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| Two Types of Late Models and School Bus Figure Eights Highlight Big Ocala Racing Weekend | Racing fans will get to see plenty of action this weekend at Ocala Speedway as the track hosts a two-day program showcasing the National Late Model Series Dirt Late Models and Ocala' Speedway's own Steven A. Bagen Super Late Models.
Friday night is Gladiator Custom Trailers night. $100 gift certificates will be available that fans may use toward the purchase of a Gladiator trailer.
The first 500 fans will get a special Gladiator souvenir cup good for a half-price soda at the concession stand, plus race fans will be able to get an up close and personal look at these beautiful custom-made trailers.
Pace car rides will also be given away as well as tickets to the local Silver Springs attractions.
Racing action will consist of time trials and heat races for the National Late Model Series Dirt cars along with heat races for the Steven A. Bagen Super Late Models, Diamond H Air & Heat Sportsman, K-Country 93.7 FM Street Stocks, Four Cylinder Stocks, and V-8 Stocks. These heat races will help determine the line-up for the big feature events on Saturday.
The grand finale on Friday will be the always-popular School Bus Figure Eight race. This wild and highly unpredictable form of racing is always a fan favorite and will be a great way to cap off a fun Friday of competition. No crossing guards will be posted!!
Saturday, Ocala Speedway will host a 100-lap feature for the National Late Model Series Dirt Late Models along with big feature events for the Steven A. Bagen Super Late Models, Diamond H Air & Heat Sportsman, K-Country Street Stocks, Four Cylinder Stocks, and V-8 Stocks. There is added importance to these events for the local classes as double points will be awarded.
Although the National Late Model Series runs primarily on the dirt, it will be the second time this year that the drivers have bolted on the asphalt tires to do battle at Ocala.
Sylvester, GA driver Stacey Roberts dominated the 100-lap event held in early May with Jacksonville's Michael Lloyd finishing second. Lloyd currently leads the NLMS season-long point standings by seven markers over top rookie driver Patrick Sheltra of Indiantown.
Another Jacksonville driver, Johnny Collins is third in points, 25 behind Lloyd, with Columbus GA's DeWayne Johnson and Greg Ward of Ormond Beach fourth and fifth. All of these drivers are expected in the field along with Ocala-area drivers Bob and Aaron McQuaig and Ivedent Lloyd, Jr., veteran Cecil Eunice of Waycross, GA, Kite GA's Henry Carter, Nahunta, GA's J.O. Nobles and many more.
Ocala's E.J. Wise, the first-half champion, also leads the current points for the Steven A. Bagen Super Late Models over Brock Oglesby, Keith Zavrel, Rich Pratt and Gig Smith. All five and a host of others are expected to duke it out this weekend.
Just 12 points separate the top five drivers in the Diamond H Air & Heat Sportsman class with Dunellon's Tom Posavec leading the way over Frank Buchanan, William Edwards, Kyle Maynard and Patrick Mennenga heading into the two-day show.
Ocala's Paul "Tweety Bird" Fletcher has used some bad luck on the part of Leesburg's David Chastain to once again take over the point lead in the K-Country Street Stocks. Tommy Roberts and Bobby Taylor are nipping at Fletcher's heels while Chastain has fallen to fourth in the standings but is not that far behind the top three. Mike Rosa continues to have a steady second half and is fifth in Street Stock points.
Rick Kuhn of Ocala continues to look like he'll repeat as Four Cylinder Stock champion as he's now opened up a 15 point advantage over Harold Barup. Tom Ellis, Terry Dunbar (a first-time winner last week), and Chris Noce round out the current top five in Four Cylinder Stock points.
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