win

by Scott Lockwood

The long awaited regular season opener at Desoto Speedway saw a packed house treated to an action packed night of racing that saw Scott Hogan claim the Pro Truck “King of the Blacktop” title and Devin McLeod take the Florida Modified Invitational 100.

 

In the Q Auto and Injury Attorneys Desoto Pro Truck main event, Hogan started on the pole and grabbed the lead at the start of the opening 50-lap segment from Jeff Guilbault and Steve Darvalics. He held a slim lead when the caution flew for Cameron Cruse’s spin in turn one just after the field completed 11 laps.

 

Hogan withstood a series of challenges on a rash of restarts over the next 14 laps. Darvalics made a move for the lead and had just cleared Hogan before the caution flew at the halfway point – meaning that Hogan would keep the lead for the next restart – a restart that saw four trucks eliminated in a crash as the field came to the green flag.

 

Darvalics and Danny Anderson took shots at Hogan for the lead, but Hogan held on to win the segment. After a 5-minute break, Hogan led every lap of a caution-free, 30-lap second segment.

 

That set up a 20-lap showdown between Hogan and Darvalics at the front of the field. Darvalics made one last-ditch effort coming into turn three on the final lap, but Hogan got the run coming off the final corner to finish the sweep.

 

 

“Steve is always really fast here so it was huge to stay in front of him,” Hogan said. “He had me a couple of times, but it worked out really well for us.”

 

Dean Butrum finished third, with Chad Chastain and Anderson rounding out the top five.

 

A strong field of some of the state’s best drivers were on hand for the Florida State Modified Invitational. For the first 70 laps Doug Moff led a four-car freight train with Cody Stickler, Devin McLeod and Josh Todd directly in tow.

 

 

Stickler, who won four races during the World Series of Asphalt at New Smyrna Speedway earlier this month, made several attempts to get the lead but was unable to finish the pass on Moff.

 

With 25 laps to go Stickler slid high in turn one, allowing McCleod and Todd to get by. Five laps later, Todd and McLeod got together getting into turn three. McLeod was able to continue with no damage while Todd was sent to the rear for causing the spin.

 

McLeod lined up outside of Moff for the final restart with 10 laps to go. The pair raced side-by-side for three laps until McLeod finally cleared Moff as the field completed the 93rd lap. McLeod set sail from the rest of the pack and drove on to the win.

 

“That was probably the best race I’ve ever driven in my life,” McLeod said in victory lane. “We rode behind Stickler for all those laps and I was surprised he didn’t pull the trigger a little sooner. It all played out like it was supposed to.”

 

Moff held off Stickler for second. Wayne Jefferson drove from sixth to fourth in the final lap. D.J. Hoelzle rounded out the top five.

 

Jeff Firestine controlled the early stages of the 25-lap Take Aim Gun Range Street Stock feature. As the field came to the halfway point of the race, contact between Codey Benoit and Jarrett Cornell sent Cornell into the wall and brought out the caution.

 

Benoit was allowed to keep his spot and was able to pounce on Firestine to take the lead immediately after the restart. Ander Jackson quickly worked his way up to second but ran out of time to catch the leader as Benoit took the victory. Firestine finished third.

 

In other action Saturday night, Laura Mammina led from flag-to-flag to take the 25-lap Mini Stock feature; Darrin Ellis withstood an early challenge from Lee Davis and went on to a flag-to-flag victory in the 25-lap Pep Boys Speed Shop Modified Mini feature; Blaine Baer won the 25-lap Pure Stock feature; and Carl Thompson won the 25-lap Bomber feature.

 

Next week’s card at Desoto Speedway will feature the Southern Sprint Car Shootout Series, TQ Midgets, the King of the Blacktop for the Desoto Sportsman, Street Stocks, Pure Stocks, Modified Minis, Mini Stocks, Bombers and Outlaw Modifieds.

 

02-27- 2016

 DESOTO SPEEDWAY RACE RESULTS

 

Open Wheel Modified

 1. 21 Devin McLeod Zephyrhills

 2. 46 Doug Moff Doug Moff Ft. Myers

 3. 99 Cody Strckler Pinellas

 4. 1 Wayne Jefferson Pinellas Park

 5. 8. D. J. Hoezle Palm Harbor

 6. 7 Josh Todd Polk City

 7. 25 L. J. Grimm Seffner

 8. 42 Richie Smith Hernandez

 9. 54 Brandon Thompson Seminole

 10. 75 Bobby Blake Lake County

 11. 12 Eric Rudd Naples

 12. 84 Rob Haywood Bradenton

 13. 00 Shawn Harper Winter Haven

 14. 16 Jeff Firestine Venice

 15. V1 Terry Vaughn Arcadia

 

Pro Trucks

 1. 12 Scott Hogan Naples

 2. 41 Steve Darvalics Venice

 3. 32 Dean Butrum Venice

 4. 36 Chad Chastain Alva

 5. 50 Danny Anderson Bradenton

 6. 28 Corey Bigley Naples

 7. 66 Scott McKay Bradenton

 8. 42 Jeff Guilbault North Port

 9. . 22 Cameron Cruse Sarasota

 10. 99 Cody Martell Arcadia

 11. 59x Becca Monopoli Lakeland

 12. 67 Jimmie Best Sarasota

 13. 27 Tim Ryan Miami

 14. 3 Duane Best Myakka

 15. 17 Dan Lautner Michigan

 16. 44 Chase Lovelady Lakeland

 17. 52 Joe Winchell Dade City

 18. 38 Taylor Moxley West Palm Beach

 19. 63 Andy Whitled Sarasota

 20. 75 Robert St. John Arcadia

 21. 2d David Patterson North

 22. 38 Jeremy Goddard Naples

 23. 5 Richard Griffis West Palm

 24. 14 Sam Scott Naples D.N.S.

 

Street Stock

 1. X Cody Benoit Ft Myers

 2. 91 Ander Jackson Punta Gorda

 3. 93 Jeff Firestine Venice

 4. 45 Mike Karrivan Myakka

 5. 11 Travis Barfield Myakka

 6. 3 Jeff Dufrense Bradenton

 7. 9 Danny Daniels Jr. Lehigh

 8. 5 Eric Willis Citrus County

 9. 40 Scott Finch Bradenton

 10. 98 Cody Allen Lehigh

 11. 27 Chris Oliver

 12. 75 Garrett Thompson Bradenton

 13. 1 Tyler Lau Bradenton

 14. 51 Jarrett Cornell Cape Coral

 15. 33 Ronnie Brock Jr. Sebring

 16. 42 Dennis Wilson

 17. 23 Todd Brown Bushnell

 18. 01 Bobby Diestler Inverness

 19. 63 Kyle Best Myakka

 

Pure Stock

 1 . 7b Blane Baer Port Charlotte

 2. 33 Chris Loney Naplles

 3. 99 Wayne Jefferson Pinellas Park

 4. 3b Sherry Best Myakka

 5. 74 Paul Hufstaler Bradenton

 6. 72 Roger Dufrense Bradenton

 7. 7k Dennis Koselak Bradenton

 8.67Jimmie Best Sarasota

 9. 27 Gerald Fossa Bradenton

 10. 9 Mike Bialacki Arcadiaq

 11. 3t Terry Price Port Charlotte

 12. 8 Shane Leonard Cape Coral

 

Bombers

 1. 75 Carl Thompson Aburndale

 2 123 Brandon Duchscherer Aburndale

 3. 24Jeff Poncheco Port Charlotte

 4. 57 Aaron Holmes Auburndale

 5. 12 Doug Bradley

 6. 23b Adam Briggs Lakeland

 7. 42 Bubba Edwards Aburndale

 8. 22 Ann Marie Ricardi

 9. 53 Brandon Martin Bartow

 10. 15. Clint Snyder North Port

 11. 23g Kenny Gibson Venice

 12. 10 Mark Palmer Winter Haven

 

Modified Mini

 1. 72 Darrin Ellis

 2. 77d Lee Davis

 3. 4d Donnie Powers

 4. 6 Dave Davis

 5. 17 Brad Blanton

 6. 77r Rachelle Rudolph

 

Mini Stock

 1. 77 Laura Mammia North Port

 2. 005 Ronnie Anderson Bradenton

 3.37 Todd Wozniak

 4. 99 Johnny Marra Punta Gorda

 5. 10 Kristen Mithalter North Port

 6. 008 Ren Wright St. Pete

 7. 37 Jerry Groves Venice