IT'S TIME TO RACE!!

October 11, 2004 FSCR Colangelo Takes Second RE/MAX Legends Win at Orlando SpeedWorld by Dave Westerman Young Jeremy Colangelo did something no one else has done at Orlando Speedworld this season... pass Patrick Conrad during a race and then go on to win. Well Colangelo did just that Saturday night to score his second career RE/MAX Legends Car victory. Yet another great field of cars showed up for Legends action and track officials decided to split the field into five heats to give more drivers an opportunity to get a checkered flag. Heats for Masters Division drivers were won by the brother act of Mike and Mitch Verhaagh and "Neon" Dion Hinsky. Heats for the younger Pro and Semi-Pro drivers were won by Patrick Conrad and Brandon Thomson. Hinsky had the pole for the 25 lap feature race with last weeks winner Kory Abbott on the outside of the front row. Abbott led into turn one but the field was quickly brought to a halt as Spike Sabo spun just before the completion of lap one with Paddy Rodenbeck hitting the wall trying to avoid the melee. Sabo continued but Rodenbeck was done for the night. Fourth starter Conrad made a bold move on the restart and led lap one only to see Abbott come back to lead lap two. Conrad was back out front on the third lap and it looked like the 2004 Florida State Legends champion would be headed for another win but Jeremy Colangelo would have other ideas. Colangelo was on the charge from his tenth place starting slot passing Brandon Thomson for third on lap eight. A loose bumper on the car of James Rodriguez slowed the field on lap ten. On the restart, fifth-running Mike Verhaagh slowed with mechanical trouble after posting a great run. Colangelo continued to move forward getting by Abbott for second on lap thirteen. Two laps later, Sabo spun again to bring out the caution and allow Colangelo a chance to close in on Conrad. Colangelo began to put on the pressure and when Conrad slipped slightly coming off turn two on lap 19, Colangelo wasted little time in taking the lead. From that point Colangelo ran away from the field to post the victory. Conrad was a solid second with Abbott taking third ahead of Brandon Thomson. Derrick Wood celebrated his 13th birthday with a great fifth place finish while A.J. Fulgenzi, Wesley McLeod, Bobby Byars, Darin Coker and Ricky Wood rounded out the top ten. Dion Hinsky, Mitch Verhaagh, Mike Fazio, Kyle Dombeck, Spike Sabo, Bob Wilson, Tom Clarke, Tim Osterlund, Bryan Silas, James Rodriguez and Paddy Rodenbeck completed the finishing order. After a week off, Gerald White, Jr. was in usual form as he drove away from the Bandelero Bandits field. Blake Eden, Ryan Rust, Donovan Ponder and Roger Benton, Jr. completed the top five. White also won the heat. Brandon Thomson dominated both the heat and feature for the Bandelero Young Guns taking the feature victory in front of brothers Scott and Matt Jarrett. Kara Clarke returned after a brief lay-off to take the Bandelero Outlaw main event over Evan Russell and Dave Jarrett. Clarke also topped the heat race. John Crichton out ran Rudy Arnold in the Hurricanes. Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board! news@karnac.org or send a letter to the editor!