Larry Osteen Winner At USA International Speedway | By John Barker
Veteran Larry Osteen used both patience and experience in lapped traffic claiming victory in the "Racing for Kids" FASCAR Goodyear Challenge Series 100 on Saturday night at USA International Speedway.
Osteen had a busy triple-header night running a Sunbelt race, the Goodyear Challenge and Pro-Modified feature.
"The crew did a great job," said Osteen, driving his Florida Auto Express Super Late Model car. "It was just hooked up and that makes it easy to drive."
Sean Murphy held the point until Osteen passed him in lap 94 with a little nudge, but still was a very dominant car this night.
"The car ran great tonight, but toward the end it got a little loose and Larry got under me and bumped me out of the way," said Murphy.
"It was a great race and he (Osteen) raced me clean. I'm just glad we came out of here in one piece."
Jason Boyd of Orlando in his Tom Donnelly Plumbing ride was third.
Rounding out the top five were Brent O'Neill in the ROL Gaskets ride and Chad Pierce in the Architectural Sheet Metal car.
Bobby Beauchimin set fast time turning USA in 21.564 seconds during his second lap for a speed of 125.21 mph in a 27-car qualifying field and drew the number five for inversion.
Osteen, Chad Pierce and O'Neill each posted exact runs for second, third and fourth place speeds of 124.84 mph.
Murphy led from the opening lap and by lap-13, O'Neill, Beauchimin, Osteen and Pierce were scrambling for a run at the leader.
Joe Sumasky spun on the back straightaway slowing the front running cars and on the lap-21 restart it was Murphy, Beauchimin, Osteen, Jason Boyd and O'Neill.
Osteen worked Beauchimin hard for second, but backed off for his next charge. In lap-28, Boyd slipped by Osteen for third.
At halfway it was still Murphy, Beauchimin, Boyd, Osteen and O'Neill.
Osteen mounted his charge again in some close side-by-side racing trying to pass Boyd and did so by lap-52. Osteen was once again moving quickly in an effort to take second from Beauchimin doing so in lap-63.
The running order was now Murphy, Osteen, Beauchimin, Boyd and O'Neill on the restart.
Murphy opened a huge lead in lap 68, but a caution in lap-69 slowed his fast-moving progress. In lap-75, Osteen was moving on the leading Murphy.
Beauchimin pushed to the wall in turn two in lap-86 and the running order changed to Murphy, Osteen, Boyd, O'Neill and Pierce.
Osteen took the point in lap-94 with a nudge of Murphy in turn two and crossed the stripe in the final lap followed by Murphy, Boyd, O'Neill and Pierce. Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board! <news@karnac.org>or send a letter to the editor!
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