Orlando SpeedWorld was back in action with six divisions taking part as Lakeland’s Becca Monopoli got a good weekend off to a winning start by dominating the Pro Truck feature. Kelly Ross led the opening lap of the Pro Truck 25-lap finale but Monopoli grabbed the lead and never looked back. Whitney Poole moved up to second early on but was unable to chase down Monopoli as the lady drivers finished 1-2. Brian Lynch came home in third spot ahead of Rich Cordis, Ross and Randy Poole. Heat wins went to Whitney Poole and Lynch. On Saturday night, Monopoli would go on to win the Joey Coulter Florida Pro Truck Series race at Citrus County Speedway.
Michael Held led every lap of the Super Stock race then was able to pass tech this time, taking his first win of the young season. The only caution of the race came when Bobby Cuddy spun on the front stretch on lap 13. Held’s teammate Brandon Christian finished a distant second trailed by Jeff Cuddy. Bobby Cuddy recovered to take fourth in front of John Bennett and Ernie Stickle. Held also won the heat race.
The best race of the night took place in the Bandolero feature. Sam Cornman, Colton Bramlett and Ryan Pierce all led laps during the event, then entered turn one on the white flag lap three-wide. Cornman used a gutsy inside move to claim his third win of the year closely pursued by Bramlett and Pierce in a crowd-pleasing finish. Brandi Bibeau took fourth ahead of Katy Froelich who was in her first-ever race. Mark Bibeau fell out of the event while running fourth. Bramlett and Pierce won the heat races.
Neil Kirby and his Ford Probe “vacuumed” up the field once again to win his second Strictly Stock feature of the year in just his second start. Charlie King, Sr. kept pace but had to settle for second over Megan Metheny as Fords swept the top three spots. Tommy Flinn was fourth while Keith Wylie, Jamie Sullivan, Doug Samion and Luis Guillen, Jr. completed the finishers. Heats went to King and Metheny.
Zachary Curtis ran off with the Four Cylinder Stock feature race in his Saturn topping Charlie King, Jr. who looked very good in just his third career race. Heat winner Eric Hodge was third followed by Shane Sutorus and Damien Kwaak.
Keith Sunkula out-ran David Owen to win the Legend Car feature.
The Orlando SpeedWorld oval track will be in action both Friday and Saturday night next week. On Friday night, April 18th, classes seeing action will be the Modifieds, Sportsman cars, Legend Cars, Strictly Stocks, Four Cylinder Stocks and the Bandoleros. Saturday evening will mark the first appearance of the year by the Tampa Bay Area Racing Association (TBARA) Winged Outlaw Sprint Cars. The Pro Challenge cars will also be in action plus there will be Antique Car racing. The Strictly Stocks will see a cash-paying event for their class and track officials are attempting to put a Figure-Eight race together for that night.