IT'S TIME TO RACE!!

June 13, 2004 FSCR Dale Clouser wins Homer Gordon Memorial 50 at New Smyrna Speedway by Jane Smith Samsula, Fla. (June 12, 2004) After getting in the races at New Smyrna Speedway's sister track on Friday night, Orlando SpeedWorld, everyone was determined that it would also be another good night for race fans. Only features were run just to insure that fans would see some racing Saturday night. Homer Gordon, a dear friend and fellow racer that died last October 25th at New Smyrna, presents was definitely felt as the 16 Sportsman who came to race in his name qualified for the 50 lapper. Dale Clouser set fast time and pulled a 0 starting the field straight up. The "missing man" lap honored our friend and gave Homer the pole for the race. When the green was displayed it was Dale Clouser who took the lead over Paul Colgan, Chris Peludat, Mike Soukup and Frank Buchannan. It was a very short green with the red flag coming out on lap 3 as Joe Gerard, Ed Kennedy and Bruce McGonigal got together in turns 3 and 4. The Safety Crew quickly got to the three drivers and extinguished a fire under the Gerard ride. All three drivers were okay but done for the night. After burning off the fuel on the track, the race went back green as Clouser lead the way followed by Colgan, Peludat and Buchcannon. On lap 15, Earl Beckner took over fifth place sith Buchcannon sliding to sixth. Two laps later, lap 17, Dusty Cornelius brought out the yellow as he spun on the frontstretch. Clouser once again held strong on the restart. By lap 20, Beckner had made his way up to third passing Peludat and Soukup. By lap 22, Beckner had second with Colgan sliding to third. Lap 23 Colgan gets very loose going into turns 1 and 2 but makes a great save but the caution comes out on lap 24 for Tom Gamache who has lost an engine. Soukup, who was running fourth, has to pit for his crew's attention. The race goes back green as Clouser leads the way followed by Peludat, Beckner, Colgan and Buchannan. But it is another short green as Ken Lewton brings out the yellow for his engine. Clouser holds the point on the restart but Beckner gets a good run and takes over second with Peludat going to third. Lap 29 Ron Lufcy seems to have problems as he gets very squirelly on the frontstretch. It looks as though he has gotten control of his loose car but on the backstretch he hits the wall. Lufcy is fine but also out for the night. Clouser once again holds the point on the restart with Beckner, Peludat, Colgan and Buchannan in the top five. Beckner tries but cannot pass Clouser who seems to be on rails. Lap 43 the yellow comes out for Dusty Cornelius who has spun almost in the same spot as before on the frontstretch. This was Cornelius's first Sportsman race in a new car. The race goes back green for two laps as the yellow comes out one final time on lap 45 for debris on the track. Clouser holds the point and takes the checkered followed by Earl Beckner, Chris Peludat, Paul Colgan and Frank Buchannon. All three top cars were torn down after the race and found legal. Earl Beckner, who came in second said "I had Homer's carb in my car and Homer got me to second and almost first. I miss him still, he was a very good friend." And that was the sentiment for all of Homer's friends and family. The Classic cars were rained out the week before but ten came back to New Smyrna for a night of feature racing. David Marsh had the pole for their 25 lap event but it was Corey Freed who took the point on the green followed by Jim Rahman, Ben Booth, Bill Posey and Joey Streble. On lap 8, Posey passes Booth taking over third. By lap 10, Rahman had put the pedal on the medal and taken over the lead with Freed settling back in second. On lap 12, the caution came out for Tim Ousuy who had spun. The race goes back green as Rahman leads the way followed by Freed, Posey, Booth and Streble. Posey tries but just cannot pass Freed for second and must settle for his third place spot. By lap 20, Booth has taken over third with Posey gong to fourth. Booth then puts his eyes on Freed in second. Booth is able to make the pass as Freed gets loose and must correct losing two spots as Posey moves back into third and Freed settles down in fourth. Rahman takes the checkered followed by Ben Booth, Bill Posey, Corey Freed, and Joey Strehle. Pug Puglisi had the pole for the Mini Stock feature but it was Chad Carpenter who took the early lead followed by Brian Bellaw, Ben Cutler Jr., Pug Puglisi and Alli Owens. But it does not take Ted Vulpius long and he takes over fifth and Puglisi falls out of the top five. On lap 3, Puglisi and Don Strosohl Jr. get together in turn 3. Stroshl gets the worst end as he is towed into the pits but not very happy. Strosohl shows his disfavor with Puglisi as he goes around the track. Carpenter holds the point on the restart with Bellaw, Owens, Vulpius and Ron Karto Jr in the top five. By lap 7, Vulpius passed Bellaw taking over second and aims for the leader Carpenter. Lap 10, Vulpius takes the lead with Carpenter, Bellaw, Owens and Karto Jr in the top five. Bellaw tries but is unable to pass Carpenter as he holds strong in second. Vulpius takes the checkered followed by Chad Carpenter, Brian Bellaw, Alli Owens, and Ron Karto Jr. Chad Pierce returned with his Late Model and had the pole for their 15 lap feature. Pierce quickly took the point on the green followed by Mark Smith, David Pletka, Jeff Colburn, and A.J. Curreli. But on lap 1, the yellow comes out for Timmy Todd Jr who has spun in turns 3 and 4 and hit the wall with his rear-end. Todd tries to continue but has to go in ending his first run in his dad's Late Model. On the restart, Mark Smith has problems getting up to speed going into the pits for some crew attention. Pierce leads the way over Pletka, Curreli, Troy Atkins, and Don Hess. Hess passes Atkins and takes over fourth with Atkins going to fifth. Lap 6, Curreli and Pletka get together with both rejoining the field in the rear. Pierce holds the point followed by Hess, Atkins, Josh Schmidt, and Pletka. Hess passes Pierce on lap 8 and sails to the checkered for his second win in a row followed by Chad Pierce, Troy Atkins, Josh Schmidt, and David Pletka. Bobby Blake had the pole for the Open Wheel Modified feature and led from green to checkered. Only one yellow came out for Mark Vandevender who spun on the frontstretch. Blake held the point and took the checkered over Matt Wheeler, Dave Savicki, David Hite and Rob Underwood. Only two Thunder Roadsters showed for their feature event so they ran just a few laps for the crowd to see this new class. Names were not gotten but it was the No. 90 and 60, both great looking Roadsters and talented drivers. Hopefully next time more will show so they can give the fans a real show. Jeff Colburn had the pole for the Super Stock feature and quickly took the point over Charlie Collins, Jack Lenzen, Ron Whaley and Josh Wronkowski. Collins put the pedal down and passes Colburn and takes over the lead with Lenzen following thru and taking over second as Colburn settles down in third. Lap 9 sees the only caution of the race as Ron Whaley spins in turns 1 and 2 after having had contact with Colburn. Both Colburn and Whaley go to the rear for the restart as David Castello takes the No. 90 into the pits for the night. Lenzen holds the point on the restart followed by Collins, Barry Parks, Whaley and Colburn. Whaley passes Parks for third but on lap 12, Parks breaks bringing out the yellow. Lenzen holds the point on the restart and takes the checkered followed by Ron Whaley, Josh Wronkowski, Jeff Colburn and Charlie Collins. Lenzen was protested after the race and the top end of his engine was torn down. Lenzen was found legal and kept the win. Mike Wofford had the pole for the Strictly Stock feature and took the point on the green. But on lap 1 the yellow comes out for Kenneth Walker who spun after making contact with Bruce McGonigal Jr. McGonigal is held on pit road for one lap as Derek Slade takes over the lead from Wofford. Wofford and Todd Driscoll get together bringing out the caution with Wofford being held on pit road for one lap. Slade continues to lead the way followed by Driscoll, Bruce Muh, Gordon Houck and Kerry Payne. The caution comes out again for Mike Dahm who has spun in turns 3 and 4. Slade holds the point on the restart followed by Driscoll, Muh, Houck, and Payne. Lap 10 Bruce McGonigal Jr. spins in turns 3 and 4 but quickly rights the car and continues without a caution being thrown. Slade holds on and takes his first feature win followed by Todd Driscoll, Bruce Muh, Gordon Houck, and Kerry Payne. Slade, who was leading the Strictly stock feature at Orlando Speedworld the night before, was all smiles in Victory Lane. Slade ran out of gas while leading Friday night so this win definitely made up for "no gas" the night before. OFFICIAL RESULTS NEW SMYRNA SPEEDWAY, JUNE 12 HOMER GORDON MEMORIAL SPORTSMAN 50 1. #30 Dale Clouser 2. #3 Earl Beckner 3. #27 Chris Peludat 4. #31 Paul Colgan 5. #07x Frank Buchannan 6. #70 John Nusbaum 7. #41 Michael Carr 8. #08 Paul Hudson 9. #45 Mike Soukup 10. #2 Dusty Cornelius 11. #07 Ron Lufcy 12. #18 Ken Lewton 13. #7 Tom Gamache 14. #330 Joe Gerard 15. #51 Ed Kennedy 16. #6 Bruce McGonigal LATE MODEL (15 Laps) 1. #64 Don Hess 2. #57 Chad Pierce 3. #14 Troy Atkins 4. #119 Josh Schmidt 5. #23 David Pletka 6. #91 Don Roberts 7. #48 Mark Smith 8. #59 Ernest Worley 9. #29 Carl Goodwin 10. #82 Alan Davis 11. #2 A.J. Curreli 12. #3 Jeff Colburn 13. #25 Timmy Todd Jr. OPEN WHEEL MODIFIED (15 Laps) 1. #75 Bobby Blake 2. #96 Matt Wheeler 3. #70 Dave Savicki 4. #9 David Hite 5. #09 Rob Underwood 6. #20 Ed Kuhel 7. #7 Mark Vandevender MINI STOCK (15 Laps) 1. #71 Ted "Mr Mini Stock" Vulpius 2. #31 Chad Carpenter 3. #1 Brian Bellaw 4. #22 Alli Owens 5. #2 Ron Karto Jr. 6. #6 Mark Broat 7. #61 Rick Gamache 8. #11 Pug Puglisi 9. #83 Ben Cutler Jr. 10. #84 Don Strosahl Jr. DQ'D SUPER STOCK (15 Laps) 1. #211 Jack Lenzen 2. #2 Ron Whaley 3. #21 Josh Wronkowski 4. #3 Jeff Colburn 5. #23 Charlie Collins 6. #27 Barry Parks 7. #4 Jeremy Hovencamp 8. #90 David Castello 9. #29 James Adams STRICTLY STOCK (12 Laps) 1. #126 Derek Slade 2. #92 Todd Driscoll 3. #60 Bruce Muh 4. #99 Gordon Houck 5. #11x Kerry Payne 6. #39 Butch Cassidy 7. #26 Kenneth Walker 8. #15 Mike Wofford 9. #22 Bruce McGonigal Jr. 10. #21 Mike Dahm CLASSIC AUTO RACING SERIES (25 Laps) 1. #5 Jim Rahman 2. #12 Ben Booth 3. #00 Bill Posey 4. #44 Corey Freed 5. #x11 Joey Streble 6. #88 Tim Ousuy 7. #31 John Smith 8. #87 David Marsh 9. #2 Steve Smith 10. #1 Daryl Grief Have an opinion on this story? 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