It was a Saturday night that SouthWest Florida had a lot of Events going on along with a Nascar race and dark clouds rolling in over the Speedway and it did not look good. The loyal Punta Gorda Speedway fans came out to watch some of the best short track racing around and they were not disappointed. The sky cleared and the Late Models Sportsman pulled onto the track for their qualifying that saw the 13 of Aaron Williamson set fast time with 16.074.

The parade lap started the night off and joining the vehicals was the Royal Order of Ponce de Leon Conquistadors ship (the Palencia) that was filled with the kids who got to ride around the track.

Also was a Happy Birthday celebration to Robert Howel, track Photographer who was presented with a cake made to look like a big camera.

The first feature was the T.Q, Midgets that was a make up race from March 31, some of the cars were missing as it was the day the number 2 of Geoff Styer was getting married. Rob “Cowboy” Kohler was in the lead clicking off the laps when finally the he could see the checkers in the air. Cowboy came out of four, cars racing to the line, when veteran driver Jack Duffy was about to be lapped and cars when everywhere and the race ended with Duffy upside down and Mike Belusar in the front wall. Kohler would be the winner with Jamie Barnum second and young Chris Gimmler third, Duffy was flipped back over and able to walk away.

Street Stock also had a make up race that left the fans on the edge of their seats as the 47 of Ryan “Ballpeen” Pancoast of N. Ft. Myers ran start to finish in the lead for twenty five laps. Pancoast was challenged by James Dellea and Bobby Mobley who got by Dellea at the halfway but Pancoast held on to nail down the first feature win. Bobby Mobley would finish second and Bobby Fischer of Naples battled Dellea to get third.

T.Q.’s came back out for their main event with a few cars short after the last lap crash in the makeup race. Steven Maier would be the one to cross the line first with Rob Kohler second and Chris Gimmler third.

The Dwarf cars were bumped up to race next giving the street stock cars a little more time to fix their cars from the first race. Bo Bass ran start to finish as the leader but Andy Pryor gave him a run for his money. Pryor was challenging Bass when on lap five got tangled up and had to pit for a flat tire and restart the race in the rear. Some great nose to tail side by side racing but when the checkers flew it was Bo Bass first John Bailey second Larry Hubbard Jr third and Pryor would have to settle for a respectable fourth place.

Street stock returned for their main event and that saw the eighty eight of Jim Meiser on the pole with Andy Allen outside, Pancoast who won the fist race would start four rows back. Meiser jumped out to the lead but was challenged by Bobby Mobley and Andy Allen as they ran side by side bumper to bumper. Pancoast made his way through the field passing cars inside and out till he found himself in the second spot chasing down Meiser who was still in the lead at lap eleven. Good hard racing so close you could throw a blanket over them, down the back stretch and into three, when the 9 car of Ray Scott getting ready to be lapped, doesn’t move up as he is shown the move over by turn three flagman. Meiser goes high, Pancoast goes low cars it was as if the lap car got even slower cars come out of four, trying to regain control. Pancoast crossed the line first bringing Bobby Fischer with him in second, not sure what was going on but cars went flying everywhere down the front and a big pile up right past the flagstand brought out the first caution. After cars got towed off and sorted out, lined back up it was Pancoast that held off Meiser to bring home a second win for the night, Meiser second Bobby Fischer third, Richard Nelson in his new ride and first time in the class finished fourth.

The main feature of the night took to the track with fourteen strong Late Model Sportsman drivers, Bobby Mobley was not able to make the bell and Gary McFall blew a motor in warm ups. McFall was able to borrow the 1 car of Matt Dunn to run the feature since he is currently sitting fourth in points as he said with a smile since he knew the car was set up by E.J. Trivett. Brandon Morris of Mulberry sat inside second row for the start and passed David Williamson of Lakeland who was on the pole by lap three. James Dubose from Arcadia had something go wrong with the car and pulled to the infield on lap three while son Aaron Williamson was challenging father David for second. Lap sixteen, Bill Vandevender was in third and right on Aaron’s bumper, fans were on the edge of their seats and not knowing what battle through the field to watch as heads were turning from the front of the field to the back. Caution came out on lap twenty two that put Williamson outside Morris and Vandevender inside, behind Morris, the green dropped and Vandevender glued to Morris’s bumper was scored in the second spot. Another caution, put Bill on the outside of Morris and Aaron inside and it was Williamson in the second spot while Vandevender battled trying to get that second spot again. The last caution on lap thirty one when young Michael Atwell spun due to a flat tire that tightened up the field again with Williamson on the front row outside. Vandevender gave it his all and shut the door on Williamson as they ran side by side at times Williamson skimming the front stretch wall loosening the sheet metal on the right side of his car. What a race, for the next ten laps, it was as good as it gets, both drivers giving it their all but Vandevender was second Williamson third and racing going on behind them. Five to go, pedal to the metal, Vandevender slipped just a bit, Williamson right on his bumper, dove on the inside, it was Morris that lead 48 out of the fifty laps that crossed first. Aaron Williamson crossed the finish in second and Bill Vandevender was third, David Williamson fourth and Gary McFall brought it home for the fifth place finish. What great driving by all the Late Model Sportsman drivers that gave the fans a great race to watch and will be back April 28th.

The last race of the night was the Perfect Pest control Pro 4 that saw the 04 of Ryan Collver stay out infront of Paul Richards Jr till the white flag lap. One lap to go and Richard’s bumped Collver to get by him to cross the line first with Ryan Collver second. Dan Collver and Jessica Ostrovskis battling through the field and lapping cars just ran out of time and would settle for a respectable third and fourth place finish.

April 21st at the Punta Gorda Speedway, race number 4 of the Goodyear Late Model Challenge 12 Pak series

Super Late Models for 100 laps that saw Steve Gill out of Sarasota as the last race winner, Wayne Anderson won the first race and Daryl Shelnut won the second race.

Who will be the winner of race number 4?  Come out to PGS and see one of the best races at the track that is to tough to tame.  The Thundering Herd Road Warriors will be going at it for 50 laps, this is a race that will keep you on the edge of your seat.  Also on tap for the night, Perfect Pest control Pro 4, Legends and Bandolero and the Cowboy Cadillacs, who can beat Stuart Vandevender’s winning streak.

PUNTA GORDA SPEEDWAY RESULTS

4/14/12

Late Model Sportsman

1. 56 Brandon Morris Mulberry

2. 13 Aaron Williamson Mulberry

3. 84 Bill Vandevender Cape Coral

4. 12 David Williamson Mulberry

5. 1 Gary McFall Venice

6. 09 Donnie Ollie Jr. Lehigh

7. 8 Dan Scott Naples

8. 51 Michael Atwell Naples

9. 81 Larry Braswell Bartow

10. 98 Danny Brown Lehigh

11. 6 Greg Gorniak Homestead

12. 82 Josh Calvert Port Charlotte

13. 42 Bobby Mobley Eagle Lake

14. 67 James Dubose Arcadia

15. 29 Joe Dowdy Winter Haven D.N.S.

 

Street Stock Make Up

1. 47 Ryan Pancoast N. Ft. Myers

2. 29 Bobby Mobley Eagle Lake

3. 2 Bobby Fischer Naples

4. 77 James Dellea Port Charlotte

5. 9 Donnie Ollie Jr. Lehigh

6. 88 Jimmy Meiser Cape Coral

7. 45 Joe Dowdy Winterhaven

8. 33 Andy Allen Naples

9. 98 Danny Brown Lehigh

10. 57x Jim Brenner Sarasota

11. 1 Matt Dunn North Port

12. 38 Jeff Gustafson N. Ft. Myers D.N.S.

 

Street Stock

1. 47 Ryan Pancoast N. Ft. Myers

2. 88 Jimmy Meiser Cape Coral

3. 2 Bobby Fischer Naples

4. 80 Richard Nelson Port Charlotte

5. 33 Andy Allen Naples

6. 45 Joe Dowdy .Winterhaven

7. 98 A.J. Mott Lehigh

8. 96 Rob Vigilo Bradenton

9. 1 Matt Dunn North Port

10. 9 Ray Scott Arcadia

11. 29 Bobby Mobley Eagle Lake

12. 77 James Dellea Port Charlotte

13. 3 Jeff Dufrense Bradenton

14. 57x Jim Brenner Sarasota D.N.S.

15. 38 Jeff Gustofson N. Ft. Myers D.N.S.

 

Pro 4

1. 61 Paul Richards Jr. Naples

2. 04 Ryan Collver Ft. Myers

3. 00 Dan Collver N. Ft. Myers

4. 91 Jessica Ostrovskis St. Pete

5. 7 Blaine Baer Port Charlotte

6. 87 Skyler Null Lehigh

7. 30 Steven Babcock Punta Gorda

8. 13 Alex Teston Lehigh

9. 18 Dayelyn Daring Lehigh

10. 98 Aaron Hardgrove Lehigh

9. James Daring Lehigh

 

T.Q. Midgets Make Up

1. 30 Rob Kohler Naples

2. 7 Jamie Barnum Brooksville

3. 51 Chris Gimmler Palm Beach Gardens

4. 23 Steven Maier Port St. Lucie

5. 63 Mike Belusar Port Charlotte

6. 4 Ted Durfee Sarasota

7. 1 Jacky Duffy Sarasota

8. 5 David Patterson Port Charlotte

 

T.Q. Midgets

1. 23 Steve Maier Port St. Lucy

2. 30 Rob Kohler Naples

3. 51 Chris Gimmler Palm Beach Gardens

4. 4 Ted Durfee Sarasota

5. 5 David Patterson Port Charlotte

6. 7 Jamie Barnum Brooksville

7. 63 Mike Belusar Port Charlotte D.N.S.

8. 1 Jack Duffy Sarasota D.N.S.

 

Dwarf Cars

1. 14 Bo Bass Eustis

2. 17 John Bailey Sarasota

3. 56 Larry Hubbard Jr. Cape Coral

4. 4 Andy Pryor Naples

5. 33 Roger Richmond Port Charlotte

6. 21 Sammy Mancuso Naples