by Dave Westerman Orlando's Doug Samion showed up Friday nightat Orlando Speedworld with a race car and a school bus and by the end of the evening, he had put both in victory lane. Samion started the evening by leading most of the way to take a rather convincing win in the Sportsman division driving his Rinaldi's Air Conditioning Repair/Bufalo Enterprises/Do-All Exteriors Chevy. Kelly Jarrett made a late charge but had to settle for second over Bruce Gayton, Rich Hight and Scott Tyler.
It was the Tim & Tim show again in the Mini Stocks as Tim Clark and Tim "Missleman" McPhail ran side by side during the second half of the feature keeping the large crowd on the edge of their seats. Clark kept his Space Coast General Contractors/Solid Rock Excavating Pinto just wide enough to hold McPhail at bay to claim his third win of the season. The lady drivers took the next three spots with Rose Dickerson having another solid run for third ahead of Trisha Gray and Rae Williams.
After early leader Duane Freed found the "Bithlo Car Wash" in the infield, Bill Loomis put his All Auto Salvage Monte Carlo out front and held off defending champion Carl Peters for the Super Stock win. Newcomer Steve Thomas of Brooksville took third spot just in front of Rick Johns and Rip Dyal.
Don Smith again dominated the Strictly Stock class taking an easy win over Russ Rinaldi, Steve Hoerner, David Smith and Armand Audbe.
Fifteen school buses came to the start of the School Bus Figure-8 race and it was a wild one to say the least as one red flag was needed for a wild roll-over in the intersection. Doug Samion led early, got shuffled back to third, then drove back into the lead and won going away. After Samion took the checker, he tried to do a doughnut in the infield and promptly plopped his bus on it's side. Samion scrambled out of his toppled steed to the thunderous applause of the crowd. Second best in the School Bus event was James Adams who led Chuck "Junyard Dog" Rush to the line ahead of "Dog Catcher" Butch Pierce who was unable to catch the dog on this night. Carl Peters crossed the line in fifth.
The Camper Trailer race saw half the competitors eliminated before they could get down the straightaway on the first lap. A red flag was thrown to clean up the mess and when all was said and done, Ray Hindman took the win over a fast-closing Wes Railing with Chester "Destroyer" Sutorus hanging on for third.
Chuck "Junkyard Dog" Rush topped the 4-cylinder Demo Derby over Tony Bell while Ted Bowman crunched his way to the V-8 Demo win over Jim Talley.
NOTES: The races were held in honor of "Mr. School Bus Figure 8" Bucky Buckman who was unable to attend due to illness.... "Dirty Dingus" made his first appearance at Orlando Speedworld and delighted the crowd with his antics.... The action was filmed by CBS and will be shown on the "CBS Sunday Morning Show" on June 17.... The Florida Mini Stock Challenge will try again to get it's second race in the books next Friday night at Speedworld... The Race will be sponsored by South 40 Motorsports.
