Patrick Thomas wins Southern Sportsman 50, Jared Allison wins FMSC 50 at Orlando SpeedWorld August 17
by Dave Westerman
It was another hot, muggy, yet rainless evening Friday at Orlando Speedworld as the track played host to the Southern Sportsman Series and the Florida Mini Stock Challenge for the second time this year.
Oviedo's Patrick Thomas set quick time out of the 19 Southern Sportsman Series entries with a lap of 15.250 seconds, tripping the clocks just a bit faster than both Wayne Morris and Steve Gainey. The field started straight-up with Thomas on the pole and Morris outside. Thomas wasted little time showing what he had as he jumped out front quickly only to see the caution flag displayed on lap two when Derek Slade and Rick McMehan tangled scattering debris from both cars all the way around the track.
After repairs were made, both continued.
Thomas again set the pace while things were hot and heavy behind him. On lap six, Gainey and Morris tangled going into turn one with Gainey's car smashing hard into the wall. A very upset, but unhurt Gainey scrambled from his car and began to make a beeline for Morris' machine. Gainey's charge was interrupted by track officials but it took four of them to subdue the burly driver.
As calm was restored, Morris was ordered to take his car to the infield and out of the event as well where big Wayne watched the remainder of the race. On the restart, third-running Richard Elkins, Jr. apparently found his car had dropped a cylinder and he slid quickly backwards jamming the field up behind him and causing the cars of Derrick Heath and Jeff Padilla to tangle up. Padilla continued but Heath had to go to the sidelines.
Once the race restarted, there was plently of green flag racing. Joey Catarelli moved his machine into second spot on lap eleven but Thomas was long gone by then. Chad Pierce's spin would bring out the yellow one more time on lap 27, but Thomas again easily moved away from the field over the remaining laps and took the victory. After the winner's circle celebration and a successful pass through tech, Morris showed up with the cash needed and purchased the engine in Thomas' car.
Catarelli raced to a solid second place while 11th starter Bart Weatherford steadily drove his way up to third at the finish. Mike Soukup also had a great run in taking fourth while Aaron Williamson claimed fifth. Rounding out the top ten were Mark Peterson, Ronnie Heard, Jr., Rob Kayse, McMehan and David Williamson.
The Florida Mini Stock Challenge field consisted of only eight cars but they proved again that quality, not quantity can make the show. Robbie Storer of Zephyrhills was quickest in qualifying at 15.440 seconds topping Chris Thornton and Jared Allison. The top three were inverted for the start putting Allison on the pole in the car his dad Pedie has driven to nine wins so far this year here.
Allison grabbed the early lead but Storer and Thornton were right on his bumper. After several laps, Storer finally found the edge on the inside groove and took the lead with Thornton following suit into second place. Now it was Thornton's turn to put on the pressure as Storer's car was obviously just a bit loose coming off the corners. Thornton made a move on Storer just after the half-way signal was shown, but the two cars bumped hard. From that point, Thornton's machine just wasn't the same. Allison moved back into second as Thornton slipped back, eventually doing a solo spin to bring out the caution on lap 40.
With six laps to go, something broke on fourth-running Cody Blair's car and he smacked the turn two wall. Blair was OK but out of the race.
On the restart it was Allison's turn to put the pressure on Storer. Allison's car was running better off the corners and he re-took the lead, setting the pace to the checker for his first career FMSC win. Storer came home second ahead of James Ellis, Chris Zimmerman, Thornton, Rex Christiensen, Blair and Mike Birk, Jr.
The FASCAR Quick Kids were also on the card and an apparent run-away victory for Maxx Bennett was all for naught as his truck was set down in tech.
That gave Chase Hoffman his first Quick Kid win as he would be awarded the victory over Randy Anderson, Austin Stamper, Matt Cohen, Harley Zimmerman, Tyler Laing, Colby Clements, Stephen Nasse and Thomas Warnick. Nasse set fast time at 15.350 but dropped out early in the race after both he and Warnick slapped the back stretch wall while racing for position.
Gary Fountain, Jr. survived three minor yellow flag periods to lead all the way in the Modified feature. Fountain took his third win of the year over Mark Emberson, Bobby Joe Woodley, Shain Held, Alan Bruns, Randy Froelich, Dick Laszlo and David Debelius. Fountain also won the heat.
The top three finishers in the Super Stock feature actually all passed tech this week as Roger Benton came back from a big crash the previous week to score the win, his third of the year.
Lee Wagner chased Benton to the checker followed by David Gould, Jeff Parrish, and James Frisbie. Completing the top ten were Bobby Simcox, Nathan Haystead, Austin Carr, Alaine Grogan and Daniel Laszlo. Heats for the 19 entries were won by Benton and Simcox. With sponsorship from A-1 Shed Transport, Gary Thomas finally found victory lane in the Action Gator Tire Strictly Stocks after posting many second and third place finishes.
After winning his heat, Thomas stayed out front all the way to claim the win over teammate Rob Reynolds, Richard Barrenechea, Corey Freed and Steven Streight. Second heat winner Jim Erb came home sixth with Tom Stewart, Denny Johns, Shane Sutorus and Miguel Barrenechea rounding out the top ten.
Dylan Curtis topped the Palm Tree Computers Junior Stock field taking the measure of Jason Rosarius, Joseph Daniel, Carl Kwasny, Jr., Derek Binda and Wes Railing, Jr.
OFFICIAL RESULTS ORLANDO SPEEDWORLD AUGUST 17, 2007
Jr. Stocks 8-11
1 - 88 Carl Kwasny
Jr. Stocks
1 - 6 Dylan Curtis 2 - 18 Jason Rosarius 3 - 24 Joseph Daniel 4 - 27 Derek Binda
Strictly Stock
1 - 76 Gary Thomas 2 - A1 Rob Reynolds 3 - 20X Richard Barraechea 4 - 12 Gomez Alvarez 5 - 80 Steven Streight 6 - 32 Jim Erb 7 - 66 Tom Stewart 8 - 55 Denny Johns 9 - 3-15 Shane Sutorus 10 - 22 Miguel Barrenechea 11 - 28X Kenneth Baillargeon 12 - 24 Brenda Taylor 13 - D2 David Leeper II 14 - 7 Jimmy Scripter 15 - 39 Nick Boley 16 - 00 Scotty Williams DNS More Results
Super Stock
1 - 14 Roger Benton 2 - 74 Lee Wagner 3 - 16 Darren Gould 4 - 05X Jeff Parrish 5 - 3X James Frisbie 6 - 92 Bobby Simcox 7 - 72 Nathan Haystead 8 - 25A Austin Carr 9 - 29 Alaine Grogan 10 - 07 Daniel Laszlo 11 - 15 Billy Bellflower 12 - 25H Ronald Harrell 13 - 11S Dennis Snyder 14 - 43 Cara Wells 15 - 845 Michael Matarazzo 16 - 316 Ray Mullis 17 - 4 John Guinn 18 - 7I Scott Edwards 19 - 40 Bob Starr
Modified
1 - 33 Gary Fountain Sr 2 - 30 Mark Emberson 3 - 98X Bobby Joe Woodley 4 - 55 Shain Held 5 - 4B Alan Bruns 6 - 8 Randy Froehlich 7 - 07M Dick Laszlo 8 - 38 Dave Debelius DQ'D
QUICK KIDS
1. #7t Chase Hoffman 2. #84 Randy Anderson 3. #36 Austin Stamper 4. #46 Matt Choen 5. #21 Harley Zimmerman 6. #39 Tyler Laing 7. #17 Colby Clements 8. #69 Stephen Nasse 9. #9 Thomas Warnick 10. #1x Maxx Bennett DQ'D 11. #19 Donnie Gray, Jr. DNS
FLORIDA MINI STOCK CHALLENGE 50
1. #92 Jared Allison, Cocoa 2. #9 Robbie Storer, Zephrhills 3. #98 James Ellis, Brooksville 4. #29 Chris Zimmerman, Largo 5. #24 Chris Thornton, Clearwater 6. #v3 Rex Christensen, Port Orange 7. #81 Cody Blair, Winter Park 8. #10 Mike Birk, Jr., Pinellas Park
SOUTHERN SPORTSMAN 50
1. #25 Patrick Thomas, Oviedo 2. #15 Joey Catarelli, Pinellas Park 3. #1 Bart Weatherford, Lakeland 4. #45 Mike Soukup, Deltona 5. #13 Aaron Williamson, Mulberry 6. #73 Mark Peterson, Sarasota 7. #00 Ron Heard, Seffner 8. #21c Rob Kayse, Deland 9. #12R Rikk McMehan, Hudson 10. #12 David Williamson, Mulberry 11. #211 Jeff Padilla 12. #57 Chad Pierce, Orlando 13. @19 T.C. McElyea, Dania Beach 14. #55 Richard Elkins, Jr., Auburndale 15. #26 Derek Slade, Clermont 16. #57x Brian Lowe, Pinellas Park 17. #2 Derrick Heath, Parkland 18. #79x Steve Gainey, Bradenton 19. #56 Wayne Morris, Mulberry
