It was a great night to spend outdoors and Punta Gorda Speedway is the place to be on a Saturday Night to watch some of the best short track racing in the state. The night started out with the Bandolero’s running their featured event and it was all Johnny Holmes of Port Charlotte to go start to finish and cruise to the winner’s circle.
T.Q. Midgets were back at it and it was the seven of Jamie Barnum that jumped out to the lead until lap seven when he pulled into the pits turning the lead over to Geoff Styner of Cape Coral. Mike Belusar of Punta Gorda usually makes it to the front quickly but waited till five to go to take over the lead with Chris Grimmler right on his back bumper to cross the stripe as the checkers waved.
You can’t tell by watching this class that these are young rookie drivers as the Rookie Truck class came out onto the track for their featured race. Kelli Burns from Port Charlotte has been dominating this class making this her fifth win in a row, after a bad crash back in March, that sent her to the hospital, this season has really turned around for her. Chad Chastain from Alva started as the leader but with not even one lap in the books got spun on the back stretch and had problems getting fired back up, would end his night. Kelli went on to win the feature with Cody Martell of Arcadia chasing her down to come in second and John Pummell Jr would be third.
Josh Williams calls Punta Gorda Speedway his home track but has been spending most of his time in North Carolina working on his Arca Cars. Josh was in Toledo Ohio last Sunday racing the Federated Car Care 200 Arca race and after getting things unloaded back in North Carolina made a pit stop to PGS for the Legends race. With Arca racing this year Josh is usually building and working on these Legends cars but got behind the wheel this week to set fast time in the 22 machine. Williams Started in the rear of the feature while Mike Verhaagh jumped to the early lead of this twenty five lap race. Shawn Hooven took the lead away from Verhaagh on lap six and had a fast car as he was being chased by Williams who made it up to second by lap eight. Coming down the front stretch Williams chasing Hooven, lap traffic made them all check up and hooven spun and brought it to a stop in turn one. Hooven would had to be towed to the pits not able to fire back up and Williams would restart in the lead. Brady Marshall out of Sarasota didn’t have enough to catch Williams who went onto win this feature with Marshall second and Mike Verhaagh hung on to third, Mitch Verhaagh fourth and Carl Haag rounded out the top five. This points battle is heating up and who will be crowned the 2011 PGS legends point Champion?
The always entertaining Cowboy Cadillacs saw Les Couch back out after a blown motor last week only to have more bad luck and taken off the track again this week on the hook with only three laps in the books. Lap three the dominating Dellea made the pass on Couch, coming down the back stretch three wide was Couch, Jeff Deeble and Ken Badalli and trucks bumped and Couch got the worst and it ended his night. Dellea went on to win the feature but Terry Price gave his all trying to catch him driving the thirty five truck and settled for second as Jeff Deeble finished third.
Road Warriors are fast and furious as you could throw a blanket over the top five running cars as they all compete for that first place spot. Shane Leonard took over the lead on lap six as Chris Scott seemed to be the only one taking it to the outside running hard to stay along side Leonard. Rick Reed and Richard Nelson battled behind the front two till Nelson got by Scott and it was a battle to the end between Nelson and Leonard. Shane Leonard crossed the stripe in first, Nelson second, Scott hung on for third while Reed was fourth and crowd favorite Randy Kile brought it back to fourth after being sent to the rear.
Pro Trucks were the last feature of the night and since the points season has ended, trucks are gearing up for the new season with a new rule package and some trucks are still getting ready for the new year. Travis Gossard Jr started on the pole after winning the heat race and ran start to finish in the twenty five lap feature. David Morr of Arcadia was back behind the wheel of the 17 truck and chased Gossard the entire race. Young guns Cody Martel and Chad Chastain entered the race to take up the rear of the field and young Cody Martell ran a great race on the outside, sometimes to be skimming the wall, to run in the fourth spot the entire race. Chad Chastain who turns eleven this week, ran a strong twenty five laps with the big boys as it was Gossard who finished first with David Morr second Sam Scott of Naples third Cody Martell fourth.
Next week will be TRICK OR TREAT the drivers night, as the kids come dressed up for a costume contest and drivers bring candy to pass out.
All the drivers and race cars will be out on the front stretch and the kids will get to go car to car while drivers hand out candy, it is always a great night for the kids.
Racing next week will be extended lap features
Oct 29- Open Wheel Modified Twin 35, Pro 4/ Fab 4 40 laps, Road Warriors 50 Laps, Mini Stocks, Cowboy Cadillac 35 Laps
—– Original Message —–
Punta Gorda Speedway
Results from 10-22-2011
Pro Trucks
1. 47 Travis Gossard Jr. Naples
2. 17 David Morr Arcadia
3. 14s Sam Scott Naples
4. 75 Robert St. John Arcadia
5. 51 Mark Anderson
6. 99 Cody Martell
7. 36 Chad Chastain
Road Warrior
1. 8 Shane Leonard Cape Coral
2. 80 Richard Nelson Bradenton
3. 97 Chris Scott Nokomis
4. 1 Rick Reed Arcsdia
5. 14 Randy Kile Lehigh
6. 74 Cody Allen Lehigh
7. 27 Derrick Horton N. Ft. Myers
8. 10 Jason Miller Lehigh Acres
9. 20 Billy Benoit Lehigh
10. 5 Jeremy Daring Lehigh Acres
11.18 Logan Leonard Cape Coral
12. 8D Jeff Deeble Port Charlotte
13. 51 Jarrett Cornell N. Ft Myers
Cowboy Cadillac’s
1. 77 James Dellea Port Charlotte
2. 35 Terry Price Punta Gorda
3. 8 Jeff Deeble Port Charlotte
4. 30 Ken Badali Port Charlotte
5. 3 Kyle Cassady Arcadia
6. 26 Mike True Port Charlotte
7. 4 Tony Harelson Rotonda West
8. 88 Brad Wegert Port Charlotte
9. 33 Les Couch Punta Gorda
Legends
1. 22 Josh Williams Port Charlotte
2. 14 Brady Marshall Sarasota
3. 7 Mike Verhaagh Fort Myers
4. 9 Mitch Verhaagh Bonita Springs
5. 48 Carl Haag Port St. Lucie
6. 55 Conrad Molter Naples
7. 54 Tony Steinbuck Tamarac
8. 01 Shawn Hooven Orlando
9. 26 Joey Langis Coral Springs
Rookie Trucks
1. 4 Kelli Burns Port Charlotte
2. 99 Cody Martell Arcadia
3. 17 John Pummell Jr. Arcadia
4. 39 Michael Atwell Naples
5. 36 Chad Chastain Alva
Bandolero
1. X Johnny Holmes Port Charlotte
2. 14 Noah Weaver
3. 2 Cooper Battalio
T. Q. Midgets
1. 30 Mike Belusar Punta Gorda
2. 51 Chris Gimmler Palm Beach Gardens
3. 23 Steven Maier Port St. Lucie
4. 2 Geoff Styner Cape Coral
5. 14 John Ciolino Cape Coral
6. 1 Jack Duffy Sarasota
7. 6 Jay Stutz Riverview
8. 5 David Patterson Port Charlotte
9. 7 Jamie Barnum Brooksville