Kory Abbott pulls "Sweep" in PBG Legends at Citrus County Speedway
by Dave Westerman
Apopka's Kory Abbott pulled out his "broom" Saturday night at Citrus County Speedway as the 2006 PBG Florida Legends Car Tour were back for their second appearance of the year.
Fellow Apopka driver Chelsea Schillig was sitting on fast time before Abbott came out as the last car to take qualifications. Abbott would steal quick time honors from the young lady driver as he turned a lap at 14.425 seconds, besting Schillig's 15.577 lap. Qualifying third quick was Matt Bowers at 15.693 with Brandon Thomson fourth at 15.737. Abbott pulled a "4" to invert the top four from qualifying putting Thomson and Bowers on the front row for the 35 lap feature event.
The race got off to a rocky start as Doug Hall and Shaughn McCormick tangled in turn two to set up a complete restart. Once the green flag flew, Thomson set sail from his pole position and was leading when the caution flew for the first time on lap seven for a rear bumper on the track that had come off the car of James Rodriguez. Rodriguez headed to the pits and got the bumper replaced, but lost four laps in the process.
Schillig had worked her way into second and took the lead from Thomson on lap nine, but Abbott was now on the charge and he slipped under Schillig for the lead at the end of lap ten. Schillig was caught in the top groove and Thomson got by for second with Matt Bowers also trying to get under Schillig. However, the two cars got locked together with Schillig sliding into the wall in turn one. Schillig was out of the race while Bowers continued at the tail of the field.
Abbott quickly pulled away to a good lead only to see the caution come out for Tony Sansom's turn four spin on lap 13. From that point, it would be several laps of green flag racing as Abbott pulled away at will. At the half-way signal it was Abbott leading Thomson, Jimmy Norman, Andy Logan, Mike Verhaagh, Doug Hall, Mitch Verhaagh, Josh Antley, Bowers and Sansom comprising the front ten spots. Lap 29 saw some wild action on the front stretch as Doug Hall ran over Tim Osterlund's car while trying to lap Osterlund. Hall's car went up on two wheels "Chitwood-style" but both he and Osterlund continued and no caution flag was needed.
The last caution flew two laps from the end as McCormick spun in turn four. That gave the field one last shot at Abbott, but it made little difference as his Kendirk Performance machine was dialed in to perfection and he took the win, duplicating his victory here in April. Thomson took the checker in second with Norman getting his best career PBG finish in third ahead of Logan and Mike Verhaagh.
Rounding out the top eight were Bowers (doing a great job coming from the rear), Mitch Verhaagh and Hall. Sansom and Antley completed the top ten finishers, both one lap down to the leaders.
Abbott topped the Pro Division Drivers with Norman getting the Semi-Pro honors and the top Masters Division finisher was Logan. OFFICIAL RESULTS: 2006 PBG LEGENDS CAR TOUR - CITRUS COUNTY SPEEDWAY 7/29/06:
1) Kory Abbott, Apopka #5 2) Brandon Thomson, St. Cloud #54 3) Jimmy Norman, Lake Mary #2 4) Andy Logan, West Palm Beach #1FL 5) Mike Verhaagh, Ft. Myers #7 6) Matt Bowers, Mount Dora #84 7) Mitch Verhaagh, Bonita Springs #9 8) Doug Hall, St. Petersburg Beach #55 9) Tony Sansom, Sanford #55FL 10) Josh Antley, Orlando #56 11) Spike Sabo, Tampa #5X 12) Dion Hinsky, Sebring #4 13) Bob Wilson, Beverly Hills #27W 14) Tim Osterlund, Sebring #39 15) Michael Haney, Orlando #4Rent 16) Shaughn McCormick, Oviedo #34 17) James Rodriguez, West Palm Beach #19 18) Chelsea Schillig, Apopka #75 19) Mike Fazio, Davie #38
