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| Drawdy Takes Super Late Model Race | One Hundred and nine cars filled the pits at New Smyrna
Speedway last night with 15 buses lined up around the
outside edges of the track. In spite of a rain shower
earlier in the day, stands were filled and so were
the pits.
Twenty one Super Stocks were on hand for the first race in
weeks with the #15x of Bill Spade on the pole and winning
from the pole. The #13 of Jim Winterstein did a great job
of starting in the rear of the pack and working his way
into a third place finish but no one could catch the
#15x of Spade. Top five were; 1. #15 - Bill Spade;
2. #61 - Ted Helms; 3. #13 - Jim Winterstein; 4. #55 -
Jim Snyder; 5. #35 - Tim Ewing
In the Open Wheel Modified division, twelve cars came to fill their need for speed. The #00 of Bobby Blake had the pole but it was the #57 of Jim "Hoot" Flynn leading the race until the nitro lite up in Tank Tucker's #15. Tucker took the lead from Flynn and that was all she wrote. Mike Samples did a great job in the #81 coming in sixth. Mike honors us every now and then by driving his modified which Ricky Wood drove for a long time. Top five were: 1. #15 - Tank Tucker; 2. #57 - Jim "Hoot" Flynn; 3. #00 - Bobby Blake;
4. #09 - Rob Underwood; 5. #16 - Justin Henderson.
In spite of all the Late Model races going on at different
tracks tonight, the Late Model division had 18 cars in the
field. A nice surprise for the fans was the #10 of Brad
May (who does not come see us enough) and the brand new
Late Model of Jerry Symons (#66 of course) who honored us
with his first race in his new car. On the pole was the
#22 of Snodgrass (a really pretty car) but it was the
#63 of Chris Lawrence that took the lead and won the race.
The #66 of Symons and the #77 of Brian Bellaw gave the
fans a real show with door to door action racing for the
fourth and fifth places. Some very good clean, action
packed racing. Top five were: 1. #63 - Chris Lawrence;
2. #22 - David Snodgrass; 3. #90 - Robert Anderchek;
4. #66 - Jerry Symons; 5. #77 - Brian Bellaw. Also,
when Chris Lawrence won, he went around the track with
a huge American Flag, a very appropriate move for this
night.
In the Sportsman division, eleven came to race with the #04 of Doug Samion on the pole. But tonight, it was the #111 of Donnie Williams who took the lead and never ever looked back. Dale Clouser in the #30 tried to catch Williams but it was not to be this weekend. The top five were: 1. #111 - Donnie Williams; 2. #30 - Dale Clouser; 3. #04 - Doug Samion, 4. #07 - Ron Lufcy; 5. #47 - David Gibbs.
Fourteen Super Lates came to win but only one went home with the trophy. The #78 of B.J. McLeod had the pole and lead until the #11 of David Rogers decided it is my turn and took the lead. As McLeod and Rogers fought it out for the lead, a very smooth Justin Drawdy in the #12 slipped right thru and got them both for the win. I would also like to note here that Pete Orr was in the pits last night and it was great to see his smile again - We love you Pete. The top five were: 1. #12 - Justin Drawdy; 2. #11 - David Rogers; 3. #78 - B.J. McLeod, 4. #51 - Jacob Warren; 5. #1 - Sammy Graham.
In the Mini-Stocks, we lost one before the race began with a blown engine, #6 of David Castello. But be assured, he will return with a new engine. On the pole pole tonight was the #71 of Ted
Vulipus (we don't see him enough anymore). Vulipus lead
with the #01 of Conrad Grenier trying his best to take
the lead. But the side by side action fo Grenier and the
#9 of Dale Casteel opened the door for the #55 of Rick
Tumey to charge Vulipus and take the lead. Tim "Missile-
man" McPhail in the #7 car did a great job of coming
from the rear to take a fifth place finish. Top five were:
1. #55 - Rick Tumey; 2. #71 - Ted Vulipus; 3. #01 -
Conrad Grenier; 4. #9 - Dale Casteel; 5. #7 - Tim "The
Missileman" McPhail.
It was rainning Strictly Stocks tonight with twenty one
in the field. This is the class that does real good and
gives the fans alot of beating and banging and holding the
breathe moments. On the pole was the #38 but it was
the #50 of Robert Skinner and the #25 of Geno Smith that
battled lap after lap for the lead, changing it a number
of times. But in the end, it was the #25 of Geno Smith
with the win. Top five were: 1. #25 - Geno Smith;
2. #50 - Robert Skinner; 3. #48 - David Smith; 4. #11;
5. #27 - Josh Wronkowski.
And now, the moment everyone was waiting for, fourteen yellow and one white buses take to the high banks of New Smyrna Speedway for the first ever oval track school bus race. Rick Anges, my karnac co-writer, and Robert Hart, owner of New Smyrna Speedway and Orlando Speedworld, sit side by side on the pole. Before the race, Don Nerone told Rick Anges all he had to do was "hold the pedal to the metal and don't let up" and Rick did just that. David Rogers is not use to being lapped ever, tonight Rick Anges can say, "I lapped David Rogers." Everyone had fun even Robert who I am sure does not get to have fun like this very often since this was the first bus race. But in the end, it was Rick Anges taking home the first trophy proudly for a job well done. Great job to all the drivers.
Next weekend at New Smyrna Speedway, a 4 cylinder and 8 cylinder demo derby with heats and features in all divisions except Super Late Models. The Sunbelt Super Late Models will run their FIRST ever road course next weekend at Sebring which is where I will be also.
Jane Smith
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