| Hollywood Does it Again At Charlotte | Veteran Racer Goes Back To Front, Collects $5500 Payday
By Jack Smith
Mike Franklin, Jr. Has fans talking about a "bounty" after once again driving from the rear to collect a big check
The fans had to wait a while for the big show of the night featuring twenty-one Late Models in a 100 shoot-out, but it was well worth it. Even though the race got started rather late in the night, very few fans left until it was over, and they witnessed a tough battle that had a little something for everyone.
Fans got to see two veterans of the short track wars drive through the field, some nasty wrecks and some great passing in a race that came down to the wire. They also got to see one driver losing his cool and a ramming another under caution with another going berserk in the grandstands and possibly losing his racing privileges at Charlotte for good.
 The Walmart Late Model 100 had a twist right from the beginning when Mike Franklin, Jr. and Randy Fox, who had qualified one-two, both elected to start in the rear. This would give them the chance to win an extra $2500 bonus, all they had to do was get to the finish line first. Franklin originally turned down promoter Bobby Diehl's offer, but when Diehl sweetened the bonus from $2000 to $2500 he changed his mind. Fox then agreed also to take the challenge.
After a pill draw to invert the field the #63 of Phil Morrison claimed the pole position with Mike Hovis, a popular winner for years at the Punta Gorda track, outside pole and a good bet to jump out front early. When the starter dropped the green all heck broke loose with a huge pile up in turn four, highlighted by Phil Morrison never letting off the gas in a chaotic wreck scene which would require the video to sort out. Morrison was black flagged, disqualified and sent off the track, which he was reluctant to agree to.
After this fiasco was handled and Morrison left the track, Hovis now had the pole side by side with another fixture in the winners circles of Florida racing, # 15 Joe Winchell of Davie, Fl.
Winchell and Hovis went side by side for three laps before Joe proved he had the faster car and pulled out in front. Meanwhile Fox and Franklin easily powered through much slower cars at the rear of the field and by lap 18 they were in the 9th and 10th positions with Fox following Franklin. On lap 34 Fox was running sixth, but he got into the #8 of Bobby Shelton, with officials sending Fox to the rear.
On the subsequent restart, the nearly full moon brought out some nearly crazy behavior. Franklin had contact with Steve Arnold, the Cape Coral racer piloting the familiar #19, and Arnold took the contact a little personally. Under caution as Franklin slowly drove down the front straight, Arnold gunned his machine and drove into Franklin's right side, forcing officials to send him home for the night.
During the caution required for cleaning up things on the track, Phil Morrison took this opportunity to try and force his way into the locked down scoring tower, apparently to register his complaint with the officials calls. All he accomplished was to scare the bejesus out of some kids and adults as well, force the video guy to vacate his perch for the sake of his equipment and get a $5000 fine and a year's sabbatical. Great entertainment.
Franklin fired his #13 Punta Gorda Construction Management Monte Carlo into second place, working underneath Mike Hovis on lap 50 and getting squarely on Winchell's bumper. While Fox was moving into the top 10, Franklin was sizing up Winchell and on lap 61 took the outside groove and within two circuit around the 3/8 mile speedway, Franklin was in the front of the field.
Fox made it into the top five but was sent to the rear for the second time after contact with Dan Ferri in his #100 race car. Franklin rode out front for the remainder of the race and picked up a cool $5500 for his efforts. This is the second time recently that Franklin has accomplished the last to first routine.
 POST RACE INTERVIEW WITH MIKE FRANKLIN,JR.
 Mike Hovis took third while Winchell expressed unhappiness about his second place finish. Winchell's discontent was with the fact that the track was short of tires and he had to run the race on old tires that had 100 laps on them. He did a magnificent job running second and seriously challenging Franklin in the last 10 laps even with this disadvantage. Winchell spoke frankly in a post race interview noting that "Mike deserved this win and I'm not taking nothing away from him but I would have liked to have been straight up with him."
In the Fastruck 75 lap race Mike Powers and John Kidwell started in the rear. Kidwell had set fast time but due to a penalty from the Ocala race, was forced to start in the back. Powers drove through the field and had the lead by lap 15. He and Kidwell eventually fought for the win in the closing laps and Powers took the checkered flag first. We will have a full report on the Fastrucks races and other features to follow.
The following finishing order were submitted by Charlotte County Motorsports Park:
Late Models:
1. 12 Mike Franklin --- Fast Time
2. 15 Joe Winchell
3. 29 Mike Hovis
4. 8 Bobby Shelton
5. 119 Dalton Zehr
6. 23 Cory Collum
7. 54x Mark Childres
8. 4 Randy Fox
9. 30 Chris Huntoon
10. 66 Ray Perry
11. 62 Buzz Martin
12. 136 Ross Padula
13. 21 Chris Grubb
14. 100 Dan Ferri
15. 36 Gary Padulla
16. M8 Todd Cooper
17. 27 Kyle Maynard
18. 98 Chuck Wolfe
19. 6 Jason Coldiron
20. 19 Steve Arnold DQ
21. 63 Phil Morrison DQ
Sportsman
1. 23 Stuart Vandevender ---Heat Winner
2. 19 Dale Dean
3. 7 James Cassady sr.
4. 16 Guy Sheets
5. 22 Troy Yates
6. 17 David Morr
7. 83 John Hanuschik ---Heat Winner
8. 92 Mike Holmes
9. 20B Steve Olone
10. 20 Kevin Brikley
Fast Trucks Pro
1. 05 Mike Powers
2. 7NY John Kidwell -- Fast Time
3. 33 Michael Cenzi
4. 83 Tom North
5. 84 Bill Vandevender
6. 4 Ray Blackjr.
7. 3 Dennis Rockenhaus
8. 11 Graham McCoy
9. 97 Scott Hendric
10. 9
11. 66 Kevin Brickley
12. 48 Vernon Hart
13. 38
14. 18 Dustin Henderson
15. 22 Bobby Mcknight
16. 53 James Green -- DQ
Fast Truck Kids
1. 36 Ross Chastain -- fast time
2. 4 Patrick Fox
3. 33 Casey Caudill
4. 31 Kevin Blum
5. 46 Matt Cohen
6. 6 Josh Williams
7. 74 Seth Greico
8. 77 Lance Daubach
Road Warrior
1. 3 Terry Price
2. 09 Donny Ollie jr.
3. 33 Ann Marie Ricardi
4. 19 Greg Anderson
5. 48 Cory Scott
6. 5 Donnie Castillo
7. 18 Shane Leonard --- Heat Winner
8. 38 Dar Houghtaling
9. 23 Jeff Rumbold
10. 39 Blaine Baer
11. 1 Jessie Gargus---- Heat Winner
12. 63 Peter Amelotte
13 59 David Cleveland
14. 20 Dan Benoit
15. 34 Eddie Morrison
Thunder Trucks
1. B52 Larry Ballard jr.---Heat Winner
2. 21 Randy Kile
3. 51 Phillip Tackett
4. 18 Robert Willms
5. 69 Tom Pryor
Mini Cup Kids Winner
00 Daniel Miller
Mini Cup Pro Winner
4 Ray Black Jr.
Have an opinion on
this story? Post a message on
The Real Racin USA Florida Fan Message Board! or Email KARNACto send a letter to the editor!
|
