Sunshine State racing Store Back In Stock on Merchandise

Updated entry List for the Bill Bigley Memorial 128 as of 7/26/2021

We have added a Dirt racer in Rich Pratt and two drivers from Georgia add there name to the list since the last update taking us to 53 entries.   Let’s keep pushing this race and making it the huge!!!!!! If you plan to come let us know and we add you to the list.

Laps will be going on sale later this week and contingency Sponsors as well.

Sponsorship opportunity for this race is available contact Robert from Sunshine State Racing at 863-990-3564 or Billy Bigley Jr. at 239-289-3266.

See you at the Biggest race of the year for south Florida racing.

Race details:

When did you get started in racing and what got you interested in racing? I got my start in racing at birth. My father and grandfather raced and my mother always had myself and my brother at the track. Which was Friday , Saturday, Sunday and some Wednesdays growing up.

What made you start in racing promoting or working at a track? I really never had any aspirations of working at a track per say. I was in the ministry and was invited to become a track chaplian while attending Bubba Raceway Park. One day I got a call from Joe Linebarier informing me I would be filling in for him…oh boy I was so nervous, it was a two day Florida state championship race, one of the biggest of the year.. I’ll never forget thinking man what have I gotten myself into…then the sky opened up and it rained out…wow I thought thank you lord from keeping me from making an ass of myself.. I came back the next night to fulfil my chaplain duty full y confident Joe would be there to announce…..i was met at the gate by a Lisa mamph only to be informed I would be announcing…i quickly called a Joe and asked…what the heck Joe…he gave me an answer ill never forget that… Joe he said..i prayed about it and it God said use you!!/ I thought to myself what else would you say to a chaplain..ha ha. I went to the tower and got through the night…i can remember being cautious, talking about Love Stuff online…lol.scotty kays sponsor…

What had been your favorite race to promote or work? Favorite track is tough… Favorite race to promote. Borderline Brawl, The Powell Family Memorial, and many others.

Who is or was your racing idol? Racing idol my dad

What is your favorite past time other than racing? Pastime is probably spending time with family.

What is your favorite racing related movie and non-racing related movie? Six pack Forest gump

Who is your favorite Street car and why? Favorite street car is a chevy truck…you can do everything you need with one

If you could put on any race at your track or series what would it be any why? Well Wendell Durrance and Brett Deyo fulfilled my wish…Big Blocks at All Tech.

What would race fans find interesting or not know about you?

I‘m generally concerned about the racers. That why I’m a chaplain first! Racing With Jesus Ministries has helped racers in many different types of situations. Weddings , Celebrations of Life, Baptisms, We’ve helped people get into rehab, sent letters to children or family in prison and mostly offer to just stand beside anyone who needs us…not to preach to them or judge them but to support them through life ups and downs and hopefully that shows them the Unconditional Love, Mercy, Grace and Forgiveness our Lord and savior. I.fall short in so many areas…but God Does Not! He is my hope and giving my life to Him lifted a huge burden off my shoulders… I want everyone to experience that!!!

http://www,rwjm.com

I work at 2 tracks as announcer. Needmore Speedway, All – Tech Raceway. Another favorite race to help promote was The Harvey Jones Memorial.. Buzzie as me His whole family are favorites of mine..I think every racer coming up should spend a week with Buzzie and Wayne to learn about our sport.

When did you get started in racing and what got you interested in racing? 2011, I went to Sunshine and Desoto as a kid with my dad and brothers and the love for racing just stuck with me.

Tell us about your racing history and accomplishments? I ran go-karts for about 3 years, mini stocks/ mini figure 8’s for 2 years, ran some races in school bud figure 8’s and about 2 years in Crown Vic/ Crown Vic figure 8’s. Don’t really have any racing accomplishments I have 1 win in go-karts and that’s it.

What is your greatest racing accomplishment? The one and only win I ever got lol

Who is or was your racing idol? Joey Catarelli

What is your favorite track and what is your dream track to race? Favorite Track would definitely have to be Bristol and would definitely be my dream track to race at.

What is your favorite past time other than racing? I like to go dancing and being with friends

What is your favorite Sports team? Uhmm don’t have one lol

What is your favorite racing related movie and non-racing related movie? Racing movie: Days of Thunder Non-Racing: The Lion King

What is your favorite Street car and why? 1964 1/2 Ford Mustang, it’s always been a dream car of mine to have

Who is your race car crew members? Kyle Courtney, Thomas Meyer, Roger Welch II, Kelsey Ecker, Colin Demauro

Who are your Sponsors? Mikes Auto Body of Clearwater, Mid-Pinellas Enterprises, Dustin Aaron Fabrication

Who is your biggest rival on the track? Myself

If you had unlimited funds and could start a Nascar team besides yourself who is a fellow racer you would take to be your teammate? Honestly I wouldn’t start a Nascar Team even if it was unlimited funds. I’d rather but the money into local racing

Get to know your Driver’s with LJ Grimm

When did you get started in racing and what got you interested in racing? I started racing go karts in 2000. My dad would be racing and I’d be in the grandstands with my mom.

Tell us about your racing history and accomplishments? I started in go karts, moved up to Sportsman and then to Open Wheel Modifieds. In the past 3 or 4 years, I’ve been able to do some Late Model and Sprint Car stuff thanks to some great people.

What is your greatest racing accomplishment? The Eddie Brann Memorial and being able to win in Sportsman, Late Models, and Sprint Cars.

Who is or was your racing idol? Always my dad. I looked up to Robbie Cooper and Wayne Jefferson because they were winning all the Modified races and Shane Butler in Sprint Cars when I was growing up.

What is your favorite track and what is your dream track to race? Bronson Speedway is my favorite. My current dream track is Anderson Speedway in Indiana.

What is your favorite racing related movie and non-racing related movie? Days Of Thunder/ Joe Dirt

What is your favorite Street car and why? A pickup truck and a enclose trailer.

Who is your race care crew members? My parents, Ron, Tim, Bob, Jerry, Landon Butler, Holt, Shane, Blake.

Who are your Sponsors? Dayton Andrews Dodge, BG Products, Hurricane Racecars, L&L Fire Protection, Troy Thompson Inc, Butler Speed & Supply, Ricks Hauling & Tractor Service, Mavericks Portable Restrooms, Prototype Chassis by Boyd Brothers, HHH Entertainment.

Who is your biggest rival on the track? There’s only one.

If you had unlimited funds and could start a Nascar team besides yourself who is a fellow racer you would take to be your teammate? Devin McLeod & Cody Stickler, they both can get the job done!

A lot of Florida’s best Super Late Model Drivers going against the best in the country for Big Money this weekend at Five Flags Speedway

Twin Blizzard races this weekend at Five Flags Speedway with 10K to win each race and 20k bonus to win both draws a lot of big names.   40k on the line brings the best around the country out, but there are a lot of Florida’s best trying to keep that money in FL.

Pre Entry List Below:

Get to Know your Track announcer Jason Beckner

When did you get started in racing and what got you interested in racing? Racing has been in my Family for years. My dad started racing in the 60’s at the old Hollywood speedway for a short time before ending up in southern Ohio were he met my mother. We raced on dirt in West Virginia and Ohio in the late 70’s for sometime until we made our way back to Florida in early 80’s. We had moved to Naples and heard about the Collier County track but it had been shut down, So we started making the trip to Desoto speedway every Saturday night. At the time we didn’t have a race car and we didn’t want to tow that far, then we heard about Leroy Davidson building the Charlotte County Speedway and then it was time to find a car.

What made you start in racing promoting or working at a track? So I have a few people to thank for this, and it was a great series of events that put me behind the mic eventually. And I can’t make a long story short lol. So growing up and watching nascar we loved having the tv on and the radio turned up listening to MRN radio. I loved listening to Barney Hall, Eli Gold ,and Dave Moody. These guys made the racing come alive and made it so much more exciting, so right then and there I was hooked. Fast forward several years and I wanted to get into radio and had no experience. Just by chance my brother Bryan was racing in the street stocks with the late “ Gentlemen Jim” Jim Keating VP of operations of Clear Channel radio Ft. Myers. One night after the races I went and asked him how does someone with no experience or training in radio get there foot in the door? He told me to come see him on Monday and I was in. Fast forward Again And Ann Marie Seay Ricardi was racing at Charlotte County Speedway and she heard Leroy was looking for a new announcer. She got ahold of my mom and my mom got ahold of me and Ann Marie put me in touch with Leroy. I told you I couldn’t make a long story short. So Leroy took me out to breakfast and we made plans for me to come and “try out” seeing as I had no announcing experience. So I was thrown to the wolves on Saturday night and after the races Leroy came up to me and handed me some cash. I said what’s this for I thought this was just a try out? He said I’m paying you now because I don’t want you to go anywhere. What had been your favorite race to promote or work? Most memorable one had to be “The battle on the black top” with Ken Kenny’s United Dirt late Model Challenge series at the Charlotte County Motorsports Park. It was different but so much fun!

Who is or was your racing idol? That’s easy. My family and friends. “Low dollar Racing” my dad Dave, my Brother Bryan, my uncle Del, Mike Loney, Conrad Molter and his brother Alan. I wouldn’t trade them or that time for all the money in the world. It was so much fun.

Why do you feel it is important to promote a track, a series or work at a track? It’s important for our sport and it’s survival. We need to get the younger generation involved or the tracks will disappear. It’s a great life lesson and tool. It’s a great place to network businesses and for young people to learn trades. It’s more than just racing.

What is your favorite past time other than racing? My favorite pastime is my son Travis and my daughter Tori. Just wish I had more time with them both.

What is your favorite Sports team? Not much into team sports anything racing wise is awesome. But I have been a Tampa bay lightning fan for a long time. There the only sports jersey I own.

What is your favorite racing related movie and non-racing related movie? “Six pack” with Kenny Rogers and non-racing would have to be “The Outlaw Josey Wales” with Clint Eastwood

What is your favorite Street car and why? 1971 Chevy Suburban. We towed our racecar with one and it was a cool ride. A lot of memories with that thing.

If you could put on any race at your track or series what would it be any why? I love the special events we run at The Hendry County Motorsports Park but I really like it when you throw drivers a curveball and make them up there game and have them think outside the box. I would love to put the Florida pro trucks on dirt. Just the opposite of what we did years ago with the battle on the blacktop.

Any Series or track Sponsors? I really need to thank Ken Kenny Jr. For being a great friend and being there for me all these years. Also all the fans ,drivers ,track owners I’ve announced for over the years. You all make it that much more fun for me.

What would race fans find interesting or not know about you? Lol this is kinda funny. I’ve made a few posts about this but I’ll tell it again. Believe it or not I have a fear of public speaking. True story. Before any race night my anxiety go’s through the roof. I almost can’t function, But once I crack the mic for the first time all the butterflies go away and it’s game on.

What is Racing around Florida This weekend Around Florida Brought to you by LeMaster’s Insurance Agency

Asphalt  Tracks:

Showtime Speedway:

• Ford 4.6 Oval D1
• Ford 4.6 Oval D2
• Hose & Hydraulic’s Street Stock
• Non Winged Sprints
• Outlaw Figure 8
• Tri City Kart Club

New Smyrna Speedway:

LKQ SUPER STOCK 25
SPORTSMAN 50
MOD MINI 25
MODIFIED 50
BOMBER A 20

Five Flags Speedway:

July 23 Blizzard #2, PT, PS

July 24 Blizzard #3, O, SP

Dirt tracks:

Get to know your your crew members Blake Boryk

When did you get started in racing and what got you interested in racing? I grew up watching racing on tv and in 2005 me and my parents moved to where I’m at now which is by Aaron and David Willamson’s shop kinda just went down there one day and started hanging out.

Tell us about your racing history and accomplishments? I have only ever run one race and it was in a mini sprint on dirt.

What is your greatest racing accomplishment? Not really an accomplishment but two things I’ve done that are at the top is spotting for Tj duke at the throwback race in 2019 And then spotting for nick Neri at the rattler this year never thought I’d have the honor to stand in a spotters tower with people that do it for a living and that are the best of the best.

Who is or was your racing idol? Overall it’s alway been Jeff Gordon at the local level there’s been serval the biggest being Tommy Styer I learned a ton from him and have gotten where I am today from it.

What is your favorite track to take your driver too? Can’t say that I have a favorite I’d say I like going to faster tracks that require you to race and pass not bullrings.

Who has been your favorite driver to crew for and why? Can’t name just one but Lj Grimm is a good one to work with he can wheel anything he gets in. Taylor Moxely was another good one.

What is your favorite past time other than racing? Honestly don’t really do anything outside of racing

What is your favorite Sports team? Tampa bay lighting

What is your favorite racing related movie and non-racing related movie? Racing related is kart racer Non racing footloose

Who is your favorite Street car and why? That’s a hard one I work in street cars for a living can’t say I have a favorite my dream car would be a 1992 mr2 because it’s a rear engine and not many left around

If it was up to you would you rather be a driver or a crew member. Crew member for sure Mainly a spotter.

What is your current race team? Don’t have just one recently I’ve been helping out with some of the guys with Chad Pierce Motorsports I have Rick Reed in the sportsman and a mod at Punta Gorda.

If You had unlimited funds and could take any two current short track drivers to Nascar and be their crew chief who would it be and why. First one would be Lj Grimm he has so much raw talent and drivers anything he gets in to the front and is able to adapt even if the car is not perfect. For the second I’d have to say Jason Vail I’ve never worked with him but he’s always impressed me with his talent and ability to drive and out a car where he needs to go.

What race would be your dream race to take your current driver to and win? Either the snowball derby or Winchester 400

Daniel Dye scored a dominating victory last night at Berlin Raceway in the ARCA 200!

Photos from Daniel Dye Facebook page:

Daniel Dye Scores Flag to Flag victory at Berlin to take ARCA 200 Win.

Message from Ben Kennedy Racing:

We would like to congratulate Ben Kennedy Racing development driver Daniel Dye on his first pole and win in the ARCA Menards series at Berlin Raceway.