Ronnie Roach Wins Super Late Model Feature at Orlando SpeedWorld taking the points lead for 2003
by Jane Smith
Bithlo, Florida - (March 28, 2003) After two rainouts in a row, Orlando SpeedWorld opened it's 2003 season with a bang. All FASCAR divisions raced plus 3 extra features for the Sportsman, Super Stock and Strictly Stock from the first week's rainout plus the Classic Auto Racing Series.
Sportsman were up first for their rainout feature with Justin Hall on the pole But it would take a total restart to get the race to green after Hall spun in turn 2 and Michael Albert spun in turn 4. On the restart, it was Doug Samion, who returned to the Sportsman division after a year in the Goodyear Challenge Late Model Series, who took the early lead and never looked back.
OFFICIAL RESULTS
RAINOUT FEATURES FROM MARCH 14 SPORTSMAN
1. #04 Doug Samion 2. #50 Justin Hall 3. #29 Michael Albert 4. #23 Richard Hight 5. #3 Earl Beckner
SUPER STOCKS
1. #2 Ron Whaley 2. #12 Cory Freed 3. #64 Billy Cuddy 4. #7b Bob Wines 5. #45 Mike Soukup 6. #65 Dave Wright 7. #5 Larry McCormick 8. #28 Ron Edwards 9. #36 G. T. Maloney 10. #L3 Leonard Story 11. #20 Justin Reynolds 12. #67 Rip Dyal 13. #44 Bob Beiler 14. #4 Larry McCormick 15. #71 Bryan Anderson
STRICTLY STOCKS
1. #45 Jim Leslie 2. #27 Robert Ward 3. #89 Bill Hindman 4. #14 Roger Benton
MARCH 28 FEATURES
BANDOLERO BANDITS
1. #18 Ryan Rust 2. #1 Matt Bowers 3. #38 Gerald White Jr. 4. #33 Derrick Wood 5. #9 Matthew Jarrett 6. #18 Hunter Robbins 7. #17 Blake Edens 8. #6 Josh Williams 9. #75 Chelsea Schillig 10. #60 Chad Akins 11. #74 Eric Salvesen
1. #14 Ronnie Roach 2. #47 Rusty Ebersole 3. #78 B.J. McLeod 4. #57 Chad Pierce 5. #33 Ricky Wood 6. #18 Jared Allison 7. #24 Jamie King 8. #63 Marty Zehr 9. #l Coy Riddle 10. #19 Jim Tasker 11. #7 Jim Matthews 12. #-7 Bobby Lyons 13. #45 Mack Hanbury
OPEN WHEEL MODIFIEDS
1. #34 Frank Polly 2. #18 Jared Allison 3. #55 Shane Held 4. #13 Rusty Perdue 5. #97 Matt Wheeler 6. #67 Darren Gould 7. #20 Lynn Dicandio 8. #56 Ken McCracken 9. #91 Donald Slappey 10. #4 Glen Bradley 11. #51 Chad Pierce 12. #5 Charlie Pitts
SPORTSMAN
1. #04 Doug Samion 2. #30 Dale Clouser 3. #23 Richard Hight 4. #13 Robert Hight 5. #50 Justin Hall 6. #71 Tom Wilson 7. #48 Don Smith 8. #75 Rob Kayse 9. #3 Earl Beckner 10. #56 Bill Hall 11. #9 Kelly Jarrett
MINI STOCK
1. #28 Sean Bass 2. #7 Tim "Missileman" McPhail 3. #24 John Cook
SUPER STOCK
1. #2 Ron Whaley 2. #7 Bob Wines 3. #4 Larry McCormick, Jr. 4. #12 Cory Freed 5. #50 Jeff Wright 6. #64 Billy Cuddy 7. #45 Mike Soukup 8. #65 Dave Wright 9. #22 10. #5 Larry McCormick 11. #36 G.T. Maloney 12. #20 Justin Reynolds 13. #3 Leonard Story 14. #42 Glen Castro 15. #08x Paul Hudson 16. #721 John Bennett 17. #71 Bryan Anderson
STRICTLY STOCK
1. #45 Jim Leslie 2. #27 Robert Ward 3. #14 Roger Benton 4. #07 Richie Laszlo 5. #89 William Hindman 6. #33 Frank Costantino
Hall was able to take over the second spot with Richard HIght, Earl Beckner, and Michael Albert in the top five. Beckner was able to move on Hight and took over the third position putting Hight to fourth.
The yellow comes out when Richard Hight and Albert spun at the bottom of turn 4. During the caution Beckner has to put for a mechanical problem but returns to the rear of the field. On the restart, Samion holds the point amd crossed the checkers taking the first Sportsman win in the 2003 season. Following Samion was Justin Hall, Michael Albert, Richard Hight, and Earl Beckner.
Larry McCormick had the pole for the Super Stock rainout feature but it was Ron Whaley who quickly took the point on the green followed by Billy Cuddy, Bob Wines, Cory Freed, and G.T. Maloney. Freed moved up to second putting Cuddy third.
Rip Dyal brought out the caution when he hit the frontstretch wall. Dyal was fine but had to retire for the night. Whaley holds the point on the restart but one lap later, Leonard Story brought out the caution when he spun at the bottom of the frontstretch.
Whaley holds the point with Cuddy, Freed, Wines and Maloney in the top five. Ron Edwards spun in the bottom of turn 4 but was able to get the car corrected and on it's way without bringing out the yellow. Whaley takes the checkered followed by Cory Freed, Billy Cuddy, Bob Wines and Mike Soukup.
Jim Leslie sat on the pole for the Strictly Stock rainout and lead from green to checkered. Following Leslie to the checkered was Robert Ward, Bill Hindman, and Roger Benton.
Bandolero Bandits saw Ryan Rust take the checkered for his first win of 2003. Gerald White Jr., Josh Williams, and Chelsea Schillig tangle on the backstretch but all did continue. Rust took the checkered followed by Matt Bowers, Gerald Whtie Jr., Derrick Wood, and Matthew Jarrett.
Kevin Henery had the pole for the Young Guns but it was Sam Watts who jumped to the lead and took the checkered. Following Watts to the checkers was Kevin Henery, Brandon Thompson, Dalton Zehr, and Jessica Murphy.
Chad Pierce had the pole for the Open Wheel Modified first feature of 2003 and took the lead on the green followed by Frank Polly, Jared Allison, Shane Held, and Rusty Perdue. Glen Bradley and Ken McCracken brought out the yellow when they spun at the bottom of turn 4.
Pierce holds the point on the restart but has his hands full of Frank Polly right on his rear bumper. Polly finally gets pass Pierce and takes the lead bringing Jared Allison with him and sliding Pierce to the third place position.
The yellow will fly one more time when Darren Gould and Chad Pierce spun at the bottom of turn 2. Polly holds the point and takes the checkered with Jared Allison, Shane Held, Rusty Perdue, and Matt Wheeler in the top five.
Fans were happy to see B.J. McLeod return to the Super Late Model division at Orlando SpeedWorld. McLeod plans to run the 2003 season at SpeedWorld and her sister track New Smyrna Speedway plus some Sunbelt Super Late Model races. But it was Ronnie Roach's night to shine as he lead from green to checkered.
Roach jumped to the point on the green followed by Rusty Ebersole, Chad Pierce, Ricky Wood, and B.J. McLeod. McLeod passes Wood taking fourth with Wood in fifth. Marty Zehr and Jim Tasker brought out the yellow when they spun with Jamie King taking a ride around also at the bottom of turns 3-4.
Roach maintains his lead on the green and McLeod passed Pierce taking over the third place postion putting Pierce fourth and Wood is in fifth. Ebersole tried but could not make the pass on Roach. Roach took the first win of the 2003 season followed by Rusty Ebersole, B.J. McLeod, Chad Pierce and Ricky Wood.
It took the Classic Cars a few restarts before the race went green but it was Bud Spencer who lead the way to the checkers. Following Spencer was #78, Been Booth, Ed Yates, and #21.
Bob Wines had the pole for the second feature for the Super Stock and was able to take the point on the green for a lap or so before Ron Whaley made his way to the front and never had anyone challenge his lead.
Following Whaley, who also won the first feature from the rainout, to the checkered was Bob Wines, Larry McCormick, Jr., Cory Freed, and Jeff Wright.
Mini Stocks were short with only three cars in the field. Sean Bass lead from green to checkered followed by Tim "Missileman" McPhail and John Cook.
Robert Hight had the pole for the Sportsman second feature of the night but it was Doug Samion, winner of the first feature, who took the point and the win. Following Samion on the start was Robert Hight, Rob Kayse, Dale Clouser, and Justin Hall. Clouser moved from fourth to second. Kelly Jarrett spun in turn 4 bringing out the yellow again.
Samion holds the point followed by Clouser, Robert Hight, Justin Hall and Kayse. Hall spun along with Richard Hight brining out the yellow. Samion holds the point but another yellow is flown for Don Smith who spun on the frontstretch.
On the restart, Kayse slightly taps Jarrett sending Jarrett into the turns 1 - 2 wall. Jarrett is fine but is pointing a finger at Kayse as he goes by. Kayse is given the signal to go to the rear for the restart.
No more cautions and Samion takes his second win of the night followed by Dale Clouser, Richard Hight, Robert Hight, and Justin Hall.
Richie Laszlo, his first race ever, had the pole for the Strictly Stock feature but it was Frank Costantino who took the point on the green followed by William Hindman, Robert Ward, Roger Benton, and Jim Leslie. Benton takes over second with Leslie coming with him to third putting Hindman fourth and Costantino fifth.
Leslie moved past Ward and takes the lead and the checkered followed by Robert Ward, Roger Benton, Richie Laszlo, and William Hindman.
Next week at Orlando SpeedWorld, all FASCAR divisions will be race except for Sportsman. Also the FASTRUCKS return to Orlando SpeedWorld along with the Legends. Racing starts at 8 p.m.
