Five Races - Five Faces as Rahman wins in Classics at SpeedWorld
by Dave Westerman
2005 Florida Cracker Classics Champion Jim Rahman of Clermont had been held winless this year - until Saturday night at Orlando Speedworld.
After dominating the heat race, Rahman started from the outside pole for the 20 lap feature and there was never any doubt as to who was going to win the race as Rahman easily led every lap. That's not to say the race was boring... John Smith made sure of that, but it was a tough night for Jeff Wright who got knocked out early on an aborted start.
Ron Gustafson touched wheels with Norm Agostinho on the opening lap sending Agostinho into a spin. Smith and Wright had nowhere to go and also got involved with Wright's radiator getting the worst of the altercation as well as having a flat right rear tire. Wright headed to the pits to sit the rest of the night out while everyone else continued.
It was an all green flag affair once the race got started with Rahman pulling out to a comfortable lead and Agostinho settling into second. Smith began to put on a show for the fans as he moved to the high groove, even being scored in second place during a pair of laps before losing the handle on the high groove and allowing Rodney Eary to move in behind Agostinho in third.
That's the way they would finish with Rahman taking the win over Agostinho and Eary, who spent the final laps trying to pass the car he won two Classic Car titles with. "That felt really weird looking at the back end of my old race car out there, and ol' Norm still has it running real fast," said Eary after the race. Eary now drives the POW/MIA Special owned by Daughtrey Motorsports out of Ocoee.
Smith took fourth with Eddie Thornton fifth in a substitute role for Greg Helton in his #3. Completing the finishers were Gustafson, Brad Nuberg, Dave Nunes and Wright. Nuberg was making his debut in the former Bud Spencer car now painted in the black and green "gravedigger" colors.
"I guess I sort of stunk up the show," said Rahman after the race. "My car was hooked up better than it had been all year but I was able to catch some of the battle for second in my rear view mirror and I think they gve the fans their money's worth there," he said.
