IT'S TIME TO RACE!!

March 27, 2004 FSCR Wood does Victory Lane Double at Orlando SpeedWorld by Dave Westerman Orlando's Ricky Wood had one of those nights you always dream of having Friday night at Orlando Speedworld, winning both the Super Late Model and Modified features and leading every lap of each race in the process. Wood opened his evening by zooming past heat race winner John Grimm on the opening lap to lead all the way in the 15 lap Modified headliner to defeat a short field of cars in a green to checker run. Grimm took second followed by Mark Emberson and Terri Bryant. Wood hurried back to the pits and hopped in his Super Late Model which had the pole for the division's 25 lap feature. Wood quickly assumed the lead with Ronnie Roach tucking in behind him. Illinois visitor Dick Ruckh spun to bring out the caution on lap two, but Wood quickly asserted himself back at the point as the green flew again. Patrick Conrad got around heat race winner Jared Allison and set his sights on second running Roach as Wood began to motor away. Josh Schmidt looped his car in turn one to bring out the caution for the second and final time on lap 16. Wood set the pace the remainder of the distance to take the win in his Ford Taurus with Roach in second and rookie Conrad third in a car owned by Wood. Allison, driving with an unusual new sponsorship from Toby's Nose Filters was fourth and Bobby Fleckinger took fifth. Patrick Conrad came back to take the special Friday run for the RE/MAX Legends Cars but it wasn't an easy win. Kevin Abbott led lap one from the pole only to see the race slowed for a stalled Sam Watts in turn one. Conrad passed Abbott on the restart bringing Jeremy Colangelo with him. Colangelo got around Conrad for the lead on lap six and held the point until Conrad was able to sneak back by him in lapped traffic on lap 16. Two other cautions for stalled machines allowed Colangelo to challenge again, but Conrad was up to the task and took his fourth consecutive win here. Colangelo was second trailed by Kevin Abbott, Kory Abbott and Wesley McLeod. Legends heats were won by Conrad and Watts. Earl "Junior" Beckner took his third straight Sportsman win but had a little luck in doing so. Defending Sportsman champion Richard Hight grabbed the early lead but had Dale Clouser nipping at his bumper while Beckner sat some distance back in third. Things got a little too close on lap six and the two leaders tangled in turn one. With Hight and Clouser going to the back of the field, Beckner found himself in the lead and took advantage winning by a straightaway as Hight and Clouser fought their way back to second and third at the finish. Tommy Johnson and Glen Castro completed the top five. The Mini Stock 15 lapper was a crazy one with several caution flags and lead changes to keep the fans entertained. Dick Laszlo led the opening lap from his pole starting spot, but Chad Ashley was on the move and took the lead on the second lap and was running comfortably ahead of the field when his engine expired on lap eleven. Laszlo re-claimed the lead, but again only led one circuit as R.J. Arnone put his C.A.R.S. Motorsports machine out front after starting last on the grid and raced to his first win here since 1997. Laszlo took the checker second followed by Bob DelMastro, Michael Seay and Matt "Rockn" Roller. Ashley won the heat race for the Mini Stocks. Dave Wright led the opening three laps of the Super Stock feature, but Ron Whaley wasted little time in getting to the front and led the rest of the way for his second win of the year. This one ran all the way under green as Whaley easily out-paced second finisher Ted Head. Corey Freed, Bob Beiler, and Wright completed the top five. Super Stock heats were won by Whaley and Head. Richie Laszlo out-ran Kerry "Two Barrel: Payne to win his second Strictly Stock feature in a row. Saturday, March 27, 2004 OFFICIAL RESULTS MARCH 26, 2004 ORLANDO SPEEDWORLD LEGENDS 1. #2 Patrick Conrad 2. #06 Jeremy Colangelo 3. #98 Kevin Abbott 4. #5 Cory Abbott 5. #22 Wesley McLeod 6. #91 Jeff Degellar 7. #7 Mike Verhaagh 8. #29 Brandon Thompson 9. #27 Willy Wilson 10. #00 Darin Coker 11. #73 Sam Watts SUPER LATE MODEL 1. #33 Ricky Wood 2. #14 Ronnie Roach 3. #2 Patrick Conrad 4. #18 Jared Allison 5. #34 Bobby Fleckinger 6. #4 Rick Bates 7. #96 Dick Ruckh 8. #119 Josh Schmidt 9. #5 Ricky Lyons 10. #65 Bobby Lyons OPEN WHEEL. MODIFIED 1. #81 Ricky Wood 2. #72 John Grimm 3. #34 Mark Emberson 4. #08 Terri Bryant SPORTSMAN 1. #3 Earl Beckner 2. #23 Richard Hight 3. #30 Dale Clouser 4. #82 Tommy Johnson 5. #7 Glenn Castro 6. #48 Cory Kaiser 7. #6 Spencer Lemmerman MINI STOCK 1. #30 R.J. Arnone 2. #07 Dick Laszlo 3. #33 Bob Delmastro 4. #10 Michael Seay 5. #72 Matt Roller 6. #007 Stephen Simpson 7. #24 John Cook 8. #98 Josh Hermann 9. #87 Chad Ashley 10. #61 Rick Gamache SUPER STOCK 1. #2 Ron Whaley 2. #92 Ted Head 3. #12 Corey Freed 4. #44 Bob Beiler 5. #65 Dave Wright 6. #66 Andy Nichols 7. #721 John Bennett 8. #90 Brett Woodley 9. #17 Harley Gibbens 10. #46 Bobby Riley 11. #1 James Adams 12. #118 Donald Springer 13. #16 Robert Remus 14. #28 Ron Edwards 15. #5 John Castro 16. #31 Paul Cornelius STRICTLY STOCK 1. #07 Richie Laszlo 2. #11x Karry Payne Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board! news@karnac.org or send a letter to the editor!