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Jeff Choquette and Ryan Lawler Top Guns At USA International
By Jack Smith
Jeff Choquette waves to fans after getting first ever win at Lakeland
USA International opened the racing 2008 super late model season with a bang on Friday night with two 100 lap races and a couple of ASA Late Model 25 lap heat races as a warm up for the fans. Nineteen teams from the South and twenty-two representing the North took the green flag in what turned out to be a runaway for one, the other a bit of a nail-biter, under chilly central Florida skies.
Due to the lower than expected turnout from the northern states, the Mason-Dixon line had to be redrawn, putting North Carolina, Alabama and Georgia in the northern race, and turning the southern race into a Florida affair.
The familiar #84 of Wayne Anderson started outside Scotty Crockett in the #28 on the front row, and quickly jumped out front and set a commanding pace. By lap twenty it was clear Jeff Choquette, 2007 winner of the Florida Governor's Cup 200 in November, had not missed a beat in the off-season. He began passing cars right from the start and by lap 31 was in second running down Anderson. Gainesville's Jay Middleton, back with a competitive motor, followed Choquette from his seventh starting spot and was riding in fourth when Choquette drove under Anderson for the lead a few laps later.
At the halfway mark Anderson had been passed by Middleton and started fading, only to have his front front go completely away at lap 75 causing him to smack the wall. Choquette was never seriously challenged, but Middleton had to hold off a hard charging David Rogers in the closing laps.
Scotty Crockett held on for fourth and Tim Russell took fifth.
This was Jeff Choquette's first victory at USA International Speedway, although he has competed here many times. Middleton, happy with his new motor said with a smile, "I am getting tired of finishing second though."
In the North race two stars from the NASCAR ranks were in the field, David Stremme in the #35 and Kyle Busch in the #51. Snowball Derby winner (2007) Augie Grill, from Hayden, AL, started in the sixth spot and by the first caution at lap 8 had the lead. John Wes Townley, a star in the ASA Late Model season of 2007 brought out the caution when his ill handling race car tagged the front straight wall.
When the green flag dropped to restart the field Ben Rowe, Auburn ME, was riding in second place, a few seconds later the red flag was out and Rowe's car was a mess after slamming into the turn one wall. He has a wrapped foot when he made it back to pits and his numerous crew members were hard at work on the car.
Back to racing after a 15 minute delay, Grill moved off to a huge lead on the 3/4 mile speedway. While Grill was riding uncontested, Texas driver Ryan Lawler was coming to the front from this 9th starting spot. The other driver coming to the front was "Rowdy" Busch, who would have started outside in the fourth row, but had to start in the rear going to work on his equipment after qualifying, making a motor change.
Lawler took the lead on lap 34 and by halfway he was was followed by the #51 with Grill dropping back into the 3rd position. Fans were seeing some real good racing back in the field of 22 cars, highlighted by the battle between last year's Speedfest winner Eddie Hoffman and Indiana driver Scott Hantz in the #72.
Lawler and Busch started lapping the field and by the time the race ended there were only five cars on the lead lap, with only nine cars running. Attrition was due mainly to a lot of mechanical issues. Eddie Hoffman had to park his #8 race car with 21 laps left to score.
With five laps to go Grill appeared to be ready to make a comeback, and was riding Busch hard on the restart, with the fifth caution coming on lap 98 after Georgia driver Shane Sieg hit the wall while running fifth.
Meanwhile Grill had passed "Rowdy" and was setting his sights on Lawler with the green-white-checker situation at hand. As the cars came off turn two and headed down the back straight at USA International the fans rose to their feet to watch Grill's car get smashed up as he hit the wall. Grill later said Busch had hit him enough to spin his #112, and wasn't sure if he would be able to fix the car for Saturday's 200 lap Speedfest finale.
Ryan Lawler in the winners circle at USA International
Another green-white-checkers followed and Lawler easily outran Busch for the win, with Scott Hantz taking third. Speaking of his competitor from the Sprint Cup, Lawler said in the winner's circle "I had a good time racing with him, I don't think he is too happy with me right now, but I'm pretty sure he would have done the same thing."
Kyle Busch said "I think we burned all our stuff up coming up through there, but it was a lot of fun racing these guys, that's what its all about, trying to have a good time out here."
At the conclusion the race Jeff Choquette and Ryan Lawler were present for the coin toss to determine starting line for Saturday. Lawler won the toss putting the North on the inside line, with his #31 on the pole.
The ASA Late Models, running a 100 lap non points race Saturday night, sent out the cars in two 25 lap races. Travis Cope blew to the front and handily won the first race with pole sitter Wayne Morris taking second and Travis Wilson third. Ironically both young me with the name Travis have well known racing fathers, Mike Cope and Rick Wilson.
In the second race, South Carolina's Jimmy Lang started on the pole and courageously held off hard charging Sean Murphy and Eddie Hoffman. Hoffman, after wild side by side racing with Murphy made a last lap pass to capture the win.
Things get underway Saturday with practice beginning at 2 PM, autograph session at 6:30 and racing at 8 PM. The ASA Late Models square off for 100 laps and the Super Late Models will go for 200 laps to decide the 2008 Speedfest Champion.
USA International Speedway is located near Lakeland Florida the web site is www.usaspeedway.com
OFFICIAL RESULTS SPEEDFEST 2008 USA INTERNATIONAL, JANUARY 25, 2008 SOUTH 100
1. #70 Jeff Choquette, Loxahatchee, FL 2. #74 Jay Middleton, Gainesville, FL 3. #11 David Rogers, Orlando, FL 4. #28 Scotty Crockett, Land O Lakes, FL. 5. #36 Tim Russell, Longwood, FL 6. #26 Travis Cope, Weeki Wachee, FL 7. #05 Jeremy Colanglo, Deland, FL 8. #12 Justin Drawdy, Ft. Pierce, FL 9. #80 Brian Finney, Merritt Island, FL 10. #5 Joe Boyd, Riverview, FL 11. #6 Mac Johnson, Newberry, FL 12. #88 Justin Larson, Safety Harbor, FL 13. #00 Robert Yoho, Pinellas Park, FL 14. #84 Wayne Anderson, Wildwood, FL 15. #22 Perry Brown, Riverview, FL 16. #2 Patrick Conrad, Clermont, FL 17. #9 Kurt Jett, Orange Park, FL 18. #170 Jeremy Gerstner, Wesley Chapel, FL 19. #07 Jeff Scofield, Plant City, FL.
NORTH 100
1. #31 Ryan Lawler, Colleyville, TX 2. #51 Kyle Busch, Las Vegan, NV 3. #72 Scott Hantz, Angola, IN 4. #2 Mike Rowe, Turner, ME 5. #38 Shane Sawyer, Buford, GA 6. #18 Hunter Robbins, Montgomery, AL 7. #49 Stanley Smith, Chelsea, AL 8. #78 Cassius Clark, Farmington, ME 9. #112 Augie Grill, Handen, AL 10. #89 Shane Seig, Tucker, GA 11. #1 Aaron Pierce, Daleville, IN 12. #67 Jeff Fultz, Mooresville, NC 13. #09 John Wes Townley, Watkinsville, GA. 14. #39 Ryan Sieg, Tucker, GA 15. #35 David Stremme, South Bend, IN 16. #8 Eddie Hoffman, Wheaton, IL 17. #99 Jason Shively, Ft. Wayne, IN 18. #14 Blake Lehr, Waxhaw, NC 19. #60 D.J. Shaw, Center conway, NH 20. #47 Corey Williams, Boothbay, ME 21. #10 Jack Landis, Edgerton, OH 22. #4 Ben Rowe, Auburn, ME
Crate Late Model Challenge South 25
1. #26 Travis Cope, Weeki Wachee, FL 2. #56 Wayne Morris, Mulberry, FL 3. #63 Travis Wilson, Bartow, Fl 4. #47 Chris Fontaine, Auburndale, FL 5. #97 Patrick Staropoli, Plantation, FL 6. #19 Kevin Macy, Bartow, FL 7. #93 Rob Partelo, Largo, FL 8. #25 Steve Smith, Lakeland, FL 9. #07 George Crenshaw, Lakeland, FL 10. #127 Kyle Maynard, Weirsdale, FL 11. #70 Jeremy Gerstner, Wesley Chapel, FL 12. #24 Michael Pilla, Jupiter, FL 13. #08 Drew Brannon, Miami, FL DNS
North 25
1. #8 Eddie Hoffman, Wheaton, IL 2. #86 Jimmy Lang, Bluffton, SC 3. #32 Sean Murphy, Indianapolis, IN 4. #08 Beau Slocumb, Juliette, GA 5. #5 Kris Stump, Tipp City, OH 6. #76 Logan Ruffin, Brentwood, TN 7. #60 D.J. Shaw, Center Conway, NH 8. #16 Austin Siebert, Warrensburg, MO
When the green flag dropped to restart the field Ben Rowe, Auburn ME, was riding in second place, a few seconds later the red flag was out and Rowe's car was a mess after slamming into the turn one wall. He has a wrapped foot when he made it back to pits and his numerous crew members were hard at work on the car.
The ASA Late Models, running a 100 lap non points race Saturday night, sent out the cars in two 25 lap races. Travis Cope blew to the front and handily won the first race with pole sitter Wayne Morris taking second and Travis Wilson third. Ironically both young me with the name Travis have well known racing fathers, Mike Cope and Rick Wilson.
In the second race, South Carolina's Jimmy Lang started on the pole and courageously held off hard charging Sean Murphy and Eddie Hoffman. Hoffman, after wild side by side racing with Murphy made a last lap pass to capture the win. 
