| Fans Make Chicken Salad from Chicken Soup at Volusia Speedway Park | VSP MEDIA
Barberville, FL (December 12, 2009) It is not easy to make chicken salad from chicken soup but the fans at Volusia Speedway Park did just that tonight. When there were not enough cars to have the Holiday Convention Classic, the fans were told they could get their money back if they wanted. Strange thing, that is not what they wanted. They wanted a Holiday Christmas party and they got just that.
Instead they stayed in the stands watching the Late Models and Sportsman practice and decided there were enough cars for a race. So the fans began donating money to our announcer Joe and before you knew it, over $500 was donated.
Joe went to Tonya Moschell, the General Manager, with the proposal from the fans that they wanted to see a race and they were willing to donate the purse for that race. Tonya, being a good General Manager, and seeing that they were not leaving, went to the drivers to see what they had to say.
It was announced that there would be two "Dash for Cash" races, each ten laps long. One would be the Late Models and the other the Sportsman. By now, there was $920 in the kiddy so the Sportsman winner would get $320.00 and the Late Model winner would get $600. But before the Late Models ran, two more fans came up with $100 each giving the Late Models now $800. So it was decided that the winner would get $600 and second place $200. All this from the fans in the stands.
The races were started straight up from the drivers' pill draw at the pit window. This put the #66 of Kyle Chappell on the pole for the Sportsman race. But it was the #57 of Stanton Mills who took the point on the green followed by Augie Buttram, Aaron Barsness, Matt McGillivray, and Steve Shead.
Barsness wasted no time passing Buttram and taking over second as Buttram settled into third. With only ten laps to do it, Barsness wasted little time getting to the tail of Mills and charging for the point. Alan Peacock had problems and dropped out as Barsness kept his charge up for the point. Barsness took the point putting Mills second followed by Buttram, McGillivray and Chappell. At this point, Steve Shead had problems and had to take his machine into the pits.
Barsness did not give an inch although Mills wanted the lead back but it was Barsness who took the checkered followed by Stanton Mills, Augie Buttram, Matt McGillivrary and Kyle Chappell.
In Victory Lane, Barsness thanked the fans for his $320 pay day and said he was honored to race for them.
Late Models saw the #33 of Mikey Kopka on the pole for their ten lap dash but it was the #46 of Darell Padgett who took the point and never looked back. John Kellum had to retire his ride before a lap was down as Padgett led the way over Jason Davis, Ivedent Lloyd, Kopka, and Jeff Phipps.
Phipps passes Kopka for fourth but it was Kevin Bayless who took over fifth as Kopka settles into sixth. With no cautions, Padgett takes the checkered and claims the $600 with Jason Davis in second taking home $200. Davis, who recently saw his car owner sell the rig and modified, had his own Late Model in the field for the night.
Santa made his guest appearance after the two Dash for Cash races and was a big hit with the kids as they told him their Christmas wishes and got candy canes in return.
Most of the fans stayed to watch practice and it was an amazing night at Volusia Speedway Park as the fans made chicken salad from chicken soup. Never in all my years in racing, have I ever seen the fans put up the purse from their pockets because they came to see racing and that was exactly what they planned to get. I will say Volusia's fans are amazing and the drivers are truly blessed to have such great fans.
So ends the 2009 race season at Volusia Speedway Park. Join us February 2nd thru February 13th for the 39th DIRTcar Nationals. Schedule and ticket prices can be found at www.volusiaspeedwaypark.com.
From all the Staff and Officials at Volusia Speedway Park, we wish you all a very Merry Christmas and the happiest of New Year's. See you in Feburary.
OFFICIAL RESULTS, VOLUSIA SPEEDWAY PARK, DECEMBER 12, 2009
SPORTSMAN
1. #11 Aaron Barsness
2. #57 Stanton Mills
3. #58 Augie Buttram
4. #95 Matt McGillivray
5. #66 Kyle Chappell
6. #80 Paul Shead
7. #88 Sammy Dale
8. #10 Steve Shead
9. #5 Alan Peacock
Late Models
1. #46 Darell Padgett
2. #145 Jason Davis
3. #07 Ivednet Lloyd
4. #59 Kevin Bayless
5. #33 Mikey Kopka
6. #21Q Chris Freeman
7. #RP1 Bud Rose
8. #32 Jeff Phipps
9. #W5 John Kellum
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