IT'S TIME TO RACE!!

February 11, 2005 FSCR Gingras, Mathis, Brennan and Carrigan Open OSW Winternationals with Wins by Dave Westerman It was a cool, breezy night but the action was hot and heavy as Orlando Speedworld kicked of the 2005 Winternationals Thursday night. The Team USA Aaron's Pro Challenge Series was in action with a great field of cars, but all night long everyone was looking at the rear bumper of Cumming, GA driver Terry Mathis. The Pro Challenge veteran tripped the clocks at 14.820 seconds to set quick time and earn the pole position for the opening night feature. Qualifying heat races were won by Tennessee driver Josh Adams and Georgia's Frankie Roberts to set the starting field of 24 for the 25 lap main event. Mathis would dominated the event, leading every lap, slowed only by four caution periods, the worst of which happened on a lap 22 restart when Brett Butler spun in turn one and was drilled in the passenger side door by Larry Druwbarn. Ben Stancill then hit and drove underneath Druwbarn's machine while Frankie Roberts slid into the mess. All four were done for the night, but there were fortunately no injuries. Mathis took the win in comfortable fashion followed by Brett McLain. Kyle Kennedy was third just ahead of Fred Hardwick who came from ninth on the starting grid. Fifth went to Marty Arender while Bobby Keys, Wayne White, Josh Adams, Ken Butler, and Mike Grissom completed the top ten. Open Wheel Lites had a good field of cars on hand for opening night as Illinois driver Tom Schnable, Florida's Brian Gingras and Michigan's Jeff Slayton copped the heat races. Schnable snared the lead at the drop of the green and led the way as only one caution slowed the action for a spinning George Landis on lap seven. Schnable set the pace with Gingras shadowing his every move with Rick Lundeen, Ron Towles and Todd Shepherd in close formation. With less than three laps to go, the leaders encountered lapped traffic that was racing side by side. Schnable went high while Gingras went low as they raced four-wide down the backstretch with Gingras inching ahead through turns three and four. Gingras found the power he needed as he led the remaining two laps to take the win. Lundeen slipped by Schnable on the last lap for second with Schnable ending up third in front of Towles and Shepherd. Slayton, John Bailey, Bill Hostetler, Kevin Baxter, and Brandon Bayse rounded out the top ten. Brad Sanders won the heat race for the Florida Pro Challenge cars but didn't show for the 15 lap feature race. Howard Brennan took advantage and led all the way to take the win over Rod Sanders, J.L. Snowden, Steve Strandlund and Bobby Robillard. Doug "Spiderman" Carrigan added to his Orlando Speedworld win total with a runaway victory in the Mod Lite feature. Trailing the Tennessee veteran were Mike Belusar, Phil Krauthoff, Harvey "Old Man" Johnson and K.J. Pickett. Action continues Friday night and Saturday night as the Florida Mini Cup Racing Association and BM Modifieds join the Aaron's Pro Challenge, Open Wheel Lite, Mod Lite and Florida Pro Challenge cars for racing action. Racing starts at 8PM Friday and 7PM on Saturday. RESULTS - ORLANDO SPEEDWORLD WINTERNATIONALS NIGHT 1 - 2/10/05: AARON'S PRO CHALLENGE (25 Laps): 1) Terry Mathis, Cumming, GA #71 2) Brett McLain, Lyons, GA #10 3) Kyle Kennedy, Preston, GA #97 4) Fred Hardwick, Dandridge, TN #2 5) Marty Arender, Pidgeon Forge, TN #5 6) Bobby Keys, Lilburn, GA #81 7) Wayne White, Nashville, TN #20 8) Josh Adams, White House, TN #4 9) Ken Butler, Snellville, GA #99 10) Mike Grissom, Murfreeesboro, TN #6 11) Michael Fay, Grayson, GA #98 12) J.L. Snowden, Lake Worth, FL #40 13) Steve Standlund, Stacy, MN #81X 14) Jason Teschl, Glaucester, VA #31 15) Nancy Hardwick, Dandridge, TN #16 16) Brett Butler, Snellville, GA #00 17) Bob Harshbarger, Kingsport, TN #67 18) Larry Druwbarn, Macon, GA #91 19) Ben Stancill, Ayden, NC 20) Frankie Roberts, Roberta, GA #17 21) Trent Mayo, Stone Mountain, GA #13 22) Rusty McLain, Lyons, GA #12 23) Mark Dyer, Greenback, TN #18 24) Kyle Mitchell, Hampton, GA #26 DNS John Litzinger, Knoxville, TN #34 DNS Mike Lago, Lantana, FL #25 OPEN WHEEL LITES (25 Laps): 1) Brian Gingras, Winter Haven, FL #09 2) Rick Lundeen, Jacksonville, FL #04 3) Tom Schnable, Yorkville, IL #20 4) Ron Towles, Jacksonville Beach, FL #01 5) Todd Shepherd, Manhattan, IL #32 6) Jeff Slayton, Battle Creek, MI #5X 7) John Bailey, Sarasota, FL #17 8) Bob Hostetler, West Liberty, OH #9H 9) Kevin Baxter, Winter Haven, FL #69 10) Brandon Bayse, Covington, OH #44 11) Junior Gould, Union City, MI #65 12) Max Evans, West Liberty, OH #7 13) Joseph Brayton, Deland, FL #18 14) Douglas Schmidt, El Campo, TX #79 15) Spanky McFarland, West Palm Beach, FL #49 16) Vicki Schnable, Yorkville, IL #10 17) Mike Weisburg, Chesterland, OH #14 18) George Landis, Boynton Beach, FL #5 19) Rick Brayton, Deltona, FL #03 DNS Dan Nyhan, New Smyrna Beach, FL #9 FLORIDA PRO CHALLENGE (15 Laps): 1) Howard Brennan, Vero Beach, FL #56 2) Rod Sanders, Ft. Myers, FL #1 3) J.L. Snowden, Lake Worth, FL #40 4) Steve Strandlund, Stacy, MN #81 5) Bobby Robillard, Oviedo, FL #3 6) Mark Spadoni, Palm City, FL #2 7) Sam White, St. Cloud, FL #8 DNS Brad Sanders, Ft. Myers, FL #12 DNS Tim Hart, St. Cloud, FL #4 DNS Mike Lago, Lantana, FL #25 MOD LITES (15 Laps): 1) Doug Carrigan, Murfreesboro, TN #8X 2) Mike Belusar, Bonita Springs, FL #82 3) Phil Krauthoff, Stuart, FL #2 4) Harvey Johnson, Ocala, FL #7J 5) K.J. Pickett, McCalla, AL #77 Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board! news@karnac.org or send a letter to the editor!