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| Halifax Photo 50, Mod Lites and Pro Challenge Top SpeedWorld Weekend | by Dave Westerman
It's yet another full weekend of racing at Orlando Speedworld as the Super Stocks again take center stage Friday while the popular Modified Lites and Pro Challenge cars join the regular divisions on Saturday night.
The Super Stocks will run for extra distance and extra cash in the Halifax Photo 50 in FASCAR Friday night action. The race is in honor of the hard work and dedication of track photographers Jim and Brooke Jones of Halifax photo in Daytona Beach. The Jones' have been snapping pictures at New Smyrna Speedway for many years and providing great memories to both drivers and fans. They took over the picture taking duties at Speedworld after the late Beverly Grybosh was no longer able to come to the track.
The Super Stock class is quickly becoming like the WWE with several intense "rivalries" going on. One involves Ron Whaley and defending track champ Corey Freed who found themselves suspended for two weeks following an on-track incident. Both will be eligible to return Friday night and track officials will be keeping a close eye on both.
The other rivalry came to a head last week when John Castro and Bob Beiler crossed the finish line in a near dead heat with Castro getting the nod by a bumper although some on the other side of the track were up in arms saying Beiler had actually won. What makes this rivalry even more interesting is the fact that the two drivers are sponsored by rival Pontiac/BUICK/GMC dealerships in Brevard County.
The Super Late Models will be back action as well on Friday night and competition has been keen in this class with three winners in three races so far this year. Modifieds, Mini Stocks and Strictly Stocks are on the card. Pit gates open at 4PM, grandstands at 6PM, and racing begins promptly at 8PM.
Saturday night the Modified Lites and Pro Challenge cars join the RE/MAX Legends Cars, Bandeleros, and the popular Hurricane class in action.
Mark Landis has posted two wins in a row in Mod Lite action and is accepting all challenges this week as he goes for three in a row. Three weeks ago, both the Mod Lites and Pro Challenge cars totally inverted their starting line-up for their features making for some incredible racing that was well received by the fans.
Pit gates open Saturday at 3PM, grandstands at 5:30PM, and racing starts at 7PM. Saturday adult grandstand admission is just $5.00.
SPEEDWORLD NOTES:
The first Crash-A-Rama is just two weeks away and preparations are already being made to accomodate the expected overflow crowd. School Bus Figure Eight racing will be on tap as well as a Boat on Trailer race, two Demolition Derbies and Motorcycle stunt riders. track management is also toying with the idea of having some "regular" racing before the Crash-A-Rama portion of the show to give the crowd a taste of what happens at the track on a regular Friday and Saturday night.
Also being talked about is "Spectator Enduro" racing that will bring enduros back to the form in which they were intended to be... cars off the street. "What we want to do is bring enduros back to what they once were, just a car off the street with minor safety modifications like moving the gas tank and battery along with welding or tying the doors shut," says Speedworld spokesperson Rusty Marcus who is heading up the effort to put the first race together later this year. "We're going to allow any car, domestic or foreign, four, six, or eight cylinder to compete and we're even looking into possibly allowing mini vans and small pick up trucks as well," says Marcus. Anyone with questions or ideas can contact Rusty at the track at (407) 568-1367.
The Saturday night Hurricane class continues to grow by a few cars each week and is fast becoming a fan favorite. "The fans can really identify with these cars and we've got just about anything you can think of out there running on the race track," says Speedworld General Manager Dick Westfall. "It just goes to prove that you don't need a $30,000 race car to put on a good show. These drivers are just as excited about getting out there and racing hard as anyone else and just about all of them don't have but a couple hundred bucks invested in their car, but you could never tell by how hard they race. I always say that racing for fun is always more fun," he says.
Legends car driver Kevin Abbott was missing in action last week after an accident on a local lake. Apparently Abbott thought it would be fun to do a back flip off a jet ski but his shoulder hit a rock and he wound up with some pretty nasty injuries. However, Abbott hopes to be back in his #98 Saturday night to try and put an end to Patrick Conrad's win streak. Conrad had won every RE/MAX Legends Car feature he's finished this year.
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