Whaley, Spade, Rogers, Castello, Blake, Osteen are in Winner's Circle at New Smyrna
by Jane Smith
Samsula, Fla (June 14, 2003) After being rained out last weekend, racers were eager to get back to New Smyrna for some good ole fashion short track racing. With heats and features in all divisions, fans saw some great action.
Mike Amato had the pole for the Super Stock feature but it was Jeff Colburn who jumped to the lead on the green and lead for the first five laps. Following Colburn was Josh Wronkowski, Amato, Ron Whaley, and Butch Pierce.
Both Butch Pierce and Rob Watford with Mike Soukup driving the No. 17 Super Stock, had some repairs to do before they could run in the heat and feature race. During hot laps, Soukup's throttle stuck wide open as he was coming off the frontstretch into turns 1 and 2. Before Soukup could stop the car, Butch Pierce ran into the side with both cars suffering some pretty good damage. Soukup was able to run the heat race but Pierce was not but both ran the feature race.
On lap 5, Mike Amato and Butch Pierce got hooked up together coming down the frontstretch with both ending up in the inside pit wall. Both drivers were okay although it was a hard hit but both were done for the night. On the restart, Ron Whaley took the point. But before a lap was down again, the caution was thrown for Josh Wronkowski who was forced down to the pit entrance where he spun as Colburn and Whaley were fighting each other. Wronkowski was fine and continued to race.
Whaley held the point on the restart with Jeff Colburn, Mike Soukup, Bob Trombley and Todd Driscall in the top five. Josh Wronkowski worked his way to the rear and passed Driscall for fifth on lap 10.
Whaley took the checkered followed by Jeff Colburn, Mike Soukup, Bob Trombley, and Josh Wronkowski. In tech, Soukup was disqualified for weight thus changing the finishing order to Whaley, Colburn, Trombley, Wronkowski, and Driscoll.
Ron Whaley and Jeff Colburn took the heat wins.
Bill Spade set on the pole for the Sportsman feature and lead from green to checkered. On lap 4, Jim Snyder and Cory Kaiser got together with Kaiser hitting the wall. Kaiser is towed in but Snyder is able to drive back to the pits, both done for the night.
On the restart, Spade takes the lead followed by Steve Redditt, Ron Lufcy, Tony Wilson and Dale Clouser. On lap 8, Clouser and Wilson touch sending both into the turns 3 and 4 wall. Wilson suffers rear-end damage but is able to continue racing but Clouser was done for the night. Spade holds the point on the restart. Ron Lufcy puts the juice on and takes over second from Redditt putting Redditt third.
Spade takes the checkered followed by Ron Lufcy, Steve Redditt, Dusty Downer, and Bill Love. Bill Spade and Ron Lufcy took the heat wins.
Tim "Missileman" McPhail had the pole for the Mini Stock feature followed by Ted "Mr Mini Stock" Vulipus, David Castello, Ron Debeau and Rex Christensen. Vulipus is able to pass McPhail for the lead bring Castello with him. Castello takes second putting McPhail to third.
On lap 5, Vulipus and Castello find themselves in familiar territory as they go side-by-side for the lead. Castello is able to make the move and it sticks giving him the point. Castello takes the checkered followed by Ted "Mr Mini Stock" Vulipus, Tim "Missileman" McPhail, Ron Debeau, and Rex Christensen.
David Castello took the heat win.
B.J. McLeod had the pole for the Super Late Model event and lead for the first 18 laps. Following McLeod on the green was Wayne Parker, David Rogers, Guy Thomas, and Mark Vandevender. By lap 9, Rogers had worked his way to second with Parker third and was setting his sight on McLeod.
On Lap 13, Guy Thomas brought out the yellow when he spun in turn 2. The race goes back green with McLeod on the pole and Rogers on his heels. By lap 16, Rogers had made his move and taken over the lead and the checkered. Following Rogers to the checkered was B.J. McLeod, Wayne Parker, Mark Vandevender, and Guy Thomas.
B.J. McLeod took the heat win.
Bobby Blake had the pole for the Open Wheel Modified feature but before a lap was down, Sonny O brought out the caution as he spun in turns 1 and 2. The race was totally restarted with David Castello taking the point on the green followed by Mark Vandevender, Bobby Blake, Matt Wheeler, and Justin Henderson.
On lap 3, Wheeler spins in turns 3 and 4 bringing out the yellow. Wheeler rejoins the field in the rear. Castello holds the point on the green followed by Blake, Vandevender, Henderson and May.
On lap 5, Wayne Parker got extremely loose coming off 4 and was getting really squirelly but did a great job of saving the car. By lap 6, May had taken over fourth putting Henderson fifth.
Lap 7 May has an axle to break in turns 1 and 2 bringing out the yellow again. The race goes green with Castello in the lead. On lap 11, Castello gets loose coming off 4 and Blake takes advantage of Castello correcting the car and takes over the lead.
Blake takes the checkered followed by Mark Vandevender, Matt Wheeler, David Castello, and Wayne Parker.
Matt Wheeler took the heat win.
Brian Bellaw with the Jolly RogersBlackies Saloon Chevy had the pole for the Late Model feature but it was Larry Osteen who took the point after some side-by-side action with Bellaw. Tim Clark dusts the turn 2 wall and brings his No. 8 Late Model in for some crew attention.
On lap 8, Chris Lawrence brought out the yellow as he spun up turn 1 and ever so slightly touching the wall. Lawrence continues after his crew does a once over of the car.
Osteen holds the point on the restart with Bellaw, Don Hess, Bobby Fleckinger and Chris Lawrence in the top five. Lawrence puts on the heat and takes over third putting Hess fourth. Osteen takes the checkered followed by Brian Bellaw, Chris Lawrence, Don Hess, and Bobby Fleckinger.
Don Hess took the heat win.
Strictly Stocks saw Gordon Houch on the pole for their feature event but it was Ernest Smith who took over the lead from Houch. But Travis Scott put on the heat and took over the point from Houch. This race saw no cautions but alot of swapping of spots.
In the end, it was Travis Scott taking the checkered followed by Ernest Smith, Gordon Houch, Theresa Trombley, and Ron Smith.
Travis Scott took the heat win.
Next Saturday, June 21, the ever popular TBARA Winged Sprints will be feature at New Smyrna Speedway along with a 50 lap Florida Mini Stock Challenge race plus Sportsman, Open Wheel Modifieds, Mini Stocks, Super Stocks and Strictly Stocks. The Super Late Models and Late Models will be off due to the Sunbelt and Goodyear Challenge races at USA International in Lakeland, Florida.
OFFICIAL RESULTS - JUNE 14, 2003
SUPER LATE MODELS
1. #11 David Rogers 2. #78 B.J. McLeod 3. #3 Wayne Parker 4. #7 Mark Vandevender 5. #2 Guy Thomas 6. #8 Brent Hobbs 7. #4 Rick Bates
LATE MODEL
1. #22 Larry Osteen 2. #77 Brian Bellaw 3. #63 Chris Lawrence 4. #64 Don Hess 5. #34 Bobby Fleckinger 6. #74 Paul Schreen 7. #48 Mark Smith 8. #8 Tim Clark
OPEN WHEEL MODIFIED
1. #75 Bobby Blake 2. #7 Mark Vandevender 3. #96 Matt Wheeler 4. #2x David Castello 5. #3 Wayne Parker 6. #16 Justin Henderson 7. #20 Ed Kuhel 8. #0 Sonny O 9. #00 Brad May
SPORTSMAN
1. #15x Bill Spade 2. #07 Ron Lufcy 3. #1 Steve Redditt 4. #09 Dusty Downer 5. #2 Bill Love 6. #71 Tony Wilson 7. #19 Mitch Dougherty 8. #51 Ed Kennedy 9. #6 Bruce McGonigal 10. #30 Dale Clouser 11. #48 Cory Kaiser 12. #55 Jim Snyder 13. #70 John Nusbaum DNS
MINI STOCK
1. #1 David Castello 2. #71 Ted "Mr Mini Stock" Vulipus 3. #7 Tim "Missileman" McPhail 4. #4 Ron Dubeau 5. #v3 Rex Christensen 6. #71x Rick Tumey 7. #7x Rex "Boneman" Hollinger 8. #00 Mike "No More Mr. Nice Guy" Sible 9. #16 Chase Goodson
SUPER STOCK
1. #2 Ron Whaley 2. #3 Jeff Colburn 3. #8 Bob Trombley 4. #21 Josh Wronkowski 5. #91 Todd Driscoll 6. #11 Nick Vogler 7. #71 Brian Anderson 8. #37 Steven Metts 9. #2x Mike Amato 10. #57x Butch Pierce 11. #10P Bob Bailey 12. #79 Terry Conning 13. #17 Mike Soukup DQ'D
STRICTLY STOCKS
1. #91 Travis Scott 2. #92 Ernest Smith 3. #99 Gordon Houch 4. #8 Theresa Trombley 5. #77 Ron Smith 6. #15 Mike Wofford 7. #88 Nick Boley
