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| THORNTON BACK ON TRACK AT CMP TO TAKE SOUTH 40 CLASSICS WIN | by Dave Westerman
After a disqualification the previous week at Ocala Speedway cost him his first win of the year, Orlando's Eddie Thornton picked himself back up and was right back in victory lane Saturday night as the South 40 Classic Auto Racing Series made its first visit of the year to Columbia Motorsports Park near Lake City. Thornton won out in a crowd-pleasing duel with Ed Yates to take the checker in the first heat race and gridded fifth for the 20-lap feature.
Second heat winner Jim Rahman started from the pole position and outdragged outside polesitter Mike Albert into turn one to grab the early lead. The only caution of the race flew on lap five as John Foerg got a bit high in turn four and spun. On the restart, Thornton was on the charge and eventually passed Rahman for the lead on lap eight and began to pull away. Point leader Yates moved in on Rahman but could never make a move stick and the top three finished in that order followed by Dan Hammerbeck and Danny Shearer. Thornton's car passed the weight check this time and the engine compression was checked on the top six finishers and all six passed with flying colors.
It was Thornton's first win of the year driving his AMSOIL sponsored coupe and allowed him to close slightly on point leader Yates. Bud Spencer finished sixth ahead of Mike Albert and the son-father combo of George Hall III and George Hall, Jr. Al Hagan finished tenth and won the Fastwax Rookie of the Race award as well as the Action Performance Hard Charger Award for the third time this year. The South 40 Classics have a week off before heading to Jax Raceways on June 16th.
OFFICIAL FINISH:
1. Eddie Thornton, Orlando #4
2. Jim Rahman, Clermont #5
3. Ed Yates, Orlando #74
4. Dan Hammerbeck, Clermont #2
5. Danny Shearer, Melbourne #77
6. Bud Spencer, Palm Harbor #7
7. Mike Albert, Winter Springs #24
8. George Hall III, St. Petersburg #9
9. George Hall, Jr., St. Petersburg #32
10. Al Hagan, Merritt Island #6
11. John Foerg, Clermont #33
12. E.B. Carr, Okeechobee #90
13. Frank Conrad, Ft. Pierce #3
14. Wayne Ashton, Ft. Pierce #78
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