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Derricck Horton and Geoff Styner wins 4 Cylinder Switch Off Race
By: Melanie Beckner
Punta Gorda, FL... Rain was a threat this past weekend again at the Charlotte County Motorsports Park. It rained a few times prior to the start of the racing program, but the staff never gave up and was able to get the racing in.
The first race of the evening was the 50 lap 4 Cylinder Switch off race with Jeff Ambergle on the pole for the first twenty five lap race. When the green flag waved, it was Jason Perkins who took his car to the front first. Josh Flescher took over the lead from Perkins on lap nine and held the lead until lap twenty. Jason Perkins challenged back for the lead and regained it the following lap, however Chris Loney entered into the mix.
On the last lap it was a three wide battle for the win with Chris Loney edging out Jason Perkins for the victory of the first segment of the switch off race. Eugene Connell came in the third position. As the checkered Flag waved Ashton Scott and John Pummel Jr got tangled together and both cars were able to continue for the next segments. Logan Leonard, who replaced Chris Loney sat on the pole for the next twenty five laps.
Logan Leonard was leading the race when on lap thirty two David Morr got into the back of Leonards car,coming out of turn four and spinning Leonard out in front of the entire field. Fortunately all the cars cleared Leonard's car without hitting him and the contact gave the lead over to Mark Davis.
Two Laps later Ricky Bullard Jr spin out in turn one. On the restart of the race Jeremy Perkins passed Mark Davis for the lead, however Perkins would only lead that one lap. Derrick Horton took his car to the front on lap thirty seven and held on to take the victory. Derrick Horton and Geoff Styner were awarded the overall win, with Jason and Jeremy Perkins finishing second overall and Eugene Connel and David Morr taking third.
Jeff Fireatine was the polesitter for the fifty lap Juniors Trim Shop, Road Warrior feature event. Firestine led the first lap, before Logan Leonard passed Firestine for the top spot. The first caution came out from the spinning cars of Chris Loney and Leff Firestine, from contact with each other in turn four.
Jeff Rumbold and Bryan Boxell brought out the next caution when the tow got into the wall in the backstretch. Rumbold's car hit head on and had extensive damage to his car. Rumbold suffered minor injuries from the incident, but is recovery well. On the lap nineteen Logan Leonard was still leading when he spun his car out on the frontstretch, thus handing the lead to Kenny Gibson.
Clete Trimmer passed Kenny Gibson on lap thirty nine and took the victory. It was a fitting victory with it being Memorial day weekend and Trimmer just happends to have his car painted like the American Flag. Chris Loney came in second with Kenny Gibson completing the top three spots.
The Thunder Trucks took to the track for their twenty five lap race. Robert Wilms who was the polesitter, took the lead at the start. James Dellea got into the back of Tom pryors truck, causing Pryor to spin out in turn one and after that contact Andy Pryor then got into Dellea's truck and spun Dellea out in turn tow.
Lance Sober lost control of his truck on lap nine which sent him spinning into turn four and collected Tome Pryor and James Dellea. The final caution was for James Dellea, he had gotten sideways coming out of turn two and tried to correct it, but hit the wall on the backstretch. Robert Wilms led the entire race to capture his first feature win in the class this season. Ray Jayne came in second place with Lancer Sober finishing in third.
Joe Rice sat on the pole for the twenty five lap Mini Stock feature. Race took the lead at the start of the race and held it until lap six. Jesse Dutilly has had the car to beat all year long and started at the rear of the field, however it did not stop him from taking his car to the front quickly. By lap five he was challenging Joe Rice for the lead and successfully took it from him on lap seven. Emory Murrah's car blew up on lap eight and got fluid on the track and bringing out the only caution. Jesse Dutilly crusied to another victory with Eugene Davidson and Joe Rice completing the top three.
The last race of the evening was the Fastruck TOuring Series fifty lap race with Mike LaPlant leading the trucks around to the start of the feature. Tyler Laing immediatley jumped to the front of the field. Jessica Green's truck spun out in turn four after the first lap was completed. On the restart , was like a domino effect with all the trucks getting into the back of one another and Ricky Partridge spun his truck out to avoid hitting another truck. Ross Chastain got into the back of Andrew Gipson's truck on lap five, brining out another caution.
THe last caution came out from lapped traffic getting into the way of the leaders and Josh Williams who was running in second spun his truck out in turn four tyring to get around the lapped truck of Tome Carlough. The only pass for the lead occured on lap forty with Josh Williams passing Tyler Laing for the lead and taking the victory. After the pass on for the lead, Laing truck faded out of the top three. TJ Duke came home in second and Ross Chastain finished in the third position.
