IT'S TIME TO RACE!!

April 19, 2008 Robbie Cooper goes Flag to Flag in Extreme Modified at Orlando SpeedWorld By Dave Westerman Orlando Speedworld has got to be Robbie Cooper's favorite race track, since he wins so much here. Cooper added yet another notch in the win column as the FASCAR Extreme Modifieds paid their first visit of the year Friday night. With Lee Collins unable to race due to a family commitment, Collins tapped "Rocketman" Wayne Jefferson to drive his potent #89 at Orlando and Jefferson made the most of the opportunity setting fast time of 14.056 seconds trailed closely by Kurt Jett at 14.103 and Cooper, who tripped the clocks at 14.314 seconds. The top three from qualifying were inverted thus putting Cooper on the pole for the 50 lap event and he wasted no time grabbing the early lead while Jefferson snuck by outside pole sitter Jett and tucked himself right on Cooper's rear bumper in the early going. Jefferson was able to stay close to Cooper, but could never mount a really serious challenge. By mid-race, Jefferson's car was starting to become a handful with Jett eventually getting by on lap 29 for second but he never got any closer than a car length to Cooper. The entire 50 lap distance was run without a caution flag as Cooper claimed yet another Extreme Modified win here trailed by Jett and Jefferson. Kevyn Terry ran pretty much by himself most of the race and came across the stripe fourth while Alan Bruns just nipped Skip Honaker at the checker for fifth. Honaker was sixth with Richie Smith, Jerry Symons, Shain Held, Jon Compagnone and Art Kunzeman completing the finishers. The win streak of the Allison family finally came to an end in the Mini Stock class as R.J. Arnone led flag to flag to get his first win of the season. A determined David Russell managed to hold off Pedie Allison for second spot. Allison, who was making his first start of the season after son Jared had won the first three Mini Stock features this year, took third spot racing with an extremely sore shoulder that nearly kept him from racing at all this week. Cody Blair was fourth while Rex "Boneman" Hollinger claimed fifth. Rounding out the top ten were Randy Blakeslee, Bob Kelchner, Rob Reynolds, James Ellis and Dylan Curtis. Heat race wins went to Allison and Ellis. Young Matt Jarrett topped the Super stock field for the third time this season taking the lead on lap two from Ray Mullis and never looking back. Mullis and John Hodge tangled while battling for second with three laps to go sending both to the rear of the restart line-up. That allowed Vince Keeler, Jr. to move up to second but he couldn't hold off a freight train of drivers who worked their way from the back of the starting grid to the front of the field by race's end. David Gould would eventually grab the runner-up position with Bobby Riley third, Jason Pick fourth and Bullet Bob Starr fifth. Keeler faded to sixth at the finish with Austin Carr, William Hindman, Dennis Snyder and Paul Marguglio completing the top ten. Jarrett and Gould won the heats. By the time all of the cars went through pre-race tech, just six cars were deemed legal to start the "Bone "Stock" Enduro race which was run the traditional way during the first half and then the opposite way around the track the final half. Jim Erb grabbed the early lead but saw Bomber Bill Loomis get by for the top spot three laps before the half-way turnaround. Going the opposite way on the track appeared to suit Erb's E&H Car Crushing Acura just a little better as he took the lead back from Loomis who settled for second in the Tyler's Towing Camaro. Jason Kies held off Tim Walters, Jr. for third while Tom Rose and Miguel Barrenechea rounded out the finishers. OFFICIAL RESULTS ORLANDO SPEEDWOLRD APRIL 18, 2008 MINI STOCK 1. #30 R. J. Arnone 2. #31 David Russell 3. #92 Pedie Allison 4. #81 Cody Blair 5. #85 Rex "Boneman" Hollinger 6. #77 Randy Blakeslee 7. #09 Bob Kelchner 8. #A1 Rob Reynoldes 9. #98X James Ellis 10. #24 John Cook DNS 11. #6 Dylan Curtis DNS EXTREME MODIFIED 50 1. #98 Robbie Cooper, Bronson 2. #9 Kurt Jett, Orange Park 3. #89 Wayne Jefferson, Pinellas Park 4. #13 Kevyn Terry, Citra 5. #4b Alan Bruns, Clermont 6. #2 Skip Honaker, Titusville 7. #42 Richie Smith, Hernando 8. #66 Jerry Symons, New Smyrna 9. #55 Shain Held, Orlando 10. #5 Jon Compagnone, Orange City 11. #9x Art Kunzeman, Deltona SUPER STOCK 1. #98 Matt Jarrett 2. #16 David Gould 3. #52 Bobby Riley 4. #44 Jason Pick 5. #40 Bob Starr 6. #7 Vince Keeler, Jr. 7. #8 Austin Carr 8. #89 William Hindman 9. #11 Dennis Snyder 10. #32X Paul Margolia 11. #00 John Hodge 12. #316 Ray Mullis 13. #55 Denny Johns 14. #45 Delaun Fifield 15. #99 Brent Tyler DNS 16. #77 Matt Reynolds DNS ENDURO 1. #1 Jim Erb 2. #0 Bill Loomis 3. #69 Jason Kies 4. #29 Tim Walters, Jr. 5. #67 Tom Rose 6. #22 Miguel Barrenechea Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board! or Email KARNACto send a letter to the editor!