Mark Gimmler wins Checkered Flag Sprints feature at Charlotte County Motorsports Park
By: Melanie Beckner
Punta Gorda, FL…The 2010 points season started this past Saturday night at the Charlotte County Motorsports Park. There were some new faces running around in the pits and some drivers moving up to other divisions, but all were eager to get the new season going.
The Bandoleros were the first feature race of the night with young, Reese Chase sitting on the pole for the twelve, lap feature. Taylor McFadden immediately took his car to the front with the Ryan Shattuck and Mark Hooven hot on his heels. McFadden would lead the first, four laps before being bypassed for the lead from Mark Hooven, along with Ryan Shattuck. The entire feature ran caution free, but Mark Hooven and Ryan Shattuck battled for the lead up until the checkered flag waved. Mark Hooven took home the win with Ryan Shattuck settling for second and Taylor Mcfadden finished in third.
Stuart Vandevender, was the pole sitter for the twenty five, lap Pro 4 race. Vandevender took the lead at the drop of the green flag and lead until lap four, when Derrick Horton took over the position. The first caution came out on lap eight, after David Doty spun around Shane Moore in turn one. Derrick Horton still held the lead on the restart of lap eight, with Ken Badali not to far behind. Meanwhile, Paul Richards was making his way through the field and by lap fifteen, he had caught up to first and second place.
With two laps remaining Chelsea Lajoie brought out the final caution when she spun her car around in turn one,setting up a green,white and checkered finish. On the restart Derrick Horton was still able to hold off Ken Badali and Paul Richards, leaving the battle for the second position. Derrick Horton was the winnerwith Paul Richards in second and Ken Badali was third.
Thunder Trucks saw James Wright on the pole for there twenty five, lap feature with Wright leading from the start until the checkered flag waved with the entire feature running caution free. Finishing in second was 2009 Thunder Trucks, points champion Lance Sober with rookie Dave Johnson in third.
The Fab 4’s had Aaron Hargrove leading the field to the start of the twenty five, lap feature. On the start Nick Callin got into the side of Linda Badali in turn four, which resulted in a complete restart. The restart was good with Kyle Rice taking the lead with the first race caution coming out on lap five, when Linda Badali spun in turn one. Rice held the lead with Robert Conant not to far behind Rice. On lap fourteen, Miranda Cole, who had just gotten lapped by leader Kyle Rice, spun out second place runner Robert Conant going into turn two.
Three laps later Kerrington McFadden spun his car around in turn two, bringing out the yellow flag. On the restart, coming out of turn two Kyle Rice and Paul Richards Jr., were battling for the lead. The two made contact on the backstretch which sent Rice spinning into turn three. Kyle Rice was given back the lead and Paul Richards Jr., was sent to the tail end of the field.
The second restart was good with Rice still holding the lead and Paul Richards Jr quickly making his way back through the field. By lap twenty one, Richards Jr. was on RIce’s back bumper. The two battled it out again for the lead, with Paul Richards Jr side by side with Kyle Rice for the lead on the backstretch, the following lap.
Going into turn three the two made contact again with both Rice and Richards Jr., both spinning. Paul Richards Jr. was handed the lead while Kyle Rice night ended after hitting the wall after he spun. In his first race ever, Paul Richards Jr., took home the win with Robert Conant in second and Aaron Hargrove rounded out the top three.
The Checkered FLag Sprint Series, made there first stop of the 2010 season at CCMP for there thirty, lap feature. It was a Gimmler front row with Mark Gimmler on the pole and his brother Gary Gimmler on the outside. Mark Gimmler took his car to the front at the wave of the green flag.
As the race went on Mark Gimmler started to pull away from second place Gary Gimmler and with Amanda Ferguson and Mickey Kempgens battling for the third position. The first caution to come out was on lap sixteen, after Keith Butler looped his Sprint car around in turn three.
Two laps later the caution came out again after the throttle stuck on Mike Tharpe, going into turn three. Thankfully, Tharpe, was able to keep his Sprint car off the wall. On the restart Mark Gimmler, continued where he left off with Gary Gimmler still sitting in second while Ferguson and Kempgens kept up the race for the third position. Mark Gimmler went on to claim the victory with Gary Gimmler in second and Mickey Kampgens was able to hold off Amanda Ferguson, to take the third place position.
Mitch Verhaagh, was the pole sitter for the twenty five, lap feature for the Legend cars. On the start Mark Hooven, got loose going into turn one and shot up the track and spun around. Josh Williams was collected and hit the tires up on the wall in turn two. The damage was extensive enough to end Josh Williams night, however Mark Hooven was able to continue.
Mitch Verhaagh grabbed the lead on the restart of the race and led for two laps before 2009 Legends, points champion Devin McLeod took over the lead. On lap two,
the caution came out for Mark Hooven when he spun out on the front stretch. Three laps later Brady Marshall, brought out the caution when he spun in turn four.
McLeod was holding a good lead when Brady Marshall, drew the caution again on lap sixteen after his spin in turn two. Devin McLeod took the victory with Mitch Verhaagh in second and Mike Fazio took third place.
The Juniors’ Trim Shop Road Warriors ended up being the last feature of the evening. The race was scheduled to be twenty five laps, but due to the 11:30 Pm curfew they only got in seventeen laps. Randy Kile sat on the pole for the race, which turned into a wreck fest!
On the start Codey Benoit, had gotten into the back of Willard Hadden on the front stretch, which sent Hadden spinning with the field trying to dodge Hadden, but did collected Jesse Gargus. On the restart Jason Miller got sideways coming out of turn four, Miller tried to save it, but ended up spinning on the front stretch, collecting Clete Trimmer.
On the second restart, Chris Scott got into CHris Loney in turn one and Loney came to a stop at the top of turn two, with a flat tire. The field was then lined up in a single file with one last attempt to get the race started. After three restarts, they finally got a lap in when the caution came out yet again. Chris Scott hit the backstretch wall hard and one of his tires went flying over the fence into the pits.
No one was injured in the pits and Chris Scott was fine, but the contact with the wall ended his night. On the restart, Logan Leonard ducked is car under Randy Kile going into turn one, battling for the lead. The two got locked with one another and spun. Logan Leonard ended up with a busted radiator, which ended his night and Randy Kile was given back the lead. The rest of the race ran relatively clean, however time ran out and the race was ended after only seventeen laps being completed.
Randy Kile was the winner with Codey Benoit in second and Mike Crooks in third. After the race in tech, second place finished Codey Benoit, was disqualified for being to light. This handed second place over to Mike Crooks and third place went to RIck Reed, who originally came on fourth place.
