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| CHILDERS OUTFOXES TBARA FOES, QUICK IS QUICKEST IN DWARF CARS | Veteran Jim Childers is like the sly old fox who lies waiting in the bushes for the right opportunity. Just when you think you have him outsmarted, he pounces and makes quick work of his victims.
Childers did just that Friday night at Orlando Speedworld as he easily took the 25-lap TBARA Winged Outlaw Sprint Car feature over an outstanding field of cars.
Childers finished well behind second heat race winner Doug Heveron who was turning laps in the 11.90's and looked to have the car to beat, running even quicker than TBARA point leader Wayne Reutimann, Sr. who won the third heat.
Childers lined up sixth on the grid for the feature with Reutimann right behind him. Paul Madden had the pole with Lee Cipray on the outside pole after a fine run in winning the first heat.
Cipray slipped back on the start as Madden took the early advantage only to have Ben Fritz slide into the turn four wall after something broke on the front suspension of his Royal Purple Oil sprinter to bring out the caution.
On the restart, Heveron jumped out front but his lead was shortlived as Childers blasted by and built up a comfortable advantage while Reutimann and Dude Teate were on the carge moving into third and fourth spots as it looked like the race would run to the finish under green. But just as the white flag flew, Cipray blew his engine going into turn one. Bo Hartley had nowhere to go and plowed into Cipray's machine. Robert "Showtime" Yoho, making his first start in a sprint car, also slid in the oil, but managed to get stopped before doing any damage. Cipray and Hartley were unhurt but their cars were done for the night. This set up a green-white-checker finish as Childers lined up with the lapped cars of his brother-in-law David Crosby and Garry Gimmler between himself and Heveron. That proved to be enough of a cushion as Heveron had trouble getting by the lapped machines nearly losing second spot to Reutimann as the checker fell. Heveron appeared none too pleased with the lapped cars and let them know about it on the cooldown lap.
Childers took the win, his second in a row at Speedworld while Heveron had his best finish here coming home second. Reutimann took third in his Heckman Motorsports Case Contracting special while Teate finished a solid fourth in the Eagle Jet International/Skyway Airlines/Race Against Drugs sprinter. Keith Butler rounded out the top five finishing just in front of his dad Stan Butler. Madden had a good run hanging on to sixth in front of Kevin Cahill and Dave Pletcher. Shane Butler borrowed Brad Davis' car for the feature after his own machine suffered engine troubles in warmups and drove from last on the starting grid to tenth at the finish.
Jacksonville's Bob Quick took advantage of Mark Landis' problems to capture his second straight Florida Dwarf Car Association feature at Speedworld. Landis easily won the first heat and was intent on dominating the feature as well grabbing the early advantage only to have field slowed immediately as Stan Hope popped the backstretch wall, ripping the right front wheel off his dwarf "truck" which finally slid to a stop between turns three and four. Landis again dominated the action after the restart as all eyes were on Brian Paradis who came from 12th at the start to move into contention for second just behind Quick and his dad Alain Paradis. On lap 16, Francois Gagnon and Todd Hart made contact in turn three just in front of the leader Landis who couldn't get stopped before ramming Hart's car. Landis tried to continue, but was forced out just as the field restarted. Quick found himself out front and was able to hold off Brian Paradis for the win. Andre Gagnon drove a steady race after winning his heat to claim third just in front of a hard-charging Dennis Diehl who came from 18th at the start to finish fourth. Third heat winner Alain Paradis took fifth with Daniel Rene, Mark David, Alan Cote, Tim McLeod, and Todd Hart rounding out the top ten.
Winter Garden's Carl Peters led every lap in his Central Florida Machine and Speed Monte Carlo to win the Super Stock feature over a large field. Bill Loomis held on for second in front of Duane Freed, John Smith, and Jeff Wright. Doug Samion led all the way to win the Sportsman 15-lapper in his Rinaldi's Air Conditioning Service Chevy. Loomis again finished second after a strong drive from the rear of the starting grid. Richard Hight, Kelly Jarrett, and Bruce Gayton rounded out the top five. Tim "Missleman" McPhail again took the Mini Stock money and trophy back with him to Clearwater as he won out in an early duel with Rex "Boneman" Hollinger then went on to win his fourth race of the year. Jeff Davis eventually took second in a late race shuffle ahead of ever-improving Rose Dickerson who continues to post good finishes. Trisha Gray also had a good run to nab fourth with Dick Laszlo bringing his Ford Ranger pick-up home fifth.
Don "Square D" Smith again blew away the Strictly Stock field taking the win in front of Paul Hudson, Russ Rinaldi, Charlie Pitts, and David Smith.
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