Scofield is "THE MAN" at USA International Florida Late Model Championship 200
by Jane Smith
Lakeland, Fla. (July 22, 2006) They came from all corners of the state. The day was hot, very hot and the track was loose but that did not bother Jeff Scofield. Scofield was a man on a mission, he had to prove you can take the car away from the driver but you can't take the driver from the car.
Scofield lost his ride with Guaranteed Motorsports after the Clyde Hart Memorial but just went back to his own car winning the All American Challenge Race last weekend.
He had a mission and he proved his mission Saturday night when he topped the Florida Late Model Championship 200 at USA International. Scofield had everything to gain if he could top the field and prove that nothing, not losing his ride, could take away his ability to win.
Jeff Choquette of Loxatchee put his C&C Loader Services sponsored Super Late Model on the pole with a 20.867 followed by Scofield of Plant City, Tim Russell of Longwood, Wayne Anderson of Wildwood and Jerry Artuso, our Canadian driver. Since the event was a 200 lap feature, there was no inversion for the race.
Coquetette interviewed by Announcer Scott McAllister.
Choquette quickly took the point on the green followed by Scofield, Russell, Anderson and Artuso. By lap 3, Anderson was already challenging Russell for third as they went side-by-side.
Russell tried to hold the position but Anderson proved he had the way to take it and he did as Russell went back to fourth. By lap 6, Anderson was charging Scofield for that second place position. Scofield tried to defend his territory but Anderson proved once again, he had the will to take it from him and he did.
There was more mechanical breakdowns than wrecks. Lap 16 saw Scott Millar of Ocala take his Millar Concrete and Masonery Super Late behind the pit wall, ending his night before it even began. By Lap 18, it was Choquette, Anderson, Russell, Mike Bresnahan who got around Scofield, Scofield, Jay Middleton, Jerry Artuso, B.J. McLeod, Mario Gosselin and his teammate Dewayne Dempsey.
Scofield found himself being charged once again, this time by Jay Middleton who was doing some side-by-side action of his own with Scofield. Scofield once again tried to protect his position but in the end, Middleton took over fifth as Scofield had to settle in sixth.
The first caution of the race came out on lap 28 for 18 year-old Brandon Anderson of Lakeland who spun in turns 1 and 2. With this caution, Scofield went into the pits for some fine tuning of his ride. By lap 33, the race was green again as Choquette led the way over Anderson, Russell, Bresnahan and Middleton. The yellow comes out again on lap 36 when Blake Lehr of Orlando lost his engine. The track was cleaned and it was back to green.
Anderson is now all over the rear-end of Choquette but Choquette holds. Anderson suddenly finds his hands full of Russell who is challenging Anderson for second. Anderson ends up in third as Russell now runs second. Middleton, who is running fifth, finds his hands full of Artuso who wants that fifth place position. Middleton tries to protect his territory but Artuso is strong and takes over fifth as Middleton goes to sixth.
Choquette now finds that Russell wants exactly what Anderson had wanted, that number one spot. Choquette tries but Russell is strong as he takes the lead on lap 70. Just as he has it the caution comes out for Jason Boyd who is leaking oil on the track. Boyd goes into the pits and it is decided his night is done.
Tim Russell's night ended with a broken transmission; running an excellent race to that point.
The track is clean and it is back to racing on lap 77 with Russell, Choquette, Anderson, Bresnahan, Artuso, B.J. MeLeod, Middleton, Perry Brown, Chet Morrison and Joe Boyd in the top ten. Once again Anderson puts pressure on Choquette for second and by lap 81, Anderson has the position with Choquette in third. Choquette finds that his tries are giving away as Bresnahan takes over third followed by Artuso in fourth and McLeod in fifth. By lap 90, Anderson has taken the lead over Russell.
McLeod finds himself being challenged by Scofield on lap 93 for that fifth place position. Scofield takes the postion as McLeod goes to sixth. In the meantime, Bresnahan has put the heat on Russell and taken over second. Halfway thru the 200 laps, it is Wayne Anderson leading the way.
Bresnahan finds a hard charging Scofield on his tail with Scofield taking over second and Bresnahan going to third. The yellow comes out on lap 107 for debris in tursn 1 and 2. A number of cars take this time for much needed pit stops. The race goes back green on lap 112 when Scofield once again passes Anderson and takes over the number one spot. But only two laps later, lap 114, the yellow comes out for B.J. McLeod who has spun in turns 1 and 2. At this time Russell goes to pit road for a possible leak and gets the bad news from his crew, his night is done.
Scofield leads the way on the green followed by Joe Boyd, Jerry Artuso, Choquette, and Perry Brown. Boyd, Artuso and Choquette are going three wide in turn 2 when they find that the track is not quite right for three wide racing. Choquette backs off to save his car from the hard wall. A "hold on to your seat" moment for everyone.
Scofield may be leading the race but it is the other top five cars who are swapping positions each lap. Anderson, Artuso, and Choquette are going at it hard and by lap 131, it is Scofield, Choquette, Anderson, Artuso, and Brown. Once again Middleton is on the move as he looks high and low around Brown. Brown tried to defend but Middleton has the line and takes ove fifth as Brown goes to sixth. Brown then slides to eighth as Gosselin takes sixth and Bresnahan runs seventh.
Middleton and Artuso are going at it when Middleton slightly touches Artuso sending Artuso into a spin and bringing out the caution. Artuso is given back his spot with Middleton being sent to the rear of the field for the restart. When the race goes back green, Middleton begins to slowly limp around the track bringing out the caution as his car slows on the backstretch. Middleton is pushed into the pits on lap 187 only 13 laps shy of the 200, done for the night.
The last ten laps must be green as the race restarts on lap 190 with Scofield, Anderson, Choquette, Gosselin and Artuso in the top five. Gosselin comes alive as he challenges Choquette for third and takes it as Choquette settles into fourth. Scofield holds on to his lead and takes the eighth annual Florida Late Model Championship 200 followed by Wayne Anderson, Mario Gosselin, Jeff Choquette and Jerry Artuso.
In Victory Lane Scofield thanked his crew who stood beside him and got his own car ready to rumble. And the first man to congratulate Jeff Scofield in Victory Lane was his prior car owner Mike Leonard. Scofield was given his Midas Jewelry ring and proudly wore it for all to see. "You can take the car away from the driver, but you can't take the driver out of the car".
OFFICIAL RESULTS USA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY - JULY 22
FLORIDA LATE MODEL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
1. #07 Jeff Scofield, Plant City 2. #84 Wayne Anderson, Wildwood 3. #12 Mario Gosselin, Lake Wales 4. #70 Jeff Choquette, Loxatchee 5. #5 Jerry Artuso, Sault Saint Marie, CA 6. #3 Mike Bresnahan, Lacanto 7. #0 Rich Pratt, Anthony 8. #78 B.J. McLeod, Walchula 9. #22 Perry Brown, Riverview 10. #86 Chet Morrison, New Orleans, LA 11. #98 Wayne Morris, Mulberry 12. #24 Brandon Anderson, Lakeland 13. #74 Jay Middleton, Lake City 14. #5x Joe Boyd, Riverview 15. #12x Dewayne Dempsey, St. Pete 16. #36 Tim Russell, Longwood 17. #08 Bobby Owens, Orlando 18. #15 Jason Boyd, Orlando 19. #4 Blake Lehr, Orlando 20. #20 Scott Millar, Ocala 21. #47 Chris Fontaine, Lakeland DNS 22. #88 Travis Kittleson, Merritt Island DNS
