|
| Two New Point Leaders at Ocala - Classic Cars Set for Firday Run | by Dave Westerman
Action heats up again Friday night at Ocala Speedway as the Classic Auto Racing Series joins five of the regular Ocala Speedway divisions, two of which have new point leaders.
Ocala's Kyle Maynard is now on top of the point standings in the highly competitive K-Country Street Stock class. Young Maynard has three wins to his credit already this year and surpassed Doug Webster for the top spot after Webster suffered mechanical woes and had a DNF for the first time this season last week.
Mark Mitchell has moved to second in Street Stock points, just two markers back of Maynard, while Webster slipped to third four points behind Mitchell. Tommy Roberts and David Chastain remain fourth and fifth. Things are so tight in this class now, the points can literally change at the drop of a hat.
Coming on strong in the Four Cylinder Stocks over recent weeks, Ocala's Rick Kuhn has finally snatched the point lead away from Tom Ellis. Kuhn is three points in front of Ellis who still has a comfortable margin over second-year drivers Joel Byall and Harold Barup who are third and fourth. Harry Drier and his Chevette have moved to fifth in the Four Cylinder standings.
Ocala's E.J. Wise saw Patrick Williams cut into his Steven A. Bagen Super Late Model point lead just a bit last week after Williams took his second feature victory of the year. Wise took the checker in third place though and remains eight points ahead of Williams.
Williams has a healthy 29 point advantage over third place Gig Smith with Tim Shull fourth and rookie SLM driver Troy Robinson moving into fifth in the standings after last weeks action.
Despite a lot of heated action that saw his car "cosmetically altered" not only at Ocala, but at another track as well last week, Larry Goolsby of Williston still has his Maguire's Racing special in the top spot for the Mini Stocks by 24 markers over Marlon Durbin.
Driving with a "borrowed" engine that lasted just long enough last week for his fourth win of the year, Rick Sirmans has now moved to third in the Mini Stock standings although well behind both Goolsby and Durbin.
Jake Garver and A.J. Schreier remain fourth and fifth.
The point standings remain extra tight in the Diamond H Air & Heat Sportsman division with Belleview's Patrick Mennenga still on top, but by just three points over Frank Buchanan. Tom Posavec is only three markers back of Buchanan with Roger Damron and rookie Kathy Ray not far behind.
Kathy Ray, whose husband Robert plans to debut a new Modified soon, spent last Sunday at the Eau Gallie Speedway reunion at Wickham Park in Melbourne meeting many of the drivers that competed against her late father, Dave McGinnis. McGinnis was a Florida short-track star in the 1960's in Supermodifieds, Modifieds and Late Models winning the inaugural Florida State Late Model Championship 200 lap race (now The Governor's Cup Race) at the now defunct Golden Gate Speedway in 1963.
Also on this weeks card is the Classic Auto Racing Series. They'll be making up an event slated for last month which drew a healthy field of 18 cars. Veteran Ben Booth of Deland, a "rookie" in the Classics though, leads the current CARS point standings and will lead a host of contenders including defending champion Jim Rahman of Clermont who will have another "vocal" crowd in the stands hosted by sponsor Ro-Mac Lumber.
Other top contenders include former champion Eddie Thornton in the Simeon Spagnuolo Door Operating Systems coupe, Palm Harbor's Bud Spencer, Daryl Grief of Deland, Lake Mack's Joey Strehle, Orange City's Greg Helton, Florida State Senator Bill Posey of Rockledge, and many more.
Super Late Model qualifying is at 7:30PM with racing at 8PM.
Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board!
or send a letter to the editor!
|
