Thornton Continues Hot Streak with FMSC Win At Desoto Super Speedway
By Rick Warren
Chris Thornton (24) goes by Ronnie Larson (61)
The Atlantic Building Materials/Florida Mini Stock Challenge rolled into Desoto Super Speedway Saturday night for a 50 lap green flag shootout. It was a beautiful day for racing, warm temps and sunny skies. 20 racers signed in to participate in the feature race, and the race was shaping up to be quite a dogfight.
Robbie Storer set the tone for the race during qualifying in the, with a lightening fast time of 16.210 seconds on the fast Desoto Speedway. Second fast was Ronnie Larson, followed by Chris Thornton.
As the field lined up for the start, and completed the warm-up laps, they came to the green flag, which was waved on this night by Kathryn Harris, candidate for the U.S. Senate. At the start Robbie Storer blasted to the front, followed closely by Chris Thornton. The front half of the field was racing two and three wide, jockeying for position early in the race. As the battles for position were becoming intense, the field was slowed for the first caution of the evening on lap 18.
Prior to the caution, Ronnie Larson, winner of the last FMSC race, had been making a furious charge thru the field from his 11th starting position, and had made his way to third spot.
The field lined up for the restart with Storer in front, followed by Thornton, Larson, Robbie Yoakam, Raymond Folwell, Chuck Frazier, Jeff Barnes, Marty Neikens, James Ellis, and Jay Zolciak filling the top 10 positions.
On the double file restart, Larson got by Thornton for second spot, with Yoakam, Folwell and Frazier in tight pursuit. By the midway point of the race, the top 4 cars had pulled away from the pack, and were putting on quite a show for the fans, with Larson trying to take the lead every lap, and Storer giving up no ground. Thornton and Yoakam were right on their bumpers, just waiting for an opportunity or a mistake by the two front runners.
As the laps were winding down, the battle for the lead was becoming more intense. Storer and Larson were certainly giving the fans the show they had come to see, as Larson was relentless in his attempts to pass, and Storer was just as determined to hold the lead. The two racing for the lead rubbed a little, traded some paint, and had the fans on their feet.
On lap 40, Larson drove under Storer exiting turn 4, and contact was made between the two cars, causing both to spin in front of the field. Some really quick reflexes and slick moves allowed Thornton and Yoakam to avoid the spinning leaders, and come thru untouched. The field was lined up for the restart with Thornton out front, followed by Yoakam, Folwell, Frazier, Neikens, and Barnes. Storer and Larson lined up at the end of the lead lap.
Thornton was able to hold off Yoakam on the restart, while Storer and Larson were trying to regain lost spots in the closing laps. Thornton brought the Gulf to Bay Enterprises entry to the Checkered flag to claim his second win of the Season followed by Yoakam and Folwell.
Final Results 05-13-2006 -- Atlantic Building Materials / Florida Mini Stock Challenge Desoto Super Speedway 50 Laps
1. #24 Chris Thornton Clearwater 2. # 8 Robbie Yoakam Hernando 3. #03 Raymond Folwell St. Petersburg 4. #61 Ronnie Larson Clearwater 5. #21 Chuck Frazier Avon Park 6. # 9 Robbie Storer Zephyrhills 7. #70 Marty Neikens Clearwater 8. # 5 Jeff Barnes Largo 9. # 0 Dustin Perez Tampa 10. #89 Scotty Sharpe Lakeland 11. #41 Mark Moniz Zephyrhills 12. #99 Matthew Perkins Seminole 13. #81 Cody Blair Winter Park 14. # 3 Jay Zolciak St. Petersburg 15. #98 James Ellis Brooksville 16. #11X Mary Green Clearwater 17. #05 Rick Sirmans Pinellas Park 18. #02 Rick Partridge Brandon DNS #17 Doug Schwier Boynton Beach DNS #11 Billy Carlbert Ellenton
Most Laps Led – Robbie Storer Hard Charger – Scotty Sharpe
