| NO RAIN, Plenty of Fun and Action at Volusia Speedway Park | by Jane Smith
Barberville, FL (July 18, 2009) In spite of the dark skies above and the forecast of 60% chance of rain, Volusia Speedway Park got all the racing in Saturday night plus the Kids Box Car races. Those kids were adorable as they raced along with their box cars.
Winning the 4 Cylinder division of 3 and under was young Taylor Watson in the #5. Harold Hart was second in his #07 and 1/2 Pint was third and also Best of Show with Ms. Kaycee Depew behind the wheel.
There was only one Thunder Stock for ages 4 to 6. Ms. Lexi Daugharty came home with the winner trophy and also Best of Show. In the Street Stocks, ages 7 to 9, it was Drew Depew in the #10 winning the first place trophy followed by Dakota England in the #99 and Eben Kirby in the #24 in third. Kirby also won Best of Show.
These kids had a ball and the fans loved it.
Heat race winners were Dave Barber and Mark Whitener in the Late Model division. Drew Smith, Danny Vogel, Jr., and Corey Holley in the Sportsman division. Steve Mooers and Kevin Durden in the Street Stocks who also ran for $500.00 to win Saturday night. Donnie Nobles, who got to experience his first rollover last Saturday, and Scott Mooers won in the Thunder Stock divison and it was Tony Laporta, who is now off to New York for awhile to care for his mother, and Dalton Strehle in the 4 Cyl. Challengers. Congrats to all the heat winners.
It was now time for the features and up first were the Sportsman. Corey Holley had the pole for the 20 lap feature but it was Danny Vogel, Jr. who took the point on the green and lead from green to checkered. Following Vogel on the green was Holley, Garret Stewart, Paul Shead, and Josh Byrd. Shead passed Stewart for third and by lap 4 was knocking on the backdoor of Holley but Holley quickly shut the door.
By lap 5, last week's winner Ronnie Ponce has put the heat on Alan Peacock and taken over sixth as Peacock slides to seventh. The caution comes out for Levi Cribbs who has hit the outside wall on the frontstretch. With Vogel on the inside and Holley on the outside for the restart, it is Vogel, Holley, Ponce, Shead and Stewart leading the way.
Lap 7 sees the yellow wave again for Dan Lane, Sr. and Steve Shead who have gotten together in turns 3 and 4. Lane is fine but Shead needs the tow truck to get into the pits. Lane joins the field in the rear as Vogel leads the way over Ponce, Holley, Shead and Byrd. But it is a short green as the yellow comes out again for Steve Branton who has spun on the backstretch. Branton is fine and rejoins the field in the rear for the restart.
Vogel on the inside, Ponce on the outside for the restart, it is Vogel taking the point over Ponce, Shead, Byrd, and Holley. Drew Smith puts the heat on Holley for fifth and takes it after going three wide with Stewart and Holley for the position on the backstretch. But lap 14 sees the RED come out for Shaun Daugharty, Alan Peacock, Todd Ponce and Kevin Davis who are all somewhat mashed together in turn 2. All drivers are fine.
With six laps left, it is a single file restart as Vogel once again leads the way over Ponce, Shead, Byrd and Smith. But one lap later, the yellow waves again for Paul Shead, Holley, Barsness, Davis, and Branton who have gotten together coming off 2.
With five laps left, Vogel once again leads the way on the green over Ponce, Byrd, Smith and Stewart. Lap 19 Smith looks to challenge Byrd but Byrd quickly shuts the door. Vogel takes the checkered followed by Ronnie Ponce, Josh Byrd, Drew Smith and Garret Stewart.
Thunder Stocks saw Matthew Schell on the pole for their feature race and they also saw Schell cross the checkered for the win. Schell took the point on the green followed by Scott Mooers, Randy Strehle, Donnie Nobles, and Wally Douglas. But it took points leader Mooers no time to pass Schell for the point putting Schell second. But now it was Randy Strehle who passed Schell for second as Schell settled into third. But Strehle was not done as he now challenged Mooers for the number one position and takes it putting Mooers second, Schell third, Nobles fourth and Douglas fifth.
The caution comes out on lap 8 for Douglas who has spun coming off 4. Douglas quickly finds himself stuck in the mud at the bottom of 4 with the tow truck coming to his rescue. At the same time, Vaugh Woodall retires his smoking machine to the pits also and Mooers has a flat left front tire and must pit.
Strehle has the point on the restart followed by Schell, Nobles, Sean Babcock, and Richard Calmes. Lap 8 sees Schell take over the point from Strehle as Strehle settles into second. Strehle does not give up but each time Schell shuts the door on Strehle. Schell crosses the checkered taking the win followed by Randy Strehle, Donnie Nobles, Sean Babcock, and Richard Calmes.
Donnie Chappell had the pole for the Late Model feature but it was Mark Whitener who lead from green to checkered, Following Whitener on the green was Chappell, Shugert, Joe Kump (last week's winner) and Dave Barber. Lawton Minchew wasted no time passing Barber and taking over fifth as Barber settled into sixth.
In the Late Model field tonight was James Powell, III. Powell is well known not only on dirt but also asphalt. And it was a pleasure to fans and drivers alike, to have Powell back in the racing suit.
Powell challenges Jason Davis for tenth and takes it by lap 4. It is now Whitener, Chappell, Shugert, Kump, Minchew, Ferry, Clegg, Barber, Powell, and Davis. Powell moves to eighth followed by Davis in ninth and Barber in tenth. By lap 13, Kump has put pressure on Shugert and takes over third. David Clegg brings out the caution on lap 14 when he spins by himself in turn 2.
It is now a single file restart as Whitener leads the way over Shugert, Chappell, Kump and Minchew. Kump passes Chappell for third as Chappell goes to fourth and Ferry takes over fifth. Just as it is getting really hot and heavy, the caution comes out on lap 16 for Chris Freeman and Andy Schell who have spun on the frontstretch. Whitener leads the way on the restart Shugert, Kump, Ferry, Chappell, Minchew, Davis, Powell, Mills, and Mike Warren.
Lap 17 sees the yellow once again for Chris Day, Dave Barber, Andy Schell, and Larry Anderson who have all gotten together coming off 4. Bud Rose does a quick in and out of the pits to avoid the wreck in front of him doing a very smart thing. The field is realigned as Whitener once again leads the way over Shugert, Ferry, Kump and Minchew. Ferry passes Shugert and takes over second. By lap 19, Whitener and Ferry are doing some great side-by-side action but Whitener is not ready to give up that number one position and maintains his position keeping Ferry in second.
One last caution on lap 23 for Chris Day who has spun on the backstretch. Whitener takes the point on the green and the checkered followed by Richard Ferry, Joe Kump, Jason Davis, and Wayne Shugert.
Danny Lunn had the pole for the 4 Cylinder Challengers but it was young Dalton Strehle who quickly took the point on the green followed by Lunn, Tony Laporta, RJ Glaser, and C.J. Johnston. Gilbert Epsy puts the heat on Johnston and takes over fifth as Johnston goes to sixth. Leonard Underwood suddenly slows on the backstretch and is definitely off the pace. He tries to make it into the pits but can't bringing out the caution for assistance.
Lunn on the inside, Strehle on the outside, Strehle once again takes the point over Lunn, Laporta, Johnston, and Epsy. But the caution comes out again on lap 3 when Johnston gets alittle help from Epsy and spins in turn 2. Both are sent to the rear for the restart.
Laporta on the inside, Strehle on the outside, Strehle once again takes the point over Laporta, Glaser, Epsy, and Bergfeld. Lunn has a flat and must retire to the pits for a new tire as Strehle continues to lead the way over Laporta, Glaser, Epsy, and Johnston. Lap 5 sees Bergfeld spin in turn 4. Bergfeld goes low in turn 4 and gets stuck calling for the tow truck to help him out of the mud.
The field is realigned with Laporta on the inside, Strehle on the outside for the restart. Strehle once again takes the point but the RED comes out for David Ladrie who has rolled in turn 4. The safety crew get to Ladrie quickly as he slowly climbs out of the upside down machine. Ladrie is fine as the crew rolls his car back over on all fours. But the important thing is that the driver is fine.
Strehle leads the way on the restart followed by Laporta, Epsy, Johnston, and Davey Wolf. Laporta is slowly getting closer and closer to Strehle and eventually takes over the point as Strehle goes to second followed by Epsy, Wolf and Glaser. After a great run, Johnston retires his #17x to the pits on lap 12.
Laporta continues to lead the way and takes his final win for awhile (he is going back to New York to take care of his ailing mother) over Dalton Strehle, Gilbert Epsy, R.J. Glaser, and Davey Wolf.
Street Stocks ran for $500.00 to win tonight and had NO cautions at all in their feature race. On the pole was Bubba Christian who quickly took the point on the green followed by Kevin Durden, Grady Christian, Charlie Macnichol, and Steve Mooers. It takes Grady Christian little time before he is on the point followed by nephew Bubba Christian, Kevin Durden, Steve Mooers, and Charlie Macnichol.
Lap 9 sees Bubba Christian challenge uncle Grady and for one lap, takes over the lead until Grady comes back and takes the lead back over from Bubba on lap 10. Macnichol passes Durden for third as Durden settles into fourth but Durden is not done either and challenges Macnichol back and retakes third as Macnichol goes back to fourth.
Bruce Birkitt slows on lap 18 and retires to the pits, two laps short of the checkered. Grady Christian leads the way and once again takes the checkered over Bubba Christian, Kevin Durden, Steve Mooers, and Charlie Macnichol.
The BIG question is - CAN ANYONE BEAT GRADY CHRISTIAN???????
Next Saturday night, July 25th, it is RASSLIN & RACIN at Volusia Speedway Park with WNDB NIGHT. It will be FWA WRESTLING with the TOP GUN SPRINTS CARS, Florida Mini Sprints, $500 to win Mini Stocks, Modifieds, and 4 Cylinder Challengers. Advance tickets are only $12.00 and on sale now at Volusia Speedway Park.
OFFICIAL RESULTS
VOLUSIA SPEEDWAY PARK
JULY 18, 2009
LATE MODEL
1 W5 Mark Whitener Middleburg
2 17 Richard Ferry Macclenny
3 J17 Joe Kump Lake Helen
4 145 Jason Davis Hawthorne
5 16 Wayne Shugert St Augustine
6 23 Lawton Minchew Deleon Springs
7 25 Donnie Chappell Jacksonville
8 58 James Powell Astor
9 16M Stanton Mills St Augustine
10 10 Mike Warren Umatilla
11 RP1 William Bud Rose Holly Hill
12 8 Chris Day Bunnell
13 56B Dave Barber Jr Alachua
14 N0C Andy Schell Pierson
15 30 Larry Anderson Jacksonville
16 21Q Chris Freeman Enterprise
17 07 David Clegg Bunnell
18 57X Daren Mcmillan Bryerville DNS
SPORTSMAN
1 99 Danny Vogel Jr.
2 57P Ronnie Ponce
3 42 Josh Byrd
4 29 Drew Smith
5 67 Garret Stewart
6 11C Corey Holley
7 31 Donnie Birdwell Jr
8 11 Aaron Barsness
9 05 Dan Lane Sr
10 40 Steve Branton
11 10X David Ponton
12 80 Paul Shead
13 01 Kevin Mills
14 42M Timothy Miller
15 88 Sammy Dale
16 00 Shaun Daugharty
17 5 Alan Peacock
18 86 Kevin Davis
19 007 Todd Ponce
20 10 Steve Shead
21 3C Levi Cribbs
22 57 Karl Heinz Haas
23 45 Bobby Richardson DNS
STREET STOCK
1 36 Grady Christian
2 04 Charles Christian
3 35 Kevin Durden
4 95 Steve Mooers
5 12 Charlie Macnichol
6 13 Phillip Brown
7 20 D.J. Nobles
8 94 Justin Sirmons
9 11S James Smith
10 11W Jody Wells
11 2S Mick Kulak
12 77M Mark Maresca
13 9 Bruce Birkitt
14 7P Paul Passmonte
15 54 Tim Hughes DNS
16 51 Steve Oldaker DNS
THUNDER STOCK
1 57 Matthew Schell
2 24 Randy Strehle
3 17 Donnie Nobles
4 5W Sean Babcock
5 07 Richard Calmes
6 0 Skip Land
7 00 Eddie Tovet
8 03 Robert Schrunk
9 99 David Antis
10 10 Scott Mooers
11 3W Vaugh Woodall
12 6 Wally Douglass
13 D10 Michael Rood
UMP 4-CYLINDER CHALLENGERS
1 3T Tony Laporta
2 75S Dalton Strehle
3 6E Gilbert Espy
4 004 RJ Glaser
5 01 Davey Wolf
6 75 Gilford Williams
7 12 Jim Bergfeld
8 39.5 Danny Lunn
9 17X C J Johnston
10 11 David Ladrie
11 B12 Brian Smith
12 5S Kevin Dugan
13 66 Leonard Underwood, Jr.
BOX STOCK
4 CYLINDER (3 AND UNDER)
1. #5 Taylor Watson
2. #07 Harold Hart
3. #1/2 Pint Kaycee Depew (Best of Show)
THUNDER STOCK (AGES 4 - 6)
1. #00 Lexi Daugharty (Best of Show)
STREET STOCK (Ages 7 - 9)
1. #10 Drew Depew
2. #99 Dakota England
3. #24 Eben Kirby (Best of Show)
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