IT'S TIME TO RACE!!

February 5, 2008 South Florida Fans Flock To Hendry County Speedway By Rob Kohler A huge crowd turned out to enjoy seven divisions take on the Hendry County Speedway. The South Florida weather was warm and dry. The race track was moist and tacky. This would provide a twist on the dry slick the drivers had become accustom to. The V8 Bombers were the first to run the oval. Adam Powell was on the move taking the win in the heat race. The #14 car never really got going in the feature and eventually suffered a DNF. Nelson Tuya was holding the lead in what seemed to be his best shot at a first time feature win. Well past the half way point there was another driver on the prowl for his first win. Chris Manely made his way into the lead and never looked back. Manely moved into the point lead after the past race on the 19th. He now has a feature win to ad to his rise to the front of the Bomber Division. Nelson Tuya took the 2nd position. Scotty Kay Jr. was right there for 3rd. A new body on the #18 Mini Stock of Jason Intoppa caught my eye on the race track. He also caught the checker flag in the heat race. The Mini Mods raced in the same heat. Wayne Hildebrand won the heat in that division. For the feature Intoppa sat out front while Chase Goodson tried to keep him in close distance. The Mini Mods were working there way through the field. This time it was Ron Dubeau leading the group. Dubeau cleared Goodson quickly. Getting around Intoppa started to seem unlikely. With the faster car Dubeau was able to stick his nose under Intoppa at the end of the back straight. Intoppa responded by staying in the gas just a little to long. With no contact between the two cars Dubeau had talked him out of the preferred line. Intoppa won the Mini Stocks over Chase Goodson and Christian Augsperger. Wayne Hildebrand was also able to clear Jason Intoppa but fell short of passing Dubeau. Husband and wife team Sabrina and Steve Mosely each won separate Pure Stock heat races. The Speedway Officials had suprised all the V8 classes with field inversions that would start the couple at the rear of the feature. Gary Champion had a front row start for the feature. He would easily lead the first half of the race. At that point Brian Morgan, Who had also been sent to start at the rear, was back at the front. Morgan dominated the second half of the race and took the victory. Champion would run 2nd and Sabrina Mosely up to 3rd. Sportsman turnout for the $800 prize was 12 cars. Joe Henke dominated the first heat. The second heat went to Rick Miller. Both drivers started the 25 lap race from the rear of the field. Bob Steinmetz and Jimmy Loubert fought for the lead in the early laps of the feature. Seventeen laps went by before Henke and Miller reached the lead car. It was Steinmetz and his car was on rails. A couple of late race restarts were the only chances for 2nd and 3rd place cars. Steinmetz was in the groove and took his 2nd feature win in a row. Henke settled for 2nd and Miller 3rd. Street Stock action was high lighted by the one and only Jesse Brown. After winning the heat race he made an offer to start at the rear and win it if something extra was on the line. The track responded with a $100 bonus if he could do it. The feature was led for the first 10 laps by Bob Cook. His car was looking really fast but nothing was going to get in the way of Jesse Brown. He had used every line the race track had to offer making his way to the front of the pack. After that point it was easy money for Brown and he took it. Cook held 2nd until 3 laps to go a spin ended his night closer to the rear of the field. Gary Roberts rose to 2nd place but was later disqualified for a rules violation found during post race tech. Bobby Vaughn was awarded the 2nd position and another violation cost Tommy Hill and gave 3rd to Joel Goldfrank. Clarence Smith was coming off a recent win in the Bomber Minis. His car was fast in the hot laps but a broken axle shorted him of racing much of the night. Mike Budka led much of the heat race. Brandon Russ stole the show in the last two laps. Budka suffered a flat tire after only one lap around the speedway. No cautions flew during the race and he was only able to get back on by the last lap. Brandon Russ nearly lapped the field consisting of Larry Altman and Robert Moore. Come on out all you Bomber Mini Drivers. This class is inexpensive and looks like alot of fun. I hope to see more growth in this class it is fun to watch. This is the big week we have all been waiting for. Nothing but Sprints on Thursday. More big payout races for Sportsman, Street Stock, Pure Stock and Mini Stock plus more Sprints. Come check it out. Bring your friends and families. Cow-Boy out. Hendry County Speedway results for Feb 2, 2008: Sportsman #96 Bob Steinmetz Naples #3 Joe Henke Naples #20 Rick Miller #12 Greg Morrison #32 Eddie Cambell Street Stock #29 Jesse Brown Clewiston #75 Gary Roberts DQ'ed #32 Bobby Vaughn #1H Tommy Hill DQ'ed #59 Joel Goldfrank Pure Stock #9 Brian Morgan #23 Gary Champion #55 Sabrina Mosely #1 Steve Mosely #39 Bruce Basham V8 Bomber #02 Chris Manely #66 Nelson Tuya #21 Scotty Kay Jr. #26 Mark Lamont #007 Melissa Agent Mini Stock #18 Jason Intoppa #16 Chase Goodson #00 Christian Augsperger #27 Glen Bidwell #24/7 Paul Phillips Mini Mod #11 Ron Dubeau #10 Wayne Hildebrand Bomber Mini #15 Brandon Russ #14 Larry Altman #19 Robert Moore #64 Mike Budka Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board! or Email KARNACto send a letter to the editor!