The ABC Towing Hurricane class took center stage for a winner-take-all 30 lap event Saturday night at Orlando Speedworld while the Legends Cars and Bandoleros finished up the back half of a two night show.
For the first time ever the Hurricanes ran time trials to set starting positions for their big race. Driving a Mustang, William Hindman was fastest of the 25 entries at 18.810 seconds with Doug Webb second quick over Brian Townson, Bruce Gayton and Jim Erb.
Erb made some good early moves in his Acura and grabbed an early lead. The best race for several laps was a side by side battle between Gayton and Webb while Hindman got in some early trouble and found himself working back through the field from the rear of the pack.
Late in the going, Webb's car began to run hot while Hindman worked his way back to the top five before being involved in another altercation, this time with a lapped car.
Erb crossed the stripe a few car lengths in front of Gayton while Bill Loomis got by Webb to take third. All three were driving Chevy Monte Carlos. Gary Thomas was fifth. For his efforts, Erb took a cash prize of $250 from class sponsor ABC Towing, a $200 gift certificate from Friday night Strictly Stock sponsor Action Gator Tire, 4 tickets to the Full Speed NASCAR Simulators at Old Town in Kissimmee plus a set of custom die-cut numbers for his race car.
Brian Cosier was sixth with David Leeper II, Shane Sutorus, Joey Silver and Tom Stewart rounding out the top ten. Hindman eventually came home 11th. Completing the finishing field were Ray Hindman, Blaise Fisher, Lance Kincaid, Mark Walls, Alex Fortune, Greg Bruce, Dan Webb, Corey Freed, Kenny Baillargeon, Brian Townson, Mark Fritzler, Neal Kirby, Brenda Taylor and Rob Reynolds.
Another great field of Legend Cars were in the pits including defending Speedworld champion Kory Abbott who traveled all night from Anderson, SC where he competed in an INEX/600 Series Regional Qualifier finishing second to SC stand-out Jordan Anderson.
First up was the Legend Charger feature which was won by newcomer Dave Gleason who topped Dallas Ingram, Mason Ketterman and Gerald Campbell. The win gave Gleason the opportunty to tag the rear of the regular Legends Car 25 lap main event.
Heat races for the Legends went to Friday night feature winner Brandon Thomson and Abbott. The 25 lap feature race would be quite a bit less damaging to equipment than the Friday one as there were just three caution flag periods, the first coming at the end of lap one when Bryan Beland spun in turn four. On the restart, Shaughn McCormick got loose and spun. McCormick was able to keep going but several cars checked up behind him with Alex Kempf eventually being the odd man out as he tagged the wall hard in turn two.
As the race resumed, Zach Zimmerly was the leader but Abbott made quick work of him and set sail. Thomson was now on the move as he passed third running Clay Hair on lap four then sped by Zimmerly for second on lap seven bringing Hair with him and into third.
A lap 20 caution for Bob Wilson's spin brought the field back to Abbott, but the young driver was dialed in and he drove to the win over Thomson, Hair, Zimmerly and McCormick. Josh Williams, Darin Coker, Tony Sansom, Jimmy Norman and Mike Verhaagh completed the top ten. Verhaagh's run was a good one as he started dead last after moving to brother Mitch Verhaagh's car after a heat race crash wounded his own machine.
Completing the finishing field were Rick Wetmore, Mark Bibeau, Beland, Gleason, Dalton Bergman, Wilson, Gary Verdier, Jimmy Rodriguez, Gerald White, Jr. and Kempf. Eric Eichelberger and Mitch Verhaagh did not start the feature.
Ricky Wood took a somewhat controversial win in the Classic Cars although the entire field had nothing for Jeff Wright who was leading by a country mile before his engine blew with six laps to go.
Heat winner John Smith took over the top spot for the restart with Wood and Ron Gustafson all over him. Coming to the checkered flag, Wood got into Smith and the leader spun with Wood crossing the stripe in first. Wood complained that Smith's car was leaking oil which was covering his windshield. after a brief discussion, Wood's victory stood with Gustafson in second. Brad Norburg took the third spot ahead of Greg Helton and Andrew Gustafson. Smith was credited with sixth trailed by Danny Dixon, Rod Burton, Wright and Derrick Wood.
The winners on Friday night repeated those victories on Saturday in the Hearndon Construction Bandoleros.
Critter Saile passed Dillon Bassett near mid race to take his second Bandit win of the weekend. Bassett took second ahead of Zach Harris, Shawn Hooven, Zoey Guignardi, Justin Bechtold, Coty Bibeau and Daniel Conlin. Bassett won the heat.
Ronnie Bassett, Jr. out ran the Young Gun field for the second straight night taking the victory over fellow North Carolinian Brandon Lynn, Mark Hooven, Donovan Ponder, Gerald Campbell and Carl Haag. Bassett also won the heat race.
The best race of the night was put on by the Florida Mini Cup Racing Association. Although only five cars showed, the race featured side by side action from green to checker with Devin McLeod and Brady Marshall trading the lead back and forth almost every lap while Corey White and Mack Pick swapped third and fourth nearly every lap as well. Things came to a head coming to the checker as the leaders rubbed and banged with Marshall losing control and hitting the wall head-on right at the flag stand. Marshall was unhurt and was credited with third behind McLeod and Pick. White was fourth and Vinny Page fifth. McLeod also won the heat.
J.L. Snowden grabbed the lead from Georgia visitor Brandon Williamson and led the remaining distance to claim the Pro Challenge feature race. Ryan Rust came home a distant second ahead of Rowdy Gordon, Williamson, Jarrett Snowden, Bruce Gibson, Gene Dibble and David Hall. williamson won the heat race.
Matt Covington led most of the way to capture the Outlaw Strictly Stock feature out-running heat winner Gilbert Steele, Scott Mickens, Joe Arnold and Anthony Robinson.
In Daytona Antique Auto Racing Association action, Scott Williams turned some impressive lap times in his "Skeeter" Modified to take the Stock Car win over the NASCAR Tour-type Modified of Gene Vitiello. Keith Grant was third trailed by Larry Larivee, Jim Kaserman and Eddie Grant.
Jack Sapp topped the DAARA Sprint Car field taking the win over Roy Campbell, Jay Yahnke, Sue Yahnke and Dave Jarrett while the Midget feature was won by Jerry Paquin over Bill wendt and Dale Miller.
--Advertisement--
OFFICIAL RESULTS ORLANDO SPEEDWORLD AUGUST 11, 2007
1. #40 1/2 J.L. Snowden 2. #18 Ryan Rust 3. #24 Rowdy Gordon 4. #20 Brandon Williams 5. #4 Jarrett Snowden 6. #33 Bruce Gibson 7. #2 Gean Dibble 8. #22 David Hall
DAARA SPRINT
1. #77 Jack Sapp 2. #20 Roy Cambell 3. #7b Jay Yahnke 4. #7w Sue Yahnke 5. #9 Dave Jarrett
DAARA STOCK
1. #5 Scott Williams 2. #99 Gene Vitello 3. #73 Keith Grant 4. #7-11 Larry Lariver 5. #21 James Casserman 6. #8 Eddy Grant 7. #four Richie Iverson
DAARA MIDGET
1. #6 Jerry Paquin 2. #71 Bill Wendt 3. #1 Dale Miller
CLASSICS
1. #21 Simon Spagnuolo 2. #38 Ron Gustafson 3. #75 Brad Norburg 4. #3 Greg Helton 5. #9 Andrew Gustafson 6. #34 John Smith 7. #74 Danny Dixon 8. #7 Rod Burton 9. #44 Jeff Wright 10. #21x Derrick Wood
OUTLAW STRICTLY STOCK
1. #7 Matt Covington 2. #24 Gilbert Steel 3. #9 Scott Mickens 4. #3 Rudy Arnold 5. #38 Anthony Robinson
HURRICANE 30
1. #1 Jim Erb 2. #71 Bruce Gayton 3. #16 Bill Loomis 4. #104.1 Doug Webb 5. #76 Gary Thomas 6. #35 Brian Cosier 7. #D2 David Leeper II 8. #3-15 Shane Sutorus 9. #36 Joey Silver 10. #66 Tom Stewart 11. #69 William Hindman 12. #89 Ray Hindman 13. #29 Blaise Fisher 14. #28x Lance Kincaid 15. #6 Mark Walls 16. #8x Alex Fortune 17. #4U Greg Bruce 18. #112 Dan Webb 19. #12 Corey Freed 20. #28 Kenny Baillargeon 21. #22 Brian Townson 22. #14 Mark Fritzler 23. #03 Neal Kirby 24. #A1 Rob Reynolds DNS 25. #24 Brenda Taylor DNS
