| Driver Airlifted to Halifax as Points Wind Down and Racing gets "NUTS" | by Jane Smith
Samsula, Fla (November 1, 2003) - A perfect fall night with a half moon hanging overhead did not make racing go smoothly Saturday night at New Smyrna Speedway. With points season winding down fast, racers got alittle crazy and accidents headline Saturday night's action.
FASTRUCKS were the special feature of the night as they went for 50 laps. Marty Zehr had the pole for the 50 lap event after Tommy King set fast time. But before a lap was down, the yellow came out for Jeff Firestine who spun in turns 3 and 4.
The trucks were realigned for the restart with Zehr taking the point followed by Tim Shaffner, James Wright III, Paul Grynewicz III, Wendell Bristol, Patrick Thomas, Tommy King, Bobby Owens, Marty Wolf. and Guy Foxworth in the top ten.
Zehr holds the lead with Thomas moving to fourth and King taking fifth as the caution comes out on lap 13 for Rob Pantano who spun at the entrance to pit road. The race went back green with Zehr at the point; Zehr and Shaffner were doing some heavy side-by-side action for the lead for a few laps with James Wright III in third followed by Thomas and King.
Shaffner eventually took the point and Zehr found himself side-by-side with Wright for second. Zehr retained second as Thomas passed Wright and took over third with Wright slipping to fourth and King fifth.
On lap 17, the race was yellow flagged for the EVAC unit sitting outside the gate in to check on the modified driver who was in more pain and had to be sent to the hospital from the Modified crash. The race went back green with Shaffner, Wright, Zehr, Thomas and King in the top five from the previous lap.
Zehr was passed by King for fourth with Zehr sliding back to fifth. Caution came out for Jeff Firestine who spun at the bottom of the frontstretch. On the restart it was Shaffner, Wright, Thomas, King, Zehr, Bristol, Wolfe, Owens and Shawn Icely in the top ten.
On lap 25, King has a flat and the yellow is thrown with King sent to the rear of the field for the restart. Shaffner still holds the point followed by Wright, Thoams, Zehr, and Bristol. But before action got really going, the yellow is thrown again for Bill Stacy who spun in turns 3 and 4 hitting the outside wall. Stacy was fine but the truck was not.
On the restart, Shaffner holds the point followed by Wright, Thomas, Zehr, and Bristol. Bobby Owens hits the frontstretch wall on the start and must pit for a new tire. Top ten are now Shaffner, Wright, Thomas, Zehr, Bristol, Wolf, Icely, King, Al Neuman, and McCorvey. Lap 39, the yellow comes out for Paul Grynewicz III when he spins coming down the frontstretch ending up in the mud. The race goes back green with Shaffner, Thomas, Wright, Zehr and Bristol in the top five but before the trucks could really get going, the caution was thrown for debris on the track coming off Bristol's damaged truck. The track was cleaned and the race goes back green.
Shaffner finds his hands full of Patrick Thomas who is going side-by-side with Shaffner for the lead. These two guys put on one heck of a good show with some very clean racing. Eventually Thomas does take the lead as King challenges Shaffner for second and takes it with Shaffner sliding to third followed by Wright and Zehr.
Patrick Thomas takes the checkered and his first win in the FASTRUCK series and his first win since 2000. Tommy King protested Thomas's truck so official results are not yet in but it is Patrick Thomas with the win (pending tech inspection of his cam), Tommy King in second followed by Tim Shaffner, James Wright III and Marty Zehr.
Earl Beckner was to have the pole for the Sportsman feature but had problems and had to start in the rear with Cory Kaiser taking the pole for the race. But it was Bill Love who jumped to the lead on the green followed by Kaiser, David Williamson, Dusty Downer, and Richard Hight.
The caution came out for Dale Clouser who hit the frontstretch wall after everyone checked up for Love who had gotten squirelly coming off turn 4 going to the frontstretch. Clouser was fine but his high hopes for the night were done.
Love holds the point on the restart but loses it to Richard Hight who has shown why he is the 2003 Orlando SpeedWorld Sportsman Champion. Following Hight and taking over second is Kaiser with Love sliding to third followed by Downer and Williamson. Williamson finds himself being challenged for fifth by Mike Trocki. The caution comes out for Chris Pedulat who has spun his brand new Sportsman.
Hight holds the point on the restart followed by Kaiser, Downer, Trocki and Willamson. Williamson is being challenged by Billy Spade for fifth and Spade takes it with Williamson sliding back to sixth. Top five are now Hight, Trocki, Kaiser, Downer, and Spade but Spade develops a problem and slows beginning to slide backwards as Williamson goes back to fifth and Spade settles in at eighth.
Hight takes the checkered for his first Sportsman win at New Smyrna followed by Mike Trocki, Cory Kaiser, David Williamson, and John Nusbaum.
Mini Stocks saw Ron Dubeau on the pole but having problems going to the rear for the start with Tim "Missileman" McPhail taking over the pole. With no cautions in this race, it was McPhail, Ted Vulpius, Rex Christensen. Ron Dubeau and Rick Gamache in the top five.
McPhail and Vulpius do some great side-by-side racing for a number of laps for the lead with Vulpius finally taking the point and McPhail settling into second. Vulpius takes the checkered followed by Tim "Missileman"McPhail, Rex Christensen, Rick Gamache, and Ron Dubeau.
Jack Lenzen had the pole for the Super Stock feature but before a lap was down, the race went red flag. Going into turn 1, the racers tried to make it a four-wide run which just can't be done. Mike Amato was spun into the turn 1 wall hard with EVAC called in. Amato was out when they got to the car as his head hit the wall hard. The helicopter was called in and Amato was flown to Halifax in Daytona Beach. Last report was that Mike was in intensive care with a head injury.
When points are tight and the season is almost over, drivers can get irresponsible. On pit road before the race went back green, they were told to calm down and use their heads. Since no lap was down, the race was totally restarted.
Lenzen had the pole and quickly took the lead on the green followed by Dustin Skinner, Mike Soukup, Robert Skinner and Charlie Collins. Skinner passes Soukup for third with Soukup sliding to fourth and Jeff Colburn passing Collins for fifth. Collins slide back to sixth and fighting Ron Whaley for that position. Robert Skinner is knocked out of the top five with Soukup now in third followed by Colburn and Whaley. Lenzen takes the checkered followed by Dustin Skinner, Jeff Colburn, Ron Whaley and Charlie Collins.
Bobby Blake had the pole for the Open Wheel Modifieds but it was Matt Wheeler who jumped to the lead on the green followed by Blake, Mark Vandevender, Van Lacker, and Rob Underwood. Van Lacker is shuffled back as Jason Boyd passes Underwood and takes over the fourth place spot.
The caution is thrown when Boyd and Vandevender get too hot and heavy with Vandevender spinning. Both Boyd and Vandevender were sent to the rear for the restart.
On the restart it is Wheeler, Blake, Underwood, Van Lacker and Jon Compagnone in the top five. Boyd passes Compagnone and takes back fifth. Coming down the backstretch right at the pit gate entrance, someone spins causing a mass pile-up with Ed Kuhel involved, Jason Boyd, Jon Compagnone, Jim Coverdale and Donald Slappey.
Once again we are red flagged as EVAC is called in. Coverdale is treated but does not immediately go to the hospital but is eventually taken during the truck race. Also having problems after the wreck was Compagnone and Slappey who went to the hosptial on their own. Boyd was okay and was able to rejoin the race along with Ed Kuhel who had to do some minor repairs to his car. Information on Coverdale, Compagnone and Slappy will be furnished when available.
The race went back green with Wheeler taking the point and the checkered followed by Bobby Blake, Rob Underwood, Jason Boyd and Van Lacker.
Farris Crews had the pole for the last feature of the night, the Strictly Stocks. But it was Jeremy Hovencamp who quickly took the lead on the green followed by Crews, Jason Charsette, Theresa Trombley, and Tim Edmundson.
Hovencamp took the checkered followed by Farris Crews, Tim Edmundson, Jason Charsette, and Theresa Trombley.
Next Saturday night, the TBARA Winged Sprints will make their last appearance of 2003 at New Smyrna. Also a 50 lap Homer Gordon Sportsman race with Late Models, Open Wheel Modifieds, Super Stock, Mini Stock and Strictly Stock. This will be the end of points season also for the Modifieds and Mini Stocks.
OFFICIAL RESULTS
FASTRUCK
1. #55 Patrick Thomas (pending final tech)
2. #16 Tommy King
3. #29 Tim Shaffner
4. #56 James Wright III
5. #6 Marty Zehr
6. #21 Shawn Icely
7. #9 Marty Wolf
8. #4 Al Neuman
9. #18 Wendell Bristol
10. #25 Gary Foxworth
11. #93 Jeff Firestine
12. #78 Graham McCorvey
13. #88 Geoff Galvin
14. #47 Billy Barstow
15. #27 Jeff Moyer
16. #44 Paul Grynewicz III
17. #1 Bobby Owens
18. #15 Eddie Moran
19. #m1 Bud McIntire
20. #3 Donald Davis
21. #32 Bill Stacy
22. #03 Charlie Worth
23. #02 Rob Pantano
24. #40 Paul Grynewicz
OPEN WHEEL MODIFIEDS
1. #96 Matt Wheeler
2. #75 Bobby Blake
3. #09 Rob Underwood
4. #2x Jason Boyd
5. #1 Van Lacker
6. #7 Mark Vandevender
7. #9 Art Kunzeman
8. #5 Jon Compagnone
9. #1w Jim Coverdale
10. #91 Donald Slappey
SPORTSMAN
1. #23 Richard Hight
2. #46 Mike Trocki
3. #48x Cory Kaiser
4. #12 David Williamson
5. #70 John Nusbaum
6. #2 Bill Love
7. #13 Aaron Williamson
8. #15x Billy Spade
9. #55 Jim Snyder
10. #25 Timmy Todd
11. #18 Bryan Dula
12. #09 Dusty Downer
13. #51 Ed Kennedy
14. #75 Scott Stone
15. #3 Earl Beckner
16. #330 Joe Gerrard
17. #x Chris Peludat
18. #6 Bruce McGonicall
19. #30 Dale Clouser
SUPER STOCK
1. #211 Jack Lenzen
2. #50x Dustin Skinner
3. #3 Jeff Colburn
4. #2 Ron Whaley
5. #23 Charlie Collins
6. #45 Mike Soukup
7. #50 Robert Skinner
8. #21 Josh Wronkowski
9. #09 Aaron Williamson
10. #08x Paul Hudson
11. #20 Justin Reynolds
12. #38 Henry Rader
13. #08 Randy Martin
14. #82 Dennis Carroll
15. #17 Sean Bass
16. #2x Mike Amato
17. #4 Tim Morton
18. #31 Rick Windmer
19. #27 Barry Parks
MINI STOCKS
1. #71 Ted "Mr Mini Stock" Vulpius
2. #7 Tim "Missileman" McPhail
3. #v3 Rex Christensen
4. #71x Rich Gamache
5. #4 Ron Dubeau
6. #38 Ben Hutton
7. #50 Ray Martin
STRICTLY STOCKS
1. #39 Jeremy Hovencamp
2. #8x Farris Crews
3. #66 Tim Edmundson
4. #21 Jason Charsette
5. #8 Theresa Trombly
6. #13 Ralph Jones
7. #22 Bruce McGonial
8. #73 Jose Rivera
9. #29 Scott Cecil
10. #91 Curtis Smith
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