Dick Anderson back in Victory Lane at Orlando SpeedWorld
YOUNG ACE AND OLD VETERAN DOMINATE TALLEDEGA NIGHT AT SPEEDWORLD
It was a big night of racing Friday night at Orlando Speedworld as ten classes of race cars did battle on "Talledega Nights" night sponsored by Regal Cinemas and the Business Card Exchange with proceeds benefiting CHARLEE Family Care Services of Central Florida.
By the end of the night, fans were treated to a pair of dominating performances, one by a very talented young up-and-coming driver and another from a wily old veteran who is once again showing everyone he isn't ready to hang up the helmet just yet.
The highlight of the night was a 35 lap event for the 2006 PBG Florida Legends Car Tour with 24 cars signing in to do battle. Kory Abbott showed quickly he would be the man to beat once again as the current PBG Tour point leader set quick time at 15.74 seconds, considerably faster than second fast Matt Bowers who timed in at 15.90 and third quick Brandon Thomson's 15.94.
Bowers, who just won the Semi-Pro Legends championship at the Lowe's Motor Speedway Summer Shootout, grabbed the early lead with Chelsea Schillig right behind him. On lap two, Jordan Richardson dove under Schillig for second bringing Abbott with him as Schillig slid back to fifth. Richardson then went to work on Bowers with Abbott again in tow as it was Bowers' turn to get "freight-trained."
Jordan managed to lead only one lap before Abbott surged to the front just before the "big one" took place on lap nine.
Paul Schrein was running seventh when the left rear shock broke on his car as he exited turn two. Schrein's cars slowed abruptly causing a major melee. Mike Verhaagh ran over Schrein's slowing mount and cart-wheeled into the infield shedding body parts all the way. Andy Logan and Jimmy Norman also crashed hard trying to avoid the mess with several other cars spinning as well.
Thankfully no one was hurt, but Verhaagh's car was a mess while Norman and Schrein were also forced out of the event. Following the restart, caution was back out again as the right front fender flew off Richardson's second-place car but he was able to continue.
Abbott had things going his way with Richardson sitting a few lengths back until his car slowed suddenly on lap 18 and came to a stop at the top of turn four, victim of an apparent drive-line failure.
Schillig had been running a great race and found herself back in second but Bowers was on the charge along with Brandon Thomson and Darin Coker. Bowers zipped by Schillig bringing Thomson and Coker with him as Schillig slipped to fifth.
Bowers seemed to have his car working much better and he quickly reeled in Abbott, but despite a caution for Leonard Hearndon's spin with two laps to go, Abbott was able to hold on for his third PBG Tour win of the year. The 16 year old shoe from Apopka now has his sights on a second straight PBG Championship.
Bowers claimed second over Thomson with Schillig finally nabbing second spot on the last lap after a great battle with Coker over the final few laps. Sixth went to Bryan Silas while Logan came back for seventh ahead of Doug Hall, Eric Eichelberger, and Jimmy Rodriguez. Mitch Verhaagh, Mike Fazio, Josh Antley, Spike "Ricky Bobby" Sabo, Mike Haney, Wild Willie Wilson, Hearndon, Tony Sansom, Jordan Richardson, Shaughn McCormick, Schrein, Mike Verhaagh, Norman and Doc Richardson rounded out the finishing field.
If you combined the ages of the top three finishers in the Legends Car feature race, they would still be younger than the guy who led every lap of the Super Late Model feature to win his first race in three years. Veteran Dick Anderson has been running a lot of practice laps lately getting back in shape for another go at Super Late Model racing.
Thursday evening, Anderson ran about ten practice laps and loaded the car in the trailer saying it was "perfect." He came within inches of maybe not even racing Friday afternoon as he brushed the back stretch wall in the final hot lap session and spun to a stop just before the turn three concrete.
Anderson had the pole for the 25 lap Super Late Model feature and this old dog didn't need to learn any new tricks as he dominated the race from green to checker. In fact, for the first time in recent memory, the SLM race was run flag-to-flag under green.
Anderson had no problems throughout, even backing off a bit in the late stages taking the win over Dusty Cornelius, Chad Pierce, Gary Bierline and South Florida visitor Tommy Styer. Ronnie Roach and John Spadevecchia rounded out the finishers while Patrick Conrad was scored eighth after dropping out of the event while running second.
Alan Bruns continues to have the hot hand in the Modifieds winning his third feature in a row and seventh of the season.
The race got off to a rocky start as outside pole sitter Terri Bryant was forced hard into the turn one wall. She wasn't hurt but the right front of her car was destroyed.
Shain Held grabbed the lead at the drop of the green but as the race wore on his car began to get looser and looser. Held bobbled big time in turn four during lap 12 giving Bruns the shot he needed for the lead and eventual win. Despite looking like he was driving on ice, Held "held" on for second spot just ahead of Michael Williams, Dave Debelius and Blake Lehr. Mark Emberson, Randy Froelich, Butch Herdegen, Gary Fountain, Sr. and Bryant completed to top ten.
James Frisbie held on to win a wild Super Stock feature race that saw a number of challengers go by the wayside. Ron Whaley was back in stride and reeling in Frisbie when he clipped a lapped car and blew a tire bringing out the caution on lap 15. During the slowdown, track officials checked Frisbie's car which was reported to be leaking water, but he was given the OK to continue while the extra time gave Whaley the opportunity to replace the flat and return on the lead lap.
Frisbie held on to take the win ahead of Lee Wagner, Vince Keeler and Roger Benton while Whaley drove back to fifth at the checker. Rounding out the top ten were Scott Smith, Tobi Smith, Robert Skinner, Dennis Snyder and Scott Keena.
Travis Towell took the lead from Bryan Silas with two laps to go to claim the Sportsman feature. The engine in Silas' car seemed to go sour in the late laps but he was able to hold off John Hodge for second while Timmy Todd, Jr., and Glen Castro made up the rest of the top five.
Dick Laszlo led all the way to win his second Mini Stock feature of the year as the 20 lap affair ran green to checker. Kelly Jarrett was closing fast at the end but ran out of time and laps and settled for the runner-up spot. the remainder of the top five were filled by Michael Seay, Randy Blakeslee and Heather Suggs.
A big field of Action Gator Tire Strictly Stocks came out to get some test and tune for next week's big 50-lap special sponsored by All Auto Salvage. When the dust settled it was Steve Anderson getting his first ever win over veteran William Hindman, Rob Reynolds, Robert Remus and Neal Kirby. Kerry Payne started dead last in the 23 car field and came home sixth with Brian Lynch, Jr., Steven Streight, Bob Snyder and Dave Czerwinski rounding out the top ten.
Donovan Ponder led flag to flag to win the Bandelero Bandits feature driving the best race of his young career. Following the 11-year old driver across the stripe were Critter Saile (his best-ever finish), Nicholas Baluch, Shawn Hooven, Zach Harris, Maxx Bennett and Mark Hooven.
In the "some things never change" department, Gerald White, Jr. again dominated the action in the Bandelero Young Guns as he led all but the opening circuit to take the win over Kristina Baluch, Gerald Campbell, Woody Richardson and Kaleb Hearndon.
Jessie Cuddy had her Chevy Cavalier back in action and led all the way to top the 12-15 year old Junior Stocks. Justin Curtis drove his new Toyota to second over Kody Kasper and Daniel Steele.
After two wrecks, the Junior Stock 8-11 year old drivers were told to take their cars to the pits as the race was ruled no contest with no points or trophies awarded.
OFFICIAL RESULTS ORLANDO SPEEDWORLD - AUGUST 11
SUPER LATE MODEL
1. #92 Dick Anderson 2. #22 Dusty Cornelius 3. #57 Chad Pierce 4. #11 Gary Bierlein 5. #13 Tommy Styer 6. #14 Ronnie Roach 7. #8x John Spadeveechia 8. #2 Patrick Conrad
OPEN WHEEL MODIFIED
1. #4B Alan Bruns 2. #55 Shain Held 3. #14 Michael Williams 4. #38 Dave Debelius 5. #4 Blake Lehr 6. #30 Mark Emberson 7. #68 Butch Herdegen 9. #33 Gary Fountain Sr. 10. #08 Terri Bryant
SPORTSMAN
1. #4 Travis Towell 2. #57 Bryan Silas 3. #00 John Hodge 4. #25 Timmy Todd Jr. 5. #13 Glen Castro 6. #49 Richard Hight 7. #69 Alex Dicandio 8. #15 Billy Bellflower 9. #64 Billy Cuddy DNS
SUPER STOCK
1. #3 James Frisbie 2. #74 Lee Wagner 3. #7 Vince Keeler 4. #28 Roger Benton 5. #2 Ron Whaley 6. #01 Scott Smith 7. #8 Tobi Smith 8. #1 Robert Skinner 9. #11 Dennis Snyder 10. #9 Matthew Jarrett 11. #97 Scott Keena 12. #49 Jason Foster 13. #86 Johnny Brown 14. #12 Bobby Byars 15. #25 Robert Ward DNS 16. #52 Bobby Riley DQ'D
MINI STOCK
1. #07 Dick Laszlo 2. #97 Kelly Jarrett 3. #10 Michael Seay 4. #77 Randy Blakeslee 5. #06 Heather Suggs
PBG LEGENDS 35
1. #5 Kory Abbott 2. #84 Matt Bowers 3. #54 Brandon Thomson 4. #75 Chelsea Schillig 5. #00 Darin Coker 6. #57 Bryan Silas 7. #1FL Andy Logan 8. #55 Doug Hall 9. #47 Eric Eichelberger 10. #19 James Rodriquez 11. #9 Mitch Verhaugh 12. #38 Mike Fazzio 13. #56 Josh Antley 14. #38 Spike Saebo 15. #4rent Mike Haney 16. #23w Bob Wilson 17. #37 Leonard Hearndon 18. #55FL Tony Sansom 19. #9R Jordan Richardson 20. #34 Shaughn McCormick 21. #74 Paul Schrein 22. #7 Mike Verhaugh 23. #2 Jimmy Norman 24. #01 Doc Richardson
BANDOLERO BANDITS
1. #8 Donovan Ponder 2. #12 Critter Saile 3. #17 Nicholas Baluch 4. #27 Shawn Hooven 5. #54 Zach Harris 6. #1 Max Bennett 7. #17 Mark Hooven
1. #27X Steve Anderson 2. #21 William Hindman 3. #A1 Rob Reynolds 4. #16 Robert Remus 5. #8x Neal Kirby 6. #11x Kerry Payne 7. #54 Brian Lynch Jr. 8. #80 Steven Streight 9. #16x Bob Snyder 10. #44 Dave Cywinski 11. #7x Scott Edwards 12. #B4 Bobby Crites Jr. 13. #T-13x Tom Stewart 14. #20x Richard Barrenechea 15. #6 Joey Willis 16. #41 George Brown 17. #63 Matt Spenkel 18. #22 Miguel Barrenechea 19. #3 Bob Heina 20. #8 Luis Guillan 21. #D2 David Leeper II 22. #T-13 Gary Thomas 23. #27 Joey White
