MARK GIMMLER TOPS LUSCOMB/YUMA MEMORIAL AT ORLANDO SPEEDWORLD
BRIAN VICKERS GETS FIRST EVER MODIFIED WIN
By Dave Westerman
The Tampa Bay Area Racing Association Winged Outlaw Sprint Cars were out in force Friday night at Orlando Speedworld as 29 of the ground-pounding machines were on hand for the First Annual Bob Luscomb/Billy Yuma Memorial. At the end of the night, the winner was a driver who seems to be specializing in "memorial" races.
The 29 car field was quickly reduced by one in hot laps as Shawn Grimes made contact with another car and slammed into the turn three wall during the final practice session. Grimes was not injured but his Skeeter Falcouner-owned machine was done for the night.
Three heat races were required to set the starting line-up for the 30 lap feature event. Lance Taylor sped from the outside pole and led all the way to take heat one while Mark Gimmler ran off from his pole starting slot to dominate heat two. Heat three was a family affair as Keith Butler made a late race pass of his dad Stan Butler to claimk the victory. Both Dan Statter and Skeeter Faulconer had engine woes in the third heat and would mis the main event.
Shawn Grimes wrecked hard in practice, checked out ok by EMTs.
That meant 26 cars would take the green with Mark Gimmler and Jimmy Alvis making up the front row. Joey "The Ace" Aguilar would pull off the track before the start with a mis-firing engine leaving 25 cars to take the green.
Gimmler took off like a rocket and built up a quick lead while Bo Hartley shot from his eighth starting spot into fourth in just two laps. Wayne Reutimann, Sr. had his car go sour on lap four and he brought out the caution, unable to get his car safely into the infield.
Again, Gimmler shot well out into the lead as Hartley bagan to work his way into second trailed closely by Dude Teate in Lenny Puglio's potent Northside Propane car that is normally driven by Dave Steele who was away at a USAC Silver Crown race.
The crowd was getting a great look at some hard driving as the trio began to maneuver through tons of lapped traffic. Meanwhile, Keith Butler was methodically working his way up to fourth.
Michael Smith looped his car in turn two to bring out the second and final caution on lap 23. By this time ten cars were out of the race, parked in the infield. That put the front four right together for the restart, but Gimmler had the field covered and sped two his second TBARA win of the year. Interestingly enough, Gimmler's other win came in the Dick Friedly Memorial race at Desoto Speedway.
Teate challenged Hartley for second before dropping back late as Hartley, the current TBARA point leader, bolstered his shot at his first title with a solid second place finish. Teate held off Keith Butler for third while Stan Butler drove a steady race to finish fifth.
Richard Waddell had a great run coming home sixth with the winner's brother Gary Gimmler seventh ahead of Troy DeCaire, Lance Taylor and Michael Smith, who did a great job after his spin to get back up to a top ten finish.
Rounding out the finishers were Kipp Beard, Wendy Mathis, John Anderson, Erik MacMillan, Mickey Kempgens, Sonny Hartley, Shane Butler, Randy Woodall, Larry J. Brazil, Jr., Jimmy Alvis, Ray Bolin, Chuck Brooks, Doug Elliott, Reutimann, Sr., Steven Bradley and Aguilar.
Although he shares his name with one of Hendrick Racing's Nextel Cup drivers, Brian Vickers (The Orlando Speedworld one) is now the only one with a win in 2006 as the second-year driver sped to his first career win Friday night in the Modified feature.
After point leader Alan Bruns slapped the wall and eventually dropped from the running, Vickers was able to race unchallenged to his first checkered flag driving a new car in just its third race.
Skip Honaker's late race charged netted him the runner-up spot ahead of Gary Fountain, Sr. (his best finish of the year), Shain Held and Mark Emberson. Rounding out the top ten were Terri Bryant, Norm Woodring, Butch Herdegen, Randy Froelich and Bruns. Vickers also won the heat.
After several close calls, "Bomber" Bill Loomis finally found victory lane in his KLM Plumbing-sponsored car in the Super Stock feature.
Loomis took advantage of a wild fracas that saw Lee Wagner get into leader Gary Cameron's car on lap eight. As Cameron got his car corrected, James Frisbie tried to drive high around him but the two cars collided and hit the back stretch wall. Cameron and Frisbie were done for the night while Wagner was sent to the rear of the field for the restart.
Loomis found himself out front and made the most of it easily holding off Robert Ward for the win. Jason Foster took third trailed by Vince Keeler and Jason Pick while Bobby Simcox, Wagner, Tobi Smith, Dennis Snyder and Scott Keena rounded out the top ten. Super Stock heats were won by Wagner and Johnny Brown.
A good field of Sportsman cars were on hand, many getting some "set-up" work for next weeks Homer Gordon Memorial 50.
H.B. Shepherd led the early going but could not hold of the charge of Andy Nicholls who zipped to his fifth win of the year. Shepherd held on for second in a great race over Glen Castro, Travis Towell and Dale Clouser. Completing the top ten were Jeff wright, Richard Hight, Eddie Thornton, Rip Dyal and Brandon Thomson. Shepherd and Thomson won the heat races.
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Kelly Jarrett took the lead from Rex "Boneman" Hollinger on lap two and led the rest of the way to win the Mini Stock feature despite late pressure from heat race winner Pedie Allison. Michael Seay came in with third place honors as point leader Randy Blakeslee claimed fourth at the stripe from Dick Laszlo just before Laszlo's engine blew up. Hollinger, John Cook, Bob Miller, Josh Hermann and Scott Jarrett rounded out the finishers.
Kyle Peters worked his way through another big field of Strictly Stocks to lay claim to the victory over Steve Anderson, Shawn Cannon, Rob Reynolds and Gomez Alvarez. Strictly Stock heats were won by Peters and Bob Snyder.
The top two finishers in the Junior Stock 8-11 year old division were disqualified in tech giving the win to Wes Railing, Jr. over his sister Jessica. The winner of the 12-15 year old Junior Stock feature was also DQ'd handing the win to Jake Cameron over Logan Bordeau, Austin Carr and Elizabeth Trocki.
OFFICIAL RESULTS ORLANDO SPEEDWORLD, SEPTEMBER 29
TBARA OUTLAW WINGED SPRINTS
1. #51 Mark Gimmler 2. #3x Bo Hartley 3. #91 Dude Teate 4. #19 Keith Butler 5. #18 Stan Butler 6. #47 Richard Waddell 7. #99 Gary Gimmler 8. #68 Trey DeCare 9. #29T Lance Taylor 10. #9x Michael Smith 11. #66 Kipp Beard 12. #80 Wendy Mathis 13. #1x John Anderson 14. #11x Erik MacMillan 15. #19b Mickey Kempgens 16. #3Y Sonny Hartley 17. #41 Shaqne Butler 18. #5W Randy Woodall 19. #21B Kary J. Brazil Jr 20. #21 Tim Alvis 21. #1B Ray Balon 22. #59B Chuck Brooks 23. #7A Doug Elliott 24. #22 Wayne Reutimann Sr. 25. #1 Steven Bradley 26. #52 Joey Aguilar
OPEN WHEEL MODIFIED
1. #86 Brian Vickers 2. #2 Skip Honaker 3. #33 Gary Fountain Sr. 4. #55 Shain Held 5. #30 Mark Emberson 6. #08 Terri Bryant 7. #72 Norman Woodring 8. #68 Butch Hardegan 9. #8 Randy Froehlich 10. #4b Alan Bruns
SPORTSMAN
1. #66 Andy Nicholls 2. #11 Henry Shepherd 3. #6 Glen Castro 4. #4x Travis Towell 5. #30 Dale Clouser 6. #50 Jeff Wright 7. #23 Richard Hight 8. #4 Eddie Thornton 9. #79 Rip Dyal 10. #54 Brandon Thomson 11. #15 Billy Bellflower 12. #41 Rodney Eary DNS
SUPER STOCK
1. #26 Bill Loomis 2. #25 Robert Ward 3. #49 Jason Foster 4. #7 Vince Keeler 5. #44 Jason Pick 6. #92 Bobby Simcox 7. #74 Lee Wagner 8. #8 Tobi Smith 9. #11 Dennis Snyder 10. #97 Scott Keena 11. #86 Johnny Brown 12. #9 Matt Jarrett 13. #69 Gary Cameron 14. #3 James Frisbie
MINI STOCK
1. #97 Kelly Jarrett 2. #92 Pedie Allison 3. #10 Michael Seay 4. #77 Randy Blakeslee 5. #07 Dick Laszlo 6. #85 Rex "Boneman" Hollinger 7. #24 John Cook 8. #02 Bob Miller 9. #98 Josh Hermann DNS 10. #17 Scott Jarrett DNS
1. #4 Kyle Peters 2. #27 Steve Anderson 3. #00 Shawn Canon 4. #A1 Rob Reynolds 5. #12 Gomez Alvarez 6. #20x Richard Barrenechea 7. #D1 David Leeper 8. #8x Neal Kirby 9. #16x Bob Snyder 10 #76 Gary Thomas 11. #7x Bob Green 12. #10 Sebastian Pulido 13. #44 Dave Czerwinski 14. #77 Todd McCreary 15. #27 16. #63 Matt Sprenkle 17. #45 Dave Czerwinski Jr. 18. #80 Steven Streight 19. #66 Tom Stewart 20. #693 Justin Gourlay DNS 21. #22 Miguel Barrenechea DNS
