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| Points are Tight and Racing Action is HOT at Orlando SpeedWorld | by Jane Smith
Bithlo, Fla (October 22, 2003) With the end of the 2003 points season just right around the corner. not only is the track heating up but so are the racers. Some divisions are very close and others may already see who the Champion will be but the battle is on.
The Bandolero Bandits and Young Guns will see double features this Friday night as their feature was postponed last Friday after it was impossible to dry their track. Going into Friday night's action, Derrick Wood holds a slight lead over Chad Akins in the Bandit division. Wood stands at 788 points to Akins's 772. Gerald White Jr. comes in third with 676 points followed by Matthew Jarrett in fourth with 512 points. Rounding out the top five is Josh Williams with 476 points.
Kevin Henry has had a very good year in the Bandolero Young Gun division and leads the points with 832. Brandon Thomson comes in second with 716 followed by third place Scott Jarrett with 672. Jessica Murphy stands fourth with 476 followed by Troy Atkins in fifth with 436. The Pro Challenge and Mod Lites will also be in action of Friday night along with the Super Lates, Open Wheel Modifieds, Sportsman, Super Stock, Mini Stock and Strictly Stock.
The Super Late Model division is very, very close and the winner won't be known until the last race. Rusty Ebersole holds only a 16 point lead over second place B.J. McLeod but these two are having a blast racing each other. This Championship will go down to the wire. Ebersole sits at 664 points to McLeod's 648 points. Ricky Wood comes in third with 376 points followed by Ronnie Roach in fourth with 296 points. Rick Bates completes the top five with 264 points.
David Hart, Eric Deffendall, Rick Lyons, Mack Hanbury, and Jared Allison complete the top ten.
Matt Wheeler has taken a 64 point lead in the Open Wheel Modified division over second place Shane Held. But don't think this is over yet. Lynn Dicandio moved into third place with 448 points followed by Jason Boyd in fourth with 368 points. Glen Bradley rounds out the top five with 360 points, only 8 points behind Boyd.
Completing the top ten are Dave Riley, Jared Allison, Frank Polly, Teri Bryant, and tied in tenth are Darren Gould and Jim "Hoot" Flynn.
Richard Hight has won the Sportsman Championship with his 327 point lead over second place Donnie Smith with 440. Smith missed last week's race for double points which gave Danny Shearer a closer points lead to Smith. Shearer stands only 28 points behind Smith with 412.
In spite of the fact that Michael Albert has not been racing, Albert still holds fourth place with 368 points. But Justin Hall is coming up fast and stands only 20 points behind Albert in fifth with 348 points.
Completing the top ten in Sportsman are Robert Hight, Bill Hall, Doug Samion, Rob Kayse, and Cory Kaiser.
It looks like Tim "Missileman" McPhail has won his second Mini Stock Championship at Orlando SpeedWorld as he leads the points with
692. Dick Laszlo moved into second with 496 points and is followed by Sean Bass in third, only 40 points behind Laszlo, with 456 points. Randy Blakeslee stands fourth with 260 points followed by R.J. Arnone in fifth with 200 points.
Michael Williams Jr., Robbie Storer, Michael Seay, Chad Ashley, and Bob Delmastro complete the top ten.
Another pretty sure Champion is Cory Freed in the Super Stock class.
Freed was the 2002 Super Stock Champion and looks like he just may have his second consecutive championship. Freed leads the points with 660 followed by Ron Whaley in second with 488 points. Bob Wines sits third with 448 points followed by Bob Beiler in fourth with 388 points. Completing the top five is Andy Nichols with 288 points.
Mike Soukup, Ron Edwards, Billy Cuddy, Wally Semrow and Butch Pierce complete the top ten.
Friday, October 25th, will be the last day you can use your city, county, state, or federal I.D. and get into Orlando SpeedWorld for just $5.00. You and four members of your party will get in for $5.00 each. Orlando SpeedWorld would like to say "thanks" for a job well done.
Grandstands open at 6 p.m. with racing action at 8 p.m. Orlando SpeedWorld is located between SR50 and SR520 in Bithlo, Fla.
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