Jeff Choquette Makes it THREE in a Row at New Smyrna Speedway's River Fest 300
by Jane Smith
Samsula, Fla. (January 9, 2005) It was one of the winter/summer nights, not too hot and not too cool. It was obvious by the number of cars and fans, that everyone was ready for a race. New faces and old faces welcomed in 2005.
Twenty one of Florida's best Super Late Model drivers ran the River Fest 300 as young Jeff Choquette set fast time with a 17.889 followed by Wayne Anderson 18.020, Justin Drawdy 18.035, Barry Willoughby 18.112 and Chet Morrison 18.153. Choquette pulled the 0 pill starting the field straight up.
As the green flag flew, it was Doyle Boatwright bringing out the yellow before one lap was down. Boatwright hit the turn 1 wall but was able to pit and come back to the race. Fans were happy to see Boatwright return as it has been many years since Boatwright had his familiar #57 in the field.
On the second start, it was Wayne Anderson to the point followed by Jeff Choquette, Justin Drawdy, Barry Willoughby, and Chet Morrison. James Powell proved that he was back into racing as he passed Morrison for fifth and Morrison went to sixth.
Choquette was busy shaking down Anderson as Powell was on Willoughby for fourth. Choquette stayed on Anderson's rear as Drawdy was on Choquette's rear and Powell passed Willoughby taking over fourth.
Choquette is charging hard coming off turn 4 and loses it and spins as he challenged Anderson for the point.
Choquette was fine and returned to the race in the rear of the field for bringing out the caution. Now it was Anderson, Drawdy, Powell, Willoughby and Eric Black in the top five for the restart.
Lap 28 Dalton Zehr brings out the next caution as he spins in turn 4. Trying not to hit Zehr, a number of cars spin between 3 and 4, Sean Murphy, Mac Johnson, Mike Good, David Pollen Jr., and Patrick Conrad.
Both Pollen and Conrad were towed into the pits ending their first race of 2005 early. The rest were able to repair and return to the race.
Lap 38 sees the restart as Anderson leads the way followed by Drawdy, Powell, Willoughby and Black. Black challenges Willoughby for fourth but Willoughby holds strong and keeps Black in fifth. Black tries Willoughby again but brings out the caution as he spins in turns 1 and 2. Black goes in quickly and returns to the rear of the field.
The green flies again on lap 47 with Anderson, Drawdy, Powell, Willoughby and Morrison back in the top five. But the yellow comes out again for Jason Davis who spun on the backstretch. Davis goes to the rear as the green is shown once again on lap 51.
After being sent to the rear of the field for bringing out the yellow, Choquette has worked his way back into the top five as Anderson still leads followed by Powell, Drawdy and Willoughby. Choquette sets his eyes on Willoughby in fourth but the caution comes out as Murphy spins in turn 1. The race goes back green on lap 61 with Murphy in the rear of the lead lap cars.
Suddenly Drawdy begins to slow and makes his way around to pit entrance leaving the field after a very good run. With Drawdy out the new line-up is Anderson, Powell, Choquette, Willoughby, Morrison, Good, Black, Murphy, Pratt and Ricky Wood.
Choquette puts the heat on Powell and before you know it, it is Choquette second and Powell third. Once again Anderson finds his mirror full of Jeff Choquette. Suddenly the yellow is thrown as Barry Willoughby hits the wall while passing a lap car. Willoughby is not hurt but his fantastic run was done for the night.
Choquette takes the lead on the restart followed by Anderson, Powell, Morrison, Black, Murphy, Good, Pratt, Wood, and Johnny Allen. Anderson tries to retake the lead but Choquette is not about to give an inch.
Murphy passes Black and takes over fifth as Black settles into sixth. The rest is history. In his third race at New Smyrna Speedway, Jeff Choquette makes it three in a row as he crosses the start/finish line for the win of the River Fest 300. Following Choquette to the checkered was Wayne Anderson, James Powell, Chet Morrison and Sean Murphy.
FASCAR's newest touring series the Quick Kids saw Matt Martin win their first race of 2005. Martin had the pole and won from the pole followed by Chad Atkins and Kevin Henry. Henry hit the turn 2 wall but luckily was not hurt during their feature just leaving Martin and Atkins on the track. This was Martin's first win in the Quick Kids and expect to see many more in 2005.
Ron Whaley had the pole for the Super Stock 20 lapper and won from the pole taking the lead on the start followed by Josh Wronkowski, Justin Reynolds, Barry Parks, and Bruce Wingate. Wingate brings out the yellow on lap 1 as he spins in turns 1 and 2.
With no more cautions, Whaley holds the point on the restart followed by Wronkowski, Reynolds, Parks and Duane Freed. Freed puts the pedal down and passes Parks for fourth and sets his eyes on Reynolds in third. Reynolds holds strong as he and Freed go side by side. But Freed eventually takes over third with Reynolds in fourth.
Whaley crosses the checkered for his first win of 2005 followed by Josh Wronkowski, Duane Freed, Justin Reynolds, and Barry Parks.
Corey Freed has the pole for the Open Wheel Modified feature but it is Kevyn Terry, the 2004 Rookie of the Year for the Pro Mod Series, who takes the point followed by Brad May, Jim "Hoot" Flynn, Scott Millar and Corey Freed. The caution comes out for Alan McCafferty and Jerry Symons who have spun.
On the restart, it is Brad May on the point followed by Terry, Flynn, Freed, and Millar. Flynn passes Terry and takes over second as McCafferty is coming up strong from his spin. Terry is shuffled back to sixth as McCafferty passes Freed and Millar passes Terry. Top five are Brad May, Jim "Hoot" Flynn, Alan McCafferty, Scott Millar, and Corey Freed.
The yellow comes out for Art Kunzeman who spun on the backstretch. On the restart, May holds the point although Flynn is right on his bumper. McCaffety tries to take over second but Flynn ain't having none of it. May takes the checkered for his first win of 2005 followed by Jim "Hoot" Flynn, Alan McCafferty, Scott Millar and Corey Freed.
Rex Christensen had the pole for the Mini Stock feature but it was Dick Laszlo who took the point on the green followed by Scott Reeves, Christensen, Ben Cutler Jr., and Ted Vulpius. Reeves passes Laszlo for the point as Laszlo slides back to fifth. Vulpius passes Cutler for third and Christensen for second and sets sails on Reeves in first. Just as Vulpius tries for the point, he brings out the caution and has to pit ending his night and his good run.
Reeves holds the point on the restart followed by Christensen, Cutler, Laszlo, and Steven Simpson. Christensen is able to pass Reeves and takes over the point. Reeves and Cutler are fighting hard for second when they touch sending Reeve spinning. Reeves is fine but pits for the night.
Christensen holds the point on the restart followed by Laszlo, Simpson, Rodney Wright, and Cutler. Christensen takes the checkered for his first win of 2005 followed by Dick Laszlo, Steven Simpson, Ben Cutler Jr., and Rodney Wright. In tech, Cutler was DQ'd changing the finish to Rex Christensen, Dick Laszlo, Steven Simpson, Rodney Wright and David Lebeau.
Tim Clark had the pole for the Late Model feature but it was Charles Kopach who took the point on the start followed by Tim Russell, Jason Boyd, Tim Clark and A.J. Curreli. Russell passes Kopach and takes the point as Boyd passes Kopach for second. Curreli passes Clark and takes over fourth as Clark settles into fifth. Johnny Allen brings out the caution as he spins.
Russell holds the point on the restart followed by Boyd, Kopach, Curreli and Clark. Suddenly Clark and David Gibbs have come together on the frontstretch with both hitting the frontstretch walls. Both Clark and Gibbs are fine but that cannot be said the same for their cars. Both are towed into the pits and done for the night and not happy at all.
Russell maintains the lead on the restart as Charlie Staats brings out the yellow for a spin. The race goes back green as Boyd tries to pass Russell but just cannot do it. Tim Russell takes the checkered followed by Jason Boyd, A.J. Curreli, Charles Kopach, and Johnny Allen.
Joey Lagano had the pole for the new Pro Trucks feature but found his hands full on the start with Jamie Skinner. Only one yellow was thrown for the 20 lap feature which gave fans the opportunity of watching Lagano and Skinner fight for the lead. Lagano tried but Skinner proved he had the stronger truck. Skinner takes the checkered for his first win in the new series and the new year followed by Joey Lagano, Dalton Zehr, Kelly Caudill and Charlie Collins. The Pro Trucks will race against the Southern All Stars Truck Series in Lakeland later this month at the 2005 Speedfest.
The Sportsman feature saw two cars out before the first lap was done as Brian Dula and Kyle Maynard took a wild ride down the frontstretch. Both drivers were fine but they were definitely done for the night. On the restart, it was the 2004 Sportsman Champion Donny Williams on the point. The yellow comes out again for Ken Lewton who spun.
Williams holds the point on the restart followed by Paul Colgan, Randy Jones, Earl Beckner, and Joe Adams. Being the first race of the year, a number of cars fall out with mechanical problems changing the top five to Williams, Adams, Randy Jones, Patrick Mennenga, and Ken Lewton. Mennenga passes Jones for third as Jones settles into fourth. Williams takes the checkered for his first win of 2005 followed by Joe Adams, Patrick Mennenga, Randy Jones and Ken Lewton.
Chuck "The Junkyard Dog" Rush took his first win of 2005 in the Strictly Stock feature. Fans got to see Tammy Clouser, daughter of Dale Clouser, run her first Strictly Stock race in the #30 car. Although Tammy did not place in the top five, she did a very good job for her first race. Following Rush to the checkered was Nick Boley, Kerry Payne, Mike Wofford and Ray Tanguay.
The next race at New Smyrna Speedway will be February 5th and the Pete Orr Memorial Orange Blossom 100 with all divisions racing.
Official Results New Smyrna Speedway - January 8, 2005
River Fest 300
Qualifying Top Five
1. #70 Jeff Choquette 17.889 (pulled the 0 pill) 2. #84 Wayne Anderson 18.020 3. #12 Justin Drawdy 18.035 4. #74 Barry Willoughby 18.112 5. #86 Chet Morrison 18.153
RACE RESULTS
1. #70 Jeff Choquette 2. #84 Wayne Anderson 3. #17 James Powell III 4. #86 Chet Morrison 5. #32 Sean Murphy 6. #10 Eric Black 7. #27 Mike Good 8. #0 Rich Pratt 9. #33 Ricky Wood 10. #2x Johnny Allen 11. #29 Jason Davis 12. #7 Dalton Zehr 13. #57 Doyle Boatwright 14. #74 Barry Willoughby 15. #12 Justin Drawdy 16. #23 Rusty Ebersole 17. #6 Mac Johnson 18. #9r Patrick Conrad 19. #88 David Pollen Jr. 20. #16 Tracy Pearson 21. #88x Jimmy Andrews
LATE MODEL
1. #36 Tim Russell 2. #04 Jason Boyd 3. #2 A.J. Curreli 4. #53 Charles Kopach 5. #2x Johnny Allen 6. 4K Amanda Gogel 7. #82 Alan Davis 8. #78 Mark Miller 9. #26 Mike Murphy 10. #47 David Gibbs 11. #8 Tim Clark 12. #4 Charlie Staats 13. #00 John Ripley
OPEN WHEEL MODIFIED
1. #00 Brad May 2. #57 Jim "Hoot" Flynn 3. #32 Alan McCafferty 4. #20 Scott Millar 5. #12 Corey Freed 6. #1 Kevyn Terry 7. #61 Ted Helms 8. #09 Art Kunzeman 9. #05 Dan Lane 10. #38 Ricky Moxley 11. #2x Jason Boyd 12. #66 Jerry Symons 13. #3 Wayne Parker
SPORTSMAN
1. #111 Donny Williams 2. #62 Joe Adams 3. #16 Patrick Mennenga 4. #75 Randy Jones 5. #18 Ken Lewton 6. #6 Bruce McGonigal 7. #7 Tom Gamache 8. #31 Paul Colgan 9. #3 Earl Beckner 10. #25 Timmy Todd Jr. 11. #08 Paul Hudson 12. #18D Bryan Dula 13. #27 Kyle Maynard
SUPER STOCK
1. #2 Ron Whaley 2. #21 Josh Wronkowski 3. #28 Duane Freed 4. #77 Justin Reynolds 5. #27 Barry Parks 6. #31 J.T. Tippins 7. #22 Bruce McGonigal Jr. 8. #38 Russ Itner 9. #97 Bob Cherry 10. #33 Bruce Wingate
MINI STOCK
1. #V3 Rex Christensen 2. #07 Dick Laszlo 3. #007 Stephen Simpson 4. #22 Rodney Wright 5. #2L David Lebeau 6. #6 Mark Broat 7. #61 Rick Gamache 8. #21 Scott Reeves 9. #72 Ben Vulpius 10. #83 Ben Cutler Jr. DQ'D
STRICTLY STOCK
1. #k9 Chuck Rush 2. #88 Nick Boley 3. #11x Kerry Payne 4. #15 Mike Wofford 5. #007 Ray Tanghay 6. #74 Tim Logue 7. #51 John Cast 8. #77 Dean Ward 9. #30 Tammy Clouser 10. #48 P.J. Mescaro 12. #22 13. #16 Chris Ridley
PRO TRUCKS
1. #60 Jamie Skinner 2. #66 Joey Logano 3. #4K Dalton Zehr 4. #33 Kelly Caudill 5. #07 Charlie Collins 6. #32 Bill Stacy 7. #97 Matt Wheeler 8. #6
QUICK KIDS
1. #66 Matt Martin 2. #60 Chad Atkins 3. #99 Kevin Henry
