Bithlo, Fla (June 6, 2003) The weather was very disheartening but the program said "rain or shine". And the fans took their word at that and packed Orlando SpeedWorld to "standing room only" capacity. All around the 3/8's mile oval there were people, standing, sitting but packed in to watch the first of two CRASH-A-RAMA shows at SpeedWorld.
Chuck Rush put on the first show of the night when he did the Wall of Steel. This consists of three cars standing upright so far part and a junkyard car that is going to hit each car and make it fall like dominos on a table. Just the right speed must be gotten for the stunt to work but Rush is good at this. As the crowd held their breath, Rush hit the first car, then the second, and then the third. He did suffer just alittle roof damage but was fine.
Next up the boat/trailer race. This consists of any size boat, any size trailer for 15 laps around the track if at all possible. Nineteen entered this event with boats from the sizeo f canoes to small cabin cruisers. Of course the motors are gone and they are striped, no need for a motor going thru anything.
Bobby Riley, one of the regular Super Stock drivers at SpeedWorld, had the pole for this race but it Scooter Gabel who took the lead on the green. With boats, axles,. and a partial removal of the pit grandstand fence, it was Rusty Rinaldi in the Winner' Cirle. Following Rinaldi was Dave Verrer, Ken Hall, Bobby Riley and Jimmy Hester.
It is "Green Mamba" time. This is a jet car that can throw some heat literally. Some young children were scared and had to go behind the bleachers but the majority loved Green Mamba. She lite the sky, blew some heat and made you think she was ready to take off to the skies with her engine geared up for "take off". After about 4 trips around the track, she needed to cool off.
The V-8 demo derby brought out cars from all over Florida and even North Carolina. As they filed in and lined up against the frontstretch wall and the bottom of the track to do battle, just by the number of cars you knew you were in for a show. Smashing, crashing, rear-ending, radiators blowing, a few little fires, and alot of dead cars later, it was called a tie for the win. Joe Curry, who has run almost every demo derby that Orlando and NSS has put on from Melbourne, and Jim Froman took the win jointly. And both were very deserving in that joint win.
The Powder Puff School Bus Figure 8 race consisted of 8 real school bus drivers from Seminole County. These brave women were able to practice this new form of school bus driving and really did a good job in their first feature event. Cindy Labrie had the pole and led the entire 8 laps from green to checkered. Only a small amount of rubbing went on in this race since these gals were not use to rough driving a bus which normally is full of kids. Hats off to each of these ladies for their braveness and exceptional good driving.
The Steel Ball showcased a family of three who enter a steel ball and go around on motorcycles. First the 10 year old son does some pretty good driving then the father and then the mother stands in the middle (brace soul) while the son and father go around her but never touch her.
Enter the chain race. One car pulls another car around by a chain with the second car more or less the brakes for both. This will in fact give you alot of out-of-control wild rides for the second car and some pretty crazy turnarounds. Nine lead cars, nine tow cars took the green for the figure 8 chain race. Billy Cuddy and Bobby Riley had the pole and were doing okay until they found out it was not as easy as one thought. Around they went and with that, went their lead. At the end it was S. Gabel and R. Riley who made it to the checkered with both cars in tack and the chain still attached.
The chain race took out some of the 4 cylinder demo cars as they were the second cars on the chain. But the ones that were left did a great job of taking each other out for the win. In the end, it was Ben Croft crowned "4 Cylinder Champion" for CRASH-A-RAMA Night. And as they say in racing, "I will be back for round two in November."
The Outlaw Demo may have been short on cars but not action. These guys were beating and banging and hitting and stumping each other until the bitter end. This was one of the best Outlaw Demos we have seen. Coming out on top was "Big Mack" who entered every demo Friday night. ":Taking one out of three ain't bad when you have this much good competition," said Big Mack. "Well worth coming to Orlando SpeedWorld." he added.
Here comes the main event, the wild and crazy school bus figure 8 drivers of Orlando SpeedWorld. Nineteen lined up for the green but only one could take the win. Doug Samion, one of SpeedWorld's Sportsman drivers, took the win but for awhile it looked like Todd Hutto, co-owner of East Bay Raceway, was headed towards his first win. Hutto was doing really well until he somehow lost his steering which went out just at the moment he was approaching a dead bus. Hutto and the dead bus collided. Hutto was able to continue but not for long and retired on the field.
As the fans were checking out the winner Doug Samion, Chuck "Junkyard" Dog was giving the fans another show as he took his bus round and round in turn 4 until the point she rolled over to the roar of the crowd. As Rush sat in the bus on it's side buckled in his seatbelt, the fans went wild. Rush came out to a standing ovation.
Green Mamba now returned for her last appearance and last event of the night. Two junk cars were placed on two of each other with Green Mamba the incenerator As she sat there building up her engine, the smoke was pouring. Suddenly, a flame shut out and cars were disappearing fast.
As Jim Jones, the track photographer, thought he was save on a bus away from this event, found out quickly how far the heat and debris travels when Green Mamba is working. Jones was off that bus and on the ground before you could say "jack rabbit".
As the cars disappeared before your eyes, Green Mamba had done her job. And the first of two CRASH-A-RAMAS was done.
Next Friday Night, June 13, the 911 Series returns to SpeedWorld with some of the fastest "cop cars" around. Also on the program a 50 lap Sportsman race plus Super Lates, Open Wheel Modifieds, Mini Stocks and Strictly Stocks. The Super Stocks will have that night off.
