B.J. McLeod Takes Super Late Model Win at New Smyrna Speedway
by Jane Smith
Samsula, Fl (May 3, 2003) - It has been a number of years since B.J. McLeod visited Winner's Circle at New Smyrna Speedway. The last few weeks, he has won the heat race but fell short in his quest for the feature win. Tonight, McLeod fought hard and prevailed.
Starting on the pole, McLeod jumped to the lead on the green followed by Wayne Parker, David Frohlich, Guy Thomas and Chris Fontaine. Rogers, who started in the rear of the field due to his win the previous week, had worked his way into fourth by the end of lap 2. Rogers began his journey towards the front as he picked off Frohlich and then Parker for the second place spot.
No cautions were called which lead it a chase as Rogers began to slowly reel in McLeod for the Rogers' pass for the win. After leading 8 laps two weeks ago and 13 laps last week, McLeod also had a mission, the win.
Rogers, who has won every Super Late Model feature this season so far, it hard to beat at the track that he could probably drive blindfolded which is not a bad thing but a compliment to the driver. Rogers sails around the one-half mile oval as if he was on ice skates - gracefully.
Lap 24, Rogers has gotten right on McLeod's bumper and coming off turn 2, Rogers wiggles which he has to check up to gather the car back in. This was just enough that McLeod was able to hold his lead and take the checkers for the first time in 3 years at New Smyrna Speedway. Following McLeod to the stripe was David Rogers, David Frohlich, Wayne Parker and Chris Fontaine.
In Victory Lane, a smiling and obvious happy B.J. McLeod said "thanks to my crew and my folks who have helped me always. Being back in Victory Lane at New Smyrna Speedway is a really great feeling. Thanks to David also for a great race."
NOTE: B.J. McLeod set fast time at Orlando SpeedWorld the previous night for the Sunbelt Super Late Model race. After drawing the number 5 pill, David Rogers had the pole. McLeod lost a transmission and had to retire from the race. Rogers, who lead every lap except the last 4, lost either his rear-end or tranny but also had to withdraw from the race.
B.J. McLeod won the heat race.
The Sportsman feature also saw no cautions for their feature event. John Nusbaum set on the pole for the 15 lap race but it was Chris Pedulat who took the lead on the green followed by Donnie Williams, Jim Synder, John Nusbaum, and Ron Lufcy.
Pedulat fought hard holding off Donnie Williams's charge but eventually Williams won the lead with Bill Spade following Williams to second and Pedulat going to third. Williams took the checkered followed by Bill Spade, Chris Pedulat, Ron Lufcy, and Bill Love.
In Victory Lane, Williams delights the crowd with a number of donuts that were well executed. The crowd goes wild and Williams is beaming.
Bill Spade and Donnie Williams took the heat wins.
Bobby Blake had the pole for the Modified feature and lead from green to checkered. Following Blake on the green was David Rogers, Chad Pierce, Mark Vandevender, and David Castello. Brad May comes into the picture taking fifth from Castello with Castello slipping to sixth.
By lap 10, May has moved into the third place spot putting Chad Pierce fourth and Mark Vandevender fifth. The only caution came out on lap 13 when Mike Samples decided to do a short donut before the end of the race. Samples is fine and returns to racing.
On the restart, May is able to get beside Rogers taking over second and setting his eyes on Blake. But May runs out of laps and Blake takes the checkered followed by Brad May, David Rogers, Mark Vandevender, and Chad Pierce.
David Rogers took the heat win.
Josh Wronkowski had the pole for the Super Stock feature and quickly took the lead over Charlie Collins, Jeff Colburn, Ron Whaley, and Nick Vogler. By lap 3, Todd Driscall has moved into fifth putting Vogler sixth.
Lap 11, Collins has the lead followed by Whaley, Colburn, Wronkowski, and Driscoll. But Colburn slows with fluid leaking from his car and retires to the ptis after a very good run. On the restart, Collins holds the point followed by Whaley, Wronkowski, Driscoll and Vogler.
Whaley and Collins go side-by-side coming down to the wire with Whaley taking the lead and the win. Following Whaley to the checkered was Charlie Collins, Josh Wronkowski, Todd Driscall, and Nick Vogler.
In tech, Whaley was light on weight and disqualified giving the win to Charlie Collins with Dennis Carroll taking over the fifth place spot.
Ron Whaley took the heat win.
Lates were alittle short this week with only three in the field. But the three we had, were great Lates. Brian Bellaw's Jolly Roger's and Blackie Saloons Chevy sat on the pole with Tim Clark and his brand new car on the outside. Mark Smith was third.
On the green, Bellaw took the point but it was not an easy win as Clark gave his new car all he could and almost got under Bellaw but Bellaw held strong and took the win. The top three were Brian Bellaw, Tim Clark, and Mark Smith.
Brian Bellaw took the heat win.
Nick Boley had the pole for the Strictly Stock feature but before a lap was down, there was a tangle of Strictly Stocks up in turns 3 and 4. All but Feris Crews and Tim Edmundson could continue on. Crews and Edmundson were done for the night.
On the restart, Jeremy Hovencamp tookt he point followed by Boley, Teresa Trombley, Steven Metts and Gordon Houck. Boley is able to take the lead from Hovencamp but it was Teresa Trumbley who took the final lead and crossed the checkered taking her first Strictly Stock feature win. Following Teresa Trombley to the checkered was Nick Boley, Steven Metts, Gordon Houck, and Dominc Barbado.
Tim Edmundson took the heat win.
May 10, all FASCAR divisions are on the program with heats and features. Join us at New Smyrna Speedway for a night of the greatest half-mile racing around. Bring your honey for an early Mother's Day present. Grandstands open at 6 p.m., racing begins at 7:30 p.m.
OFFICIAL RESULTS - NEW SMYRNA SPEEDWAY - MAY 3
SUPER LATES - 25 Laps
1. #78 B.J. McLeod 2. #11 David Rogers 3. #22 David Frohlick 4. #3 Wayne Parker 5. #47 Chris Fontaine 6. #2 Guy Thomas 7. #63 Joe Fitos 8. #6 Mike Finn
LATE MODEL - 8 Laps
1. #77 Brian Bellaw 2. #8 Tim Clark 3. #48 Mark Smith
MODIFIED - 15 Laps
1. #75 Bobby Blake 2. #00 Brad May 3. #2x David Rogers 4. #7 Mark Vandevender 5. #51 Chad Pierce 6. #1 David Castello 7. #9 Art Kunzeman 8. #16 David Labeau 9. #88 Paul Duncan 10. #81 Mike Samples
SPORTSMAN - 15 Laps
1. #111 Donnie Williams 2. #15x Bill Spade 3. #28 Chris Pedulat 4. #07 Ron Lufcy 5. #2 Bill Love 6. #31 Paul Colgan 7. #55 Jim Snyder 8. #70 John Nusbaum 9. #48c Butch Yancey 10. #6 Bruce McGonigal 11. #48 Cory Kaiser 12. #46 Mike Trocki 13. #5 Lonnie Cole - DNS
SUPER STOCK - 15 Laps
1. #23 Charlie Collins 2. #21 Josh Wronkowski 3. #91 Todd Driscoll 4. #11 Nick Vogler 5. #82 Dennis Carroll 6. #3 Jeff Colburn 7. #1 Morgan Hoover 8. #4 Paul Lentz 9. #2 Ron Whaley - DQ'd - weight
STRICTLY STOCK - 12 Laps
1. #8 Teresa Trombley 2. #88 Nick Boley 3. #37 Steven Metts 4. #99 Gordon Houck 5. #18 Dominc Barbado 6. #26 Kennethy Walker 7. #39 Jeremy Hovencamp 8. #10 Feris Crews 9. #66 Tim Edmundson
