B.J. McLeod Gets 50th Super Late Model Win at SpeedWorld
by Jane Smith
Bithlo, Fla (July 11, 2003) Friday night had many highs and lows at Orlando SpeedWorld for racers and fans. Fans saw two red flags during the feature events which is something none of us want to see and we all watched as B.J. McLeod won his 50th Super Late Model win and cut off Ace, one of B.J.'s crew members, handlebar mustache in front of the crowd.
Along time ago Ace told B.J. when he won his 50th Super Late Model race, he could cut off his handlebar mustache in front of the crowd and that is exactly what happened last night. Way to go B.J. and Ace.
Chad Atkins lead the Bandolero Bandits from green to checkered in their feature event. These guys are gearing up for a National event to take place at SpeedWorld on Saturday, July 26. Josh Williams followed Akins on the green followed by Matt Bowers, Gerald White, Jr., and Matthew Jarrett.
Bowers took over second putting Williams third with Derrick Wood coming from the rear and taking over fifth than fourth. Akins took the checkered followed by Matt Bowers, Josh Williams, Derrick Wood, and Gerald White, Jr.
Chad Atkins took the heat win.
Jessica Murphy sat on the pole for the Bandolero Young Guns but before a lap was down, Murphy and Troy Atkins tangle and spin in turns 1 and 2. A total restart was in order with Murphy taking the point followed by Kevin Henry, Brandon Thompson, Troy Atkins and Scott Jarrett.
Henry takes over the point putting Murphy second. Troy Atkins brought out the yellow when he spun in turn 4. Henry holds the lead on the restart and takes the checkered followed by Jessica Murphy, Brandon Thompson, Troy Atkins, and Scott Jarrett.
Jessica Murphy took the heat win.
Gary Kelly of Del Rio, Tennessee had the pole for the Classic Auto Racing Series feature event. Twenty one Classics filled the field and put on a great show.
On lap one, Patrick "Bam Bam" Sanders spun on the frontstretch on the start which realigned the Classics for a second start. Kelly jumped to the lead on the green and never really looked back winning from green to checkered.
Following Kelly was Brian Ball, Wayne Ashton, Patrick Sanders, and Jim Rahman. Ben Booth brought out the yellow when he spun in turns 1 and 2. Kelly holds the point on the restart followed by Ball, Ashton, Sanders, Rahman, Conrad, Hagan, Yates, Posey and Spencer.
The red flag came out when Bud Spencer somehow ended up on top of Al Hagan in turns 1 and 2. The cars were wedged pretty good together but neither driver was hurt. Just before the race Al Hagan said, "my luck has not been the best thus far this year but hopefully tonight will be the start of better luck." But that did not happen. The Classics race at Desoto Speedway Saturday night, July 12, and hopefully Hagan and Spencer will be able to repair their cars for that event but they were done at SpeedWorld.
Kelly holds the point on the restart followed by Bell, Rahman, Sanders, and Posey. Ben Booth was able to take fifth away from Posey putting Posey sixth. Keith Biaga did a great job right before the finish of saving a squirelly car without bringing out the caution.
Kelly takes the checkered followed by Brian Bell, Jim Rahman, Patrick Sanders, Ben Booth, Bill Posey, Daryl Grief, Frank Conrad, Keith Biaga, and George Hall III.
Gary Kelly and Wayne Ashton took the heat wins.
Bob Beiler with his "Banana Boat" had the pole for the Super Stock feature and took the lead on the green followed by Wally Semrow, Bob Wines, Cory Freed, and Coy Riddle. Ron Whaley took over fifth from Riddle and proceeded to take fourth then third.
Coy Riddle brought out the only yellow in the 15 lap feature when he spun in turn 4. Beiler held the point on the restart followed by Semrow, Whaley, Freed, and Andy Nichols. Semrow looked high and low and found a way to pass Beiler for the lead. Beiler slide back to third with Whaley in second.
Wally Semrow took the checkered followed by Ron Whaley, Bob Beiler, Cory Freed, and Andy Nichols.
Ron Whaley and Cory Freed took the heat wins.
Shane Held had the pole for the Open Wheel Modifieds but it was Jason Boyd who jumped to the lead and never looked back followed by Held, Matthew Wheeler, Lynn Dicandio, and Glen Bradley.
Chris Gillespie brought out the yellow when he spun in turns 3 and 4. Boyd held the point on the restart and took the checkered followed by Shane Held, Lynn Dicandio, Matthew Wheeler, and Glen Bradley.
Jason Boyd took the heat win.
B.J. McLeod had the pole for the Super Late Model feature and won from green to checkered. On the green, McLeod was followed by Eric Deffendall, Ronnie Roach, Bo Jackson, and Ricky Wood.
The red flag came out when Scott McKinley and Bobby Lyons got together on the frontstretch with Lyons hard into the frontstretch wall. McKinley was fine but County Paramedics were called in for Lyons as he was out when the safety crew got to him. Lyons was awake when they took him to the hospital and no word has been received but will be posted as soon as possible.
Bobby Lyons has been a long time racer of Orlando SpeedWorld and the fans and drivers have him in their prayers.
The race went back green with McLeod in the lead followed by Ronnie Roach, Eric Deffendall, Ricky Wood and Jason Boyd. Boyd passes Wood taking over fourth putting Wood fifth.
Cayle Haines bourght out the yellow when he spun in turn 2. McLeod holds the point on the restart and takes the checkered followed by Ronnie Roach, Eric Deffendall, Jason Boyd, and Ricky Wood.
Rusty Ebersole and B.J. McLeod took the heat wins.
Mike Williams had the pole for the Mini Stock feature but it was Charlie Brown who jumped to the lead on the green followed by Williams, Sean Bass, Tim "Missileman" McPhail and Rex "Boneman" Hollinger.
Williams brought out the yellow when he spun in turn 2. Williams goes to the rear of the field for the restart with Brown still in the lead. With no more cautions, it was Charlie Brown taking the checkered for his first win at Orlando SpeedWorld. Following Brown was Sean Bass, Tim "Missileman" McPhail, Rex "Boneman" Hollinger, and R.J. Arnone.
Tim "Missileman" McPhail and Charlie Brown took the heat wins.
Danny Shearer had the pole for the Sportsman feature but before a lap was down, Justin Hall brought out the yellow as he spun in turn 4. A complete restart was in order with Donnie Smith taking the point over Shearer, Richard Hight, Michael Albert, and Robert Hight.
Glen Castro took over fifth from Hight but coming up behind him was Rob Kayse who was looking for green. Kayse made the pass and took over fifth with Castro sliding back to seventh.
Richard Hight took the checkered followed by Donnie Smith, Danny Shearer, Michael Albert and Rob Kayse.
Donnie Smith and Danny Shearer took the heat wins.
Strictly Stocks saw Russ Noyes on the pole for their feature event but it was Eric Hodge who jumped to the lead on the green followed by Noyes, Jim Leslie, Donald Springer, and Richie Laszlo.
Laszlo ran a very smooth race and slowly worked his way up towards the front. Noyes brought out the yellow when it looked like something on his car broke or a tire went down putting him straight into the turn 3 wall. Noyes was fine but had a very sore arm.
Hodge held the point on the restart but right behind him was Richie Laszlo. Laszlo passed Hodge for the lead with Jim Leslie following Laszlo taking over second and putting Hodge third. Leslie spun and pitted with Hodge taking second back over.
Richie Laszlo took the checkered for his 'FIRST' Strictly Stock win. A very happy Laszlo made donuts in the dirt accidentally getting dirt in the dune buggy driver's eye. Laszlo promised no more donuts in the dirt. Following Laszlo was Eric Hodge, Bobby Crites, Donald Springer, and Jake Holand.
Eric Hodge won the heat race.
Next weekend at Orlando SpeedWorld the Goodyear Challenge Late Model series 100 lap race with Legends and All FASCAR divisions except Super Late Model. Grandstands open at 6 p.m. with qualifiying for the Goodyear Challenge at 6:30 depending on car count. Racing starts at 8 p.m.
OFFICIAL RESULTS ORLANDO SPEEDWORLD JULY 11
BANDOLERO BANDITS 1. #60 Chad Akins 2. #02 Matt Bowers 3. #06 Josh Williams 4. #33 Derrick Wood 5. #38 Gerald White, Jr. 6. #9 Matthew Jarrett 7. #17 Blake Eden 8. #18 Ryan Rust 9. #74 Eric Salvesen 10. #24 Tommy Vara
BANDOLERO YOUNG GUNS 1. #9 Kevin Henry 2. #26 Jessice Murphy 3. #54 Brandon Thompson 4. #14 Troy Atkins 5. #97 Scott Jarrett
SUPER LATES 1. #78 B. J. McLeod (50th Super Late Model Win) 2. #14 Ronnie Roach 3. #26d Eric Deffendall 4. #15 Jason Boyd 5. #33 Ricky Wood 6. #19 Rusty Ebersole 7. #02 Bo Jackson 8. #5 Rick Lyons 9. #4 Rick Bates 10. #04 Cayle Haines 11. #-7 Bobby Lyons 12. #112 Scott McKinley
OPEN WHEEL MODIFIED 1. #2X Jason Boyd 2. #55 Shane Held 3. #20 Lynn Dicandio 4. #97 Matt Wheeler 5. #4 Glen Bradley 5. #20W Chris Gillespie
CLASSIC AUTO RACING SERIES 1. #18 Gary Kelly 2. #33 Brian Ball 3. #5 Jim Rahman 4. #8 Patrick Sanders 5. #12 Ben Booth 6. #00 Bill Posey 7. #1 Daryl Grief 8. #11 Frank Conrad 9. #42 Keith Biaga 10. #9 George Hall, III 11. #32 George Hall, Jr. 12. #45 Eddie Ward 13. #11 Frank Conrad 14. #88 Tim Ousley 15. #78 Wayne Ashton 16. #74 Ed Yates 17. #711 D. Marsh 18. #54 Chip Green 19. #6 Al Hagan 20. #7 Bud Spencer
SPORTSMAN 1. #23 Richard Hight 2. #48w Donnie Smith 3. #77 Danny Shearer 4. #28 Michael Albert 5. #75 Rob Kayse 6. #48x Cory Kaiser 7. #83 Glen Castro 8. #10 Shawn Courley 9. #6 Bruce McGonigal 10. #13 Robert Hight 11. #50 Justin Hall 12. #82 Tommy Johnson DNS
SUPER STOCK 1. #2X Wally Semrow 2. #2 Ron Whaley 3. #44 Bob Beiler 4. #12 Cory Freed 5. #66 Andy Nichols 6. #28 Ron Edwards 7. #7 Bob Wines 8. #47 Shane Weld 9. #28r Robert Ward 10. #71 Brian Anderson 11. #1 Coy Riddle 12. #49 Jason Foster
MINI STOCK
1. #11 Charlie Brown 2. #28 Sean Bass 3. #7 Tim "Missileman" McPhail 4. #85 Rex "Boneman" Hollinger 5. #88 R.J. Arnone 6. #5 Pedie Allison 7. #07 Dick Laszlo 8. #32 Mike Williams 9. #77 Randy Blakeslee 10. #33 Bob Del Mastro 11. #18 Amanda T.
STRICTLY STOCK 1. #07 Richie Laszlo (First Win) 2. #00 Eric Hodge 3. #32 Bobby Crites 4. #66 Donald Springer 5. #17 Jake Holand 6. #45 Jim Leslie 7. #4 Russ Noyes
