Conrad Takes Fifth Win With SLM Victory At SpeedWorld
B>by Dave Westerman
Persistent late afternoon rain showers slowed up the schedule a bit, but didn't put a damper on the racing activities Friday night at Orlando Speedworld and it was a full night to say the least with ten racing divisions in action.
A good field of Super Late Models was on hand and their feature was extended to 35 laps. Ronnie Roach jumped out to an early lead but North Florida driver Kurt Jett was on the move and caught Roach. As Jett dove under Roach for the lead during lap eight, the two made slight contact and Roach spun in turn four. Both racers were sent to the rear of the restart line-up handing the point to Patrick Conrad.
Conrad wasted little time proving he had the combo to beat as he drove away from the field as the remainder of the race ran under green. Conrad secured his fifth win of the year. Young David Pollen, Jr. closed up the tight season point battle even more with a second place finish while Jett raced back to third place but was subsequently set back two spots for jumping the restart after his tangle with Roach.
That moved Blake Lehr up to third at the finish followed by Jared Allison and Jett. Brock Burns came home sixth trailed by Roach, Joe Piazza, Earl Beckner and rookie Vince Keeler who was making his first-ever Super Late Model Start.
The Re/MAX Legends showed up 20 cars strong for their first of a weekend twin bill. Kory Abbott and Brandon Thomson took the heat race wins, but the front row of the feature consisted of Masters Division Driver Mike Verhaagh and Chelsea Schillig with Verhaagh leading the opening circuit before Schillig took over.
After a brief caution for Dallas Ingram's spin on lap four, Thomson began to put on the pressure and zipped past Schillig into the lead on lap seven. Three laps later David Tart and Tony Sansom tangled in turn four with Samson taking a hard shot into the wall. Both drivers were unhurt but their machines were pretty mangled.
On the restart, Rick Wetmore went for a spin courtesy of Josh Williams. Wetmore's later retaliation would earn him a DQ for the night.
Meanwhile, Thomson, driving a car campaigned ealier in the season by now semi-retired Andy Logan, had his way the remainder of the race as he left everyone else to fight for second. Jimmy Norman scooted up to second and finished within sight of Thomson, but the remainder of the finishing order was determined after the race was over.
Kory Abbott and Darin Coker had a bit of a bumping incident while fighting for position during the race which allowed Abbott to cross the line third while Coker was fifth at the checker. Going into the pits, Coker suddenly rammed Abbott's car and the two exited their cars and did some pushing and shoving.
A review of the incident by track officials showed that Abbott had been ordered to stop as other cars were starting to enter the track. Coker didn't see the official and ran into the back of Abbott's car unintentionally.
Although the actual incident was ruled accidental, the drivers' actions still had to be dealt with and both Abbott and Coker were placed as the last two cars running at the end of the feature placing them 15th and 16th.
Schillig, who battled an ill-handling car all race, wound up third with Shaughn McCormick and Alex Kempf completing the top five. Sixth through tenth were Mike Verhaagh, James Rodriguez, Leonard Hearndon, Josh Williams and Dallas Ingram. Completing the finishing order were Mitch Verhaagh, Gerald Campbell, Bryan Beland, Gary Verdier, Abbott, Coker, Tart, Sansom, and Wild Willie Wilson.
Only five cars started the Modified feature race but it was a close one all the way as Mark Emberson drove the Don's Paint and Body special to his third win of the year in wire to wire fashion. Bobby Joe Woodley put tremendous pressure on Emberson over the closing laps, but had to settle for second over Gary Fountain, Sr., Shain Held and Randy Froehlich.
Andy Nicholls grabbed the lead from Pete Starr on lap five then held on through three minor caution periods to score the Sportsman win. Timmy Todd, Jr. was a close second with Starr holding on for third. Justin Reynolds came back from a late race spin while battling Nicholls and Todd for the lead to finish fourth while Whitney Poole was fifth. Rounding out the top ten were John Tenney, Rapid Ron DiCandio, Derrick Wood, Steve Farris and Brett Woodley.
The Super Stock feature ran green to checker for the second week in a row with James Frisbie dominating the action. Frisbie finished well ahead of second place Roger Benton with early leader Bob Starr having a good run for third ahead of Geno Smith and Nathan Haystead as only the top five finished on the lead lap. Point leader Lee Wagner spun early in the race and was lapped by Frisbie, but he followed the leader the rest of the way and ended up sixth with Alaine Grogan, Denny Johns, Dennis Snyder, Austin Carr and Scott Edwards completing the finishers.
It was also yet another dominating performance by Pedie Allison in winning yet another Mini Stock feature. Allison grabbed the top spot from Bob Kelchner on lap two and barely broke a sweat leading the rest of the way for the victory. R.J. Arnone kept the points race very close with his second place finish while Matt Perkins came back from a slow start for third ahead of Kelchner and Rex "Boneman" Hollinger, who was making his first start of the year. Rounding out the top ten were David Russell, Richie Laszlo, Bob "Mitsubishi" Miller, Rex Christiensen and John Cook.
The Action Gator Tire Strictly Stocks picked up some sponsorship help from Sutter Irrigation, Mims East Coast Auto Salvage, Orlando Graphix, Dennis & Irene Kempf (Legends Car #99) and Iron Workers Local 808.
This race would also run green to checker after a wild initial attempt to start the event that saw cars trying to get through turn two five wide. Jimmy Scripter led the first three laps before Brent Bruner took over. Bruner would head the pack only two laps before Todd McCreary sped past and claimed the win in his Ford Probe. William Hindman crossed the line second but was disqualified for illegal wheels moving David Leeper II up to second at the finish while Bruner took third ahead of Rob Reynolds and Richard Barrenechea. Scripter, Neal Kirby, Billy Rouse, Glenn Rhodes and Shane Sutorus completed the top ten.
The Hearndon Construction Bandoleros were also on the Friday night card with Critter Saile leading all the way to capture the Bandits win over Shawn Hooven, Zach Harris, Daniel Conlin and Heather Lynn. Brandon Lynn made it two in a row in the Young Guns as the NC driver lead the distance to claim the victory over Mark Hooven, Josh Williams, Gerald Campbell and Donovan Ponder.
A wild front stretch incident saw both Jason Rosarius and Joseph Daniel in the wall mid way through the Palm Tree Computers/BCS Welding/Orlando Graphix Junior Stock feature. Rosarius rode up on two wheels while Daniel took a head-on shot into the concrete. Both drivers were actually able to drive away but only Daniel was able to finish.
Dylan Curtis eventually claimed the Junior Stock win over Brandon Henault, Daniel and Rosarious.
OFFICIAL RESULTS ORLANDO SPEEDWORLD SEPT. 21, 2007
SUPER LATE MODEL
1. #2 Patrick Conrad 2. #P1 David Pollen, Jr. 3. #4 Blake Lehr 4. #18 Jared Allison 5. #9 Kurt Jett 6. #40 Brock Burns 7. #14 Ronnie Roach 8. #15 Joe Piazza 9. #36 Earl Beckner 10. #7 Vince Keeler
MODIFIED
1. #30 Mark Emberson 2. #98 Bobby Joe Woodley 3. #33 Gary Fountain Sr. 4. #55 Shain Held 5. #8 Randy Froehlich
SPORTSMAN
1. #66 Andy Nicholls 2. #25 Timmy Todd, Jr. 3. #95 Pete Starr 4. #20 Justin Reynolds 5. #00 Whitney Poole 6. #31 John Tenney 7. #20S Ron Dicandio 8. #33 Derrick Wood 9. #13 Steve Farris 10. #99 Brett Woodley
SUPER STOCK
1. #3 James Frisbie 2. #14 Roger Bento 3. #40 Bob Starr 4. #25 Geno Smith 5. #72 Nathan Haystead 6. #74 Lee Wagner 7. #29 Alaine Grogan 8. #55 Denny Johns 9. #11 Dennis Snyder 10. #25 Austin Carr 11. #7i Scott Edwards
MINI STOCK
1. #92 Pedie Allison 2. #30 R.J. Arnone 3. #99 Matthew Perkins 4. #09 Bob Kelchner 5. #85 Rex :"Boneman" Hollinger 6. #31 David Russell 7. #07 Richie Laszlo 8. #02 Bob Miller 9. #v3 Rex Christensen 10. #24 John Cook
JR. STOCK 8 - 11
1. #88X Brandon Henault
JR. STOCK 12-15
1. #6 Dylan Curtis 2. #24 Joseph Daniels 3. #18 Jason Rosarius
STRICTLY STOCK
1. #77 Todd McCreary 2. #D2 David Leeper II 3. #20 Brent Bruner 4. #A1 Rob Reynolds 5. #20x Richard Barrenechea 6. #7 Jimmy Scripter 7. #8 Neal Kirby 8. #18 Billy Rouse 9. #63 Glenn Rhodes 10. #3-15 Shane Sutorus 11. #36 Ian Rhodes 12. #5 Dally Lloyd 13. #22 Miguel Barrenechea 14. #53 15. #26 Michael Todd 16. #76 Gary Thomas 17. #69 William Hindman DQ'D
