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| Final 2004 Race Set for Saturday Afternoon at Orlando SpeedWorld | by Dave Westerman
The 2004 racing season comes to a close Saturday afternoon at Orlando Speedworld with the running of the first Florida Cup for the Mod Lite/Open Wheel Lite cars, Bandeleros, Hurricanes and FAST Karts will also be in action.
With cooler weather now upon us, the racing events will be run starting at 2:30 in the afternoon. The program should be complete in time for race fans to get in their cars and make the quick drive north to New Smyrna Speedway for that evening's big Enduro race, the first "true" enduro event to be run in quite some time.
The highlight of the afternoon of racing will be the first Florida Cup, twin 40-lap features for the super-fast Mod Lite/Open Wheel Lite cars powered by Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawasaki engines. These drivers race mostly just for fun, but in this event, a $500 first place prize awaits the winner.
South Florida's Mark Landis has had the most success at Speedworld this year winning several features. His main challenge may come from his own brother George Landis, who finished second here five straight times before securing a win late in the year. Other drivers who are expected to be top contenders include the "Jacksonville Gang" of Rick Lundeen, Ron Towles, and Bob Quick.
Phil Krauthoff, Mike Belusar, Spanky McFarland, Todd Diers, Kevin Baxter, Dan Nyhan, Brian Gingras, Dan Berry, Nick Shadid and Wild Bill Burback are also expected to be in contention. With the Mod Lite machines now added to this years' Winternationals sked, it's quite possible a couple of drivers from outside the State of Florida may be here as well to "check things out."
There will most certainly be a few "outsiders" in the RE/MAX Legends Car field headed by third generation sensation Keven Wood of the famed Wood Brothers family. Wood, who lives near Charlotte, NC, won the final regular season race at Speedworld and says he's bringing a few friends with him to get tuned up for the February Winternationals.
Local Legends favorites will include 2004 State Champion Patrick Conrad, Jeremy Colangelo, Brandon Thomson, Kory Abbott, Bobby Byars, Wesley McLeod, Kyle Dombeck, A.J. Fulgenzi, brothers Mike and Mitch Verhaagh, Derrick Wood, and a host of others.
Pit gates open at 10AM with open practice at noon. Racing begins promptly at 2:30PM. Adult admission to the grandstands is just $5.00 with kids 11 and under admitted free.
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