| Cope Comes From the Back to Win 2003 Florida Pro Series Finale, Middleton Takes FPS Title, Johnson Wins Tommy Parker Memorial | by Dave Westerman
Jimmy Cope of Pinellas Park lived up to his nickname "Mr. Excitement" as he raced from the rear of the starting grid to take the lead with 67 laps remaining and coasted to victory in the Jim Douglas Chevrolet Suwannee 200 at Columbia Motorsports Park.
Jay Middleton Claims Florida Pro Title
The race concluded the 2003 season for the Florida Pro Super Late Model Series. Jay Middleton came home a strong third in the race and claimed the 2003 Florida Pro Series Championship, the first title of any kind in stock cars for the young Lake City, FL driver.
The companion Tommy Parker Memorial for Open Wheel Modifieds was dominated by Tallahassee's Mike Johnson.
Qualifying for the Florida Pro Series cars was held Saturday night with bitter cold temperatures no fun for the drivers, crews and fans, but just right for the engines as Wayne Anderson and Patrick Williams blistered the track at a near record pace to set the two quickest times over a 24 car field.
The icy evening gave way to beautiful clear skies and warm temperatures by Sunday afternoon. The field was increased by four as several drivers who had raced in the AACS event at DeSoto Speedway the night before signed in to race in the morning, led by Cope. Scot Walters, who won the AACS race Saturday, was also on hand along with Jeff Scofield and Jeff Sloan.
Wayne Anderson drew an eight for the inversion, then promptly placed himself on the outside pole in the re-draw. Rookie of the Year Mike Faulk drew the number one and started from the pole.
Third starting Brian Finney spun in turn four and a full restart was
ordered. Terry Cater's machine received front end sheet metal damage in the ensuing melee in a bit of deja vu as the same thing happened to him at the Ocala Speedway Fall Festival two weeks before. Despite dragging a fender, Cater was able to continue.
The second try was much better and Faulk was able to snare the early lead despite a hard try by Wayne Anderson. Faulk was ahead by a fender when caution flew on lap two for David Hussey's spin in turn three.
Anderson continued to press Faulk for the top spot and got by on lap 14 only to see the red flag unfurled as Georgia driver Dwight Thompson blew the engine in his Pontiac going into turn one.
Reverting back to the last green flag lap, Faulk was placed back at the head of the field for the restart.
It didn't take long for Anderson to put his Calabrese Racing/Airframe International Chevy out front though with Brian Finney also passing Faulk and beginning to put the pressure on Anderson. Meanwhile, Jimmy Cope, who had started 24th in the 28 car field, was already up to 12th by lap 25.
Debris on the track slowed the pace on lap 26 and Hussey spun again to bring out another caution on lap 31. Tal Etheridge, another Georgia visitor, slid off the track trying to avoid Hussey and had to pit with a flat tire.
Cope was flying, taking eighth spot on lap 41 just before Jeff Sloan slid off the track in turn two on lap 41. Sloan's car hit the dirt bank and did a complete flip in a huge cloud of dust.
Sloan was not hurt and unbelievably drove his machine back to the pits but was not able to return to racing.
At this point both Ona, WV driver Gary Chapman (in the Armstrong Homes car) and Hubert Simmons, Jr. also parked their mounts for the balance of the event.
Wayne Anderson and Brian Finney continued to set a blistering pace but were slowed again on lap 69 as caution came out for some back markers who decided to race through the infield in turn one and kick dirt on the race track. By now, Cope had moved up to sixth while Jeff Scofield retired from the event, his car never really running as he'd hoped.
Al Berry spun on the front stretch to bring out the caution on lap 79. Just after the restart, Cope passed Dick Anderson for fifth then took fourth from Patrick Williams on lap 92.
On lap 94, Mac Johnson slid off the track in turn four to bring out the caution, losing a lap to the leaders before he could get back on track. The field took the half way signal under caution and headed to the pits for the mandatory half-race pit stop for fuel. Crews were also allowed to change tires and make any other adjustments they could in the nine non-counting laps being made by the Jim Douglas Chevrolet Silverado Super Sport Pick-up Pace Truck.
The top ten at 100 laps were Wayne Anderson, Brian Finney, Jay Middleton, Jimmy Cope, Patrick Williams, Fain Skinner, Rick Carlton, Dick Anderson, Mike Faulk and Doyle Boatwright.
Cope looked to be even faster after his pit stop as he dogged Middleton for nine laps before taking third place on lap 109. Rick Carlton's good run ended as his car slowed and he headed to the pits on lap 114.
Cope dispatched Finney from second with Middleton following into third spot as Finney's car didn't appear as strong after the mid race stop.
After leading the open laps, Mike Faulk's car began to go away on him and he eventually brought his machine to the pits on lap 125, costing him his shot at the 2003 title as he entered the race as the only driver with a chance to overtake Middleton. Faulk, however, had already wrapped up the 2003 FPS Rookie of the Year crown.
The field continued to run under green and Cope began to stalk Wayne
Anderson for the lead, diving past for the top position on lap 133 just a lap before caution flew for Terry Cater who stalled in turn four.
Cope was on rails and quickly pulled out to a big lead. The race would be slowed only twice more; on lap 142 for Tal Etheridge going off track in turn three and for a scary Kevin Dicks spin on the front straight. Both drivers were able to continue. Patrick Williams, driving Jay Middleton's back-up car, had a good run going until something broke and sent him pitside at lap 161.
The final 14 laps were all green and Cope was in a class to himself as he took the checker for his third Suwannee 200 win. Wayne Anderson came home a distant second with Middleton doing just what he needed to win the championship by finishing third. Dick Anderson, driving son Wayne's "house" car trying to work out some handling problems, made the right changes during the mid race stop and drove back up to fourth at the finish with Fain Skinner driving a steady heads-up race to nab fifth place.
Brian Finney wound up sixth with Scot Walters coming home seventh. Doyle Boatwright was eighth with Kevin Finney ninth. Mac Johnson was one of the fastest cars on the track at the end, but could never make up the lap he lost. Still Johnson wound up tenth.
The Open Wheel Modifieds moved on track under a setting sun for the Tommy Parker Memorial 50 lap event. Tallahassee's Mike Johnson set fast time on Saturday night, but would have to start sixth.
Pole sitter Jamie Burrows took the early lead and was actually passed for the top spot by both J.F. McClellan and Jason Garver during the first 15 laps only to see those passes nullified by yellow flags.
During a lap five yellow, McClellan had to pit to get body work off his left rear tire while Johnson was sent to the pits to check a possible fuel leak that was actually discovered to be coming out of the overflow. Johnson made it back on track just in time to take the green, but was all the way at the back of the field.
Burrows continued to hold the point, but Johnson was a rocket using a lap ten caution to close up on the front runners and then taking the lead from Burrows on lap 16.
Brian Campbell, who won at New Smyrna Speedway the night before, started dead last in the field, but was second by lap 22 but obviously had nothing for Johnson who was in a class by himself.
There was plenty of wild action over the final 25 laps producing three more cautions, but there were no serious incidents. The caution flags worked to McClellan's favor as he was able to close in on Campbell and eventually make the pass for second place on lap 41.
Johnson would not be denied this one as he took an easy win trailed by McClellan and Campbell. Steve Brickhouse ran in the top five all day and eventually wound up fourth just ahead of Charles Seroki. Burrows, Mike Bennett, Greg Nordstrom, Gene Owen and Buddy Hughes completed the top ten.
OFFICIAL FINISH -FLORIDA PRO SERIES JIM DOUGLAS CHEVROLEY SUWANNEE 200:
POS DRIVER and HOMETOWN LAPS COMPLETED
1) Jimmy Cope, Pinellas Park #61 200
2) Wayne Anderson, Wildwood #84 200
3) Jay Middleton, Lake City #74 200
4) Dick Anderson, Wildwood #04 200
5) Fain Skinner, Live Oak #1 200
6) Brian Finney, Merritt Island #80 200
7) Scot Walters, Naples #2 200
8) Doyle Boatwright, Lawtey #57 200
9) Kevin Finney, Merritt Island #180 200
10) Mac Johnson, Newberry #6B 199
11) Steve Lamb, Miami #13 199
12) Kevin Dicks, Lake City #38 199
13) Jody Turner, Jacksonville #7 197
14) Craig Seewald, Hollywood #44 192
15) Tal Etheridge, Sylvester, GA #8 179
16) David Hussey, St. Mary's #32 173
17) Patrick Williams, Archer #4 161
18) Terry Cater, Hernando #99 133
19) Mike Faulk, Gainesville #25 125
20) Jimmy Andrews, Keystone Heights #88 120
21) Al Berry, Alachua #53 120
22) Rick Carlton, Homosassa #3 114
23) Kent Bissell, O'Brien #97 104
24) Jeff Scofield, Plant City #07 73
25) Gary Chapman, Ona, WV #5 60
26) Hubert Simmons, Jr., Hudson #71 58
27) Jeff Sloan, Beverly Hills #31 41
28) Dwight Thompson, Fitzgerald, GA #19 14
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