Columbia Motorsports Park opens to FULL House and FULL Pits
by Jane Smith
Lake City, Fla. (March 11, 2006) Columbia Motorsports Park opened to a full house and full pits on Saturday, March 11. It was a perfect spring night, not too cold, not too hot for the packed grandstands.
Sixteen Super Lates were on hand to entertain the crowd and they did just that. Patrick Williams sat on the pole for the feature race but it was Jay Middleton who jumped to the point and never looked back. Following Jay on the start was Patrick Williams, David Hodges, Tal Etheridge and Mike Johnson. Hodges and Etheridge played a little trade places with J.R. McClellan passing Johnson for fifth.
The first of two cautions came out for Pratt Cooper who had a stalled car and needed help into the pits. The field was quickly lined up with Middleton taking the point on the green followed by Williams, Etheridge, Hodges, and McClellan.
The second caution came out for McClellan who spun on the backstretch and rejoined the field in the rear. Middleton once again held the point as David Hodges put the pedal down and passed Williams for second with Etheridge following on Hodges's coat tails.
Williams settled into fourth with Mike Johnson in fifth. Middleton took the checkered followed by David Hodges, Tal Etheridge, Patrick Williams, and Mike Johnson.
Patrick Williams and Jay Middleton took the heat wins.
The Open Wheel Modified division saw Dave Barber on the pole for the feature but it was Chuck Burkhalter in the Donnie Lewis owned Modified who took the point on the green. Following Burkhalter was Jason Garver, Dave Barber, Kevin Durden, and John Mitchell.
Durden puts the heat on Garver taking over second as Garver settled into third. The yellow came out for Kurt Jett who blew an engine and hit the turn 1 wall. The red flag came out to clean the track and tow in the car.
On the restart, Durden and Burkhalter get together as they both want the lead with Jason Garver getting the bad end of the stick as he ended up in the turn 3-4 wall. Burkhalter and Durden are sent to the rear for the restart and Garver's night is over. New leader Dave Barber takes the point on the green followed by John Mitchell, Len Stapleton, Al Nichols. But the caution comes out again as Mitchell and Stapleton get together in turn 4 with both being sent to the rear for the restart. Barber holds the point for the restart followed by Durden, Nichols, Burkhalter, and Gene Owen. Durden passes Barber and takes the checkered followed by Dave Barber, Al Nichols, Chuck Burkhalter, and Gene Owen.
Dave Barber and Chuck Burkhalter won the heat races.
T.Q. Late Models saw Tony Smith on the pole but it was David Rader who took the point and lead every lap for the win. Only one caution at the end of the race was thrown but this did not stop Rader in his quest for the checkered. Rader took the checkered followed by Derek Suits, Johnny Lieupo, Tony Smith and Brennan Palmiter. Johnny Lieupo and David Rader took the heat wins.
Street Stocks saw Ray Wheeler on the pole for the feature race. Wheeler took the point on the green and lead for a few laps before having to retreat into the pits for some mechanical help turning the lead over to David Hart. The caution comes out for Brad Feine who lost a wheel and had a wild ride but was fine. On the restart, Hart has problems and breaks with Russell Patterson now taking over the point. Patterson holds the point and takes his first feature Street Stock win followed by Ronnie Crawford, Don McKay, Nick Reid, and Mark Niklaus.
Ray Wheeler and Brad Fiene took the heat wins.
Pure Stocks saw the 2005 Champion John Roling take the first win of the 2006 season. Following Roling to the checkerd was Tom Texera, Bucky York, John Whitley, and Shane Tayler. John Roling took the heat win.
Hornets saw Kevin Heiderman take the point and lead every lap for the feature win. Following Heiderman to the checkered was James Cook, Phillip Love, Mike Marcelline, and Paul Sirard.
March 18 will see the TBARA Outlaw Winged Sprints in action at Columbia Motorsports Park. For more information, please visit www.columbiamotorsportspark.org.
OFFICIAL RESULTS MARCH 11, 2006
SUPER LATE MODEL
1. #74 Jay Middleton 2. #16 David Hodges 3. #8 Tal Etheridge 4. #77 Patrick Williams 5. #19 Mike Johnson 6. #01 J. F. McClellan 7. #57 Doyle Boatwright 8. #5 Mario Hernandez 9. #22 Dusty Cornelius 10. #9R Perry Lovelady 11. #007 Jeff Walden 12. #88 Jimmy Andrews 13. #83 Trevor McKinley 14.. #9 Pratt Cooper 15. #53 Al Berry DNS 16. #38 Lee Walden DNS
OPEN WHEEL MODIFIED
1. #07 Kevin Durden 2. #56 Dave Barber 3. #35 Al Nicho9ls 4. #51 Chuck Burkhalter 5. #11 Gene Owen 6. #18 Kevin Peel 7. #55 Arnold Hughes 8. #21 Len Stapleton 9. #2 John Mitchell 10. #1K Kyle Owen 11. #27 Jason Garver 12. #8 Eddie Gainey 13. #82 Shane Tayler 14. #9 Kurt Jett 15. #83 Shawn Taylor
STREET STOCK
1. #69 Russell Patterson 2. #20 Ronnie Crawford 3. #83 Don McKay 4. #95 Nick Reid 5. #34 Mark Niklaus 6. #71 Ray Wheeler 7. #21 David Hart 8. #77 Brad Fiene 9. #8 Walter Grimes 10. #31 Tricia Taylor
PURE STOCK
1. #18 John Roling 2. #98 Tom Texera 3. #97 Bucky York 4. #9 John Whitley 5. #38 Shane Taylor 6. #X Daniel Tecklnbrock 7. #85 Clay McRae DNS 8. #82 Kent Lovett DNS
TQ LATE MODEL
1. #6 David Rader 2. #21 Derek Suits 3. #18 Johnny Lieupo 4. #38 Tony Smith 5. #27 Brenner Palmiter 6. #8 Darly Graves 7. #99 James Hughes 8. #9 Scott Hughes 9. #00 Travis Carter 10. #34 Kenny Mikesell 11. #14 Katherine Thomas
HORNETS
1. #36 Kevin Heiderman 2. #26 James Cook 3. #2 Phillip Love 4. #3 Mike Marcellino 5. #10x Paul Sirard 6. #17 Jason Floyde DNS 7. #24 David Siver DNS
The second caution came out for McClellan who spun on the backstretch and rejoined the field in the rear. Middleton once again held the point as David Hodges put the pedal down and passed Williams for second with Etheridge following on Hodges's coat tails. 
Durden puts the heat on Garver taking over second as Garver settled into third. The yellow came out for Kurt Jett who blew an engine and hit the turn 1 wall. The red flag came out to clean the track and tow in the car.