With a little luck, Teddy Nelson could have been a double winner in Open Wheel Modifieds at Charlotte County Motorsports Park on Saturday night. The big guy out of Pinellas Park had to settle for one victory in the twin-35-lap features at the Punta Gorda 3/8-mile paved oval.
Going head-to-head with the NASCAR Phoenix race, plus the block party had the crowd down some, but the racing was hot.
Nelson was well on his way to checkers in the first Open Wheel feature, leading 20 laps. But a bump from Sean McLaughlin sent him to the pits. Nelson, the driver of the 94 car out of Pinellas Park, was down, but not out. He came back to capture the second race later in the evening.
Eric Rudd of Naples was second in the first 35-lapper, while McLaughlin of Port Charlotte took third.
In the second race, Butch Bassett of Clearwater grabbed second. McLaughlin, who recorded fast time in qualifying at 15.36, was once again third.
A driver who did win two features Saturday night was Randy Kile out of Lehigh Acres. Kile originally crossed the finish line second to Ray Jayne in the Thunder Trucks 20-lap feature. However, Jayne1s 35 truck was disqualified in post-race technical inspection because of an illegal intake. That bounced Kile up to first place. James Wright III moved up to second from third.
Later on, Kile cemented his double by taking the checkered flag in the 15-lap Junkyard Dog 3A2 race. Kile passed Les Couch for the lead on lap 11. Kile leads both Thunder Trucks and Junkyard Dogs in points.
In the Sportsman 25-lapper, James Casady of Arcadia grabbed his first career win in Punta Gorda, holding off a spirited charge by Danny Yates.
Yates tried to get his 22 around the 7 of Casady, but the Arcadia driver hung on. Guy Sheets was third in the 16 car.
The winged USA Sprints returned to Charlotte County Motorsports Park for a 25-lapper. Greg Leonard won by a very comfortable margin over runnerup
Dennis Missuraca. Leonard, a 25-year-old who hails from Gibsonton, simply had the 85 Clyde Poole owned car flying. Scott Adema of Fort Myers was third.
In Road Warriors, red-hot Terry Price went out early because of mechanical problems and gun Shane Leonard went out with with wheel problems. That left the door open for Dan Benoit to grab the checkered. Ricky Shelnut was second in the 9 car.
Mike McCarson captured the Junkyard Dog 3B2 race. Dave Malmberg was second and Chuck Fiesher was third.
The night ended with a bang with the Figure 8 Boat Race. The last three competitors ? Wally 3Skipper2 Smith, Mike Bialecki and Robert 3Mango Man2 Hendry put on quite a show for the chilled crowd. The last man standing was Smith, making it two boat wins in a row.
This coming Saturday, the Limited Late Models return to CCMP.
Charlotte County Results For 4-21-07
Open Wheel Modified 1st
19 Scott McDaniels 12 Eric Rudd 99 Sean McLaughlin 11 James Wilkins 2R John Rogers 5 James Wilkins 94 Teddy Nelson 82 Kent McLean 84 Jack Arnold 23 Butch Bassett
Sportsman 7 James Casady 22 Danny Yates 16 Guy Sheets 69 Dennis Cheever 42 Gene Sweeney 19 Dale Dean
JYD'S A 21 Randy Kile 33 Les Couch (Heat Winner) 27 Scott Adkins 24 Shane Moore 83 Josh Calvert 47 Geoff Stiner 46 Cody Benoit
Road Warriors
20 Dan Benoit (Heat Winner) 9 Rick Shelnut 5 Donnie Castillo 23 Jeff Rumbold 34 Eddie Morrison 2 Bobby Fischer 18 Shane Leonard 3 Terry Price
JYD'S B 6 Mike McCarson 46 David Malmberg JR. (Heat Winner) 0 Chuck Flesher 45 Jeff Malmberg 97 Josh Flesher 13 Brent Drake 55 Mark Davis 47 Charlie (Fagman) 77 Peter Varney JR. 41X Mike Graves 83 Jason Carter (Heat Winner)
Thunder 6 Ray Jayne DQed in tech 21 Randy Kile 6 James Wright B52 Larry Ballard JR. (Heat Winner) 4 Andy Pryor 8 Mike Bialecki 18 Robert Willms 43 Robert Dupont 69 Tom Pryor 51 Phillip Tuckett (Heat Winner) 77 James Della DQed & suspended 11 James Bullard
Open Wheel 2nd Race 94 Teddy Nelson 23 Butch Bassett 99 Sean McLaughlin 12 Eric Rudd 19 Scott McDaniels 5 James Wilkins JR. 11 James Wilkins 2R Dns 82 Dns 84 Dns
USA Sprints
85 Greg Gingras 3 Dennis Misuraca 67 Scott Adema (Heat Winner) 4 Brian Gingas (Heat Winner) 88 Sport Alan V8 R.C. Roper J1 Mike Tharp 6 Mike Schroder
