By: Melanie Beckner
Punta Gorda, FL…It was a busy night of racing this past Saturday night at Charlotte County Motorsports Park. The Checkered Flag Sprint Series made there second stop this season at the Jewel of the South along with the Dwarf cars and TQ Midgets, . Also racing were the Juniors Trim Shop Road Warriors, Pro 4, Fab 4 and Mini Stocks.
The Fab 4 were the first feature of the evening with Kim Mabbitt setting the pace for the twenty five lap feature. The entire feature ran caution free but still had alot of racing action through out the race. Phillip Ellis and Paul Richards Jr had caught up to the leader Kim Mabbitt with in five laps remaining. Kim Mabbit was able to hold off Ellis and Richards to take his first win. Paul Richards Jr finished in second with Phillip Ellis coming in third place.
Ted Dufee was the polesitter for the twenty five lap, TQ Miget feature. Durfee immediately took his car to the front. The only caution to come out was on lap fifteen when Jack Duffy, who was running in the second position, spun his car around in turn four. On the restart Ted Durfee continued where he had left off and held a half track lead from the others. Ted Durfee cruised to the victory with Jack Duffy coming back to finish in second and Jay Stutz was third.
The Dwarf cars were next to take on the 3/8th mile oval with Bo Bass on the pole for the twenty five lap race. Bass grabbed the lead at the start of the race with the Hubbard family behind him battling for the second and third positions. The entire race ran caution free until lap twenty four when Larry Hubbard Sr. spun coming out of turn four, setting up a green and checkered finish.
Bo Bass took the win with Larry Hubbard Jr. in second and Larry Hubbard III finishing in third.
The most anticipated race of the evening was up next with Bryan Riddle leading the field to the start of the thirty lap feature. Bryan Riddle held the lead until lap two when Jimmy Alves Jr. made the pass for the lead on lap three. Amanda Ferguson brought out the first caution on lap fourteen when she spun out in turn four. Then four laps later Channing Conley brought out the caution after he spun on the backstretch. On the restart of lap eighteen, Mark Gimmler spun out in turn three.
Channing Conley brought out the caution again on lap twenty one after his spin on the frontstretch.
On the restart Keith Butler had a good run coming out of turn four and was side by side for the lead with Jimmy Alves Jr. for the lead. The two made contact and sent both up the track on the front stretch staking up the rest of the field behind them. Gary Gimmler had no where to go and flew over Butler’s car. All drivers were fine, but all were done for the evening.
The lead was then handed over to Scott Adema who held the lead until lap twenty four. Jimmy Alves Sr. took over the top spot from Scott Adema and never look back and claimed the victory. Scott Adema had to settle for second with Mark Gimmler taking third place.
Johnny Balzarano led the Pro 4 field to the start of there twenty five lap feature. Balzarano took the lead at the start of the race and would lead until lap two. John Pummel Jr. took over the lead from Balzarano on lap three. The first caution came out on lap five after Corey Malinowski spun Chelsea Lajoie in turn two.
Pummel Jr. held the lead on the restart and started putting a distance between himself and the rest of the field when the caution came out again on lap nine. Paul Richards Sr. spun out in turn four and collected Corey Malinowski and Jeremy Perkins. The rest of the race ran caution less with John Pummel Jr claiming his first win of the year. Dylan Bigley and Stuart Vandevender completed the top three positions.
Juniors Trim Shop Road Warriors were next up to bat for there twenty five lap feature. Derrick Horton, who was the polesitter led the first three laps before the first caution came out. Bryan Boxell had spun out coming out of turn four. On the restart Mike Crooks had a good run going into turn one to take over the lead from Derrick Horton.
On lap six Randy Kile got into the back of Blaine Baer going into turn two and sent Baer spinning. Two laps later the caution was out again when Bryan Boxell spun out in turn one. Shane Leonard was sent spinning on the backstretch after Blaine Baer made contact with Leonard on lap ten. On the restart of lap ten the battle for the lead started heating up with Mike Crooks and Logan Leonard. The two raced side by side for two laps before Logan Leonard made the pass for the position on lap twelve.
Logan Leonard never looked back and took the win while the race went of for second, third and forth. Chris Scott, Mike Crooks and Mike Loney raced each other hard for several laps and at the line it was Mike Loney who would finish for second and Chris Scott edged out Crooks for third place.
The final race of the evening was the twenty five lap feature for the Mini Stocks. David Doty sat on the pole and led the first lap before Joe Rice took over the spot. Joe Rice would lead until lap eleven when Shane Yoder took over the position and walked away with the win. Dylan Bigley was second with John Pummel Jr finishing in third place.