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| Sirmans and Symons Big Winners At Orlando SpeedWorld | by Jane Smith
Bithlo, Fla - Only a few fans braved the cold, damp air
of the last night of stockcar racing at Orlando Speed-
World for 2002. Next weekend, CRASH-A-RAMA and the
Classic Auto Racing Series cars National event will
top the program.
Danny Shearer sat on the pole for the Sportsman feature
but it was Rich Clouser who took home the win leading
every lap. Following Clouser to the checkers was
Tommy Johnson, Richard Hight, and Danny Shearer.
Justin Reynolds held the pole for the Super Stock feature
but it was Billy Cuddy who took his first win at Orlando
SpeedWorld. Rob Watford did some daredevil driving as
he pushed his car to the limit trying to take the lead
but was unable to make the pass stick. Following Cuddy
across the checkers was Leonard Story, Rob Watford,
and Justin Reynolds.
Thirty Mini Stocks came to try their luck at the final
Florida Mini Stock Challenge Series race of 2002. Robbie
Storer came in leading the points and was able to hold
that position and claim the 2002 Florida Mini Stock
Challenge Series Championship.
Storer, who sat on the pole, jumped to the lead on the
green. The first caution of the race, which also brought
out the dreaded red flag, was for Tim "Missileman" McPhail
and Tony Elrod, Jr. who got together in turn 3 with both
hitting the wall very hard. McPhail was okay but his car
was toast. Elrod went to the hospital just to be careful
but was found okay and released.
On the restart, it was Storer, Rick Sirmans, Frank Welch,
Bobby Orr and Chris Thornton in the top five. Joey
Caterilli was able to pass Thornton for fifth sending
Thornton to sixth went caution two came out for Jeff
Davis and Bobby Orr who touched as Orr was making a
pass. Davis was sent to the rear of the pack and Orr
was given back his spot.
On the restart, Rick Sirmans was able to pass Storer and
take the lead position with Storer, Orr, Thornton and
Caterilli in the top five. Then Frank Welch's engine
exploded bringing out caution three.
After the race Sean Bass said "I had a few little pieces
of Welch's engine inside my car and on the hood. When
it exploded, it exploded."
Sirmans once again took the point on the restart as
Matt Watts now held the fifth place position and Orr had
worked himself into the number two spot. Suddenly
Watts's car slowed with a fire under the hood. Watts
took the car to pit road, the safety crew extinguished
the fire, and Watts was done for the night.
Bobby Orr spun on the backstretch while in second. Orr
was sent to the rear of the lead lap which put him in
tenth position. Lee Davis, who failed to make it to the
track on time for qualifying and had to start in the
rear of the field, had made his way up to sixth place
by now earning the Hard Charger of the Race Award.
Orr worked his way back to eighth but ran out of laps
as Rick Sirmans took the checkered followed by Chris
Thornton, Robbie Storer, Dennis Valdez, Clint Foley,
Lee Davis, Dick Laszlo, Bobby Orr, Pedie Allison and
Sean Bass.
Jared Allison sat on the pole for the final race of
the 2002 Pro Modified Series but it was Jim "Hoot"
Flynn who took the point on the green followed by
Allison, Alan McCafferty, Brian Campbell, and Chuck
Burkhalter. Caution one was thrown for J.F. McClelland
who spun on the frontstretch tapping the frontstretch
wall.
On the restart, Flynn and Allison touch slightly
causing Flynn to spin. Allison was put to the rear of
the field as the leader is protected but elected to
pit for the rest of the race. The race was restarted
with Flynn on the point followed by McCafferty, Jason
Boyd, Shannon Smith, and Steve Gainey.
Caution three was thrown for David Debelius who spun in
turn two.
Flynn held the point on the restart but caution four
came out as McCafferty and Gainey were fighting for
the number two spot. McCafferty was forced to end his
night from the encounter with Gainey continuing on. On
the restart Boyd holds the second position followed by
Jerry Symons, Shannon Smith, and Chuck Burkhalter.
Wayne Southard brought out the next yellow as his
machine lost power on the track.
On the restart, Boyd tapped Flynn too hard which caused
Flynn to spin. Once again the leader is protected with
Flynn back on the point and Boyd at the end of the lead
lap cars.
Flynn now found himself with Jerry Symons on his rear
end. Symons passed Flynn clean, made the move stick,
and took over the number one spot crossing the checkers
first with Jason Boyd, Chuck Burkhalter, Red Vann and
Bobby Blake in the top five.
Robert Benton sat on the pole for the Strictly Stock
feature but it was Jim Leslie who took the point on
the green and never looked back. Following Leslie
across the checkers was Jim Messenger, Robert Ward,
Robert Benton, and Matthew Crews.
OFFICIAL RESULTS
Florida Mini Stock Challenge - 50 laps
1. #05 Rick Sirmans
2. #24 Chris Thornton
3. #9 Robbie Storer
4. #40 Dennis Valdez
5. #7x Clint Foley
6. #77 Lee Davis (Hard Charger)
7. #07 Dick Laszlo
8. #30x Bobby Orr
9. #5 Pedie Allison
10. #28 Sean Bass
11. #99 Jamie Kennedy
12. #15 Wayne Clark
13. #12 Terry Wescott
14. #2 Corbin Gibbs
15. #30 Jerry Smith
16. #42 Eddie Lowery
17. #v3 Rex Christensen
18. #98 Jeff Davis
19. #22 Matt Watts
20. #6 Jamie Dixson
21. #02 Wes Pyburn
22. #8 Joey Caterilli
23. #96 Frank Welch
24. #13 Whitnee Shaffer
25. #45 Joe Irwin
26. #98K Jason Kuykendall
27. #7 Tim McPhail
28. #70 Tony Elrod, Jr.
29. #lx Chris Hooker
20. #72 Michael Foley
PRO-MODIFIED SERIES - 50 Laps
1. #66 Jerry Symons
2. #2x Jason Boyd
3. #31 Chuck Burkhalter
4. #32 Red Vann
5. #75 Bobby Blake
6. #57 Jim "Hoot" Flynn
7. #2 Skip Honaker
8. #51 Chad Pierce
9. #1 Steve Gainey
10. #26 Joe Federico
11. #34 Frank Polly
12. #5x Brian Campbell
13. #38E Ross Eldridge
14. #4b Alan Bruns
15. #4 Glen Bradley
16. #68 Robert Klinke
17. #1x Brandon Pitts
18. #55 Shane Held
19. #17 William Sullivan
20. #99 Shannon Smith
21. #38 David Debelius
22. #00x Wayne Southard
23. #32x Alan McCafferty
24. #31x David Hite
25. #18 Jared Allison
26. #20 Chris Gillispie
27. #01 J.F. McClelland
28. #00 Victor Olmos (from Mexico)
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