It is a very unusual circumstance when you know there will be a first time winner in a race before it starts, but that's what happened in the RE/MAX Legend Car feature Saturday night at Orlando Speedworld. Just four drivers have taken Legend Car wins this year at Speedworld. Kory Abbott and Chelsea Schillig were not in attendance and neither was Brandon Thomson who was running a Goodyear Challenge Late Model race at New Smyrna Speedway. Masters driver Andy Logan, who took a win earlier this year, has sold all of his equipment and retired. That meant that someone among the 24 Legend racers entered would be in victory lane for the first time.
Two youngsters who have been close but never won a Legends Car feature here, Josh Williams and Jimmy Norman, scored heat race wins while Dave Gleason earned his way into the main event by topping Mason Ketterman, Dallas Ingram, Gerald Campbell and Charlie O'Melia in the Charger feature.
Williams found himself on the pole and he zipped out to a quick lead in the 25 lap headliner with Norman on his tail. The two would race nose to tail much of the way slowed only by three caution flags for minor spins on laps three, five and eighteen.
Williams would make no mistakes as the young driver from Port Charlotte claimed his first feature win over Norman and Tony Sansom. Shaughn McCormick continued his string of impressive runs taking the fourth spot over Gerald White, Jr. whose fifth place was the best run to date for the former track Bandolero champion.
Bryan Beland claimed sixth with Jimmy Rodriguez, Alex Kempf, Mike Verhaagh and Mark Bibeau completing the top ten. Rounding out the finishing field were Leonard Hearndon, Mitch Verhaagh, Dalton Bergman, David Tart, Rick Wetmore, Gleason, Bob Wilson, Gary Verdier, Eric Eichelberger and Mike Fazio.
The Bassett brothers were back in town from North Carolina and put a hurting on the Hearndon Construction Bandoleros.
Dillon Bassett shook off two disappointing losses to Critter Saile last week by holding off Saile for the win on this night in the Bandits feature. Stephen Bergh, another NC visitor, claimed third spot ahead of Shawn Hooven and Justin Bechtold. Rounding out the finishers were Jake Perkins, Zoey Guignardi, Kevin Muglach, Coty Bibeau, James Crow, Zach Harris, Daniel Conlin and Leighton Hearndon. Bassett and Saile split the heat race wins.
Ronnie Bassett, Jr. won the heat, then made quick work of the Young Guns feature leading all the way to take the win over Donovan Ponder, Mark Hooven, Gerald Campbell, Bruce Bennett, Kaleb Hearndon and Erica Sansom.
In Florida Mini Cup Racing Association action, Cindarae Irish, after her car balked on the start, caught and passed early leader Daniel Miller on lap ten then led the rest of the way for the Junior Division win. Miller took second followed by Aaron Irish, Jordan Martin and Dion Holmes.
Devin McLeod claimed the All-Pro Mini Cup win holding off Ty Larsen for the victory. Brady Marshall was third trailed by Don Mays, Francois Pelletier, heat winner Corey White and Brenton Franklin. Another big field of ABC Towing Hurricanes put on their usual wild show as William Hindman took home the win in a Mustang. Rob Reynolds' Mazda 626 came home second ahead of Gary Thomas, Jim Erb and Greg Bruce. Completing the top ten were Brian Cosier, Tom Stewart, Corey Freed, Blaise Fischer and Lance Kincaid. Heat races for the 18 entries were won by Reynolds and Joey Silver.
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OFFICIAL RESULTS ORLANDO SPEEDWORLD AUGUST 18, 2007
1 04 Ronnie Bassett 2 8 Donavan Ponder 3 17 Mark Hooven 4 6 Gerald Campbell 5 12 Bruce Bennett 6 53 Kaleb Hearndon 7 56 Erika Sanson (Outlaw)
CHARGER
1 07 David Gleason 2 22 Mason Ketterman 3 33 Dallas Ingram 4 39 Gerald Campbell 5 48 Charlie O'Melia
REMAX LEGEND
1 6 Josh Williams 2 2 Jimmy Norman 3 56 Tony Sansom 4 34 Shaughn McCormick 5 38 Gerald White Jr 6 6A Bryan Beland 7 19 James Rodrigues 8 99 Alex Kempf 9 7 Mike Verhaagh 10 65 Mark Bibeau 11 53 Leonard Herndon 12 9 Mitch Verhaagh 13 37 Dalton Bergman 14 3fl David Tart 15 06 Rick Wetmore 16 07 Dave Gleason 17 27w Bob Wilson 18 44 Gary Verdier 19 47 Eric Eichelberger 20 38 Mike Fazio
MINI CUP JR.
1 05 Cinda Rae Irish 2 00 Daniel Miller 3 08 Aaron Irish 4 55 Jordan Martin 5 3 Dion Homes
MINI CUP
1 00 Devin McLeod 2 07 Ty Larsen 3 11X Brady Marshall 4 27 Don Mays 5 3 Francsis Pelletier 6 19 Corey White 7 11 Brenton Franklin
HURRICANE
1 69 William Hindman 2 A1 Rob Reynolds 3 76 Gary Thomas 4 1 Jim Erb 5 4u Rick Bruce 6 35 Brian Cosier 7 66 Tom Stewart 8 12 Corey Freed 9 29 Blaise Fisher 10 28X Lance Kincaid 11 14 Mark Fritzler 12 2 13 28 Hutchins 14 104.1 Dan Webb 15 89X Eric Smithers 16 36 Joey Silver 17 6 Mark Walls
