Steve Arnold wins Goodyear Challenge Late Model race at Charlotte County
By CLAUDE LEWIS
Steve Arnold's stock in the Limited Late Model division keeps rising at a steady clip.
Arnold won his first Limited Late feature on opening night at Charlotte County Speedway two months ago.
Saturday night, the former truck series driver out of Cape Coral captured his first 100-lapper.
Arnold led the FASCAR Goodyear Challenge Series race the entire way in his No. 19 car, surviving a threat from Randy Fox, who settled for second.
"It's like kissing your sister," said Fox, who tried the outside to pass Arnold but came up short.
Arnold, who collected $2,000 for his work, opted for hugging the crew that got him to victory lane.
"I'd like to thank all the guys who helped me," Arnold said. "I gave him (Fox) the outside. He raced me clean."
Arnold graciously gave kudos to Bart Corlieto, Jay Murphy, Mike "Party Boy" Mattox and "Lightning" John Trotta. He also had some help this weekend from one of the biggest names in Florida short track history -- Dickie Anderson -- and his motor man Dan O'Connell.
Murphy once served on the crew for Anderson during their Hooter's Cup days. Seems Anderson owed Murphy a favor.
"He was down here all Friday going through the car," Murphy said. "He was with us right through qualifying."
Arnold qualified sixth fastest of the 28 cars taking time trials. Wayne Morris was quickest with a lap in 15.077 seconds.
Tim Russell started on the pole but Arnold made the move to get to the front. On lap 7, an impatient Russell bumped Arnold. Arnold got his spot back and Russell was sent to the back.
Joe Sumasky qualified second fastest and climbed to eighth before fuel pump trouble sent him to the pits.
The first half of the race was caution filled, as lengthy yellows were interupted by short bits of action under the green.
The second half of the race featured what the fans came for -- wheel to wheel excitement.
Fox slowly moved up to contend as the laps ticked by. He was sitting in fourth on lap 80 when second-place Jerry Artuso, the series points leader, was bumped by Morris. Both went to the back, moving Fox up to second.
From there Fox pressured Arnold, but couldn't get around him.
Glenn Morris of Pine Island was third in the 107 car. Brad May of Orlando was fourth in the 10 car. Brent O'Neill of Hollywood took fifth in the 60 car.
Jim Keating of Bonita Springs was sixth and Steve Smith of Lakeland was seventh. Artuso was eighth and Sumasky came back out to record a ninth-place finish.
There were five other divisions racing Saturday night at Charlotte County Speedway.
In the Sportsman 25-lapper, Danny Yates used a bold move to squeeze past leader Kay Jackson and a lapped car.
Yates went on the checkered in the 22 car. Jeremy Goddard also got around Jackson for second. Punta Gorda's Jackson did get third.
The Super Stock 25-lapper saw a two-car duel for the lead between Danny Caylor on the inside and Brian Richardson on the outside.
The two cars got together on lap 21 and Caylor's No. 7 was sent back. Richardson grabbed the win in the 23 car. Eric Smith in the No. 10 Sons of Confederate Veterans car was second. Caylor roared back for a third.
In the Road Warrior 25-lapper, points leader Chris Oncken returned to victory lane in the No. 61. Bob Waltz took second but was disqualified for unsportsmanlike conduct. That allowed Chris Huntoon of Englewood to move up to second and Jesse "James" Gargus to third in the yellow No. 1.
Thunder Trucks action saw Port Charlotte's Don Van Acker shrug off a poor finish the previous week with a trip to the winner's circle. Gene Pack was originally second but his truck was DQed in post-race technical inspection for cam. Mike Bialecki of Port Charlotte bounced up to second.
In the 4-Cylinder race, Troy Yates, son of Danny, was the winner. Brad Shanaway was second and Michelle Riley third. A whopping nine cars showed up to race.
Goodyear Challenge Late Models 1. 19 Steve Arnold 2. 88 Randy Fox 3. 107 Glenn Morris 4. 10m Brad May 5. 60 Brent O'Neill 6. 100 Jim Keating 7. 28 Steve Smith 8. 5 Jerry Artuso 9. 12 Joe Sumansky 10. 08 Jimmy Castleberry 11. 10x Steve Dorer 12. 13 Johnny Leonard 13. 86 Tony Amico 14. 926 Dan Crowe 15. 94 Scott Kleiber 16. 32 Sean Murphy 17. 56 Wayne Morris 18. 77 Tony Amico 19. 23 Corey Collum 20. 18 Nolan Wilson 21. 29 Mike Hovis 22. 9 Rich Clouser 23. 96 Frank Welch 24. 127 Karo Vaughan 25. 15 Jason Boyd 26. 22 Larry Osteen 27. 36 Tim Russell 28. 36x Al Fradette
Sportsman 1. 22 Danny Yates 2. 40 Jeremy Goddard 3. 91 Kay Jackson 4. 8 Raymond Jones 5. 9 Jerry Bryant 6. 67 James Dubose 7. 51 Roger Smith 8. 39 Phillip Johnson 9. 46 Buck Wilson 10. 20 George Ellsworth 11. 74 John Garrett 12. 0 Dick Robinson 13. 36 Steve Leonard 14. 38 Ralph Goddard 15. 71 L.B. Skaggs 16. 19d Dale Dean III
Best Coast Insurance Super Stock 1. 23 Brian Richardson 2. 10 Eric Smith 3. 7 Danny Caylor 4. 7x Jeff Warren 5. 91 Ander Jackson 6. 83 Jeff Hanuschik 7. 56 Walt Korkiner 8. 39 Fred Kight 9. 62 Al Welling 10. 31x Elbert Butts 11. 8 George Tanner 12. 4 Craig Simmons 13 4w Wayne Wilson
4 Cylinder 1. 22 Troy Yates 2. 47 Brad Shanaway 3. 31 Michele Riley 4. 15 Walter Forbes 5. 2 Bobby Fischer 6. 03 Steve Menchillo 7. 19 Bart Corlieto, Jr. 8. 73 Beau Crandall DNS 02 Riley Lowe
Road Warrior 1. 61 Chris Oncken 2. 30 Chris Huntoon 3. 1 Jesse Gargus 4. 7 Jonathan Abraham 5. 18 Shane Leonard 6. 88 Larry Rudd 7. 9 Gary Miller 8. 40 Don Justice 9. 22 Ann Marie Richardi 10. 17 Fred Wilson 11. 711 Mark Ludvigson 12. 59 Jim Kaczynski
Disqualified - 5 Bob Waltz - Unsportsmanlike Conduct of Crew Member Disqualified - 11 Robert Hendry - Mirror in Car
Thunder Trucks 1. 33 Don VanAcker 2. 8 Mike Bialecki 3. 22 John Garrett 4. 37 Cheryl Weaver 5. 31 Harlen Wilson 6. 16 Wally Smith 7. 14 Randy Layman 8. 08 Richard Dupont 9. 9 Ray Scott 10. 00 Ronnie Grimes
Disqualified - 88 Gene Pack - Valves
Goodyear Challenge Late Models 1. 19 Steve Arnold 2. 88 Randy Fox 3. 107 Glenn Morris 4. 10m Brad May 5. 60 Brent O'Neill 6. 100 Jim Keating 7. 28 Steve Smith 8. 5 Jerry Artuso 9. 12 Joe Sumansky 10. 08 Jimmy Castleberry 11. 10x Steve Dorer 12. 13 Johnny Leonard 13. 86 Tony Amico 14. 926 Dan Crowe 15. 94 Scott Kleiber 16. 32 Sean Murphy 17. 56 Wayne Morris 18. 77 Tony Amico 19. 23 Corey Collum 20. 18 Nolan Wilson 21. 29 Mike Hovis 22. 9 Rich Clouser 23. 96 Frank Welch 24. 127 Karo Vaughan 25. 15 Jason Boyd 26. 22 Larry Osteen 27. 36 Tim Russell 28. 36x Al Fradette
Sportsman 1. 22 Danny Yates 2. 40 Jeremy Goddard 3. 91 Kay Jackson 4. 8 Raymond Jones 5. 9 Jerry Bryant 6. 67 James Dubose 7. 51 Roger Smith 8. 39 Phillip Johnson 9. 46 Buck Wilson 10. 20 George Ellsworth 11. 74 John Garrett 12. 0 Dick Robinson 13. 36 Steve Leonard 14. 38 Ralph Goddard 15. 71 L.B. Skaggs 16. 19d Dale Dean III
Best Coast Insurance Super Stock 1. 23 Brian Richardson 2. 10 Eric Smith 3. 7 Danny Caylor 4. 7x Jeff Warren 5. 91 Ander Jackson 6. 83 Jeff Hanuschik 7. 56 Walt Korkiner 8. 39 Fred Kight 9. 62 Al Welling 10. 31x Elbert Butts 11. 8 George Tanner 12. 4 Craig Simmons 13 4w Wayne Wilson
4 Cylinder 1. 22 Troy Yates 2. 47 Brad Shanaway 3. 31 Michele Riley 4. 15 Walter Forbes 5. 2 Bobby Fischer 6. 03 Steve Menchillo 7. 19 Bart Corlieto, Jr. 8. 73 Beau Crandall DNS 02 Riley Lowe
Road Warrior 1. 61 Chris Oncken 2. 30 Chris Huntoon 3. 1 Jesse Gargus 4. 7 Jonathan Abraham 5. 18 Shane Leonard 6. 88 Larry Rudd 7. 9 Gary Miller 8. 40 Don Justice 9. 22 Ann Marie Richardi 10. 17 Fred Wilson 11. 711 Mark Ludvigson 12. 59 Jim Kaczynski
Disqualified - 5 Bob Waltz - Unsportsmanlike Conduct of Crew Member Disqualified - 11 Robert Hendry - Mirror in Car
Thunder Trucks 1. 33 Don VanAcker 2. 8 Mike Bialecki 3. 22 John Garrett 4. 37 Cheryl Weaver 5. 31 Harlen Wilson 6. 16 Wally Smith 7. 14 Randy Layman 8. 08 Richard Dupont 9. 9 Ray Scott 10. 00 Ronnie Grimes
Fox slowly moved up to contend as the laps ticked by. He was sitting in fourth on lap 80 when second-place Jerry Artuso, the series points leader, was bumped by Morris. Both went to the back, moving Fox up to second.
