|
| Florida Drivers don't win but do well as Summer Shootout Gets Under Way | by Dave Westerman
It's become a tradition at Lowe's Motor Speedway near Charlotte, NC, the Summer Shootout, and the latest version of the popular event got under way Tuesday evening despite threat from the remains of Tropical Storm Alberto with 210 cars jamming the pit area and the State of Florida well represented.
None of the Florida drivers, most of whom race weekly at Orlando Speedworld, won a feature, but several came close.
The Legends Car Pro Division at the Shootout always features a "who's who" of Legends car racing and it was certainly no different this year. St. Cloud's Brandon Thomson, fresh off his win on Saturday night at Speedworld, came home with a solid third place finish topped only by John Gottsacker of Texas and North Carolina's Ben Stancill, both veterans of the Legends Cars.
Four Florida youngsters qualified for the Legends Semi-Pro feature with Odessa's Paddy Rodenbeck coming home second and Matt Bowers of Mt. Dora taking a fantastic third place finish. Rodenbeck has been running primarily in Georgia this year and has several wins at Lanier Speedway, the track where the Legends Car Asphalt Nationals will be held later this year. Bowers, who took a hard crash just three weeks ago at the Florida PBG Tour event at Desoto Super Speedway, showed no ill effects against a big field of Semi-Pro drivers.
Just qualifying for the Semi-Pro feature race is an accomplishment.
Kara Clarke of Palm Beach Gardens, making her first run in a Legends Car at the Shootout, took a "comfortable" 14th place finish then came back to finish third in the Bandelero Outlaws feature. Bryan Silas of Lake Worth also qualified his PBG entry for the Semi-Pro feature and took a 17th place finish.
No Florida Masters Division drivers made the trip to Charlotte (they say they're all "working stiffs" who have to earn their keep during the week so they can go "play" on Saturday), but the Masters Division winner on Tuesday is well known to Florida fans. George "Cotton" Spry of Salisbury, NC, the 2006 Orlando Speedworld Winternationals Champion, took top honors and yet another trophy to add to his big collection.
Two Florida Bandelero Young Guns qualified for their main event but their results weren't what they'd hoped for. Gerald White, Jr. of Lakeland took 16th place while Ryan Rust of Port St. Lucie was 24th.
Zephyrhills driver Maxx Bennett had to be happy with his ninth place showing in the Bandelero Bandits as it was his very first visit to Lowe's Motor Speedway. Bennett already has three feature wins this year at Orlando Speedworld.
Many of the drivers will move on to Atlanta Motor Speedway for "Thursday Thunder" then back for regular racing action Saturday evening at Orlando Speedworld where the RE/MAX Legends Cars and Bandeleros will be joined by the Florida Open Wheel Lites, Florida Cracker Classics, Hurricanes and Junior Stocks.
Have an opinion on
this story? Post a message on
our Message Board! or Email KARNACto send a letter to the editor!
|
