Hialeah Speedway kicked of the 2000 racing season Saturday
night and it was veteran Joe Winchell who came home an easy winner in the 30-lap late model sportsman feature.

Before a small crowd on a cool evening, things got off to a bad start when Gary McGoron, Greg Kaouk and Charlie Bible all tangled coming down for the initial green flag. McGoron set the early pace from the pole, but a damaged fender on a tire produced a steady plume of smoke and it only took
Winchell four laps to get the top spot. Bible, his car hastily repaired, came from the pits just ahead of the leaders and was flying. When a caution closed the field Bible joined the pack and worked his way to second spot at the checkers, a quarter lap behind Winchell. Bob Regula, Tim Shaffner and David Myer completed the top five runners.

Curt Haywood, in one of the oldest cars in competition, took the measure of the street stocks in a wire to wire run in the 30-lap main. Chalo DeCastro closed the gap near the end up it was too late for a challenge of Haywood and he settled for second. Jake Reedy, Tish Franssen and Ken
Carter trailed the lead duo at the stripe.

For mini stock runner Ken Chaiser it was a sweet win as he waited until the final night of the '99 season for his first victory of the year and now that monkey is off his back and his win streak stands at two. Kenny Strong gave chase but a late lap bobble spoiled his chances at the win
as he checkered second over Bill Calder, Steve Quick and Jim Miner in the double point 30 lapper.

The cyclone main saw 22 cars take the green flag but up front, by the luck of the draw, was Victor Leo and he paced every lap for the narrow win over Roger Bohannon. Bruce Moerlins, J.R. Fitch and top '99 rookie Heather Lunsford rounded out the top five.

Racing will continue weekly except for the Daytona 500 weekend when the track will be dark.
-Marty Little
RACEHISTRY@aol.com


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