IT'S TIME TO RACE!!

April 11, 2004 FSCR B.J. McLeod finds Winner Circle at New Smyrna by Jane Smith Samsula, Fla. (April 10, 2004) Stars filled the air on April 10 at New Smyrna Speedway as the kids were given plastic Easter eggs full of chocolate candy as they entered the grandstands hoping to see an Easter bunny or two but instead got plenty of racing from the drivers who joined New Smyrna on Easter weekend. Many families travel home on this weekend and many racers take off the weekend but there was still plenty of racing action for any race fan's heart. After having a bad night at Orlando SpeedWorld and missing the feature race, B.J. McLeod came back on Saturday to win not only the heat race but the feature race for the Super Late Models. On the start, Dick Ruckh brought out the yellow as he spun down the frontstretch coming to the green. The race was realigned with McLeod taking the pole, Eric Black, David Rogers, Brent Hobbs and Rick Bates in the top five. By lap 2, Rogers passed Black for second and Hobbs left the track with a smoking problem. With no further cautions, Rogers chased McLeod for the remaining 23 laps looking every way he could but McLeod was not to be passed. McLeod held strong, did not slip at all, and took his first feature win for the 2004 season with David Rogers, Eric Black, Rick Bates, and Brent Hobbs in the top five. Brian Bellaw had the pole for the Mini Stock feature but it was Ron Dubeau who took the point on the green followed by Bellaw, Chad Carpenter, Ted "Mr Mini Stock" Vulpius, and Wayne Wells. On lap 2, Vulpius developed problems and pulled off into the pits. Alli Owens also withdrew her No. 22 Mini Stock. Dubeau continued on the point as Bellaw chased closed behind. Lap 10 saw Ron Karto, Jr. spin bringing out the caution. Dubeau holds the point on the restart followed by Carpenter. Bellaw, Wells and Karto. Bellaw puts the muscle on and passes Carpenter for second but cannot catch Dubeau. Dubeau takes the checkered for his first win in 2004 followed by Brian Bellaw, Chad Carpenter, Wayne Wells and Ron Karto Jr. Brian Bellaw won the heat race. Bobby Blake had the pole for the Open Wheel Modified feature but it was Matt Wheeler who took the point on the start followed by Bobby Blake, Jimmy Britts, Chad Pierce, and Mark Vandevender. On lap 13, Blake and Britts are going side-by-side for second. Coming off turn 4, both get very squirelly but are able to correct their machines but on lap 14, once again as they go side-by-side, Blake touches Britts causing Britts to spend. Both cars are sent to the rear for the restart. Wheeler holds the point on the restart and takes the checkered for his first feature win in 2004 followed by Chad Pierce, Mark Vandevender, Jimmy Britts and Bobby Blake. Chad Pierce took the heat win. Jeff Colburn set fast time for the Super Stock 50 feature with a 21.661 but it was Pat Buckley on the pole from the luck of the draw. Buckley quickly jumped to the point on the green followed by Ron Whaley, Charlie Collins, Jeff Colburn, and Josh Wronkowski. Whaley puts the pedal down and passes Buckley for the lead as Buckley falls into second with Collins third, Colburn fourth and Wronkowski fifth. Lap 5, Colburn breaks and goes into the pits done for the night. On the restart, it is Whaley, Collins, Buckley, Wronkowski, and Stephen Dembinsky. Bobby Riley passes Dembinsky taking fifth when suddenly Charlie Collins develops problems and he goes into the pits done for the night. Now it is Whaley, Buckley, Wronkowski, Riley and Jason Foster in the top five. Lap 20 Brian Soukup spins coming down the frontstretch and hits the inside frontstretch wall. Soukup is fine but is car is towed into the pits. Bobby Riley has now developed problems and he pulls into the pits. On the restart, it is Whaley, Buckley, Wronkowski, Foster and Dembinsky. By lap 27, Dembinsky passes Foster and takes fourth with Foster sliding to fifth. On lap 35, Wronkowski looks to pass Buckley for second and by lap 36, Wronkowski has second. On lap 39, after a very good run, Foster exits the track with fire under his hood. The safety crew quickly make their way to his car inside the pits and put out the fire ending Foster's night. On the restart, Whaley holds the point followed by Wronkowski, Buckley, Dembinsky and Chuck Smith. On lap 41, Buckley and Wronkowski are once again side-by-side for second. Buckley proves he has the power and takes back second with Wronkowski going to third. Lap 42, Dembinsky passes Wronkowski taking over third as Wronkowski slides to fourth. By lap 48, Dembinsky has taken over second with Buckley third. Whaley holds on to the point and takes the checkered followed by Stephen Dembinsky, Pat Buckley, Josh Wronkowski, and Chuck Smith. Dale Clouser had the pole for the Sportsman feature and quickly jumped to the point followed by Cory Kaiser, Chris Peludat, Donny Williams, and Joe Gerard. Bruce McGongial brought out the yellow as he spun in turns 1 and 2. The field goes back green as Chris Peludat spins in 1 and 2. One more try for green, the third one is always the charm, and the field is green with Clouser, Kaiser, Peludat, Williams and Gerard in the top five. Only one lap was down when the leader Dale Clouser began to slow and pull off into the pits. Peludat, after having problems in the heat race and doing some fast repairs for the feature, found himself on the point followed by Donny Williams, Cory Kaiser, Joe Gerard, and Bruce McGongial. Lap 11, Clouser comes out of the pits with his problem solved 10 laps down. Peludat holds the point and takes his first win in 2004 followed by Donny Williams, Cory Kaiser, Joe Gerard, and Bruce McGonigal. Dale Clouser took the heat win. Matt Conway had the pole for the Strictly Stock feature and quickly jumped to the lead followed by John Poltz, Kerry Payne, Jose Rivera, and Mike Wofford. Poltz passes Conway and takes over the point with Conway second, Jeremy Hovencamp, Rivera, and Wofford. Then it becomes an all-out-battle for the lead as Hovencamp, Conway, Derek Slade, Poltz are all mixing it up. When the dust settles, George McGonigal Jr takes the checkered followed by Jose Rivera, John Poltz, Richard Renzi, and Jeremy Hovencamp. A fight broke out in Victory Lane as some hot tempers were flying but no one was hurt, just embarrassed by the silliness. Matt Conway and John Poltz took the heat wins. Next weekend at New Smyrna Speedway, the FASTRUCKS and FASTKIDS will run for 50 laps and 25 laps respectively. OFFICIAL RESULTS APRIL 10, 2004 SUPER LATE MODEL 1. #78 B. J. McLeod 2. #11 David Rogers 3. #10 Eric Black 4. #4 Rick Bates 5. #8 Brent Hobbs 6. #96 Dick Ruckh OPEN WHEEL MODIFIED 1. #96 Matt Wheeler 2. #51 Chad Pierce 3. #7 Mark Vandevender 4. #91 Jimmy Britts 5. #74 Bobby Blake 6. #88 Paul Duncan SPORTSMAN 1. #27 Chris Peludat 2. #111 Donny Williams 3. #48 Cory Kaiser 4. #330 Joe Gerard 5. #7 Brice McGonigal 6. #7 Tom Gamache 7. #30 Dale Clouser SUPER STOCK 1. #2 Ron Whaley 2. #50x Stephen Dembinsky 3. #34 Pat Buckley 4. #21 Josh Wronkowski 5. #01 Chuck Smith 6. #27 Barry Parks 7. #45 Mike Soukup 8. #49 Jason Foster 9. #64 Bobby Riley 10. #23 Charlie Collins 11. #52 Brian Soukup 12. #29 James Adams 13. #3 Jeff Colburn 14. #8x Faris Crews 15. #77 Tim Edmundson MINI STOCK 1. #4 Ron Dubeau 2. #1 Brain Bellaw 3. #31 Chad Carpenter 4. #23 Wayne Wells 5. #2 Ron Karto Jr 6. #6 Mark Broat 7. #11 Pug Puglisi 8. #71 Ted Vulpius 9. #22 Alli Owens STRICTLY STOCK 1. #22 Bruce McGonial Jr 2. #73 Jose Rivera 3. #28 John Poltz 4. #8 Richard Renzi 5. #39 Jeremy Hovencamp 6. #15 Mike Wafford 7. #75 Tim Logue 8. #126 Derek Slade 9. #08 Matt Conway 10. #65x James Smith 11. #11x Kerry Payne 12. #61 Kenneth Walker Have an opinion on this story? 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