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| Fain Skinner Ocala Winner In FASCAR Sunbelt Supers | by Jane Smith
-KARNAC.com
Samsula, Fla. (April 16, 2004) Nineteen of Florida's finest Super Late Model drivers came to Ocala Speedway on a cool spring night to run the second race with the Team FASCAR Sunbelt Super Late Model Series. This marked the Sunbelt's first visit to Ocala Speedway for some drivers.
Local favorite of the crowd, Rich Pratt, went out and set fast time with a 14.780 lap. All top five qualifiers passed tech and Pratt pulled the number 5 pill which inverted the top five putting Jonny Kay of Deerfield Beach on the pole for the 125 lap event.
The drivers were introduced to the excited crowd one by one which a few of Ocala's own Super Late Model drivers being especially welcomed for this event. The warm welcome made the racers feel good and the race alot more exciting.
After some warm up laps to heat up the tires, it was time to see the green. The green was thrown with Jonny Kay and Brian Finney going side-by-side for the number one spot followed by Wayne Anderson, Patrick Williams, and Rich Pratt.
By lap four, Kay had taken the lead with Finney falling back to third and Anderson moving up to second. Now it was Anderson chasing Kay for the lead. Ricky Carlton, who started 11th, was on the move and had moved into ninth as Mike Bresnahan slide back to 11th.
On lap 25 Scotty Crockett found his hands full as he, Brock Oglesby and Mike Bresnahan were going three wide for the same spot. Crockett squirrels alittle but quickly corrects the car. But just two laps later, the first caution came out on lap 27 as the two leaders Kay and Anderson have gotten together on the backstretch when the lap car of John Buzinec of Bellview slowed in front of the approaching leaders.
Buzinec was black flagged and Kay and Anderson were in the pits for repairs. The race restarted on lap 35 with new leader Rich Pratt on the point followed by Brian Finney, Patrick Williams, Dick Anderson and Michael Williams.
Lap 37 sees Patrick Williams move into second with Dick Anderson following into third. Michael Williams holds strong in fourth with Brian Finney and Ricky Carlton doing some side-by-side action for fifth. Finney gets hung out on the outside and slides back to tenth.
On lap 47 as the guys are really going hard at it, the lights go down on the back half of the track. The cars are stopped on the frontstretch because you can't race in the dark and electricians set to work to correct the problem. About 30 minutes later, the lights begin to come back up, drivers are restrapped into their cars and it is balls to the wall once again.
Pratt holds the point on the restart followed by Patrick Williams, Dick Anderson, Michael Williams and Ricky Carlton.
Oglesby, who has been running a very good race, slips and slides back to tenth as his car just does not seem to want to handle right for him.
By lap 57, it is Pratt, Patrick Williams, Dick Anderson, Ricky Carlton, Fain Skinner, Michael Williams, Scotty Crockett, Brian Finney, Daniel Keene, Jr. and Brock Oglesby in the top ten. Lap 64, Patrick Williams and Dick Anderson are hard and heavy, nose-to-tail.
Williams gets loose, Anderson checks up to let Williams regather as Carlton taps Anderson sending both Williams and Anderson in a spin. Williams and Anderson go to the rear of the lead lap and Carlton keeps his position as it was ruled just a racing incident.
After working his way back from the rear, Brian Finney and Scott Crockett are going hard and heavy on the restart on lap 70. Finney spins as they touch slightly and retires his car into the pits, done after a very good run. The race goes back green on lap 75 as Pratt leads the way followed by Ricky Carlton, Michael Williams, Fain Skinner, and Daniel Keene Jr.
Scotty Crockett brings out the yellow on lap 82 as he spins and ends up against the turn 4 wall. Crockett is fine and continues racing. Pratt holds the point but the yellow comes out again on lap 92 for Mike Bresnahan who has spun in turn 4.
The race restarts on lap 95 with Pratt, Carlton, Williams, Skinner, Keene, Kay, Anderson, Ryan Foster, Scotty Crockett, Patrick Williams and Mike Bresnahan in the top ten. Kay brings out the yellow on lap 99 when he spins on the backstretch.
Lap 107 sees the green again as Pratt leads the way. Ricky Carlton and Michael Williams are going hard and heavy as they touch on lap 112 causing Carlton to spin. The officials rule that both cars must go to the rear of the lead lap changing the top five running order to Pratt, Skinner, Keene, Dick Anderson and Ryan Foster.
But Foster's good night would be interrupted as he brought out the yellow on lap 117 as he spun on the frontstretch. Foster now finds himself in the rear of the lead lap cars for the restart.
Pratt holds the point on the restart on lap 117 with Skinner, Keene, Anderson and Scotty Crockett taking over the fifth place. Lap 122, Pratt gets alittle loose and Skinner sees his chance. Skinner passes Pratt for the lead and takes over the point. Pratt gives it his best but cannot retake the lead giving Fain Skinner his first feature win in the Sunbelt Super Late Model Series.
Although the crowd was disappointed for Pratt's loss, Skinner said in Victory Lane, "I saw my chance and I took it. Rich ran a very good race but anyone else would have done the same thing."
The next race for Team FASCAR Sunbelt Super Late Model Series will be May 1 at USA International in Lakeland.
OFFICIAL FINISH SUNBELT SUPER LATE MODEL
APRIL 17, 2004 - OCALA SPEEDWAY
1. #1 Fain Skinner, Live Oaks, Fla.
2. #0 Rich Pratt, Anthony, Fla.
3. #5x Daniel Keene Jr., Weekiwachee, Fla.
4. #86 Dick Anderson, Wildwood, Fla.
5. #28 Scotty Crockett, Land O' Lakes, Fla.
6. #77 Patrick Williams, Archer, Fla.
7. #48 Jonny Kay, Deerfield Beach, Fla.
8. #40 Michael Williams, Mims, Fla.
9. #88 Brock Oglesby, Ocala, Fla.
10. #10 Ryan Foster, Lowell, Arkansas
11. #57 Mike Bresnahan, Inverness, Fla.
12. #90 Paul Combast, Holiday, Fla.
13. #3 Ricky Carlton, Homosassa, Fla.
14. #01 Robbie Smith, Ocala, Fla.
15. #74 Barry Willoughby, Port St. Lucie
16. #80 Brian Finney, Merritt Island, Fla.
17. #84 Wayne Anderson, Wildwood, Fla.
18. #08 John Buzinec, Bellview, Fla.
FOOTNOTE:
Barry Willoughby #74 broke his left axle but was able to repair it and come back in to finish the race. Willoughby was not disappointed at all but happy that his car still has no scratches on it.
John Buzinec came from Bellview with no help but himself. Buzinec ran 26 laps without the aid of radios or a spotter and did a very good job of moving over for the lead cars. Buzinec had one of Kenny Wallace's old short track Late Models.
Michael Williams drove in spite of the fact that he has been very sick all week. Williams was determined to race even when he was still sick.
Ryan Foster and Brock Oglesby were the two youngest drivers, both around 14, 15 years of age. They proved that young drivers are not intimidated by the old pros and both ran an excellent race.
Dick Anderson "King of the Short Track" proved that he still has it going all 125 laps and coming back from the rear of the field to finish fourth. Anderson truly has done it all and won it all.
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