The Tampa Bay Area Racing Association Sprint Cars made their first appearance of the year Saturday night with Scotty Adema of Ft. Myers holding off a hard-charging Sport Allen to take the victory at what he describes as his
favorite race track. Twenty-one Sprint Car teams made the tow to the high-banked half mile with 19 cars still around for a trio of heat races after both Matt Alfonso and Mickey Kempgens had trouble during hot laps and parked their machines for the night. Heat race victories would go to Ben Fritz, Dude Teate, and Brian Gingras setting the stage for the 30-lap nightcap. One driver who had a rough go was "Flyin" Ryan Partin who had the brakes fail on his mount going into turn three during the second heat race. Partin hit the outer wall virtually head on, then, with no way of stopping the car, slid back down the track and crashed hard into the inside railing. Even though the car was shortened up a good two feet, Partin climbed out unharmed. Partin was racing a second Sprinter for eventual feature winner Adema who got to experience both the highs and lows of being a race car owner on this night. Dave Retzlaf and Larry J. Brazil, Jr. brought the field down for the start of the feature with Retzlaf leading the opening lap. Adema, who started sixth, was on a roll right from the get-go and took the lead during the second lap bringing Fritz with him by Retzlaf.
Adema quickly breezed to a big lead while the big crowd was being treated to a spectacular job of driving by Sport Allen who was moving quickly to the front after starting ninth. Allen quickly reeled in Fritz and made the pass for second just past the half-way mark as it looked like the drivers were on a record pace for 30 laps at New Smyrna. It took Allen virtually no time to close the gap on Adema and the race was on for the top spot with Adema making his car as wide as possible, blocking Allen's every move. It wasn't until two laps to go that the first, and only, caution flag of the night came out as Shane Butler slammed hard into the turn two wall while running in the top five. Butler was not hurt and the field was now poised for a green-white-checker finish. Adema got a good jump on the restart and was able to hold off the advances of Allen to claim the win. Allen took the runner-up spot with Dude Teate third after Fritz' car faltered late allowing both Teate and rookie point leader Chris Gimmler to get by him. For Gimmler, it was his first time ever at New Smyrna and the son of veteran TBARA shoe Mark Gimmler proved he could get the job done. Fritz held on to take fifth spot while Retzlaf took sixth ahead of Wendy Mathis who had a great run in just her second race back from a brief retirement. Tommy Nichols was eighth, Rex "Boneman" Hollinger ninth and Shane Butler was scored tenth in the final run-down. Completing the finishers from the 18-car starting field were Mike Tharpe, Blake Rose, Gingras, Kurt Taylor, Terry Taylor, Brazil, Jason Kimball and Stan Butler.
The E-Modified feature turned out to be their best of the year with Cody Blair coming back from some early problems to post his first E-Mod victory of the season and second win overall as he has also taken a win in the Pro Late Model class. Matthew Green jumped out to an early lead in the 25-lapper and was leading handily when Blair stopped on the front straight during lap five. Blair took his car to pit road where his crew made some repairs and he returned to the action. There was plenty of wild action after the restart culminating in a tangle between second and third-running Roger Benton and Jarrett Korpi on lap ten. Green continued to set the pace until his car suddenly began to slow and then spun in turn one. Green was done for the night and that gave the lead to Blair who had managed to work his way up to second spot. The restart was negated when Jim Higginbotham spun in turn one but his car was A-OK and he returned to the race. Blair had all he could handle from Jarrett Korpi over the last eight laps, but he was able to hold on to claim the victory over Korpi, Art Kunzeman, Benton and Jon Compagnone. Matt Wheeler Higginbotham, Mike Dahm and Green rounded out the finishers.
Donnie Williams led the opening five laps of the Sportsman feature, but it was Earl "Junior" Beckner taking over at that point as he easily drove to his first win of the year here. There were three yellow flags tossed during the event and all three involved hard luck Richard Goodrich. Goodrich spun on his own on lap five then was part of a four car mix-up on lap nine. He then brought out the final caution on lap 15 as the engine blew in his car entering turn one. From that point, Beckner drove away from the field while Derrick Wood ended up second several car lengths back. Third went to Williams ahead of Scott "Suds" Garrity, D. J. Farr, Mike Pletka and Goodrich.
Justin Reynolds simply dominated the Super Stock feature, winning his second race in a row by a full straightaway over second place Shannon Kelly as the 25-lap event ran caution free. J. T. Tippins took third spot trailed by Mike
Amato and Preston Hunt. Rounding out the top ten were Becca Samsoe, Joe Gerard, Zach Curtis, Mike Dahm and George Dahm. Jonathon Murphy won his third Strictly Stock feature of the year over Jimmy Barron and Joe Candalino.