IT'S TIME TO RACE!!

February 11, 2004 FSCR Cywinski Winner on Night 5 at World Series by Jane Smith Samsula, Fla. (February 10, 2004) Racing gets only better with age, as the saying goes, and New Smyrna Speedway has definitely seen that in the last few days. With different winners almost nightly, nothing is for sure. After losing two cars in the previous night's feature, only four STARRS were able to race Tuesday night. Jeff Richardson walked away with the heat win and the feature win. Charlie Lima made a gallant try for the lead during the feature race but Richardson proved to be just too strong. Following Richardson to the checkered was Charlie Lima, Steve Parker, and Phil Barkins. Scott Reeves sat on the pole for the last Mini Stock feature for their World Series events. Reeves took the lead on the green but it was short lived as Roger Larson hit the turn 4 wall bringing out the yellow. Reeves holds the restart followed by Ted Vulpius, Adam Murray, Ron Dubeau, and Chase Goodson. After having a great run all five nights and the crowd loving his car, Adam Murray was out of the race on lap 3 with a very sick engine. On lap 4, another sick engine brought out the yellow for Rex Christensen. On the restart, Reeves finds himself going door-to-door with Ron Dubeau but Reeves was able to maintain the lead and take the checkered followed by Ron Dubeau, Ted Vulpius, Chase Goodson, and Allie Owens. Lee Collins had the pole for the 50 lap FL/IMCA Mods feature but it was Jerry Symons who quickly jumped to the lead. The yellow comes out right away for Mark Vandevender and Dennis Price. Vandevender retires to the pits but Price is able to race for a few laps more. Symons holds the lead on the green followed by Collins, Scott Millar, Tank Tucker and Alan McCafferty. As Collins continues to chase Symons, Millar, Tucker, and McCafferty are going nose to tail for third. McCafferty passes Millar and takes over fourth. Lap 26, David Hite breaks bringing out the yellow. Symons holds the point on the restart followed by Collins, Tucker, McCafferty, and Brad May. Symons finds that he has his hands full with Lee Collins and Tank Tucker in hot pursuit for the lead. McCafferty finds his hands full of May and Artuso looking for third. Lap 41, the track gets hot as Tucker taps Collins causing Collins to spin and brings out the yellow. Both cars are sent to the rear of the field. Symons holds the point on the restart followed by McCafferty, May, Artuso, and Jason Boyd. Lap 45, Artuso and Boyd get together and both are sent to the rear for bringing out the yellow. Symons holds the point on the restart but it is short lived as Tucker and Scott Keeser get together on lap 46. Both go into the pits. Symons holds the point on the restart followed by Alan McCafferty, Brad May, Billy Johanneck, and John White. On lap 49, Jason Boyd hits the turn 3 wall hard appearing to have his tire go down and cause the straight dive into the wall. Boyd is fine but the car is done for the night and for the World Series. Symons holds the point on the restart and takes the checkered followed by Alan McCafferty, Brad May, Jerry Artuso, and Lee Collins. Billy Johanneck actually crossed the finish line fourth but was dq'd in tech giving fourth place to Jerry Artuso. Boris Jurkovic had the pole for the Super Late Model feature and took the lead on the green followed closely by David Rogers, Kevin Cywinski, Jack Landis and Mike Fritts. Lap 2 brought out the yellow as Donald Chisholm and Pete Shepherd Jr spin on the frontstretch. Jurkovic holds the point on the restart with Rogers in hot pursuit. On lap 4 Joey Miller, who hit the wall hard the night before in his Late Model, debuted his new No.92 Super Late but found it a short night for sure limping into the pits bringing out the yellow. Jurkovic holds the point on the restart with Fritts moving to fourth and Landis sliding back to fifth. On lap 7 Cywinski goes to second with Rogers sliding back to fourth and Fritts in second. By lap 13, Cywinski has passed Jurkovic and taken over the lead of his fellow ASA competitor. Fritts moves into second with Jurkovic in third followed by Landis and Jr. Hanley. Cywinski holds the point and maintains the lead after two yellows and takes the checkered flag followed by Boris Jurkovic, Mike Fritts, Wayne Anderson and Jr. Hanley. Ted Christopher had the pole for the NASCAR TOUR TYPE/SK Mods and quickly goes to the point followed by Pasteryak, Catalano, Lia and Beers. John Blewitt puts the pedal down and moves into third as Catalano slides back to fifth. On lap 5, Kevin Goodale spins as J.R. Bertuccio and Jeff Malave get together. The race goes back green with Christopher in the lead. Christopher brings out the caution as he spins in turns 3 and 4. On the restart, it is Eric Beers on the point followed by Catalano, Pasteryak, Mike Finch, and J.R. Bertuccio. Lap 11 sees the yellow again for George Boch and Andy Seuss. Beers holds the point for the restart but once again it is short lived as a driver spins bringing out the yellow. Beers maintains his lead and holds strong on the next restart and takes his first checkered flag for the 38th World Series. After taking second twice, Beers came out "top dog". Following Beers to the checkered was Buck Catalona, Charlie Pasteryak, J.R. Bertuccio, and Mike Fitch. Late Models had a very good night tonight with few yellows. Timmy Todd had the pole but before the race got really going, the yellow came out as Jason Boyd, Chuck Burkhalter, and Steve Smith got tangled up. Boyd and Burkhalter were able to continue but Smith was out for the night. On the restart, Tim Russell powered into the lead and never looked back as no further cautions were thrown. Russell took his first win of the World Series followed by Rich Clouser, Shawn McWhirter, Chuck Burkhalter, and Jason Boyd. Racing continues Wednesday night with Super Late Models, Late Models, FL/IMCA Mods, NASCAR TOUR TYPE/SK Mods (50 laps) and Sportsman. Racing begins at 7:30 p.m. Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board! news@karnac.org or send a letter to the editor!