Full Moon, Perfect Weather, does not mean Good Night at Orlando SpeedWorld
by Jane Smith
Bithlo, Fla (April 18, 2003) - Overflowing pits once again greeted fans and racers at Orlando SpeedWorld as week six is now in the books. With double points for all divisions and a full moon, things did not run as smooth as everyone had hoped for on Good Friday.
During the heat races, there were two red flags for very serious wrecks. The second heat of Super Late Models saw Jamie King up in the middle of turns 1 and 2 spin with a cloud of smoke. Thinking the track was clear high in the smoke, the #5 Lyons's car hit King with a huge clap of thunder. The race was immediately red flagged and the cars were checked. King was okay but Lyons was very shakey. This was a no-fault wreck, just one of those things when the smoke is thick and you can't see.
The second red flag was in the Modified heat race when Jim "Hoot" Flynn hit the pit road exit wall hard and Ken McCracken went flying into the barrel of water at the wall. Flynn's car had a small fire under what was the hood but the safety team quicly extinguished it. This was a violent hit for Flynn but he was fine. McCracken was shaken but he was also fine. The water barrel however caused a delay in racing until some of the track could be dried out.
The best thing was no one was seriously hurt in either red flags, all one can say or think was "the full moon has done it again".
The Bandoleros, who normally run first, had to wait awhile as the other classes raced to help dry out their track. Something that they have never done before so they actually got to see some of the feature races for once.
Sportsman saw Justin Hall on the pole for the Sportsman feature but it took three restarts before a complete lap was down. Hall, who would take the point on the green, would get spun every start on the backstretch by Richard Hight which was cause a restart. Finally on the third restart, both Hall and Hight were put in the rear and Robert HIght took the point with Michael Albert, Danny Shearer, Kelly Jarrett, and Doug Samion in the top five.
On lap 4, Shearer, who has been racing this year at New Smyrna Speedway in the Sportsman division, lost his right front tire after being punched just alittle in the rear. The race went yellow as Shearer limped his tireless Sportsman to the pit for the night.
On the rstart, Robert Hight held the point followed by Albert, Samion, Jarrett and Erick Traves. By lap 6, Richard Hight had worked his way into the top five by taking fifth from Traves.
Lap 11, Doug Samion took the lead from Robert Hight for his 4th win and only winner in the Sportsman division this year at Orlando SpeedWorld. Following Samion to the checkered was Robert Hight, Michael Albert, Richard Hight, and Kelly Jarrett.
Robert Hight was disqualified in tech after the feature race. Hight was also the heat winner for the Sportsman division.
Wally Semrow held the point for the Super Stock feature but it was Billy Cuddy who took the lead on the green and lead from green to checkered. Jeff Wright brought out the caution on lap 8 when he spun at the top of turns 1 and 2 while riding in the fourth spot after fighting Cory Freed for a few laps and losing the battle to Freed for third. Wright restarted the race in the rear.
Cuddy maintained the lead on the restart followed by Semrow, Freed, Ron Whaley, and Ted Head. But on lap 9, Rip Dyal loses his engine in a cloud of smoke and the caution flag comes out. The track was cleaned as Dyal has to watch the finish of the event from the inside pit road.
Cuddy maintains the lead but only one lap was completed before Ron Whaley brought out the caution as he hit the frontstretch wall. Whaley was fine but finished his night not the way he had wanted, being towed in on the hook.
The last five laps were green and yellowless with Cuddy taking the win followed by Wally Semrow, Cory Freed, Mike Soukup and Andy Nichols.
Legends saw Jason Reisman take the twenty five lap feature followed by #10, Jordan Richardson, James Rodriquez, and Kevin Abbott.
Patrick Conrad, Jason Reisman, and Jordan Richardson won the heat races.
Matt Martin lead from green to checkered for the 12 lap feature for the Bandits in the Bandolero class. With only one yellow on lap 8 for Max Gresham who spun in turns 3 and 4, Martin was able to take the win followed by Gerald White, Jr., Derrick Wood, Chad Atkins and Matt Bowers.
Matt Martin won the heat race.
Troy Atkins sat on the pole for the Young Guns and took the point on the green followed by Troy Atkins, Jessica Murphy, Keven Kenery, and Scott Jarrett. Lap 5, Murphy slows and goes up toward the pit exit but is able to continue after having a mechanical problem.
Chelsea Schilling, Keven Henery and Murphy bring out the yellow when they spin coming off turn 2. Murphy has to retire for the night, not very happy after running a good race.
On the restart, Atkins holds the lead but it is Brandon Thompson who makes the pass, makes it sticks and takes home the win followed by Troy Atkins, Keven Kenery, Scott Jarrett and Chelsea Schilling.
Troy Atkins took the heat win.
B.J. McLeod had the pole for the Super Late Model feature but before a lap was down on the books, the yellow came out for Jim Matteus who slightly dusted the turn 4 wall. Matteus goes in for some quick crew magic and does return to the track.
The race is restarted with McLeod taking the lead followed by Aric Almirola, Rusty Ebersole, Ricky Wood and Tom Root. On lap 5, Marty Zehr spun on the backstretch with the #23 (name unknown) going up in smoke as he lost his motor. The track is cleaned and we are back to green.
McLeod holds the point on the restart but on lap 7, Almirola puts the medal to the pedal and takes the lead from McLeod. As Almirola and McLeod battle for the point, by some very good short track racing, McLeod takes back the lead on lap 13 putting Almirola second followed by Ebersole, Wood and Root.
Coy Riddle brought out the yellow on lap 18 after spinning in the bottom of turn 4. The race goes green and McLeod takes the win followed by Aric Almirola, Rusty Ebersole, Ricky Wood and David Hart.
The top three stopped on the frontstretch for pictures and for the crowd to see the drivers with McLeod sayng "thanks to my family and crew for such a great car. It is good to be back in the Winner's Circle and SpeedWorld."
B.J. McLeod and Rusty Ebersole were the heat winners.
Lynn Dicandio sat on the pole for the feature Open Wheel Modified event but it was Matt Wheeler who took the point on the green and earned his first win. Wheeler was followed by Darren Gould, Glen Bradley, Jason Boyd and Dave Riley on the green but it did not take Boyd long before he had worked his way to second and set his eyes on Wheeler.
With no yellows in this feature, it was balls to the walls for Wheeler who was able to keep ahead of a fast hard-charging Boyd and take his first win at Orlando SpeedWorld. Following Wheeler to the checkered was Jason Boyd, Darren Gould, Glen Bradley and Shane Held.
A very happy Wheeler said this in Winner's Circle "thanks to everyone who came and to my crew for such a great car. This has been a crazy night but very happy one for us. This is great, hope to be here more often."
Lynn Dicandio, who has only run two races so far this year in his new modified and driving on some old tires, took his first heat win in heat number one with Matt Wheeler taking the second heat win.
Chad Pierce sat on the pole for the Mini Stock feature as he tested the new engine in the Rick Bristol #30 mini stock that will run on Saturday night at Bronson Motor Speedway in the Florida Mini Stock Challenge. Pierce held off both Tim "Missileman" McPhail and Sean Bass to take his first win in the Mini Stock division.
Bass, who will also run Bronson in the FMSC series, once again had smoke coming from the car and had to withdraw from the race. Following Pierce to the checkered was Dick Laszlo, Tim "Missileman" McPhail, Kurt Steere (his first race), and Tom Rose.
Tim "Missisleman" McPhail took the heat win.
Strictly Stocks saw Bobby Woodley on the pole for their feature event but after several failed attempts to start the race, he was put to the rear. On the restart, it was Roger Benton who took the point followed by Richie Laszlo, Amanda Tonchuk, Robert Ward, and Frank Costantino.
Richie Laszlo brought out the yellow when he hit the turns 1 and 2 wall hard. Laszlo was fine but it will be a few weeks off for him as he repairs the car. The race went back green with Benton taking the checkered followed by Robert Ward, Bobby Woodley, Frank Costantino and Greg Bruce.
Roger Benton took the heat win.
Next week at Orlando SpeedWorld, April 25, all FASCAR divisions will be in action again with Modified Lites and Pro Challenge cars. Grandstands open at 6 p.m. with racing action at 8:00 p.m.
SHORT TRACK RESULTS, ORLANDO SPEEDWORLD, APRIL 18
BANDOLERO BANDITS
1. #2 Matt Martin 2. #38 Gerald White, Jr. 3. #33 Derrick Wood 4. #60 Chad Atkins 5. #01 Matt Bowers 6. #7-11 Max Greshan 7. #18 Ryan Rust 8. #17 Blake Eden
1. #78 B.J. McLeod 2. #14 Aric Almirola 3. #47 Rusty Ebersole 4. #33 Ricky Wood 5. #6 David Hart 6. #19 Tom Root 7. #82 Jim Erb 8. #63 Marty Zehr 9. #1 Coy Riddle 10. #112 Scott McKinley 11. #7 Jim Matteus 12. #-7 Bobby Lyons 13. #9 Tab Gary 14. #23 ? 15. #24 Jamie King DNS 16. #5 R. Lyons DNS
OPEN WHEEL MODIFIEDS - 15 Laps
1. #96 Matt Wheeler 2. #2x Jason Boyd 3. #67 Darren Gould 4. #4 Glen Bradley 5. #55 Shane Held 6. #05 Dave Riley 7. #20 Lynn Dicandio 8. #721 John Bennett 9. #91 Donald Slappy 10. #33 Tom Held 11. #08 Terri Bryant 12. #57 Jim "Hoot" Flynn DNS 13. #56 Ken McCracken DNS
SPORTSMAN - 15 Laps
1. #04 Doug Samion 2. #29 Michael Albert 3. #23 Richard Hight 4. #9 Kelly Jarrett 5. #76 Eric Travis 6. #33 Kenny Carter 7. #77 Danny Shearer 8. #50 Justin Hall 9. #56 Bill Hall
#13 Robert Hight - DQ'D NO MONEY NO POINTS IN TECH
SUPER STOCK - 15 Laps
1. #64 Billy Cuddy 2. #2x Wally Semrow 3. #12 Cory Freed 4. #45 Mike Soukup 5. #22 Andy Nichols 6. #7b Bob Wines 7. #92 Ted Head 8. #50 Jeff Wright 9. #65 Dave Wight 10. #7 Cara Wells 11. #2 Ron Whaley 12. #67 Rip Dyal 13. 08x Paul Hudson
MINI STOCK - 15 Laps
1. #30 - Chad Pierce 2. #07 Dick Laszlo 3. #7 Tim "Missileman" McPhail 4. #97 Kurt Steere 5. #43 Tom Rose 6. #28 Sean Bass 7. #46 Carl Green DNS
STRICTLY STOCKS
1. #14 Roger Benton 2. #27 Robert Ward 3. #98 Bobby Woodley 4. #33 Frank Costantino 5. #44 Greg Bruce 6. #20 Amanda Tonchuk 7. #24 ? 8. #07 Richie Laszlo
