Great Racing as Orlando SpeedWorld Winternationals Begin
by Dave Westerman
It was a cold night, for Florida at least, as Orlando Speedworld opened up the 2006 Winternationals with some hot racing including a wild finish to the 50 lap Aaron's Pro Challenge feature event. Twenty-one Aaron's Pro Challenge cars were entered with heat wins going to Florida Drivers Mark Landis and Rod Sanders along with Virginia's Jason Trescl.
Landis had the point for the start of the half-century grind but the first 25 laps would be a struggle as several caution flags slowed the action, sending many competitors to the pits and leaving others with battered and bruised racers.
Landis led much of the race, but gave up the top spot just past the half-way point to 13 year old Zach Stroupe of Iron Station, NC who is a development driver for Speed Channel's Bob Dilner.
One red flag was displayed with just four laps to go as Jamie Blanton spun his car in turn four and was hit hard by John Litzlinger. Neither driver was hurt but Litzlinger's car became the only machine all night that needed to be hauled off the track on Doug Webb's ABC Towing flatbed wrecker.
Young Stroupe looked to be on his way to his first career Aarons's Pro Challenge win, but his car suddenly began to slow on the final lap. Stroupe tried to hang on coming out of turn four as the racers behind him got bottled up. Third place Jason Burchard got turned around and spun while Landis made a desperate move to the inside to avoid Stroupe's slowing car. That move proved fruitful for the Delray Beach, FL driver as he edged the slowing Stroupe at the line for the win, his first in a Pro Challenge machine after many wins here in Open Wheel Lites.
A disappointed Stroupe held on for second as Rod Sanders came back from two on-track altercations to claim the show spot. Jason Trescl was fourth with Ontario, Canada driver Dennis Thompson fifth. Rick Riffle came back from a multitude of problems to checker sixth with Justin Morton seventh and Burchard ending up eighth after his spin. Brad Sanders and Frankie Roberts rounded out the top ten. National Champion Terry Mathis of Cumming, GA was never a factor and dropped out of the race early.
Winter Haven, FL's Brian Gingras was back behind the wheel of the potent day-glow orange #1 Mod Lite car and proceeded to do what he did in this car here last year - run away from the Mod Lite/Open Wheel Lite field in their 15 lap feature race.
Alabama's Julian Pickett led the early laps but once Gingras got wound up, he sped by and won easily over the 20 car field. Pickett held on for second ahead of Florida drivers Ron Towles and Sonny O'Sullivan with Ohio Driver Brandon Basye fifth. Open Wheel Lite/Mod Lite heats were won by Pickett, Gingras, and Mike Belusar.
In other action, late entry Logan Ruffin was impressive in topping the MMRA Mini Cup Future Stars feature event as he topped Dylan Presnell, Robert Kuczmarski, early leader Hunter Willis and Draven Harrison.
The MMRA Mini Cup Open Division feature went to Stephen Hershey in a great see-saw battle that lasted the entire race. Timothy Buckwalter came home second trailed by Joe McCloud, Matt Barndt and Ronnie Binkley.
The MMRA Baby Grand Pro Division ran two 25 lap qualifiers for Friday night's 50 lap feature race.
The first qualifier was a wire to wire win for NC driver Nick Proffitt as he led all the way to take the checker in front of Mike Bryant, Larry Theobald Chester McDowell and Frank Dye. John Klayum, down all the way from Alaska, made his long journey pay off with a win in the second qualifier over Chad Willis, Gregg Chesney, Neil Johnston and Robin Cohoon.
The new MMRA Baby Grand Junior Pro Division saw Jacob France win a two car shoot-out over J.D. Williams. Johnny Leiupo took the measure of the TQ Late Model field, leading most of the way to score the win over Brennan Palmiter, David Rader, Travis Carter and Rick Stone.
The East Coast Flathead feature was taken by Tobaccoville, NC's Johnny Johnson in a 37 Ford Modified four-barrel Flathead as he out-ran Rik Newsom, Kenneth Tuttle, James Rogers and Kevin Powell. Night two of the 2006 Winternationals gets under way at 7PM Friday night with the USAC Ford Focus Midgets and Florida Mini Cup Racing Association machines added to the card.
All racing can also be seen on the internet at www.tvshowcaster.com on channel 3/RaceLine. The pay-per-view costs only $5.00 and the broadcast will e commercial free beginning at 7PM.
