From Linda Jericka
With a chance of rain, thunderstorms and lightning strikes all around the track and Fathers Day weekend, some did not make it out to PGS, but those that did were kept on the edge of their seats all night. The winds shifted right before the features started, the rains came and after a long hot day for the drivers, PGS did their best to dry the track, drop the green and the races were on. Fans saw cars flipping, wrecking, spinning each other out, and the front stretch wall had no mercy on the cars tonight.
The Cowboy Cadillacs were half way through their heat race when a rain storm came through and looked as if the night would be a wash but the skies cleared, the track was dried and it was time to go racing. The Cowboy Cadillacs were moved to the first feature of the night and what a feature it was, with every truck fighting for position. The battles going on from second place back saw the 99 of Chuck Sweet and the 30 of Ken Badali battling so hard the trucks got hooked at one point and both took off spinning through the infield together. When the checkers finally came out it was Andy Vanscyoc first, Les Couch came out in the second spot and Ken Badali battled his way to a third place finish.
Q Auto injury and Power FX sponsored Open Wheels came out for their first thirty five lap feature event, Steve Arnold out of Cape Coral had the luck of the drawn and started on the pole. Arnold jumped out to the lead with Wayne Morris and Ronnie Heard right behind him while Doug Moff got caught for spinning Heard on lap eight and was sent to the rear. With the field tightened back up and Heard on the outside of Arnold the green was out and Arnold kept the lead. Morris dropped out with mechanical issues and on lap twelve coming out of turn four, cars were running so close just one bump is all it would take for disaster. That is all it took for James Dubose from Arcadia, usually seen in the sportsman class, was his first time out in his open wheel, slammed into the front stretch wall hard, driver was ok, not so sure about the car. Ronnie Heard had a fast car and put some pressure on Arnold the leader but with ten laps to go was sent to the rear for putting to much pressure and spinning the 19. At lap thirty five it was Arnold who broke the streak and brought it home in first place with a good run by “Hard Charger” Jimmy Wilkins III second and Shawn Harper took that third spot away from Heard at the stripe.
T.Q. Midgets were up next and what a scare when local driver David Patterson from Port Charlotte flipped and rolled drown the back stretch coming to rest upside down. David was a regular in the Fab 4 class but moved up to a T.Q. car, Driver was ok and five laps later Jack Duffy, charging down the back stretch seemed to have something break on the car and flipped, rolled and bounced off the turn three wall. Duffy was ok and says flip this car over and let me go back racing but had to retire for the night with damage to the race car. Mike Belusar of Punta Gorda was first Jamie Barnum second and Chris Gimmler third.
Road Warriors were up next on a track that was taking no prisoners, points leader Richard Nelson was on the pole and the battle was on. Rick Reed tried everything he could to catch the leader as the laps were clicking away with no cautions until a lap car spun with five to go. With the cars doubled up and five laps to go, could Nelson hold on with Reed on the outside and a hard charging Randy Kile who came through the field behind him. Green flag was out and Kile stuck to the inside and moved up to second making Reed drop in to the third spot making it anyone’s race. Lap 25 clicked and it was Richard Nelson holding on to first, Randy Kile second Rick Reed third.
Super Stocks came out for their feature with Jeff Waterman out of Indian Lake earning the pole position after winning the heat race and Shane Leonard outside. Leonard jumped to the lead while Waterman and Randy Sober of Punta Gorda would battle back and fourth for that second spot. Leonard continued his winning streak bringing home the win while Sober came in second and Waterman third.
The last feature of the night was the second thirty five lap feature for the open wheels who had their new sponsor on hand for the night, Power FX sponsoring six races of twin thirty five laps features. Just ask track announcer Rob how the instant results technology bracelet works, as he was given one to wear at the beginning of the night and was still going strong at the end of the night. With the field inverted from the first race and four damaged race cars sitting out, Doug Moff would have the advantage sitting outside the front row after a “rough” finish in the first thirty five. James Wilkins III out of Fort Pierce did not have the same results this time around as he met his match with the front stretch wall three laps into the race. The old style looking 11 car clipped the front wall that seemed to rip the tire off sending him into the tire barrier on lap four and ending his chance for another good finish. Moff set the pace for the restart with Scott McDaniel of Cape Coral
doing everything he could to keep Shawn Harper from Lake Wales from taking over his second spot. Harper looked to the inside of McDaniel to make the pass while “Hard Charger” Steve Arnold made his way through the field to follow Harper sending McDaniel to the fourth spot. With no other caution in the race Moff had his hands full to bring home the win ahead of Shawn Harper who was second and Arnold third with McDaniel keeping the fourth spot and Ronnie Heard from Seffner rounded out the top five.
Punta Gorda Speedway Results 6/18/11
Open Wheel Modified 1 st 35 lap Feature
1. 19 Steve Arnold Cape Coral
2. 11 Jimmy Wilkens III. Fort Pierce
3. 00 Shawn Harper Lake Wales
4. 81 Ronnie Herd Seffner
5. 43 Scott McDaniel Cape Coral
6. 46 Doug Moff Fort Myers
7. 76 James Wilkens Jr. Fort Pierce
8. 48 Roger Blevins Bartow
9. 14 John Garrett Port Charlotte
10. 67 James Dubose Arcadia
11. V1 Terry Vaughn Arcadia
12. 98 Wayne Morris Mulberry
13. 2R John Rogers Naples
Open Wheel Modified 2 nd 35 laps Feature
1. 46 Doug Moff Fort myers
2. 00 Shawn Harper Lake wales
3. 19 Steve Arnold Cape Coral
4. 43 Scott McDaniel Cape Coral
5. 81 Ronnie Heard Seffner
6. 48 Roger Blevins Bartow
7. 76 James Wilkens Jr. Fort Pierce
8. V1 Terry Vaughn Arcadia
9. 11 Jimmy Wilkens Jr. Fort Pierce
10. 98 Wayne Morris Mulberry D. N. S.
11. 2R John Rogers Naples D. N. S
12. 14 John Garrett Port Charlotte D. N. S.
13. 67 James Dubose Arcadia D. N. S.
Super Stock
1. 18 Shane Leonard Cape coral
2. 2s Randy Sober Punta Gorda
3. 42 Jeff Waterman Indian Lake
4. 88 Jimmy Meiser Cape Coral
5. 24 Mark Waterman Jr.
Road Warrior
1. 80 Richard Nelson Bradenton
2. 14 Randy Kile Lehigh
3. 1 Rick Reed Arcadia
4. 97 Chris Scott Nokomis
5. 27 Derrick Horton N. Ft. Myers
6. 2 Pete BloodGood Venice
7. 10 Jason Miller Lehigh Acres
8. 5 Jeremy Daring Lehigh Acres
T. Q. Midgets
1. 30 Mike Belusar Punta Gorda
2. 7 Jamie Barnum Brooksville
3. 51 Chris Gimmler Palm Beach Gardens
4. 2 Geoff Styner Cape Coral
5. 14 John Ciolino Cape Coral
6. 1 Jack Duffy Sarasota
7. 5 David Patterson Port Charlotte
8. 23 Steven Maier Port St. Lucie
Cowboy Cadillac
1. 4 Andy Vanscyoc Rotonda West
2. 33 Les Couch Punta Gorda
3. 30 Ken Badali Port Charlotte
4. 8 Jeff Deeble Port Charlotte
5. 99 Chuck Sweet Port Charlotte
6. 39 T. J. Hoholik Port Charlotte
7. 18 Robert Willms Cape Coral
8. 88 Brad Wegert Port Charlotte
9. 9 Ray Scott Arcadia