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| Pratt Agian Tops LLM - Abney Wins Sportsman At Ocala | Local driver Rich Pratt brought the curtain down on Ocala Speedway's Limited Late Model division Saturday night with a convincing 30-lap win.
The race was the last for the class here as the Super Late Models begin racing regularly when the track switches to Friday nights next month.
Just as the Limited Lates were set to qualify, a heavy rainshower hit the speedway forcing a delay of about an hour-an-a-half.
Once the track was dry, it was Robbie Smith setting fast time at 15.383 just ahead of Pratt's 15.413.
The race started heads-up with Smith on the pole and Pratt outside, but on the initial start, Smith's car wouldn't fire and he came to a halt in turn one bringing out the caution.
With Smith relegated to the rear of the field for the restart, Pratt wasted little time grabbing the top spot which he would hold the remainder of the event.
The only major incident of the race came when Smith and Keith Zavrel made contact on lap seven. A none-to-happy Zavrel got a little overagressive after the original tangle and was disqualified. It didn't matter anyway as his car suffered severe front-end damage and had to be towed from the track. Smith
continued again at the rear of the field.
Pratt had things in hand the rest of the way and took the win while Ron Lentz had a great run in his Firebird to finish second ahead of Brad Heath. Smith charged back to fourth at the finish while Doug Levesque came back from a wild slide through the infield grass to claim fifth.
Mac McCullough, John Buzinec, Brad Atkins, Brock Oglesby, and Roger Shinholsur rounded out the top ten.
The best race of the night was the Steven A. Bagen Sportsman as six cars finished in formation almost like they were getting the green flag instead of the checker.
Kenny Abney led all the way but had to withstand constant pressure from Pete Close, Jr. who was an extremely close second. Gary Wayne Crouthamel drove a great race to claim third over a hard-charging Tom Posevac and Frank Buchanan.
William Edwards brought out the red flag when he slid off the frontstretch early in the race and hit an infield barrier, a stunt ramp, and track photographer Carleen Wilbanks' golf cart. No one was hurt and Edwards made repairs and came from the rear of the restart grid to finish sixth. Michael Mennenga, Bob Masciarelli, Tommy Brakeman, and Jeremy Finegan completed the top ten.
The visiting Classic Auto Racing Series saw Orlando's Eddie Thornton take the lead from Ed Yates on lap 11 and go on to win his second consecutive race at Ocala.
Jim Rahman, racing in front of a large group of fans from his sponsor Ro-Mac Lumber, raced from eighth on the starting grid to second but Thornton had the field covered. Yates came home third followed by Al "Hot Rod" Hagan, and E.T. McGhee Patrick "Bam-Bam" Sanders, Frank Conrad, George Hall, Jr., Bud Spencer, and George Hall III rounded out the top ten.
Make it two in a row for Bobby Valeo in the Ford of Ocala Pure Stocks.
Valeo bided his time coming from fifth in the starting line-up and then breezed to a relatively easy win. Early leader David Danielson held on for second in a fine run over Bobby Carter, hard-charging Kyle Maynard, and James Cook. Finishing sixth through tenth were Paul Fletcher, Michael Rosa, Rick Hart, Darren Dukes, and J.T. Schimborski.
Point leader John Betts jumped out to a big early lead then held off a late-race charge by Paul Fletcher to take the victory in the Thrifty Nickel Hobby Stocks.
Mark Mitchell held off Tommy Roberts for third while Frank Buchanan raced to fifth. Completing the top ten were Paul Gladdin, Jamie Dunn, David Chastain, Chauna Johnston, and Mike Wilson.
Steve Gallagher sped past early leader Joey Durbin and put his Volkswagen in victory circle in the Coca-Cola Four Cylinder Bombers. Durbin held off point leader Ric Fort for second while the mini-trucks of Tom Fralish and Robert Oxendine trailed. Rounding out the top ten were Rocky Bowden, A.J. Schreier, Kyle Helt, Jacob Antis, and Richard Kuhn.
Next week, the Coca-Cola Four Cylinder Bombers race for 25-laps. Also on tap will be the Diamond Air & Heat Modifieds, Steven A. Bagen Sportsman, Thrifty Nickel Hobby Stocks, and Ford of Ocala Pure Stocks.
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