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| Tater Stalnaker and Scott Lagasse, Jr. Top Friday Survivors at Ocala | by Dave Westerman
In what was more like the short track racing version of
the TV show "Survivor" - just waiting to see who would
be eliminated next - Williston's Tater Stalnaker and
St. Augustine's Scott Lagasse, Jr. topped 50-lap
events for the Mini Stocks and Super Late Models Friday
night at Ocala Speedway.
The Mini Stocks had a field of 19 cars for their $500
to win 50-lapper and this one looked to be an old-
fashioned shoot-out from the word go.
Clint Foley zipped to the early lead as no less than
ten cars began dicing for position behind him.
Citrus County Speedway co-promoter Jimmy Wear and Glen
Ervin got tangled up and slid into the infield on lap
five but both continued just in front of the leaders.
Jeff Stainaker, Sr. was the first casualty as he dropped
from the running on lap six while running fourth just
before the first caution of the race flew on lap eight
for Jake Garver's stalled car.
Foley continued to set the pace, but Tater Stainaker was
on the charge and got around him for the lead on lap 13.
Two laps later, Foley fell off the pace and took his car
to the infield.
Ervin spun in turn three to bring out the second yellow
as Burt Morse, Sirmans, and Goolsby moved up to
challenge T. Stainaker.
Stainaker began to pull away after the restart letting
Morse, Sirmans, and Goolsby fight amongst themselves
for second.
Goolsby was on the charge and moved into second setting
up a battle not only for the race win, but the points
lead as well.
Action was slowed again on lap 26 as Garver's car
stalled for a final time.
Stainaker and Goolsby began to drive away from the rest
of the field until all sorts of things happen on lap 44.
Smoke began to pour from Sirmans' car and he headed to
the infield with a small fire under the hood of his
machine. Just as the caution flag flew, Goolsby dropped
off the pace with mechanical problems and went to the
pits.
This set up a five-lap dash to the checker as 17th
starter Matt Watts now found inself in second.
Stainaker was up to all challenges andheld on for the
victory and the outright points lead in the division.
Watts came home second which was an accomplishment in
itself as his team showed up just before race time and
got no practice. Then Watts broke a rearend in his heat
which had to be replaced.
Jimmy Wear came from being almost a lap down at one point
to claim third-place money while Morse held on for fourth
and Wayne Wells drove a steady race in his "truck" to
grab fifth. Rounding out the top ten were Darren "Action"
Jackson, Morris Richardson, Donnie Stroshal, Chase
Goodson, and Jeff Stainaker, Jr.
Don Stroshal, Sr. and Burt Morse won the heats.
James Powell III came ready to race as the Super Late
Models took to the track for time trials as the Astor
driver turned a quick lap of 15.344 sec. in his A
Natural Difference Skin Care Products machine.
Powell was scheduled to start sixth after the re-draw,
but moved up to row two when fourth-starter E.J. Wise
dropped out on the pace lap.
This race would be a sloppy one with a total of 12
caution flags in 50 laps and it didn't take long for
things to get ugly.
Polesitter Kevin Durden grabbed the early lead only to
get loose in turn one at the beginning of lap two.
Second-running Rich Pratt had to get on the binders
while Powell wasn't on the brakes fast enough. He hit
the back of Pratt's car and went for a spin, bringing
out the caution.
Powell was relegated to the back of the field for the
restart as caution flag after caution flag kept the
field slowed allowing Powell to work his way slowly
back to the front.
Durden, battling a car that seemed to be very sluggish]
getting off the corners, continued to lead as young
Brock Oglesby moved up to challenge in second.
Caution flags continued to work in Powell's favor and
he moved up to challenge Oblesby for second on lap 42
but drove too hard into turn three and spun his car
backwards into the wall. Undaunted, Powell re-joined
the field at the tail.
Scott Lagasse, Jr. now became a factor as he moved in
with Oglesby and Pratt behind Durden who was doing all
he could to hold off the pack.
Onlap 46, it was bump n' grind time on the backstretch
behind Durden and it was Oglesby getting punted into the
infield. Unable to fire his car, the caution was
thrown yet again and Oglesby's car was pushed to the
pits.
On the restart, Powell and Roger Shinhoiser got together
in turn one. Both continued at the rear of the field,
but Powell wasn't done yet.
Lagasse, Jr. passed Pratt for second and set his sights
on Durden only to see Lee McCullough spin on lap 47 for
yet another caution. Flagman Larry Bowden wasn't done
using the yellow as it was out once again just as the
white flag was displayed when Shinhoiser spun again.
With a one lap dash to the checker, Durden's car slipped
a bit out of turn two allowing Lagasse to dive underneath
him and lead the final half-lap to the checkered flag.
Rich Pratt also got under Durden on the final turn to
pick up second spot.
Lagasse, Jr. thanked his crew for doing a fantastic job
of preparing the car with very little help from him due
to a week-long bout with the flu and a heavy class
schedule at Flagler College in St. Augustine.
Pratt was elated to get second and described the event
as one of the most "fun" races he'd ever been in.
Durden earned a "podium" finish with third, but skipped
the post-race victory lane festivites and headed directly
pitside is not-to-good of a mood after losing two spots
on the final lap.
Powell put on a show during the final four laps as he
blasted back to fourth place in a car that looked more
like a refugee from a demolition derby.
Robbie Smith drove a solid race and stayed out of trouble
in getting fifth while Keith Zavrel, John Buzinec,
Shinholser, Mike Wieczoreck, and Brad Atkins completed
the top ten.
The Steven A. Bagen Sportsman cars ran a relatively clean
race with just one stoppage and it was a big one as the
red flag was needed following a frontstretch crash that
eliminated Bob Masciarelli and Gary Wayne just after the
start. Both drivers walked away unhurt.
Charles Kopach, driving his "ancient" Monte Carlo, did
all he could to hold off the high-flying charge of
Chiefland's Roger Damron, but Damron nabbed the top spot
on lap four then held off a race-long challenge from
point leader Pete Close, Jr. to take the win.
Damron indicated it was his first win at Ocala Speedway
since taking a Limited Late Model race victory in 2000.
Kopach held on for third in a car he knows is very
outdated. "I gotta get me a Camaro if I'm gonna best
these guys," said Kopach.
Late arrival Robert Ray did an excellent driving job to
cross the line in fourth while Wally Schneider held off
Tom Posavec for fifth.
Posavec did a great job of coming back up to sixth after
pitting to change a flat tire after the red flag on lap
one.
William Edwards, Big John Smith, Jim Higginbotham and
Tommy Roberts rounded out the top ten with heat races
being won by Damron and Patrick Mennenga.
Street Stocks saw a first time winner in Dade City's
Tom Fralish who led flag to flag to get his first win
since moving up from the Four Cylinder Stocks in
September.
Fralish had to survive five caution flag periods and
early-race battle with Jamie Dunn, and a late-race charge
from Paul Gladin to get the win.
Gladin's charge fell just short at the checker and he
settled for second ahead of points leader Doug Webster
while Dunn held on four fourth just in front of Mark
Mitchell.
Chuck "8Ball" Stewart was sixth while David Chastain
started dead-last in the 23 car field and raced to seventh.
Michael Rose, Mike Fiddia, and "Ocala" Paul Fletcher
rounded out the top ten.
The three heats for the Street Stocks were won by Webster,
Stewart and Moose Alderman, who dropped out of the feature
early with mechanical ills.
Four Cylinder Stock point leader Tom Ellis had a great
night going - until he got to tech after the race.
Ellis took over the lead late in the going and appeared to
have his second straight win, but hte cars were checked
for front springs after the race and Ellis' were deemed
to be illegal.
Second finisher Ric Fort, the 2002 regular season champion,
was elevated to the winner followed by Joey Durbin, Robert
Oxendine, Justin Durbin, and Steve Gallagher.
The Four Cylinder Stock feature was the only one to go all
the way under green and the class will be highlighted next
week with a special 30-lap event. Also on the card will
be 50 laps for the Super Late Models as well as racing for
the Open Wheel Modified, Mini Stocks, Steven A Bagen
Sportsman, and Street Stocks.
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