IT'S TIME TO RACE!!

July 30, 2006 A.J. Curreli shows the way home in Goodyear Challenge Late Model 100 at New Smyrna Speedway by Jane Smith A.J. Currelli leads Brad May and Rich Clouser to the checkered flag Samsula, Fla (July 29, 2006) It was hot, it was muggy, dark clouds coming out of the west but no rain. The cool breeze was shortly lived as nineteen of the best Late Model drivers in Florida took to a hot, slippery asphalt track to practice for the 100 lap Goodyear Challenge Late Model race. July is one of the hottest months in Florida and you could definitely tell the high temperatures on everyone's face. Daniel Keene of Land O'Lakes not only set fast time but broke Jerry Artuso's record for the fastest lap for a Late Model with a 18.311. Following Keene was A.J. Curreli of Daytona Beach with a 18.393, Brad May of Orlando with a 18.422, Travis Cope of Bronson with a 18.520 and Jacob Warren of Orlando with a 18.522. Keene pulled the number 3 for the inversion putting May on the pole for the 100 lap event. After an on-track autograph session and driver introduction, the drivers were strapped in and it was time to go racing. May and Curreli quickly both jumped for the lead but it was May who prevailed over Curreli. But it was a short lead as the yellow flag and then the red flag came out on lap 2 as Daniel Keene spun in turns 1 and 2 with cars collecting in the wall trying to avoid the spun out Keene. Involved in the wreck were Sam Watts, Jeremy Colangelo, Alan Bruns, Travis Cope and Joe Winchell, the current points leader. Only Cope and Winchell were able to make repairs to their cars and rejoin the field in the rear for the restart. May quickly takes the point again on the restart followed by Curreli, Warren, Clouser and Deschamps. The race for first went on until lap 16 when Cope and Troy Hall get together on the backstretch sending Cope spinning to the bottom of the track and Hall against the backstretch wall, driver's side. New Smyrna continues to be unkind to the youngster from Bronson. Travis Cope's destroyed car. Luckily both drivers were fine as the race was red flagged once again for track clean-up. However, their cars suffered major damage and there was no fixing them. On the restart, May once again takes the lead followed by Warren but Warren finds a hard charging Rich Clouser on his tail. Clouser makes his move, it sticks and Clouser takes over third as Warren settles into fourth followed by Deschamps. Deschamps makes his move on Warren and takes over fourth but Chuck Burkhalter wants that fifth place spot and takes it putting Warren to sixth. Burkhalter looks to be going good, but on lap 22 the car slows and limps around the track ending Burkhalter's night and feeding the monkey on his back. Jonny Kay is putting pressure on Charles Kopach for that seventh place spot but Kopach is not ready to give up. On lap 45 Kay goes high and makes the pass taking over seventh as Kopach settles into eighth. In the meantime up front, May finds a hard charging Curreli right on his back. May holds but on lap 51, Curreli is just too strong and takes over the lead as May settles into second. Greg Kaouk is now having problems as he definitely slows on lap 54. Kaouk tries but the car just won't go and goes in on lap 55 for crew attention. Kaouk does return to the racing surface. The yellow comes out to check track conditions as Kaouk was losing fluids as he went around. The track is checked and the green comes back out on lap 62 with Curreli on the point followed by May, Clouser, Deschamps, and Warren. Warren has now gotten his wind back and challenges Deschamps for fourth. Warren makes the move and takes over fourth as Deschamps is fifth. Running order is Curreli, May, Clouser, Warren, Deschamps, Kay, Keene, Steve Gill, Joe Winchell and Justin Larson. Keene challenges Kay on lap 69 giving him a slight "love kiss" causing Kay to slide up and regroup with Keene taking over sixth. The yellow comes out again for fluids on the track as Kay retires to the pits after a good run. Lap 76 sees nine of the original 18 cars that started left on the track - Curreli, May, Clouser, Warren, Deschamps, Keene, Gill, Winchell, and Larson. With no more cautions, it is now a run for the gold. Lap 78 Keene puts pressure on Deschamps and takes over fifth after making his way back from the rear of the field early in the race. Curreli takes the checkered flag for his first win of the year in the Goodyear Challenge Late Model Series followed by Brad May, Rich Clouser, Jacob Warren, Daniel Keene, Dustin Deschamps, Steve Gill, Justin Larson, Joe Winchell and Greg Kaouk. The next race for the Goodyear Challenge Late Model Series will be September 2 at USA International. For more information on the Goodyear Challenge Late Model Series go to www.fascar.org. OFFICIAL RESULTS GOODYEAR CHALLENGE LATE MODEL 100 NEW SMYRNA SPEEDWAY - JULY 29, 2006 1. #2 A.J. Curreli, Daytona Beach 2. #10 Brad May, Orlando 3. #9 Rich Clouser, Palm Bay 4. #8 Jacob Warren, Orlando 5. #16 Daniel Keene, Land O'Lakes 6. #51 Dustin Deschamps, Brooksville 7. #5 Steve Gill, Sarasota 8. #88 Justin Larson, Safety Harbor 9. #57 Joe Winchell, Davie 10. #31 Greg Kaouk, Penbroke Pines 11. #48 Jonny Kay, Deerfield Beach 12. #53 Charles Kopach, Clermont 13. #1x Chuck Burkhalter, Clermont 14. #30 Troy Hall, Coral Springs 15. #26 Travis Cope, Bronson 16. #4b Alan Bruns, Clermont 17. #73 Sam Watts, Winter Springs 18. #05 Jeremy Colangelo, Deland 19. #32 Charlie Vest, Ocoee DNS 20 #33 Dwayne Barrus, New Smyrna Beach DNS Have an opinion on this story? 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