IT'S TIME TO RACE!!

May 31, 2005 FSCR Fast Truck/Fast Kids Visit Charlotte County Speedway by Bill Green, Fast Truck Announcer Port Charlotte, FL (May 28th, 2005) As I drove to Port Charlotte for the Fast Truck/Fast Kids latest stop on their 2005 schedule, I found myself slowing down somewhere past Venice. Holly mackerel, it's been almost a year and the destruction of hurricane Charlie can still be seen every mile along the way. Not that I thought downed trees would disappear, but the metal buildings with crinkled roofs and mobile home junk yards were just a big reminder. Man these people still haven't been able to get on with their lives, like you would hope they could. A huge mobile home camp now commands your attention as you approach Charlotte County Speedway. All in all, it still inspires an awe in me to see what Mother Nature can do every time I see her displays. Once I arrived at the track, I was greeted with high spirits and smiles from the sign in window to Leroy himself. Still a straight forward guy that knows what his racers and fans want, there would be loads of action on the night. For us would be the Fast Kids qualifying. The 14 year old Brian Blum set the pace in his Plum colored #31 Coulter Motorsports Chevy at 16.789 seconds. Followed by 12 year old sensation Drew Brannon in his #08 Brannon Specialties INC truck out of Miami, FL going 16.799. Both of those times would prove to be fast enough to qualify 3rd and 4th quick for the Fast Truck Pro field. Third quick would be Sarasota's David Wilson at 16.826 in his Wilson Excavators ride, he would also be the elder statesman of the qualifying field at 16 years of age. Fourth quick would go to John Kidwell's #7ny at 17.081, followed by Cody Pitts in the Mopar #8 at 17.098. These kids show us each week that they are learning fast and can lay down some very fast laps. Fast Truck qualifying would have a familiar ring to it as young 20 year old Sean Bass showed the way in his REW Landscape #20 going 16.471. Todd Blevins went second quick at 16.688 in his D & L Racing machine, with Michael Powers out of Hollywood, FL going third fast in the Cairo Lane Used Auto Parts silver rocket at 16.800. Fourth on the time sheet would be the #10 of George Gorham from Lakeland, FL at 16.827 and rounding out the top 5 speedsters was Miramar's George Morales #96 at 16.900. Charlotte Co. Speedway had a healthy pit full of several classes and visiting Fast Trucks. The fan count was hopefully improved with the arrival of some 38 trucks total, 16 Fast Kids and 22 Fast Trucks. That was a new record for the Fast Kids entries, beating the new high mark set at Citrus county a few weeks back. Growing is the word to use when talking about Fast Trucks. As new sponsors continue to sign up weekly, the latest being "The LaJoie of Seating" and Randy Lajoie, Fast Truck INC and it's new National Media Group are breaking into new territory for Fast Truck owners and racers. Fast Kids were up first for the series and what a show it was to be. Fast Qualifier Brian Blum pulled the number 3 for the invert and put David Wilson on the pole, with Drew Brannon outside the front row. At the drop of the green it would be Wilson out front and Brannon second, then Blum third. Blum, pronounced like a flower bloom, worked past the second fast qualifier to work on reeling in the leader. Just after half way Blum was there, but Wilson was running the low line and Blum had to ride for many laps before his needed opportunity presented it's self. Finally it did. After a masterful run to the leader, a patient look for an opening and perfect timing on the run under the leader, Blum was poised to take the lead off turn 4. But, as Wilson went to the wall to give room, Blum got on the gas to hard or to soon and did a slow spin in front of the field. No contact was made with any other truck or the hurricane tested wall and Blum continued on after the yellow. The fans were on their feet watching Blum work to catch Wilson and really felt bad for the youngster as he was put to the rear for the restart. After that Wilson had it all his way, even though Drew Brannon mounted one last charge on that final restart. A last lap bonsai move by Levi Hobbs got him into the final podium spot in 3rd, leaving Spencer Taylor fourth after a long run back from the rear of the field. The final top-5 spot would go to Cody Pitts as Blum got back to 6th after the earlier spin. Fast Truck Pros would see Sean Bass pull a #0 for the invert setting the field straight up. But, Fast Truck rules say that last weeks winner can start no higher than 12th and last outings 2nd place can start no higher than 11th. So Sean Bass and Gary Foxworth would make up the 6th starting row. That put second fast qualifier Todd Blevins on point and Michael Powers outside. Blevins would use the opportunity to his advantage never looking back or really being challenged in the 50-lap feature event. The #10 of George Gorham would out last the fast qualifier's #20 for second, leaving Sean Bass to put on most of the show coming from that 12 starting spot to third and bringing 14th starter Tommy King with him into fourth. The final top-5 for the big boys would go to Michael Powers as he held on in the closing laps to outlast George Morales' #96. Next week the newly announced Ocala Triple Crown Derby starts with the points race within a points race as three trips to Ocala will yield a Triple Crown Champion. This weeks show in Ocala is a TV Tape Delayed event for a Sun Sports Network airing on the "Fast Hour" in Sunshine Channel homes. The second stop in Ocala will be a Sunday race during the highly publicized Super Sunday Motorcycles, Music & Motorsports weekend, July 31st. With the final round visit coming on September 3rd when both a Fast Truck Pro driver and a Fast Kid will be crowned a Champion. For more information on Ocala or Fast Truck racing in general, call Fast Truck INC at 813-817-RACE (7223). We'll See You In Ocala Next Week! Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board! news@karnac.org or send a letter to the editor!