(Bradenton, FL; 10/7/2000) In an evening of hard racing, Brian Hollifield of Bradenton roared to the Pepsi winner's circle in the Southern Comfort Pools Limited Late Models 50-lap feature event. Hollifield won his first ever feature in the Limited Late Models by staying ahead of the accidents that brought out six caution flags including two red flags for track clean up.

"I feel great seeing we got into the wall four times in the race," Hollifield said. "I'm real pleased to finish where we did."

Hollifield started on the pole and struggled early in the race, but the longer he ran, the better the car worked. "You've got kind of an obligation when you started up front," he continued. "But the car came to me the longer I ran. I'm pleased."

Ross Darcey of Bradenton placed second and Larry Cook of Umatilla took third after technical disqualifications dropped Rick Rugero and Kevin Ingram from contention.

In the Selective HR Solutions Sportsman feature event, a serious injury sent Fred Wagner of Bradenton to Manatee Memorial Hospital after he suffered a head-on collision with the retaining wall at the west end of the pitside grandstands.

"The word from Manatee Memorial was that he has two fractured vertebra in his neck, three ribs broken and a ruptured spleen," said a friend of Wagner, Charles Ramsey. "I don't belive it's life threatening but he's supposed to be going into surgery."

Wagner was running in traffic coming out of turn two when the accident happened. His car spun sideways, was clipped by the car behind him and he shot up the inclined into the concrete wall head on. Wagner climbed from the car under his own power, but was put on a stretcher and taken to the waiting ambulance. "Our thoughts are with Fred," said track owner Camille Sarppraicone. "The DeSoto Speedway family sends our wishes for a speedy recovery."

Steve Gainey of Bradenton won the Selective HR Solutions Sportsman feature event with Junior Purcell of Sarasota in second with Wayne Metcalf of Myakka City taking third place.

"Man they were going everywhere out there," Gainey said. "but that's part of racing. That's what the roll bars are for."

Dennis Wilson Jr of Bradenton took his ninth feature win in the Express Personnel Service Street Stock feature event. "We just put in a brand new motor," Wilson said. "We got it hooked up and it's running good. I want to thank all my sponsors and especially my family. If it wasn't for them I wouldn't be here." Chet Roberts placed second and Bruce Ahlers of Bradenton took third place.

Ed Kratzert of Bradenton jumped to an early lead in the Contemporary Cabinetry & Closet Concepts Pure Stock feature event and led the field to the Pepsi winner's circle. "We've got the car set up good," Kratzert said. "It was a good run tonight. I'd like to thank all my sponsors for their support." Howard Higgins of Arcadia placed second. Gary Flinn of Palmetto took third place.

Steve Gill of Sarasota took the checkered flag in the Manatee Lumber Modified Minis feature event. "We battled all year with motor problems," Gill said. "Now we've got a fresh motor and it seems to be working good. We don't have as much down the straightaways as some of the other guys, but in the corners it works really great. We did our homework and it's starting to pay off." Mike Mitrisin of Brooksville placed second and Kenny Hankins of Lakeland took third place in the event.

Shaking off the bounty placed on him, Mark Gimmler of Palm Beach Gardens roared to the finish line in the DeSoto Speedway TQ Midgets feature event to leave the $50 unclaimed. Gimmler, who has won every race but one at DeSoto Speedway this year, worked his way from mid-field to the lead and the win in seemingly easy fashion. "I'm not running anything any different from the other cars," Gimmler said. "Some of the cars are faster down the straightaways. It's just that the faster you go through the corners the faster down the straights. It's the setup and you need to stay off the brakes when you're not in traffic." Murray Hall placed second and Mike Elder of Bradenton took third place.

Next Saturday, it's bring the family night. Everyone gets into the grandstands at $20 a car load.

-Ken Willis-


SOUTHERN COMFORT POOLS LIMITED LATE MODEL:
1. #31 Brian Hollifield, ;
2. #11 Ross Darcey, Bradenton;
3. #14 Larry Cook, Umatilla;
4. #47 Chris Fontaine, Lakeland;
5. #23 Danny Poling, ;
6. #01 Jeff Wogoman, Ft Myers;
7. #36 Tommy Younkman, Sarasota;
8. #34 Rick Good, Naples;
9. #37 John Shields, Bradenton;
10. #61 Richard Kelley Jr, Gulfport.

SELECTIVE HR SOLUTIONS SPORTSMAN
1. #1 Steve Gainey, Bradenton
2. #86 Junior Purcell, Sarasota
3. #3 Wayne Metcalf, Myakka City
4. #21 James Carter, Bradenton
5. #98 Lonny Miller, Bradenton
6. #5 Johnny Cassidy
7. #18 George Shaver, Arcadia
8. #17 Clyde Cole, Sarasota
9. #23 James Knight, Bradenton
10. #75 Bill Close, Bradenton

EXPRESS PERSONNEL SERVICE STREET STOCK
1. #42 Dennis Wilson, Jr., Bradenton
2. #69 Chet Roberts
3. #47 Bruce Ahlers, Bradenton
4. #8 Sue Purington, Nokomis
5. #12 Dan Hall, Sarasota
6. #95 Wallace Ramsey, Bradenton
7. #05 Bruce Sherwood, Bradenton
8. #8 Rich Clouser, Grant
9. #65 Mike Johnson, Sarasota

CONTEMPORARY CABINETRY & CLOSET CONCEPTS PURE STOCK
1. #77 Ed Kratzert, Bradenton
2. #7 Howard Higgins, Arcadia
3. #56 Gary Flinn, Palmetto
4. #68 Jeff Firestine
5. #54 Mark Gill, Bradenton
6. #16 Jonathen Espisto
7. #3 Peggy Hurst, Sarasota
8. #20 Greg Banach, Bradenton
9. #67 David Yahraus, Sarasota
10. #4 Bob Petrilli, Sarasota

MANATEE LUMBER MODIFIED MINI-STOCKS
1. #5 Steve Gill, Sarasota
2. #98 Mike Mitrisin, Brooksville
3. #8 Kenny Hankins, Lakeland
4. #3 Matt Watts, Dade City
5. #7 Steve Martin, Pinellas Park
6. #51 Wade Leithead
7. #16 Ronnie Heard, Jr., Seffner
8. #X Bondia Martin
9. #25 Sam Rogers Jr., Clearwater
10. #72 Chip Gaines, Sarasota

DESOTO SPEEDWAY TQ MIDGETS
1. #51 Mark Gimmler, Palm Beach Gardens
2. #5 Murray Hall
3. #52 Mike Elder, Bradenton
4. #6 Freddie Stutz, Lauderhill
5. #80 Wendy Mathis, Ocala
6. #24 Dick Stoler
7. #16 Rod Anderson, Tampa
8. #4 Ted Durfee, Bradenton
9. #9 Mike Leroy, Gulf Breeze
10. #3 Jack Duffy, Sarasota








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