Classic Cars Gets Lots of Grief at Orlando SpeedWorld
by Dave Westerman
Deland's Daryl Grief, in just his second season of racing, took his third win of the 2003 season Saturday night at Orlando Speedworld as the Classic Auto Racing Series ran as part of Saturday Spectacular II.
It was the first time Grief had won on asphalt as his other two wins this season have come on dirt tracks at Thundercross and JAX Raceways.
Grief came out on top of a good early race battle to take heat race number one and earn the pole position for the 25-lap feature while Patrick "Bam Bam" Sanders would lead the way in heat two and start from the outside pole.
Grief made sure the rest of the drivers knew he was here to win as he quickly assumed the lead at the drop of the green for the feature while Sanders settled into second. Sanders drifted a bit high allowing Bill Posey and Joey Strehle to zip past into second and third.
Posey quickly began gaining ground on leader Grief while Strehle and Sanders were in a real battle for third which came to a head on lap eight when the two collided in turn one. Strehle was subsequently disqualified for an altercation under the yellow flag.
As the race resumed, Posey continued to keep the pressure on Grief while 11th starter Jim Rahman made his way to fifth only to be forced to the infield with a broken header.
Al Hagan and Ben Booth were nose to tail and got around Sanders for third and fourth spots. Suddenly, Posey's car began to sputter and he dropped off the pace on lap 22. Posey, who just can't seem to buy a break this year, eventually dropped out on the white flag lap.
With Posey's demise, Grief had an easy run to the checker, a win made even more sweet because his kids and step kids were all in attendance as a group for the first time. Hagan, another driver who has had his share of bad luck this year, got his best finish of the season with second while point leader Booth came from 12th on the grid to third and also earned the Door Operating Systems Rookie of the Race Award.
Sanders held on for fourth while Keith Baiga had a steady run to fifth. George Hall, Jr. came from 14th at the start to sixth with Ricky Wood, Tim Ousley, George Hall III and Posey completing the top ten. The Classic Auto Racing Series will be in action on September 27th along with the FASCAR Sunbelt Series Super Late Models at New Smyrna Speedway.
RESULTS - ORLANDO SPEEDWORLD - 9/13/03:
1) Daryl Grief, Deland #1 2) Al Hagan, Merritt Island #6 3) Ben Booth (R), Deland #12 4) Patrick Sanders, Winter Garden #8 5) Keith Baiga, Deland #42 6) George Hall, Jr., St. Petersburg #32 7) Ricky Wood, Orlando #21 8) Tim Ousley, Windermere #88 9) George Hall III, St. Petersburg #9 10) Bill Posey (R), Rockledge #00 11) Wayne Ashton, Ft. Pierce #78 12) Joel Ashton, Ft. Pierce #45 13) Jim Rahman, Clermont #5 DQ Joey Strehle (R), Deland #X11 DNS Bud Spencer, Palm Harbor #7
