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| Sportsman & 911 Racing go for 50 Laps at Orlando SpeedWorld Friday Night | by Jane Smith
Bithlo, Fla (September 23, 2003) Points season is winding down fast and every point counts as some divisions are neck-in-neck for the Championships. With all the rainouts this season, it is going to be one heck of a battle to the end.
Sportsman highlight the program this Friday night as they race for 50 laps. Richard Hight is pretty much assured the Championship as he leads that division with 713 points. Coming in second in points, but no where close to Hight, is Donnie Smith with 404 points. Smith has certainly taken his share of wins in the latter part of the season but at this point, there is no way he can catch Hight.
Although Michael Albert has not been at the track in awhile, he still comes in third in points with 368 followed by Danny Shearer with 316 points. Robert Hight stands fifth with 284 points but Justin Hall is trying his best to take over fifth. Hall stands only four points behind Hight with 280 points. Doug Samion runs seventh with 256 points followed by Rob Kayse with 216 points in eighth. Cory Kaiser comes in ninth with 120 points followed by Tony Wilson with 116.
A good field of Sportsman is expected for the 50 lap race not only the regular Orlando SpeedWorld Sportsman but a few from other tracks and New Smyrna Speedway. Qualifying for the 50 lap race will be at 6:30 p.m. depending on car count.
Also on the program Friday night are the Mod Lites and Pro Challenge Cars. These traveling series always put on a great show and have plenty of side-by-side action for the fans.
Although the Super Late Models have the night off due to the Sunbelt Super Late Model race at New Smyrna Speedway on Saturday night, it is B.J. McLeod and Rusty Ebersole who are tied in points once again for the Super Late Model Championship.
These two drivers are good friends and have enjoyed racing each other on Friday nights, even having the same car one night. Ebersole used McLeod's back-up car once to race and almost beat the primary car. McLeod and Ebersole are tied at 584 points each.
Ricky Wood stands third in points for the Super Lates with 336 points followed by Ronnie Roach with 224 points. Rick Bates comes in fourth and only 8 points behind Roach at 216 points. David Hart rounds out the top five with 160 points. Completing the top ten are Rick Lyons, Mack Hanbury, Jared Allison, Eric Deffendall and Greg Brooks.
Matt Wheeler leads the Open Wheel Modifieds with 492 points followed by Shane Held with 452 points. With points this close, the championship can go either way.
Coming in third is Jason Boyd with 368 points but only 20 points behind Boyd is Lynn Dicandio with 348 in fourth. Glen Bradley rounds out the top five with 312.
Rounding out the top ten in Modified points are Dave Riley, Jared Allison, Darren Gould, Jim "Hoot" Flynn and tied for tenth are Chad Pierce and Ken McCracken.
Tim "Missileman" McPhail won the Mini Stock Championship in 2001 at Orlando SpeedWorld and it looks like he is well on his way for his second Championship. McPhail leads the Mini Stock division with 612 points. Coming in second is Sean "Weasel" Bass at 456 but he will have his hands full with Dick Laszlo who is only 24 points behind him. Laszlo comes in at 432 points.
Randy Blakeslee took over fourth last week with 204 points but he only has a 4 point lead over fifth place R.J. Arnone. Arnone blew an engine two weeks ago and missed last Friday night. Rounding out the top ten are Mike Williams, Jr., Robbie Storer, Chad Ashley, Pedie Allison and tied in tenth are Rex "Boneman" Hollinger and Michael Seay.
Cory Freed leads the Super Stock division with 612 points and looks like a shoe-in for a second repeat Champion. Coming in second at 472 points is Ron Whaley. Bob Wines sits third with 416 points followed by Bob Beiler with 316 points and Mike Soukup with 260 points.
Andy Nichols sits sixth followed by Ron Edwards, Billy Cuddy, Wally Semrow, Butch Pierce, and Justin Reynolds.
Qualifying for the Sportsman 50 Lap feature will be at 6:30 p.m. depending on car count. Grandstands open at 6 p.m. with racing action at 8 p.m. Orlando SpeedWorld is located between SR50 and SR520 in Bithlo, Florida.
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