IT'S TIME TO RACE!!

April 13, 2005 FSCR David Rader TQ Late Model Winner By Robert Palmiter David Rader In Columbia Motorsports Park Winners Circle After taking the winter off and having their first race of the season rained out, the Florida TQ Late Models showed up at Columbia Motorsports Park on April 9th eager to race. The 14 car field looked very sharp with their new bodies. Concerned about the new concrete retaining wall on the outside of the track, the drivers were hoping their cars would still look sharp after the races. That would not be the case. In the first heat, Daryl Graves took the lead when the green flag waved. On the second lap, Brandy Pifer passed Chris Crews on the backstretch and Derek Suits passed Keith Barco and Chris Crews to move up into fourth place. On lap 3, Chris Crews spun coming out of turn four to bring out the caution. After the restart, Derek Suits passed Brandy Pifer and Ken Mikesell to move into second place. On the last lap of the race, Derek Suits passed Daryl Graves in turn two to take the win. At the start of the second heat race, Kenny Clark and Greg Tomlinson raced side by side until the cars came out of turn two and Kenny Clark came out with the lead. Then Greg Tomlinson and Tony Smith raced door handle to door handle until Tony Smith took the position. On lap 2, Greg Tomlinson spun on the backstretch to bring out the caution. After the restart, Brennan Palmiter passed Scott Hughes for third place. On lap 4, Tony Smith passed Kenny Clark and went on to take the checked flag. In the feature race there would be many wrecks and many torn up cars. At the start of the race, Derek Suits jumped to the early lead followed closely by Tony Smith. On lap 3, cars begin spinning out all over the track. Greg Tomlinson spun in turn two, Daryl Graves spun in turn four, and David Rader spun to miss him. It was later determined Daryl Graves had a busted oil line and was putting oil on the track. On the restart, Brennan Palmiter jumped to the outside Kenny Clark when he hesitated on the start but there would not be enough room to make the pass. The cars got together coming off turn 4 and Palmiter spun sustaining enough damage that he was not able to continue the race. On lap 9, James Hughes and Keith Barco bumped causing James Hughes to spin between turns one and two. The race leader Derek Suits came out of turn one and did not see the spun car until it was too late. He spun and hit the concrete wall. Both cars suffered heavy damage. With Suits wrecking, David Rader became the race leader. On lap 11, the cars of Ken Mikesell and Chris Crews got tangled on the backstretch and both cars hit the concrete retaining wall. Both cars were done for the night. When the remaining cars took the checkered flag, it was David Rader with the win, Greg Tomlinson in second, Kenny Clark finished in third, followed by James Hughes in fourth, Brandy Pifer in fifth, and Scott Hughes in sixth. All the drivers will have their cars repaired and ready to race again at Columbia Motorsports Park on April 24th. The TQ’s welcome two new drivers to their circuit this season, Brennan Palmiter and Keith Barco. Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board! news@karnac.org or send a letter to the editor!