Choquette wins in Anderson's 92 at New Smyrna Speedway
by Jane Smith
Samsula, Fla. (April 28, 2007) A perfect day greeted fans at New Smyrna Speedway as the Sunoco Sunbelt Super Late Model 125 headlined the Saturday night show. Twenty-one Super Late Models qualified with Jeff Choquette of Loxahatchee on the pole not in his car but Dick Anderson's 92.
B.J. McLeod of Wachula had a bad week blowing one motor after another and was in Jeff Scofield's 07. McLeod had the car working as he qualified second fastest followed by Tim Russell, new comer Ricky Carmichael in fourth and young David Wilson in fifth. All top five passed tech with Choquette pulling the number 5 pill putting David Wilson on the pole with Ricky Carmichael on outside pole.
Fans lined up at the front gate for the on-track autograph session as the drivers were overwhelmed with signing autograph card, programs and shirts. Everyone loves to get up close to the drivers and this is one of their favorite times at the race track. Fans were asked to leave the track as the drivers got ready for their introduction. Now, it is time to buckle up and get to what everyone wants to see, racing.
The green was waved and the cars were off with David Wilson taking the front followed by Tim Russell, B.J. McLeod, Jeff Choquette, and Wayne Jefferson. The front four quickly formed their own pack as they ran nose to tail. Lap 3 saw Mario Maresca of Ft. Lauderdale go into the pits followed by Patrick Conrad of Clermont on lap 9 with motor problems. Rich Carmichael brought out the first caution on lap 10 when his motor blew and he had to be pushed into the pits, done before he could even get started.
Wilson held the point on the restart on lap 15 followed by Russell, Choquette, McLeod, and Chad Pierce. By lap 21, David Rogers is on the move as he passes Brian Finney for eighth. Jefferson goes onto pit road for some crew attention on lap 21 and is unable to return to the race. Meanwhile back at the ranch, Choquette is changelling Russell for second and takes it only for Russell to come back and retake second. Choquette again challenges Russell on lap 30 and once again takes over second putting Russell third. Top ten are Wilson, Choquette, Russell, McLeod, Pierce, Bischoff, Freed, Rogers, Finney and Perry Brown.
On lap 33 we see Dusty Cornelius go in with mechanical problems ending his night. Meanwhile Choquette is looking to pass Wilson but Wilson wants none of that. As Wilson, Choquette, and Russell are nose to tail fighting for the same position, number one. Choquette and Russell are side-by-side with Wilson in the front. Russell makes a great move and takes the lead putting Wilson second and Choquette back to third.
The caution comes out on lap 44 for Joe Boyd, Brock Burns, and Blake Lehr who are all up in turn 2. Getting caught up in the mess is the leader Tim Russell who hits oil and then the wall damaging his car. As the crews go to work on the cars that might be able to return, Blake Lehr is towed into the pits. Burns is done for the night along with Russell.
Lap 52 sees the restart with Choquette on the point followed by Wilson, McLeod, Freed, and Rogers. Wilson finds his hands full as McLeod challenges for second and takes it. Pierce, who is running ninth, passes Perry Brown and takes eighth. The caution comes out on lap 68 for Jack Arnold, III as he spins on the backstretch. Choquette holds the point on the restart followed by McLeod, Wilson, Bischoff, and Freed. David Rogers is now looking to move up and looks on Freed but Freed holds. Brian Finney passes Rogers for sixth as Rogers settles into seventh.
Suddenly on lap 92, fifth place car Corey Freed is off the track and done for the night after a really good run. New running order is Choquette, McLeod, Wilson, Bischoff, Finney, Pierce, Brown, Rogers, Martin and Joe Boyd. Now it is Wilson who has problems on lap 107 as he slows and goes into the pits, done for the night. Just when you think there can be no more problems, second place B.J. McLeod has yet another motor to blow. So close but not close enough to the finish.
The last ten laps remain green as drivers fight for their finishing positions. But there was no way to beat Choquette as he took the checkered over Brad Bischoff, Chad Pierce, Brian Finney, and Perry Brown.
The Sunoco Sunbelt Super Late Models return to action on May 26, 2007 at Columbia Motorsports Park. For more information on the tour, go to www.fascar.org.
OFFICIAL RESULTS NEW SMYRNA SPEEDWAY APRIL 28, 2007
1. #92 Jeff Choquette, Loxatatchee 2. #53 Brad Bischoff, Myakka 3. #57 Chad Pierce, Orlando 4. #80 Brian Finney, Merritt Island 5. #22x Perry Brown, Riverview 6. #11 David Rogers, Orlando 7. #66 Matt Martin, Daytona 8. #5 Joe Boyd, Riverview 9. #26 Ricky Moxley, West Palm Beach 10. #07 B.J. McLeod, Watchula 11. #112 Jack Arnold, III, St. Pete 12. #83 David Wilson, Sarasota 13. #12 Corey Freed, Orlando 14. #36 Tim Russell, Longwood 15. #4 Blake Lehr, Orlando 16. #40 Brock Burns, Winter Haven 17. #22 Dusty Cornelius, Cocoa 18. #94 Wayne Jefferson, Pinellas Park 19. #4x Ricky Carmichael, Tallahassee 20. #2 Patrick Conrad, Clermont 21. #14 Mario Maresca, Ft. Lauderdale
Modified - Features Pos Driver Car # 1 Shain Held 55 2 Skip Honaker 2 3 Jim Flynn 57 4 Gary Fountain 33 5 Matthew Wheeler 96 6 Art Kunzeman 9 7 Gary Fountain, Jr 77 8 Alan Bruns 4B Jamie Skinner 66 DNS
Sportsman - Features Pos Driver Car # 1 Rusty Ebersole 23 2 Donny Williams 111 3 Scott Smith 31 4 Philip Luizzo 27 5 Ronald Lufcy 07 6 John Nusbaum 70 7 Dale Howard 63 8 Paul Kitner 911 9 Richard Ellkins, Jr. 55 10 Ambrose Griffin 05 11 Jason Foster 49 12 Randall Jones 75 Bruce McGonigal 6 DNS
Strictly Stock - Features Pos Driver Car # 1 Rudy Crews 115 2 Doug Wolf 69 3 Wiiliam Skip Wager 43 4 Arnold Parent 03 5 Brent Bruner 20 6 Eddie Rush 71 7 Harry Armstrong 77 8 Dominic Barbado 18 9 Dustin Higdon 1 10 David Shea 912 11 Ronald Parent 04 12 Richard Goodrich 86
Super Stock - Features Pos Driver Car # 1 Michael Wofford 15 2 Matthew Jarrett 98 3 Billy Boggs 9 4 Mike Dahm 21 5 Bobby Holley 56
Trucks - Features Pos Driver Car # 1 Austin Howell 96 2 Jessica Murphy 62 3 Kevin Henry 99X 4 Ron Dubeau 11 5 Logan Bordeau 33B 6 Mark Mesito 84 7 Tim Gertsch 29 8 Doug Elliott 4K 9 Tim Bagnall 01 10 Marty Wolf 9 11 Charlie Collins 7 12 Jim Campbell 73 Ricky Moxley 38 DNS
