Ted Christopher Wins Night 1 at New Smyrna Speedway
by Jane Smith SAMSULA, Fla. (Feb. 7, 2003) - The first night of the 37th Annual World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing ended better than the day began with little drops of water falling. Somehow, New Smyrna Speedway stayed dry to get the first night of the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing in.
Jason Boyd, winner of all 9 nights in 2002 for the Late Model division, sat on the pole for the Late Model feature. But before the field could even get to the flag stand on the wave of the green, Tim Russell spun on the frontstretch and Jerick Johnson, Pete Shepard, Jr., and Steve Siende all tangled coming off turn 4 for the start. The field was realigned for a total restart.
On the restart, Randy Dye dove around Boyd for the lead putting Boyd second, A.J. Currelli third, Jon Crumrine fourth and Joey Miller fifth. But before three laps were down, John Denniston brought out the second yellow as he spun in turns 3 and 4.
Dye holds the point on the restart but it is A.J. Currelli who puts pressure on Boyd for the second position. Currelli looked high then low but Boyd was able to block the move. Suddenly, Currelli got around Boyd with Boyd slipping back in the field and finally retiring to the pits for some mechanical problems. Boyd however did eventually return to the field but laps down.
John Crumrine, Joey Miller and Scott Watts got together in turns 1 and 2 which brought out caution 3 for the evening. Just a few short laps later, Chad Allman, T.C. McElyer, and John Denniston get together on the bottom of turn 1 for the fourth caution of the night.
The restart once again has Randy Dye on the point followed by A.J. Currelli, Mike Murphy, Kenny Crites, and Kirk Hooker. Just as the race is getting hot and heavy, Tim Clark and Larry Osteen got together in turns 3 and 4 for the fifth caution of the race. Both cars were able to continue racing.
Dye had his hands full of A.J. Currelli with Currelli trying everything to pass Dye. Dye holds strong but on lap 18, Currelli tapped just alittle too hard which spun Dye out. Both cars were sent to the rear of the field turning the point over to Mike Murphy. Murphy held tight and took the checkered with Kenny Crites, Tim Russell, Kirk Hooker and Rich Clouser in the top five.
In Victory Lane Murphy said "I would like to thank South 40 Motorsports for all their help on the car. It was a really good car tonight."
Richard Kelley had the pole for the Mini Stock feature but it was Scott Reeves, who usually has more horses underneath him, that drove a strong race to take the checkered from the pole position. Rick Sirmans had a good run on Reeves but smacked the backstretch wall and had to regather his machine before continuing slipping back into the field. This was a caution free race with Reeves taking the checkered followed by Richard Kelley, Nelson Chowder, Ted "Mr Mini Stock" Vulipus and Shane Canipe in the top five.
Donald Long showed how the Super Late Southern All Stars do it by winning from flag to flag. Long kept the point in spite of a number of cautions.
Lap 10. Randy Gentry and Jack Landis brought out the first caution when they spun in turns 3 and 4. On the restart, James Powell who was running a strong third slowed and eventually had to retire to the pits with mechanical problems. This left Long in the lead followed by Jeff Emery, Louie Mechalides, Freddie Query and Junior Hanley in the top five.
Shanta Rhodes brought out the secont caution on lap 13 for a spin on the front stretch. On the restart, the action is getting hot and heavy between the third and fourth place cars of Mechalides and Query, They touch sending them both down the frontstretch brushing the frontstretch wall. Both cars were driven to the pits but both cars were also retired for the night after a very good run.
Long held the point on ther restart but it was a short green run as Junior Hanley brought out the yellow for a frontstretch spin but was able to keep the car off the wall. Hanley was sent to the rear of the field. The restart saw Anderson and Emery going at it for that second place spot that Emery held. Emery did a fantastic job of saving the car when Anderson rubbed just alittle too hard but when Emery got punted by Anderson for the second spot, Emery lost three spots in correcting the car.
Long held on for the win followed by Wayne Anderson, Michael Williams, Aric Almirola, and Jeff Emery.
In Victory Lane Long said "thanks to my crew and everyone who got the car running great. So far, this has been a wonderful day."
Don Mesenvey, Jr. sat on the pole for the NASCAR Tour Type/Sk Mods but it was Ted Christopher who took the lead and never looked back. Only one lap got down in the books before the first caution came out for Dave Roys Jr. who hit the turns 1-2 wall. Only one lap later, Frank Wainwright spun on the frontstretch with Frank Ruocco and JR Helburg going into the turns 1 and 2 wall.
On the restart of the race on lap 2, it was Christopher, Ed Flemke, Jr., Don Mesenvey, Jr., Rob Summers, and Donnie Lia in the top five and runs that way up until lap 13 when Summers gave Mesenvey, Jr. a little kick in the butt taking over third and putting Mesenvey, Jr. fourth.
Christopher had no problems taking the checkered with quite a lead over second place Ed Flemke, Jr., Rob Summers, Don Mesenvey, Jr., and Donnie Lia.
The last feature of the night was the FL/IMCA Open Wheel Modifieds with Jason Boyd on the pole. But before a lap could go down in the books, the #72 and Chad Pierce got together on the backstretch. A complete restart was in order.
On the restart, Jerry Artuso took the point over Jerry Symons, Jason Boyd, D.J. Hoelzle, and Wayne Parker. Allen Bruins brought out the next caution when he did a perfect 380 down the frontstretch avoiding all the walls as he came up on a car that was stalled in the middle of the track. A perfect 380 and good save.
Artuso found himself being butted by Symons for the top spot on the restart and Hoelzle was all over Boyd. A few laps later and Symons had made the pass on Artuso for the lead and Hoelzle took over the second place spot putting Boyd to third.
No more caution, just plenty of hot pursuit racing with Symons taking the win followed by D.J. Hoelzle, Jason Boyd, Brad May and Wayne Parker.
Night 2 of the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing will have Super Late Models, NASCAR Tour Type/Sk Mods, Late Models, FL/IMCA Open Wheel Modifieds, Mini Stock and Super Stock. Qualifying will begin at 4 p.m. with racing action at 7:30 p.m.
RESULTS
NASCAR TOUR TYPE/SK MODS 1. #00 Ted Christopher 2. #79 Ed Flemke, Jr. 3. #36 Rob Summers 4. #1 Don Mesenvey, Jr. 5. #18 Donnie Lia 6. #14 Tim Arre 7. #26 George Kent 8. #29 George Kech 9. #62 Jim Willis 10. #06 Steve Whitt 11. #9NH Mike Fitch 12. #50 Kevin Goodale 13. #12 Bo Gunning 14. #25 Dave Roys Jr. 15. #27 John White 16. #44 Frank Wainwright 17. #2 JR Bertuccio 18. #97 Frank Ruocco 19. #30 J.R. Helburg 20. #86 Tom Bentz 21. #80 Brad May 22. #82 Jamie Wolff 23. #46 Tom White
SUPER LATE MODEL FINISH
1. #10 Donald Long 2. #84 Wayne Anderson 3. #40 Michael Williams 4. #14 Aric Almirola 5. #26 Jeff Emery 6. #12 Scott Hantz 7. #4 Don Dinson 8. #09 Randy Gentry 9. #38 Shane Sawyer 10. #66 Jr. Hanley 11. #21x Todd Jackson 12. #12 Jerry Schoppenhirst 13. #21 Shanta Rhodes 14. #12B Steve Weaver 15. #71 Jimmy Burns 16. #18x Frank Mitzke 17. #19x Jake Keaton 18. #60 Bob Eastwood 19. #3 Jeff Weinfinter 20. #8 Freddie Query 21. #47 Louie Mechalides 22. #1 Chris Moore 23. #37 James Powell III 24. #10x Jack Landis 25. #90 Bob Fox 26. #89 Donald Chisholm 27. #7 Mark Vandevender 28. #78 B.J. McLeod 29. #80 Jonathan Smith 30. #18 Bruce Gowland
LATE MODEL FINISH
1. #26 Mike Murphy 2. #1x Kenny Crites 3. #36 Tim Russell 4. #38 Kirk Hooker 5. #9$ Rich Clouser 6. #82 Danny Maddox 7. #22 Larry Osteen 8. #88 John Crumrine 9. #8 Tim Clark 10. #09 Kent Nuhn 11. #9 Paul Muroker 12. #43 Randy Dye 13. #22x John Denniston 14. #.36x James Parker 15. #80 Jonathan Smith 16. #51 Joey Miller 17. #2 A.J. Currelli 18. #23 Jerick Johnson 19. #15 Jason Boyd 20. #81 Scott Watts 21. #56 George Swansborough 22. #67 Chad Allman 23. #19 T.C. McElyea 24. #05 Jerry Artuso 25. #90 Bob Fox 26. #79 Pee Shepherd Jr. 27. #29 Steve Sunde
FLA/IMCA OPEN WHEEL MODIFIEDS
1. #66 Jerry Symons 2. #8 D.J. Hoslzle 3. #2x Jason Boyd 4. #00 Brad May 5. #3 Wayne Parker 6. #7 Mark Vandevender 7. #1 Steve Johonack 8. #18 Jared Allison 9. #33 Chuck Rein 10. #7x Al Mermand 11. #00x Victor Almos 12. #4B Allen Bruins 13. #22 Don Bellard 14. #05 Jerry Artuso 15. #17 Dink Sullivan 16. #97 Matt Wheeler 17. #51 Chad Pierce 18. #72 (?)
MINI STOCK
1. #21 Scott Reeves 2. #61 Richard Kelley 3. #20 Wilson Crowder 4. #71 Ted Vulipus 5. #09 Shane Canipe 6. #2B Paul Brown 7. #8 Robbie Yoakam 8. #7B 9. #05 Rick Sirmans 10. #4 Ron Dubeau 11. #07 Dick Laszlo 12. #33 Bob Delmastro 13. #91 Larry Long 14. #62 Jim Love 15. #80 Roger Larson 16. #7W Tim McPhail 17. #10 Tim Canipe 18. #16 Chris Goodson 19. #2 Don Haag 20. #15 Chris Jones
