IT'S TIME TO RACE!!

May 9, 2004 FSCR Joe Winchells Wins Goodyear Challenge 100 at New Smyrna by Jane Smith Samsula, Fla. (May 8, 2004) Night weather could not have been any better for the Goodyear Challenge Late Model 100 at New Smyrna Speedway as twenty seven of the finest Late Models showed up for the third race of the 12 race series. Twenty six cars qualified but before the race even got close to green, Kenny Hankins of Auburndale and Bill Ostriker of Ridge Manor had problems. Hankins lost his motor and Ostriker hit the wall during practice destroying the front and rear-end of his car. Wade Lynn of St. Augustine qualified but was unable to start the race. Jason Boyd of Orlando thought he had the pole with his 18.579 but when Ontario's Jerry Artuso came out, Boyd lost the pole to Artuso's 18.533 lap. Brad May of Orlando was third with a 18.619 followed by Martin Pierce of Sanford with a 18.647 and Rich Clouser of Palm Bay with a 18.652. Artuso pulled nine putting Chuck Burkhalter of Clermont on the pole for the 100 lap event. Drivers were introduced to the fans and it was time to "go racing". Doug Samion of Orlando quickly jumped to the point on the green followed by Chuck Burkhalter, Joe Winchell, Steve Smith and Rich Clouser. Clouser passed Smith taking over fourth as Smith slipped to fifth. But with only 1 lap down, the yellow came out for Bill Manfull who spun on the backstretch. Bobby Newton and Don Hess also spun avoiding Manfull. Manfull was sent to the rear with Newton and Hess given back their spots as Manfull was the reason for the caution. The race goes back green on lap 4 with Samion on the point followed by Joe Winchell, Rich Clouser, Chuck Burkhalter, and Jason Boyd. Boyd puts the pressure on Burkhalter and takes over fourth then passes Clouser for third as Burkhalter falls backwards and Steve Smith takes over fifth. By lap 11, Winchell and Boyd are doing some very serious side-by-side motions as neither gives to the other. Just as it heats up, the yellow comes out on lap 13 for Manfull who has spun again. Lap 15, Samion holds the point but Boyd takes over second with Winchell sliding to third followed by Clouser, Steve Smith, Martin Pierce, Jerry Artuso and Bray May. By lap 17, there is a new leader, Jason Boyd. Bobby Newton brings out the next yellow on lap 20 when he spins in turn 2. Lap 22 sees the green with Boyd, Samion, Winchell, Clouser, Smith, Artuso, May, Tate Pierce, Burkhalter, and A.J. Curreli in the top ten. But only 4 laps later, Glen Morris brings out the yellow as he and Travis Wilson get together in turn 4. Morris hits the frontstretch wall with Wilson spinning. Morris is fine but done for the night, Wilson rejoins the field in the rear. Lap 35 sees the green but before lap 36 was even thought of, the yellow comes out again as Artuso taps Smith with Smith spinning and involving Greg Kaouk and A.J. Curreli Artuso and Smith are fine but Curelli is forced to pit for the night with Kaouk going on the hook ending his good night. Artuso is sent to the rear for the restart. Lap 38 sees the green with Boyd on the point but on lap 39, caution comes out for Dewayne Bryan who has spun and is sent to the rear for the restart. Back to green but a short green as Boyd and Samion get together coming down the frontstretch. Samion climbs the front stretch wall almost flipping over and hitting very hard. Samion luckily is fine but his car is basically toast. Boyd goes onto pit road with a very damaged Late Model. Boyd's crew works feverishly to repair his car making several stops but Boyd is able to return to the racing field in the rear before the green comes out again. Lap 44 sees the green with new leader Joe Winchell followed by Rich Clouser, Martin Pierce, Brad May and Tate Pierce. By lap 46, the top ten are Winchell, Clouser, Pierce, May, Tate Pierce, Smith, Burkhalter, Don Hess, Charles Kopach and Jerry Artuso. But five laps later, Jeff Colburn brings out the yellow as his new Late Model loses the engine. Colburn is forced to retire very disappointed after a good run for his first Late Model race. Ten laps later, lap 61, the green comes back out with Winchell, Clouser, Martin Pierce, May and Tate Pierce in the top five. But five laps later, lap 66, the yellow is thrown again for Duane Schubert of Crossville, Tenn. Schubert pits under the yellow and makes repairs. Lap 68 sees Rusty Baker of Williston and Bobby Newton of Astatulo get together on the restart. Newton hits the pit entrance wall and is done for the night as Baker is able to continue. The race goes back green on lap 72. May and Martin Pierce go side-by-side for third with May taking the position by lap 74. Top five are now Winchell, Clouser, May, Pierce and Tate Pierce. Artuso, Boyd and Don Hess get together on lap 78 bringing out the yellow. All are fine but sent to the rear of the field for the restart. The race resumes on lap 82 for two laps as the yellow comes out on lap 84 for Arutso who spun in turns 1 and 2. The race is then red flagged as someone is leaking rear-end fluid on the track. The cars are stopped on the frontstretch, checked with Jim Keating being sent to the pits for the leak. Keating's crew works hard and stops the leak with Keating returning to the racing field before the green comes back out losing no laps. Lap 86 sees the restart with Winchell, Clouser, May, Pierce, Tate Pierce, Smith, Burkhalter, Boyd, Kopach, and Wilson in the top ten. But on four laps go down before the yellow comes out again for Jerry Artuso who has hit the turn 2 wall and Manfull spinning after the caution was thrown. Artuso retires for the night with Manfull in the rear. The last ten laps must be under green with no more caution laps being counted. The race resumes on lap 90 with Winchell, Clouser, May, Martin Pierce and Tate Pierce in the top five. But only one lap later, the yellow comes out as Steve Smith has hit the frontstretch wall. Smith is fine but done for the night. Lap 91 goes green as Winchell leads the way but lap 92 is yellow for Don Hess who has spun in turns 3 and 4. Hess retires to the pits. Race goes green on lap 93 as Boyd takes over fifth putting Tate Pierce sixth. But lap 94 sees the yellow as Boyd, Martin Pierce and May try to go 3-side in turn 3 and all getting together. It is obvious that Pierce is angry and he taps Boyd under yellow for spinning him out. Boyd break-checks Pierce on the backstretch under caution and Pierce is sent into the pits for unsportsmanlike conduct for hitting Boyd under caution. Boyd and May are sent to the rear for the restart for causing the caution. The races goes by green on lap 94 with Winchell, Clouser, Tate Pierce, Chuck Burkhalter and Charles Kopach in the top five. Boyd and May work their way up quickly as Kopach is running fifth with May and Boyd right behind him. Coming to the checkered, Boyd gets overanxious taking out not only May but also Kopach. Boyd does cross the line for fifth but is disqualified for unsportsman like conduct. Joe Winchell of Davie takes his first feature win followed by Rich Clouser, Tate Pierce, Chuck Burkhalter, and Travis Wilson. In Victory Lane, Winchell thanks the crowd for coming and is extremely excited about his win. The next race for the Goodyear Challenge Late Models will be June 5th at USA International in Lakeland with the USAR Hooter's Pro Cuy Series. OFFICIAL RESULTS GOODYEAR CHALLENGE LATE MODEL 100 NEW SMYRNA SPEEDWAY 1. #57 Joe Winchell, Davie 2. #9 Rich Clouser, Palm Bay 3. #81 Tate Pierce, Zephyrhills 4. #1 Chuck Burkhalter, Clermont 5. #62 Travis Wilson, Bartow 6. #10 Rusty Baker, Williston 7. #105 Jim Keating, Bonita Springs (TOP FINISHING ROOKIE) 8. #48X Bill Manfull, Myakka City 9. #926 Dan Crowe, Lantana 10. #53 Charles Kopach, Astatulo 11. #10x Brad May, Orlando 12. #39 Duane Schubert, Crossville, Tenn. 13. #75 Martin Pierce, Sanford 14. #64 Don Hess, Geneva 15. #28 Steve Smith, Lakeland 16. #5 Jerry Artuso, Ontario 17. #01 Bobby Newton, Astatulo 18. #3 Jeff Colburn, Pt. Orange 19. #04 Doug Samion, Orlando 20. #63 Dawayne Bryan, Lake Alford 21. #2 A.J. Curreli, Daytona 22. #31 Greg Kaouk, Penbrook Pines 23. #100 Glen Morris, Bokecia 24. #38 Randy Cook, Altona 25. #15 Jason Boyd, Orlando DQ 26. #21 Wade Lynn, St. Augustine DNS 27. #88 Kenny Hankins, Auburndale DNS 28. #0 Bill Ostriker, Ridge Manor DNS Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board! news@karnac.org or send a letter to the editor!