DuBose Barely Hangs On In Sportsman 50 at Charlotte County
By Claude Lewis
PUNTA GORDA, Fla. (April 26) - They were stacked up behind James DuBose for most of Saturday nights Sportsman 50 at Charlotte County Speedway.
Yet, they could never pass the wily veteran driver out of Arcadia. Somehow, DuBose hung on in his No. 67 car to collect the $750 first-place money.
The chief threat to DuBose throughout the race was posed by the No. 22 car of Danny Yates. Yates settled for second and Ralph Goddard took third.
There were two other 50-lappers Saturday night at the Punta Gorda paved oval.
The Fastruck Series made its first stop of the year at CCS with 23 trucks taking the green.
It was pretty much a Grynewicz show, as Paul III led from coast-to-coast in the No. 44 truck. He is a 25-year-older out of Hudson. His father, also named Paul, finished third. Sandwiched in the middle was the No. 29 truck of Tim Shaffner.
The Open Wheel Modifieds also ran 50 laps. Sadly, only nine cars showed up to race. That left Wayne Jefferson a runaway winner in the No. 1 car.
Scott Walters ran second in the No. 19 Modified. Ronnie Allen was third. Only five cars finished the race.
The big news in the Road Warrior division is the sudden emergence of Larry Rudd as a threat.
Last year, Rudd ran in the back all season.
But a new car has pumped life into Rudd. On April 19, he took the No. 88 car into third place his first top three finish ever.
And Saturday night, he did two better, holding off points leader Chris Oncken for the checkered.
Shane Leonard was third in the 25-lapper. The Super Stock 25-lapper saw Brian Richardson get around Ander Jackson early.
Meanwhile, Danny Caylor got held up in traffic. By the time Caylor shook free, Richardson had already built a substantial lead. Richardsons 23 car had enough to hold off the No. 7 of Caylor.
Elbert Butts of Arcadia looked strong in the second half of the race to take third. Thunder Trucks was a familiar tune as John Garrett once again coasted in the No. 22.
He hunted down early leader Ray Tucker and passed him 15 laps in. Tucker and the No. 8 truck of Mike Bialecki failed post-race technical inspection. That bumped Wally Smith up to second and Justin Bryant of Arcadia to third.
In 4-Cylinder Front Wheel Drive, 12-year-old Troy Yates of Cape Coral passed Punta Gordas Walter Forbes for the checkered. The race was 10 laps.
[Editors Note: Larry Rudd was Disqualified in the Road Warriors, giving the win to Chris Onchen in the #61]
