Ron Heard Jr. Gets Sportsman Win; Robbie Storer Takes FMSC At Bronson
A wild night of short track action gave fans their money's worth at Bronson Motor Speedway
By Rick Warren
Clear skies and hot weather greeted the racers and fans at Bronson Motor Speedway on Saturday night. As hot as the weather was, it couldn’t compare to the action on the racetrack in the Southern Sportsman 50 Lap feature Event.
Twenty-six Southern Sportsman racers signed up to compete in the racing activities, and all of them came loaded for a shoot out. Some fairly quick times had been posted in practice sessions, and everyone was expecting to see some blistering fast qualifying times. The fans were not disappointed as Richard Elkins Jr. turned a lap at 14.461 seconds to take the fast qualifier award. Wayne Morris was just a tic slower at 14.532, while Aaron Williamson held down third spot with a time of 14.617 seconds.
After an on track autograph session, the top 10 qualifiers drew for starting positions, and Ronnie Heard Jr. pulled the#1, starting on the front. As the feature race lined up, Heard sat on the pole in the J&S Palms entry, with John Hanuschik on the outside in his 3D enterprises machine. The second row was filled by the still unsponsored Rikk McMehan, and Mark Peterson in the Digital Homes entry. Elkins lined up inside on the third row, with Tommy Conquest Jr. beside him. The fourth row consisted of Craig Cuzzone and Wayne Morris, with Dusty Bouchard and Steve Gainey filling out the first ten starters. As winner of the last series race, Aaron Williamson started from the 11th spot.
At the first attempt to start the race, the field didn’t get past the second turn before the caution flag was out, as the 97 of Cuzzone got turned around by some heavy traffic. The field lined up to try the start again, and the 00 of Ronnie Heard powered to the lead, with a group of fast racecars snapping at his heels.
As Heard was trying to open a lead, the caution was displayed early in the race as the cars of Peterson and Hanuschik got together in turn two. On the restart, Elkins and Morris moved into second and third place, and the racing was already getting very heated. The leaders set a torrid pace, and caught lapped traffic early in the race.
Morris used a lapped car as a pick to get by Elkins and grab second place. Lap 18 saw Derrik Heath bring out the caution with a flat tire, and allow the pack to be bunched up for the restart. On the double file restart, Gainey and Cuzzone drove past Elkins to move into the 3 &4 Spots, and the front five cars were really putting on a show for the fans. As the action up front really got hot, Gainey and Morris made contact with both spinning in turn 4, also involving Cuzzone.
The field lined up for the restart with Heard still out front, followed by Williamson, who had made some nifty moves in traffic to advance from his 11th starting spot, Elkins in third, followed by Travis Nichols, Bouchard, Micheal Gamache, Conquest, David Dollar, Ted Head and Ricky Hoffman in the top ten spots. Morris, Gainey and Cuzzone all restarted from the rear of the lead lap.
The race restarted with Heard again showing his muscle, and holding the lead over some serious attempts at passing by Williamson and Elkins. The racing was furious through out the field, with every position being hotly contested. All thru the race, there were passes being made at every turn. Paint was being traded, fenders were being rubbed, the fans were loving it!
The race was slowed for several cautions for minor incidents, but in the end, Ronnie Heard Jr. was the man to beat. In the winners circle interview, Heard thanked Williamson for racing him cleanly. Heard has been knocking on the door all season, being competitive at all the events, and finally put it all together for his first win in the Southern Sportsman Series.
Southern Sportsman Series Final Results 5/27/2006 Bronson Motor Speedway 50 laps
1. #00 Ron Heard Jr. Seffner, Fl. 2. #13 Aaron Williamson Mulberry, Fl. 3. #55 Richard Elkins Jr. Auburndale, Fl. 4. #79x Steve Gainey Bradenton, Fl. 5. #56 Wayne Morris Mulberry, Fl. 6. #72 Tommy Conquest Jr.Bronson, Fl. 7. #96 Michael Gamache Tarpon Springs, Fl. 8. # 8 David Dollar Ocala, Fl. 9. #97 Craig Cuzzone Lakeland, Fl. 10. #92 Ted Head Auburndale, Fl. 11. #32 Ricky Hoffman Palm Harbor, Fl. 12. #20X Steve O’Lone Clearwater, Fl. 13. #83 John Hanuschik N.Ft Myers, Fl. 14. #19 T.C. McElyea Dania Beach, Fl. 15. #27 Phil Luizzo Lake Mary, Fl. 16. #22 Travis Nichols Brooksville, Fl. 17. #74 Dusty Bouchard Bronson, Fl. 18. #27X John Heidenthal Myakka City, Fl. 19. #06 Kyle Habig Trenton, Fl. 20. #721 John Bennett St. Cloud, Fl. 21. #73 Mark Peterson Sarasota, Fl. 22. #12R Rikk McMehan Hudson, Fl. 23. # 2 Derrik Heath Parkland, Fl. 24. #57 Jim Brenner Sarasota, Fl. 25. #41 Richie Smith Hernando, Fl. DNS #45 Michael Soukup Deltona, Fl.
Fast Qualifier Richard Elkins Jr. Hard Charger T.C. McElyea Most Laps Led Ronnie Heard Jr.
Robbie Storer Gets FMSC Win At Bronson Motor Speedway
Wow !! What a wild night of racing at Bronson Motor Speedway! The Atlantic Building Materials / Florida Mini Stock Challenge was in town, and they certainly put on a show for the fans. 18 cars signed in to try their hand at the 50 lap feature event, and the entertainment was incredible. By the time the 50 lap feature was over, their would be some awesome racing, a great deal of bent sheet metal, some frayed tempers, and a frightening moment when the leaders car had engine trouble and erupted in some major flames!
Robbie Storer picked up another FMSC win at BMS
When qualifying was over, Robbie Yoakam had blistered the track with a time of 14.262 seconds, to claim fast time. Robbie Storer was right behind at 14.385, with james Smith third fastest at 14.554.
After an on track autograph session, the top ten qualifiers drew for starting positions. Marty Neikens pulled the #1 spot, placing his Mullins Concrete entry on the pole position. The #2 spot was pulled by Cody Blair in his Lynn Blair Interiors machine. The second row was filled by Raymond Folwell and James Smith, Followed by Robbie Storer, Jeff Barnes, Jason Rendell, Robbie Yoakam, Rick Sirmans and Chris Hooker filling the top ten starting positions.
When the green flag fell, Neikens took the lead with Storer and Folwell right on his bumper. Blair got hung out to dry on the outside row, and was shuffled back several spots. Lap 3 saw Storer get an opening and drive under Neikens, with Folwell following tightly behind to take second spot. Lap 5 saw the first caution as blair spun into the infield exiting turn 4.
As the field lined up for the restart, it was Storer out front, followed by Folwell, Neikens, Smith, Rendell, Yoakam, Sirmans, Barnes, Thornton, and Chuck Frazier. Cautions were numerous in the early stages of the race, most for minor incidents. Lap 12 had a red flag displayed for a multi-car crash in turn two.
The cars of Thornton, Barnes, and Sirmans were racing hot and heavy, when all three made contact, with Barnes spinning into head on traffic. The cars of Blair, Mark Moniz and Chuck Frazier were all involved with heavy damage.
Fortunately, none of the drivers were injured.
As the race continued, Yoakam continued to slice thru the field in pursuit of the lead. Yoakam finally worked his way to second spot, and went to work on Storer for the lead. Yoakam made several moves, but Storer was up to the task and held the lead, until lap 34, when Storer got high off turn 2, allowing Yoakam the opening he had been searching for. Yoakam took the lead, and appeared to be on his way to a victory, when fate took a hand in the outcome.
Lap 47 saw Yoakam slow off turn 2 with engine problems, and as he entered turn 3, the front of the car burst into flames. It looked quite scary, but Yoakam was able to take the car off the track where the flames were extinguished, and Robbie exited the car uninjured.
The race restarted with Storer back on the point, and the 3 lap dash to the finish was all Storer, as he held the lead convincingly, followed by Chris Thornton and Rick Sirmans.
Florida Mini Stock Challenge Final Results May 27, 2006 Bronson Motor Speedway – 50 Laps.
1. # 9 Robbie Storer Zephyrhills, Fl. 2. #24 Chris Thornton Clearwater, Fl. 3. #05 Rick Sirmans Pinellas Park, Fl. 4. #03 Raymond Folwell St. Petersburg Fl. 5. #70 Marty Neikens Clearwater, Fl. 6. #91 Jason Rendell Lakeland, FL. 7. #40 Dennis Valdez Tampa, Fl. 8. # 8 Robbie Yoakam Hernando, Fl. 9. #11X Mary Green Clearwater, FL. 10. #32 James Smith Inverness, Fl. 11. # 3 Buddy Sizemore Live Oak, FL. 12. # 6 Chris Hooker Floral City, Fl. 13. #41 Mark Moniz Zephyrhills, Fl. 14 # 5 Jeff Barnes Largo, Fl. 15. #21 Chuck Frazier Avon Park, Fl. 16. #81 Cody Blair Winter Park, Fl. 17. #98 James Ellis Brooksville, Fl.
DNS #73 Shaun Cater Beverly Hills, Fl. DNS #9X Travis Nichols Brooksville, Fl.
Fast Qualifier – Robbie Yoakam Hard Charger—Chris Thornton/Dennis Valdez Most Laps Led—Robbie Storer
The cars of Thornton, Barnes, and Sirmans were racing hot and heavy, when all three made contact, with Barnes spinning into head on traffic. The cars of Blair, Mark Moniz and Chuck Frazier were all involved with heavy damage. 