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| Murphy Takes Late Model Win, Casteel Takes Mini Stock Win at NSS | Besides the 125 lap Sunbelt Super Late Model race on
the program for New Smyrna Speedway, there was alot of
racing in all other divisions but modifieds. The
asphalt was hot and the racers were ready to go.
Sammy Graham #5 did double duty racing both his
Super Late for the Sunbelt and his Late Model.
Sitting on the pole for the Late Model feature,
Graham took off to an early lead. Cindy Strahle
#8 (blue) took alittle spin around on the bottom
of turns 3 and 4 and as she spun, the #8 of Tim
Clark also spun on the frontstretch. The cars
were realigned and the race was green again.
Graham took the lead with Brian Bellaw #77, Dave
Snodgrass #22, Robert Anderchek #90 and Tim Clark #8
filling out the top five. But #26 Mike Murphy had
other plans and made his moves on Clark for the fifth
place position. The race goes yellow again when the
#8 of Cindy Strahle spins in the same spot of her
first spin - turns 3 and 4.
When the race goes green again, it is Graham #5,
Snodgrass #22, Bellaw #77, Murphy #26 and Andercheck
#90. Joe Artuso #5 brings out the next caution when
he spins in turns 3 and 4 (now known as the spin
around spot). When the race returns to green, Graham
is still holding the lead but the #26 of Mike Murphy
is moving up fast taking second from Snodgrass and
finally catching the #5 of Graham and takes over the
lead. Final positions are #26 Mike Murphy, #5 Sammy
Graham, #22 Dave Snodgrass, #77 Brian Bellaw, #90
Robert Andercheck, #5 Joe Artuso, #8 Tim Clark, #86
Lee McCullough, #8 Cindy Strahle, #48 Mark Smith.
Next week at NSS, the Florida Mini Stock Challenge will
take to the high banks of NSS for their 50 lap feature
event. This brought out a number of "out of area"
Minis for a much wanted practice night. This gave
the Minis a very high car count and the fans alot of
action to watch. The #0 (a St. Augustine Mini) had
the pole for the feature event and lead for the first
couple of laps until the #01 of Conrad Grenier took
the lead spot. For the 20 laps, it was a battle between
the #01 of Grenier, #7 of Tim "Missileman" McPhail and
#71 of Ted "Mr. Mini Stock" Vulipus. Eventually McPhail
wins the lead but in the last few laps has an engine
problem and is out of the race along with the #01 of
Grenier. Seeing the Winner's Circle again, but not
for awhile now, the #9 of Dale Casteel gets the Victory.
Top five were: #9 Dale Casteel, #29 Richie Aires,
#97 Brian Dorer (both from Auburndale), #07 Dick
Lazslo and #71 Ted "Mr. Mini Stock" Vulipus. After
these 20 laps, you can be sure that next week's 50
lapper will be one hot race.
Bobby Ronaldi had the pole for the Sportsman race but
before the first lap was in, the #84, 18 and #11
were tangled up in the backstretch right in front of
the pit gate. The track was cleared and the pole went
to the #63 of Dale Howard. When the green flew, the
#62 of Randy Hecker quickly took the lead but not
far behind was the #111 of Donnie Williams. Williams
claims the lead and Dale Clouser #30 puts Hecker to
the third place position. Clouser maintains the lead
over Hecker and right before the start/finish line,
Hecker turns Clouser purposely and finishes the race.
Since from this point the crowd was little angry since
that was an unnecssary thing to do, I can only tell
you how they ran in that last lap. Official results
should be up at the NSS web-site sometime this week.
Last lap it was #111 Donnie Williams, #30 Dale Clouser,
#62 Randy Hecker, #47 David Gibbs, #15x Bill Spade,
#07 Ron Lufcy, #28 Chris Peladaut, and #63 Dale Howard.
The #45 of Mike Soukup (a very popular and well liked
driver because of his fairness) took the lead in the
Super Stock race. Lap after lap Mike lead until the
next to last lap when the #2 of Ron Whaley got around
Soukup when he went up high on the track. But in one
of the most exciting finishes of the night and on the
last lap, Whaley wiggles and Soukup takes advantage
and gets the lead back for the win. This class had
27 cars tonight and proved to be one of the most
exciting races of the evening. Top five were:
#45 Mike Soukup, #2 Ron Whaley, #61 Ted Helmes, #23
Charlie Collins and #32 Bill Stacy.
At this point, I am working my way to tech where they
have Travis Kittleson's #88, the winner of the Sunbelt
feature. I missed the Strictly Stocks but it was
the #66, #38, #lx, #65 and #3.
Next week at New Smyrna Speedway, the Florida Mini
Stock Challenge 50 lapper. BE THERE.
Jane Smith
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