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| SUNSHINE SPEEDWAY AND SARA LATE MODEL SERIES OPEN 2001 SEASON IN STYLE | by Thom Watson
PINELLAS PARK, FL - Sunshine Action Speedway was ready for the 2001 points season to get underway. The stands were full as the racing action got underway with a full night of events. The main event of the evening was the Southern Automobile Racing Association season opening 100 lap feature. As good as that race was, the old saying "save the best for last" was definitely the theme of the night as the Q Auto & Injury Attorneys Figure 8 feature race was a race full of near misses and fearless driving. That was not all the action, as the Open Wheel Modifieds, Outlaw Late Models, the One Step Auto Parts Mini Stocks, the Auto Trader Street Stocks and the Hornet class also opened their season Saturday night.
The night was festive and somber at the same time, as there were black ribbons being sold to remember our fallen hero, Dale Earnhardt, with the donations being sent to the Carolinas Foundation in his honor. There was also a giant card to sign that was to be sent to Teresa Earnhardt that had signatures crammed into every available space. The highlight of the night had to be the tribute to Dale, the drivers and crews came out to the infield and made Dale's signature number 3. As Crystal Beach native, Lari White's stirring rendition of Amazing Grace was playing, the lights went dim and there was nothing but 3's on the scoreboard and 3 fingers in the air from every fan. There were many grown men and women with tears in their eyes. The Sunshine Speedway fans know how it is to lose a hero as they lost one of their own, "Wild" Bill Revard , in 1999. If there is a saving grace they both went to a better place while doing something they thoroughly enjoyed and would want people to continue to support the sport they both dearly loved.
The night got under way with the Hornet class for aspiring drivers 16 to 19 years old. Abbie Haugh, in the #10 car, started in the fourth position in the eight care field. She took the lead on the backstretch on lap 2 and never looked back.
Tim Henault, in the #69 car, started on the pole for the Outlaw Late Model feature and before they came around for the first time, Richard Crisp had taken the lead. In a caution free race, Crisp managed to stay out front, but not without pressure from several others. Troy Johnson, #7, spun at the flag stand on lap seven, but got out of harms way and no caution was thrown. Tim Henault, meanwhile, stayed on Crisp's rear bumper until lap 12 when he slowed and was out of contention. After that it was a three-car train with #6, Ed Kidd and #27, Pete Coon, going nose-to-tail until Crisp and Kidd broke away for the final two laps. Crisp kept the low line and was not seriously challenged as he took the checkers.
In the One Stop Auto Parts Mini Stocks it was Eric Cuchta starting up front. He was able to hold the point until lap 3 when the 70 car of Marty Niekens passed him. At the halfway point, lap 10, Niekens and the 65 car of Joey Caterelli tangled and spun. Tom Zimmerman in the 55 car, passed both of them to take over the lead. Zimmerman held on to the lead until he got caught up in a spin with the lapped car of Niekens. Could there have been a little payback there? Tim Harmon. #8, passed them both to take over the point and held on to take the win.
Mark McKnight, #90, started from the pole position in the Open Wheel Modified division. McKnight was able to hold on to the point position for the first three laps. #6, Chet Senokossoff, who started in the fifth position, took over the lead with a nice run off turn four, as he passed Mcknight on the inside. On lap 13, Rosenberry bumped Senokossoff in turn two, but Senokossoff held on and pulled away to about a seven car length lead. The real battle in the last few laps was between Chris Robbins, #88, and Rosenberry. With Robbins holding the second spot, Rosenberry got a good run off turn four and passed him on the outside to edge him at the flag by about half a car length.
The Main Event of the night was the 100 lap SARA Late Model Series race. In the 26-car field, Sanford's Marty Pierce, started in the pole position. On the first lap eight cars bumped, spun and tangled as the mid-pack cars got to turns 3 and 4. After the restart, the 01 car of Jason Boyd took the lead. Boyd, defending SARA Late Model champion Bobby Beauchemin and Michael Faulk took the first three positions and held on that way through 4 caution periods. On lap 50, Beauchemin passed Boyd at the start/finish line but couldn't make it stick as Boyd retook the lead on turn 2. Beauchemin, in the sentimental number 3 car, kept on Boyd's tail lap after lap. He looked high, he looked low, but couldn't get by Boyd. On lap 65, Beauchemin went to the inside of Boyd coming off turn 4. Boyd spun and the caution was thrown. Boyd was sent to the rear as the officials thought he retaliated as Beauchemin had made the pass. Faulk then took over second place as he and Beauchemin stretched their lead to about 7 car lengths over the third place car, #56, Wayne Morris, of Mulberry. On lap 87, Faulk got to the inside of Beauchemin, they hit and Faulk fell back, still in second. On lap 99, Chris Lawrence, in the #63 car spun in turn 4 and fell out of fourth place. Beauchemin came around to take the checkers in the opening race of the SARA Late Model Series season. Boyd was second, while Morris, who was involved in the first lap accident finished third. "The #3 car isn't as pretty as some of the others, but it sure ran great tonight. Michael raced me clean tonight and we were able to hold", said winner Bobby Beauchemin.
The Auto Trader Street Stocks had St. Petersburg's Danny Rieger starting on the point. He was able to take the lead going into turn one and lead the remainder of the race. Larry Brannon, #18, started sixth, got up to third on lap one. Four laps later he passed Butch Bassett on the backstretch to take over second place. He was able to hold that spot until the end and finished as the runner-up. With first and second place being held by Rieger and Brannon, the other spots were up for grabs and the last few laps were true racing with lots of rubbin' and passing. On lap 16, Dave Ochsenwald, #61, passed Palm Harbor's Terry Ralston, #14, to move into fourth place. One lap later he passed Bassett for third and held that spot to the finish.
The last event of the night was certainly the most hair raising as the Q Auto & Injury Attorneys Figure 8 was held shortly before midnight. Pinellas Park's Shane Grigsby's nickname should be "Fearless". He started on the point, kept his #28 machine floored and led every lap. But not without some near misses in the dreaded "X". On lap 8, Grigsby had his first near miss with #40, Mark Thomas. #15, Joey Caterelli started second and stayed glued to Grigsby tail for the final 14 laps, but could never make the pass. They were hooked and both played cat and mouse with the rest of the field and showed no fear when going through the intersection. They had the horsepower to run right in front of the tail-end cars and sometimes just enough horsepower. If Grigsby had ever slowed down, Thomas would have run him over. Somehow they always seemed to find a slight opening in the intersection.
Opening night was a success, a full crowd, exciting racing and no serious injuries. That's what racing is all about. God speed Dale and Wild Bill.
by Thom Watson
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