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| PELUDAT RACES TO SUPER STOCK STARDOM AT NEW SMYRNA | by Dave Westerman
With the Super Late Model boys away playing in Lakeland, the Super Stock division took center stage with a 50 lap race Saturday night at New Smyrna Speedway and it was Chris Peludat who was the class of the field.
Twenty-four machines signed in to compete with Jim Winterstein turning fast time only to be disqualified because he didn't bring his Oldsmobile across the scales before time trials. Peludat thus earned quick time honors with a lap of 22.556 seconds, just barely topping Ted Helms who turned a lap at 22.557 sec. Barbara Pierce was behind the wheel of Homer Gordon's "Lady-Killer" Monte Carlo and grabbed the early lead only to be passed by Big Bob Wines. Peludat quickly moved into second as several caution flags kept the field bunched up. Peludat swept past Wines on lap 15 to assume the lead while Winterstein was on the charge from his 22nd starting spot. Winterstein had made it all the way to fourth and was the fastest car on the track until he dropped off the pace with engine problems and went pitside on lap 24. Helms also had one of the fastest cars on the track, but he was black-flagged twice and spent several laps in the pits fixing a pesky oil leak, finally getting back out to complete 36 laps, good for a 12th place finish. Peludat continued to lead at will as only some late race cautions slowed his pace. Attrition was high as only 12 of the 24 starters finished. Peludat crossed the line with room to spare to claim the $500 top prize. Pierce passed Wines late in the going to get second with Wines crossing the stripe in third only to be diqualified in tech after the top three cars went through a post-race tear-down. Rick Johns drove a steady race and claimed third spot with Bobby Simcox surviving a variety of problems throughout the 50-lapper to finish fourth as the last car on the lead lap. Randy Jones was two laps down but still finished fifth just ahead of Jim Snyder. Stephan Dembinsky, Becky Dyson, James Adams, and Ron Paradise rounded out the top ten.
Bob Andrecheck passed Mike Todd on the last lap to get the Late Model win. After an early-race crash eliminated contenders Earl Beckner, Chad Pierce, and Mark Linn, Todd raced out to a comfortable lead as Andrecheck worked his way up from the rear of the field. Andrecheck went to the outside of Todd with a lap-and-a-half to go and slapped the backstetch wall. Undaunted, Andrecheck stayed in the outside groove and took the lead out of turn four when Todd's car slipped sideways. Todd held on for second ahead of David Love, Bill Eggerton and Timmy Todd.
Tank Tucker made a complete runaway of the Modified feature, but it was all for naught as he was disqualified for an illegal transmission as was apparent fifth place finisher Mark Vandevender. That handed the win to veteran Jon Compagnone, Sr. of Orange City who won out in a race-long battle with Bo Davis who claimed second. Tom Root came from last on the starting grid to get third with Wayne Southard and Joe Middleton rounding out the top five.
Tim "Missleman" McPhail turned around a recent spate of bad luck with a wire to wire win in the Mini Stocks. Charlie Staats did all he could to find a way around McPhail but had to settle for place money. Rick "Sockit" Tumey came back from an early-race altercation to get third in front of Ron Debeau and Rex Christensen.
Shane Stacy topped Michelle Dyal, Geno Smith, Richard Brazzell, and Jerry Mitchell to win the Strictly Stock feature. The South 40 Motorsports Classic Auto Racing Series will join all the regular New Smyrna Speedway classes for racing action this coming Saturday Night, May 19th.
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