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Jesse Henley tops Modified Minis at Desoto Super Speedway
Phil Morrison Wins the Open Wheel Modified Feature Race at ASA Sanctioned Desoto Super Speedway.
By Tom Blakeley
May 23, 2009, Bradenton Florida. The big gamble paid off tonight for ASA Sanctioned Desoto Super Speedway. The Rain Gods looked as if they were going to put a stop to the racing event at the Super Speedway as the rains started about 5 minutes before race time just as they did the week before. But John the Godfather prevailed, and he huffed and puffed and the rain clouds blew north of the track as it was time to go racing boys.
The car count and the crowd were actually better than expected with all the rain forecasted prior to race time. Many drivers and car owners thought it would be rained out and stayed at home. Not only did the entire schedule of races happen, but they were outstanding and exciting.
After having a week off due to rain last week the drivers seemed to really be glad to be back at it, and that good feeling was sensed by everyone from the staff to the fans. The Open Wheel Modified’s had the smallest car count but provided the most exciting races. The 6 lap heat race was won by L. B. Skaggs in the #71 car. Then the feature race was won by Phil Morrison in the #63 car.
There were three cars that ran the entire race either bumper to bumper or two and three wide. Taking a great second place was L. B. Skaggs in the #71 car and third was Ralph Bowman in the #2 car. This was one great race and even with the small field, everybody loved it.
Street Stocks. The 6 lap heat race was won by Dennis Wilson in the #42 car. The feature race was a 25 lap event and the drivers got to show their talents by driving to a tough fought but clean finish. Going to Victory Circle with the win in the feature was Duane Best in the #3 car. Duane had been experiencing problems during practice and the heat race, but his hard work ethic paid off as the car was screaming during his run in the feature. Winning second place was Mark Peterson in the #73 car. Pat Dent in the 6X car took a very respectable third place. It was a very good run for the Street Stock class.
Rockem Sockem Bombers. This class has been the hardest hit class for engine blow ups and wrecked cars. The Bomber car owners and drivers are a fierce group and a loyal group and showed up as they always do to put on a great show. John The Mayor Stewart introduced his new # 02 car. In amazing fashion he and his team and friends put the car together in just two weeks, what an incredible feat. Winning the heat race was Steve The Hammer Elder in the #42 car. Steve also won the feature 20 lap race. Taking second place in the feature was Jody Bad Boy Collins in the orange crush #32C car. Third place in the feature was won by John The Mayor Stewart in his new #02 car. It was a great night of racing action from the Rockem Sockem Boys as the #42 of Elder and the #32C of Collins went side by side for 17 laps with Elder taking the lead on lap 17. It was like a lesson on how to run a tough clean race. Way to go BOYS.
Flyin 4’s. The fastest growing division we have seen in a long time is the Flyin 4’s. These drivers are passionate about racing and really get after it on the asphalt oval. With a field of 16 cars the action starts on the first lap and never quits. The first heat race was won by Rob Boos in the #21B car. Rob really had that car dialed in and looked to be very fast. Winning the second heat race was last year’s Pure Stock Champion Randy Johnson in the #01 car. The feature race was won by Randy Johnson in the #01 car while Rob Boos in the #21B car took second. Third place belonged to Alex Patten in the #13 car.
Magic 4’s. Well with the good news comes the bad news. Most of the classes had a great night of racing, but the Magic 4 kids got Flagman Bud a little hot under the collar. The many, many yellow flags and the rough driving got to Mr. Bud and after many warnings he decided to cut the number of laps in the race from 20 down to 15. The Magic 4’s put on one great show and they always get such a thrill for winning that they win the hearts of the fans. Winning the first heat race was Brittany Barr in the #81 car. Winning the second heat race was Dallas Troyer in the #01 car. The feature race was won by Mark Bartimac in the #21 car. Brittany Barr in the #81 car took second place and third place was won by Austin Cavey in the #20 car.
Modified Mini’s. The field of 16 cars made for some exciting racing. Winning the first heat race was Mike Birk in the #10 car. Winning the second heat race was Robbie Storer in the #9 car. The feature race started 15 cars and finished with only 5 cars. The blown up engines and the break downs really took it’s toll on the car count. Taking the checkered flag for the feature race was Jesse Henley in the #62 car. Robbie Storer in the #9 car took second while Mike Birk Jr. in the #10 car won third place. The Modified Mini class, as always; made it a great show and demonstrated some very good driving skills.
Desoto Super Speedway is proud to be an ASA Sanctioned Race track, this honor is only bestowed to the very best short tracks in the country.
The entire staff and owners of Desoto Super Speedway congratulate Former Super Late Model Champion David Wilson on his terrific start in NASCAR.
Join us next Saturday as the action begins at 7 P.M. and the gates open at 5 P.M. Check us out at www.desotosuperspeedway.com or give us a call at 941-748-3171. We are located just 9 short miles East from I-75 on SR 64 in Bradenton Florida.
BOMBERS - BOMB 20L Pos Driver Car # 1 STEVE ELDER 42 2 JODY COLLINS 32C 3 JOHN STEWART 02 4 MICHAEL CROOKS 33 5 CLINT ROBERTS 44
BOMBERS - HEAT Pos Driver Car # 1 STEVE ELDER 42 2 JODY COLLINS 32C 3 CLINT ROBERTS 44 4 JOHN STEWART 02 5 MICHAEL CROOKS 33
FLYIN 4s - FEATURE Pos Driver Car # 1 RANDY JOHNSON 01 2 ROB BOOS 21B 3 ALEX PATTEN 13 4 JOHN SARPPRAICONE JR 91 5 WILLIAM CARLBERT JR 11 6 DAVID CARLBERT 0 7 MICHAEL GAMACHE 85 8 RICHARD McCLOUGH 41 9 ANDREW MOON 31 10 CHRISTOPHER JAMES 60 11 BRAD STEGER 2 12 MARVIN CAVEY 20 13 ARTHUR DANIELSON 38 14 BILLY QUERY 44X 15 CHRISTOPHER DODSON 17
FLYIN 4s - HEAT 1 Pos Driver Car # 1 ROB BOOS 21B 2 JOHN SARPPRAICONE JR 91 3 ALEX PATTEN 13 4 DAVID CARLBERT 0 5 ANDREW MOON 31 6 BRAD STEGER 2 7 MARVIN CAVEY 20 8 CHRISTOPHER DODSON 17
FLYIN 4s - HEAT 2 Pos Driver Car # 1 RANDY JOHNSON 01 2 ARTHUR DANIELSON 38 3 WILLIAM CARLBERT JR 11 4 MICHAEL GAMACHE 85 5 RICHARD McCLOUGH 41 6 CHRISTOPHER JAMES 60 7 BILLY QUERY 44X
MODIFIED MINIS - HEAT 1 Pos Driver Car # 1 MIKE BIRK JR 10 2 CHRIS THORNTON 24 3 MIKE KERRIVAN 29X 4 ANDY FISCHER 21 5 JASON BERTSCH 18 6 MARTY NEIKENS 70 7 GREG VALDEZ 60 8 RICHARD NELSON 80
MODIFIED MINIS - HEAT 2 Pos Driver Car # 1 ROBBIE STORER 9 2 CHRIS ZIMMERMAN 29 3 LEE DAVIS 91 4 JESSE HENLEY 62 5 CHAD ROSE 0X 6 RANDY NELSON 81 7 DENNIS COLLETTI 22 8 SCOTTY SHARPE 89
MODIFIED MINIS - MM FIFTY LAP Pos Driver Car # 1 JESSE HENLEY 62 2 ROBBIE STORER 9 3 MIKE BIRK JR 10 4 CHAD ROSE 0X 5 MIKE KERRIVAN 29X 6 ANDY FISCHER 21 7 CHRIS THORNTON 24 8 LEE DAVIS 91 9 SCOTTY SHARPE 89 10 DENNIS COLLETTI 22 11 JASON BERTSCH 18 12 CHRIS ZIMMERMAN 29 13 RANDY NELSON 81 14 MARTY NEIKENS 70 15 RICHARD NELSON 80 16 GREG VALDEZ 60
OPEN WHEEL MODIFIED - HEAT Pos Driver Car # 1 LB SKAGGS 71 2 RALPH BOWMAN 2 3 PHIL MORRISON 63
OPEN WHEEL MODIFIED - OWM 35L 11 OR LESS Pos Driver Car # 1 PHIL MORRISON 63 2 LB SKAGGS 71 3 RALPH BOWMAN 2
STREET STOCKS - HEAT Pos Driver Car # 1 DENNIS WILSON 42 2 MARK PETERSON 73 3 JOEY BARNES 66 4 PAT DENT 6X 5 JAMES BRENNER 57 6 DUANE BEST 3
STREET STOCKS - SS 20L 19 OR LESS Pos Driver Car # 1 DUANE BEST 3 2 MARK PETERSON 73 3 PAT DENT 6X 4 JOEY BARNES 66 5 DENNIS WILSON 42 6 JAMES BRENNER 57
