Punta Gorda Speedway has not been able to race two weekends in a row since June because of the parking lot problems, until last night. Last night, made two weeks in a row the fans and kids were able to enjoy a full night of racing action and a fun, filled night of trick or treat for the kids. Every year the amount of kids to come out, dressed in all sorts of costumes grows and last night was an endless line of
Trick or Treaters that left with bags full of treats from the drivers. If you missed last night you missed some of the best racing action in the state and some of the most fun for the kids.
The features started off with the Legend cars that saw the 00 of Darin Cooker from Palm Beach Gardens jump out to and early lead. Becca Monopoli of Lakeland was in a distant second trying to chase Cooker down till o the only caution came out at half way for the muffler flying off the 55 car. Running in third was Chase Fitzgerald till five to go, when the car shut down coming down the front stretch and ended his night giving the third spot over to Mike Verhaagh of Ft Myers and that would be how they finished.
Open Wheel Modifieds were up next and the line up was inverted from their heat race that put Scott McDaniel of Cape Coral on the pole. The green flag dropped and good hard racing out of turn four before one lap was in the books, it looked like three wide down the front. Three wide did work and cars got together and bounced off and on top of each other and when the smoke cleared Johnny Allen, Eric Rudd and points leader all had to be towed off the track and not able to continue. Speedway owner went to the four drivers left on the track and they all agreed to make it a fifteen lap dash for the cash. Johnny Allen was able to return and the drivers were lined up with McDaniel on the poll and L.B. Skaggs out side. What a show by the front two then another caution with one to go. Lines back up it was side by side, petal to the metal all the way around the track and it was Scott McDaniel who crossed the line first with Skaggs second and John Rogers from Naples third.
You can always bet tempers will flare when the Cowboy Cadillacs hit the track and last night was no different. It was Jeff Deeble of Port Charlotte that took the lead on lap one and with two to go got spun by a lap truck that brought out the caution. Deeble back in his spot and Mike Bialecki outside, the green flag dropped for a green white checker finish. Bialecki got by Deeble, who’s truck wasn’t the same after the spin, with John Pummell Jr second and Rick Mills third.
Tons of Kids lines up along the front stretch fence just waiting for all the cars to pull out on the track with all their treats. Once all the cars were stopped and drivers ready, the gate was opened and “were did all those kids come” invaded the track full of drivers. It almost took as long to let all the kids onto the track as it did for them all to make their way around to all the drivers for their treats. After the kids left the track they headed back up to the front entrance were they had a costume contest and it was very hard on the judges as all the kids looked great. Thanks to junior fan club leader Jessica and all she did to help with the trick or treat the drivers to make it a fun night for them.
TBARA were lined up and ready to go as eighteen sprints were ready to pound the pavement for thirty laps. The 66 of Ray Bragg Jr jumped out to the lead and running strong with Dude Teate in second, till a caution came out on lap fifteen. As the cars were ready to go back green the rotor on the 66 machine was glowing red that delayed the restart as they pulled him over and then caught on fire. Bragg was not happy to have to give up the lead and retire to the pits. Dude Teate when on to win the thirty lap feature with Scotty Adema second, Johnny Gilbertson was third. WOW !!!! What a feature !!! Dude Teate picks up the win. Johnny Gilbertson is your 2012 Champion. Rex Hollinger is your Rookie of the Year .
This was the first race of the second half for the Late Model Sportsman that had the first two canceled and they were ready to race. The twelve of David Williamson set fast time but it was Gary McFall that sat on the pole for the start of the race. McFall jumped out to an early lead and had a fast car while some good hard racing brought out a few cautions during this race. Looking to take over the points lead, Aaron Williamson had to pit with a flat tire on lap ten that put him five laps down and out of contention for points leader. After not racing since May, Gary McFall found himself very happy as he brought home the win while Donnie Ollie Jr was second and King James Dubose was third.
Pro 4 were waiting to get this 40 laps feature in the books that saw a few caution while Johnny Allen of Lehigh jumped out to the early lead. Skyler Null had a fast car tonight and was putting the pressure on Allen for the lead till lap fifteen, as Sklyer was quoted saying, “Had an amazing car tonite,could of had a top three car but the battery came loose and was sparking and made me lose power but In two weeks another 40lapper:)” The Collver brothers Rayn and Dan got tangled going into turn four and both had to retire for the night. Paul Richards Jr was able to get by Allen on lap twenty three and go onto win the feature while Kris Bridges was right on his bumper for second. Jessica Ostrovskis put the move on Allen to take over the third spot on lap twenty five and had a strong run finishing in third.
Champ Karts came out and for an exciting race in front of all the fans that stayed till the end. These Kart are something to watch as they draft around the track and race sometime four to six wide and it can be any ones race depending on who you pair up with. At the end of the race it was the 29 of Ron Sanford first, Tara Henderson second and Billy Smith third.
The last race of the night was the Road Warriors, it was Chris Loney in the burrowed Codey Benoit B1
machine, after Loney blew up in practice, out to the lead, who knew. Chris Scott took over the lead and was challenged by Richard Nelson who got by Scott on lap eighteen. Nelson went on to win the feature with Scott a close second and Rick Reed was third.
Next week you do not want to miss the always great racing action at the Punta Gorda Speedway. NOVEMBER 3 – Street Stock-50 Laps, Pro Trucks-50 Laps, Rookie Trucks-25, LEGENDS-40, BANDOS-15, TQ MIDGETS, MINI CUPS and FAN PARTICIPATION. Visit our web site to stay up to date at www.puntagordaspeedway, or find us on face book at Punta Gorda Speedway.
PUNTA GORDA SPEEDWAY RESULTS
10/27/2012
Late Model Sportsman
1. 68 Gary McFall Venice
2. 09 Donnie Ollie Jr. LeHigh
3. 67 James Dubose Arcadia
4. 98 Danny Brown LeHigh
5. 6 Greg Gorniak Homestead
6. 82 Josh Calvert Port Charlotte
7. 12 David Williamson Mulberry (Fast Time)
8. 7 Kyle Rice La Belle
9. 112 Ashlee Williamson Mulberry
10. 13 Aaron Williamson Lakeland
11. 51 Michael Atwell Naples
12. 57 James Bremmer Sarasota
TBARA Sprints
1. 0 Dude Teate
2. 67 Scotty Adema
3. 22 Johnny Gilbertson
4. 5 Mickey Kempgens
5. 51 Mark Gimmler
6. 9 Jimmy Alvis Jr.
7. J1 Mike Tharp
8. 85 Rex Hollinger
9. 2 Larry J. Brazil Jr.
10. 37 Mike Koss
11. 44 Bill Pettijohn
12. 3 Garrwett Green
13. 15 Geoff Styner
14. 47 Jason Bradford
15 8 Alan Randisi
16. 66 Ben Fritz
17. 21 Jimmy Alvis Jr.
Legends
1. 00 Darin Coker Palm Beach Gardens
2. 59 Becca Monopoli Lakeland
3. 7 Mike Verhaagh Fort Myers
4. 26 Joey Langis Coral Springs
5. 54 Tony Steinbuck Tamarac
6. 48 Carl Haag Port St. Lucie
7. 55 Conrad Molter Naples
8. 96 Chase Fitzgerald Lutz
Open Wheel Modified
1. 17 Scott McDaniel Cape Coral
2. 71 L.B. Skaggs Ft. Myers
3. 2r John Rogers Naples
4. 8 Johnny Allen LeHigh
5. 33 Chico Alberto St. Pete
6. 12 Eric Rudd Naples
7. 19 Steve Arnold Cape Coral
Pro 4
1. 61 Paul Richards Jr. Naples
2. 63 Kris Bridges Venice (Fast time)
3. 91 Jessica Ostrovskis St. Pete
4. 68 Cody Allen LeHigh
5. 05 Ronnie Robinson Bradenton
6. 56 Steven Babcock Punta Gorda
7. 87 Skyler Null N. Ft. Myers
8. 00 Dan Collver N. Ft. Myers
9. 04 Ryan Collver N. Ft. Myers
10. 3 Chuck Null N. Ft. Myers D.N.S.
11. 99 Johnny Marra Cape Coral D.N.S.
Cowboy Cadillac’s
1. 92 Mike Bialecki Arcadia
2. 86 John Pummel Jr. Arcadia
3. 22 Rick Mills
4. 8 Jeff Deeble Port Charlotte
5. 99 Stuart Vandevender Cape Coral D.Q.
Road Warriors
1. 80 Richard Nelson Port Charlotte
2. 97 Chris Scott Nokomis
3. 1 Rick Reed Punta Gorda
4. 10 Jason miller LeHigh Acres
5. 5 Jeremy Daring LeHigh Acres
6. 14 Randy Kyle LeHigh
7. 29 Phil Ellis Englewood
8. 22 Ann Marie Ricardi Naples
9. 13 Juston Teston Lehigh
10. B1 Chris Loney Naples
11. 15 Clint Snyder Venice
S.E. Champ Karts
1. 29 Ron Sanford
2. 44 Tara Henderson
3. 30 Billy Smith
4. 38 Ricky Moxley
5.77 Phil Harp
6.8 Doug Schmidt
7.58 Rick Hall
8. 66 David harp
9. 49 Mike Mantano
10. 94 Jason McConnell
11. 95 Chris Portman
12. 0 Darin Coker
13. 59x John Inman DNS