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| Graham Super Late Model Winner at NSS | With packed pits and stands for the first bag/sack race at New Smyrna Speedway and the favorite 8 cylinder demo derby, fans got their racing fix for the week. Due to all the rain as of late, the track was weeping water out of the corners which caused alot of "oh no's" for the drivers.
We lost two sportsmen in the heat races and had a few little slips due to the weeping but other than that, everyone was fine. We saw one new Late Model, a very good looking car, of Ray Rivers of Merritt Island, Florida. There is a little story behind this car and the driver. Ray use to drive a sportsman at Orlando SpeedWorld but had very bad luck in it. If something didn't break or overheat, he might get to race. Ray won his Late Model thru his work from lxR. Needless to say, Ray has put alot of money and time into this car and tonight he made his debut and finished 14 out of 19. Ray did a very good job and much luck in the future.
First feature race tonight was the Super Stocks with the #55 of Jim Snyder on the pole. But it was the #7 of Ed Zikowski that lead a good part of the race until the #61 of Ted Helmes decided he just had to win. Top five were: #61 - Ted Helmes, #7 - Ed Zikowski, #15x - Bill Spade. #55 - Jim Snyder and #45 - Mike Soukup.
The Late Models then came out with the #16 of Bruce Lawrence, Jr. on the pole and winning from the pole. Aftter several false starts and a good scolding from the flagman, Bruce Lawrence, Jr. took the lead over the #63 of Chris Lawrence and won. There was a good battle for third place between the #57 of Chad Pierce and the #77 of Brian Bellaw with Bellaw taking the spot. The top five were: #16 - Bruce Lawrence, Jr., #63 - Chris Lawrence, #77 - Brian Bellaw, #57 - Chad Pierce and the #4 of Sonny Linn.
The Sportsman division lost two of it's regular guys the #3 of Ian Huffman and the #47 before the feature race. The #07 of Ron Lufcy had the pole but it was a hard charging #30 and Dale Clouser leading the way for most of the race with the #7 right behind him. Dale ran a great line but the #7 took the lead right at the end and came out the winner. When we lost the #07 which was running fifth, somehow I lost the fifth place car but the top four were: #7. #30 - Dale Clouser, #111 - Donnie Williams and the #04 - Doug Samion.
The Super Lates saw Sammy Graham's #1 on the pole and winning from the pole. David Rogers, #11 and last week's winner, started from the rear and did one heck of a job working his way into second place and almost catching the uncatchable Graham. One of my two favorite drivers were also in the line-up this week in preparation for next Friday's big race - #74 of Barry Willoughby and the #31 of Jeff Sloan. Barry finished 6th and in one piece and that was a win in my book since lady luck has not been very nice to him. Sloan ran second for awhile but lost it and finished fifth. The top five were : #1 - Sammy Graham, #11 - David Rogers (two more laps and you would have won). #16 - Bruce Lawrence, #53 and #31 - Jeff Sloan. Really a great race.
In the Mini-Stock division, the #55 of Rick Tumey had the pole and won from the pole. The Mini-Stock race saw quite alot of action and some contraversey. Because of a misunderstanding in one incident, my winning line-up was changed and the fifth place car is not known. But fans saw the #7 of Tim McPhail, the Missileman, show true driving grit as he did a 360 and continued racing and take a good licking to the rear-end of his car. Nothing stopped him but a miscommunication which took away his 3rd place finish and gave him eight. But he has great spirit and will be back Friday. Top five were: #55 - Rick Tumey, #14 (pretty car), #v3 - Rex Christenson, #6 - David Castello.
The Open Wheel Modifieds are always a favorite and it was the #75 and new car of Bobby Blake on the pole but in the first lap, Blake hit the wall on the front stretch and when the race was restarted, the #29 of Bo Davis had the pole. But the #15 of Tank Tucker had one goal in mind, to win and that is exactly what he did. Rob Underwood's new #09 mod took the lead from the restart but Tank would not give up and chased him down with a very hard charging #1 of Andy Saffoti behind him. The top five were: #15 - Tank Tucker, #09 - Rob Underwood, #1 - Andy Saffoti, #57 - Jim "Hoot" Flynn, and #00 - Bently Warren.
The bag/sack race was quite interesting but it was my friend Brady and Joe Adams that took home the $200 prize money. But since Brady has raced and never gotten a trophy, he wanted a trophy - maybe they will find ne for him yet.
The demo derby was one smash-up, bang-up event with the cars and drivers really banging it out. Since these seem to make me extremely nervous, they are hard for me to watch. Mac, that is all I could catch, won the demo by being the only car left alive.
Join us Friday night, July 6, at New Smyrna Speedway for the Twin 125's and racing in Mini-Stocks, Super Stocks and Strictly Stocks. Plus a very BIG fireworks show.
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