IT'S TIME TO RACE!!

February 6, 2005 FSCR Choquette Makes it Four in a Row at New Smyrna by Jane Smith Samsula, Florida (February 5, 2005) The night air was cold and brisk as the third Annual Pete Orr Memorial Orange Blossom 100 took place at New Smyrna Speedway. Only 13 cars showed up for what has been one of the biggest races of the year for Super Late Models. With the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing starting in less than a week, alot of the cars were still getting ready which lower the car count alot. Justin Drawdy set fast time for the 100 lap race but pulled the 7 pill which inverted the top seven putting Chris Fontaine on the pole. Before the race began, karnac.com and owner Jack Smith presented Lee Collins with the Pete Orr Sportsmanship Award. Collins, who is well known for being a gentleman, was the 2004 Pro Mod Champion and also won the Championship for FL/IMCA Mods at the World Series in 2004. "Lee Collins knows how to win but he also knows how to lose graciously," said General Manager Don Nerone. "Lee is a perfect choice for this award and we are very happy for him." With the pre-race ceromonies concluded, it was time to go racin. Jack Landis, here from the cold, cold north for last week's Speedfest and the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing, jumped to the early lead over Fontaine, Daryl Shelnut, Mike Garvey and Travis Kittleson. Kittleson wasted no time moving into third then second as Kittleson was on a mission to honor his late Crew Chief. Mac Johnson brought out the caution on lap 6 as he spun on the backstretch but was able to get going fairly fast. Landis holds the point on the restart followed by Kittleson, Garvey, Shelnut and Fontaine. Now it is Justin Drawdy who is on the move with the same goal in mind as Kittleson, to honor his late Crew Chief and friend Pete. Drawdy moves into the top five just as the second caution comes out for Chris Fontaine who has spun on the frontstretch. Drawdy, who set fast time, once again found the "monkey on his back" as he had to withdraw from the race on lap 36 with mechanical problems. Daryl Shelnut brought out the third caution as he spun in turns 1 and 2. The race was then red flagged to check all the cars for leaking as there was fluid on the track. It was determined that Shelnut was leaking as he retired from the race disappointed. Shelnut has not run at New Smyrna Speedway for some time and it was great having him back again. Hopefully we will see more of him in 2005. After leading for the first fifty laps, Landis sees Travis Kittleson take over as Garvey goes into second and Landis third. It looks like Kittleson will finally get his biggest desire but 49 more laps are left still to race. Lap 64 Mac Johnson and Jay Middleton get together on the backstretch. Both are fine and return to the race in the rear of the field. Kittleson holds the point on the restart but Garvey finds himself going side-by-side with Jeff Choquette, winner of the last three races at New Smyrna. Choquette shows "he's the man" and takes over second. Lap 79 sees Daniel Webster get a flat coming off turn 3 and goes into the turn 4 wall. Webster is fine but his car is not as he retires into the pits for the night. Kittleson holds the point on the restart followed by Choquette, Garvey, Landis and James Powell III. Lap 92 Mac Johnson brings out the caution as he spins in turns 3 and 4. The race goes back green with Kittleson in the lead but Choquette is on the move. Kittleson is fighting hard to retain the lead but gets alittle loose and Choquette takes advantage and passes Kittleson with four laps to go. Garvey follows on the tail of Choquette taking over second as Kittleson settles into third. Choquette takes his fourth win in a row at New Smyrna followed by Mike Garvey, Travis Kittleson, Jack Landis and James Powell III. Although Choquette never knew Pete Orr, he understood the importance of this win to Kittleson and Drawdy. In other action at New Smyrna, Chad Akins took the win over Scott Bishop in the Quick Kids. Steve Smith had the pole for the Late Model feature and quickly took the early lead and led for all 20 laps. Smith was followed by Mark Smith, Robert Andercheck, David Green and John Ripley on the start. Jeff Colburn brings out the caution when his engine let go and he retired to the pits. Smith held the point on the restart as Mark Smith and Andercheck are going side-by-side for second. Anderchek takes second followed by Mark Smith, David Green and Alli Owens who has passed Ripley for fifth. Owens puts the pedal tot he medal and passes Mark Smith for fourth and then David Green for third but cannot catch Andercheck for second. Steve Smith takes his first feature win in Late Models followed by Robert Andercheck, Alli Owens, David Green and Mark Smith. In tech, Steve Smith is dq'd for too much left side weight. Smith takes it with grace as Andercheck is given the win followed by Alli Owens, David Green, Mark Smith and John Ripley. Brian Bellaw had the pole for the Mini Stock feature and quickly took the lead over Rex Christensen, Clint Foley, Chase Goodson and Ricky Porter. Foley quickly passes Christensen for second as Goodson follows Foley for third and Christensen settles into fourth. Bellaw holds the lead but Foley wants it. Foley is able to pass Bellaw as Bellaw gets alittle loose and Goodson takes over second with Bellaw in third. But Bellaw is not about to settle there as he repasses Goodson and takes back second but is unable to catch Foley to retake the lead. Randy Blakeslee brings out the caution as he spins on the backstretch. Foley holds tight and keeps the lead on the restart followed by Bellaw, Goodson, Christensen, and Jason Cochran. Foley takes the win for his first feature win at New Smyrna Speedway in 2005 followed by Brian Bellaw, Chase Goodson, Rex Christensen, and Jason Cochran. The Open Wheel Modified feature had everyone on their feet and frozen for a few moments. Tom Root went hard into the turns 1 and 2 wall burstinig into flames. Root was able to get out of the car as it burned right in front of him. Also involved in the accident was Jimmy Winks driving the #66 Mod, Dan Lane and Art Kunzeman. Thank goodness all the drivers were fine but it was a very scary few minutes for everyone. After the red flag was lifted, there was a complete restart with the remaining modifieds. George Murphy had the pole for the feature but it was Brad May who took the lead over Murphy followed by Lee Collins, Jimmy Britts and Jason Boyd. Britts takes over second with Collins in third as Murphy settles into fourth. Lee Collins brings out the caution as he spins in turns 1 and 2 as he tries to pass May for the lead. Collins is fine and rejoins the field in the rear. On the restart it is May, Murphy, Britts, Boyd and Jim "Hoot" Flynn. Flynn passes Boyd for fourth as Collins moves into fifth. Brad May takes the win for his second win in 2005 over George Murphy, Jimmy Britts, Jim "Hoot" Flynn, and Lee Collins. Charlie Collins had the pole for the Pro Trucks but it was Jamies Skinner who took the lead and never looked back. Skinner won over Charlie Collins, A.J. Curreli, and Bill Stacy. Dale Clouser had the pole for the Sportsman feature and quickly jumped to the lead over Patrick Thomas, Charlie Vest, Paul Colgan, and Paul Hudson. Hudson brings out the caution as he hits the turn 4 wall in his brand new Sportsman. Hudson is fine but must end his night in the pits. Clouser holds the point on the restart followed by Thomas, Colgan, Vest, and Randy Jones. Ken Lewton spins on the backstretch but keeps going as Clouser holds the lead. Clouser and Thomas are doing some really close racing as suddenly Clouser goes into the turn 4 wall hard as he and Thomas touch. Clouser is fine but ends his night and Thomas goes to the rear of the field. Paul Colgan has the point on the restart followed by Vest, Thomas, Jones and Lewton. Thomas passes Vest and sets sail on Colgan for the lead. Thomas takes the lead and the win followed by Paul Colgan, Charlie Vest, Randy Jones, and Ken Lewton. Bob Cherry has the pole for the Super Stock feature and takes the lead over Billy Cuddy, Justin Reynolds, Bruce Wingate and Barry Parks. Cuddy passes Cherry and takes over the point as the caution comes out on lap 6 for J.T. Tippins who has spun on the frontstretch. Cuddy holds the point on the restart followed by Reynolds, Cherry, Parks, and Wingate. Reynolds works his way around Cuddy for the lead and Justin Reynolds takes his first feature win over Billy Cuddy, Bob Cherry, Bruce Wingate and Barry Parks. Cuddy was dq'd in tech changing the finishing order to Justin Reynolds, Bob Cherry, Bruce Wingate, Barry Parks, and Bruce McGonigal Jr. Strictly Stocks saw Nick Boley take the win over P.J. Mascaro, Mike Wofford, Jason Pick and Jose Rivera. OFFICIAL RESULTS PETE ORR MEMORIAL ORANGE BLOSSOM 100 1. #70 Jeff Choquette 2. #17x Mike Garvey 3. #30 Travis Kittleson 4. #101 Jack Landis 5. #17 James Powell III 6. #47 Chris Fontaine 7. #74 Jay Middleton 8. #16 Tracy Pearson 9. #88 David Pollen Jr. 10. #6 Mac Johnson 11. #1x Daniel Webster 12. #7 Daryl Shelnut 13. #12 Justin Drawdy QUICK KIDS 1. #60 Chad Akins 2. #0 Scott Bishop LATE MODEL 1. #90 Robert Andercheck 2. #22 Alli Owens 3. #47 David Green 4. #48 Mark Smith 5. #00 John Ripley 6. #10 Brad May 7. #3 Jeff Colburn 8. #28 Steve Smith dq'd MINI STOCK 1. #7 Clint Foley 2. #1 Brian Bellaw 3. #16 Chase Goodson 4. #v3 Rex Christensen 5. #72 Jason Cochran 6. #2 Paul Brown 7. #6 Mark Broat 8. #17 Chuck Cook 9. #61 Rick Gamache 10. #12 Ricky Porter 11. #77 Randy Blakeslee OPEN WHEEL MODIFIED 1. #00 Brad May 2. #40 George Murphy 3. #9 Jimmy Britts 4. #57 Jim "Hoot" Flynn 5. #89 Lee Collins 6. #131 Rusty Perdue 7. #2x Jason Boyd 8. #05 Dan Lane 9. #19 Tom Root 10. #66 Jimmy Winks 11. #09 Art Kunzeman PRO TRUCKS 1. #60 Jamie Skinner 2. #07 Charlie Collins 3. #11K A.J. Curreli 4. #32 Bill Stacy SPORTSMAN 1. #25 Patrick Thomas 2. #31 Paul Colgan 3. #44 Charlie Vest 4. #75 Randy Jones 5. #18 Ken Lewton 6. #30 Dale Clouser 7. #45 Mike Soukup 8. #87 Tracy Quellette 9. #08 Paul Hudson SUPER STOCK 1. #77 Justin Reynolds 2. #97 Bob Cherry 3. #33 Bruce Wingate 4. #27 Barry Parks 5. #22 Bruce McGonigal Jr. 6. #222 Tod Ansel Sr. 7. #31 J.T. Tippins 8. #73 Scott Smith 9. #123 Ed Barber 10. #20 Rick Taylor 11. #64 Billy Cuddy dq'd STRICTLY STOCK 1. #88 Nick Boley 2. #48 P.J. Mascaro 3. #15 Mike Wofford 4. #12 Jason Pick 5. #73 Jose Riveria 6. #25 Justin Spears 7. #31 Joe Kelly 8. #3 David Rowe 9. #75 Tim Logue 10. #30 Tammy Clouser 11. #16 Chris Ridley Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board! news@karnac.org or send a letter to the editor!