespie 9. #2x Jason Boyd SPORTSMAN 1. #48 Donnie Smith 2. #23 Richard Hight 3. #13 Robert Hight 4. #56 Bill Hall 5. #77 Danny Shearer 6. #50 Justin Hall 7. #26 Charlie Vest 8. #48x Cory Kaiser MINI STOCK 1. #07 Chad Ashley 2. #9 Robbie Storer 3. #7 Tim "Missileman" McPhail 4. #88 R.J. Arnone 5. #21 Scott Reevs 6. #28 Sean Bass 7. #72 Matt Roller 8. #77b Randy Blakeslee 9. #10-J Michael Seay 10. #07 Dick Laszlo SUPER STOCK (only top 5 available) 1. #44 Bob Beiler 2. #12 Cory Freed 3. #L3 Rich Clouser 4. #2 Ron Whaley 5. #17 Sean Bass STRICTLY STOCKS 1. #07 Richie Laszlo 2. #4u Greg Bruce 3. #00 Eric Hodge 4. #15 Tony Bell Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board! <news@karnac.org>or send a letter to the editor!