by Scott Lockwood
Jesse Dutilly has made Desoto Speedway his personal playground for the 2015
season, winning nearly all of his starts in the Turner Tree and Landscape
Late Model series. Dutilly tried his hand with the J.D. Byrider Open Wheel Modifieds on
Saturday night and found himself in a familiar place: victory lane at the
end of the night after claiming the 25-lap feature event.
Nick Hernandez led the first eight laps of the race with Dutilly hot on his
tail. Hernandez slipped in the first turn on the last lap, allowing Dutilly
to get by for the lead. Dutilly, who was driving the same car that was nearly destroyed in an
accident at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola earlier this summer, rocketed
away from Hernandez and third-place runner Doug Moff to take the victory –
his seventh straight that also includes six consecutive late model feature
wins at Desoto Speedway.
In the 25-lap Modified Mini feature, Tom Zimmerman took advantage of some
contact by cars in the front two rows to go from his fifth starting spot to
first by the time the field got to the backstretch. Zimmerman was
stretching his lead over Fred Paravicini and Darren Ellis when the caution
flew for an accident involving Logan Allen and Frank Pelusio. Zimmerman got the jump on Paravicini on the restart and quickly checked out on the rest of the field. Paravicini, Ellis and Lee Davis were all battling
for the second spot when Allen spun in turn four, bringing out the yellow with just three laps left.
The restart was no problem for Zimmerman as he went on to his first win
since earlier this summer. Paravicini and Ellis rounded out the podium.
Todd Morey led a solid field of Mini Stocks to the green flag for their
25-lap feature event. The race quickly became a four-car battle between
Morey, Cameron Cruse, Johnny Marra and Ronnie Robinson. Robinson got by
Marra for third near the halfway point and wasted no time running down the
front duo of Morey – who normally drives monster trucks and was driving the
car regularly driven by Jessica Ostrovskis – and Cameron Cruse.
Just past the halfway point, Robinson spun trying to dive under Cruse for
second in turn one. On the ensuing restart, Morey and Cruse were pulling
away from Marra when Kristen Milthaler and Sherry Best got together coming
out of turn four, sending Milthaler hard into the front stretch wall and
ending her night. Robinson went from fifth to second on the restart and got to Morey’s bumper
with three laps to go. He tried going around the outside, nearly pulling
even with Morey as the field took the white flag. Morey made the low side work, holding off a last-ditch effort from Robinson to take the checkered flag. Cruse, Marra and Ren Wright Jr. rounded out the
top five.
The Take Aim Gun Range Street Stocks were up next for their 30-lap feature.
Jeff Firestine, fresh off his win in the class a week ago, grabbed the lead
from Ronnie Brock Jr. on the fifth lap and was quickly joined at the front
of the field by James Nanny, who was making a challenge for the top spot
when the caution flew on lap 11. Firestine and Nanney ran side-by-side for several laps after the restart,
with Firestine finally getting the advantage just past the halfway point of
the race. Nanney stalked Firestine around the 3/8-mile oval for several
laps and loosened up the leader just enough to take the top spot with eight
laps to go. Nanney started pulling away from Firestine over the closing laps and won by
nearly a half a straightaway. Travis Barfield finished third.
In other action Saturday night, Kenny Gibson won his third straight 25-lap
Bomber feature; Richard Campbell won the 25-lap Enduro feature and 10-lap
Enduro flag pole race; and Duane Campbell won the 15-lap Enduro road
course race.
Next week, Desoto Speedway will host the first leg of the Super Late Model
Triple Crown series with a 100-lap Super Late Model main event. The Mini
Stocks will have a 40-lap feature event, and the Street Stocks and Bombers
will also be in action. All events will be for double points.
10-3- 2015
DESOTO SPEEDWAY RACE RESULTS
Open Wheel Modified
1. 88 Jesse Dutilly Bradenton
2. 37 Nick Hernadez Palmetto
3. 46 Doug Moff Ft. Myers
4. 94 Dalton Nelson Pinallas Park
5. 75 Bobby Blake Grande Isle
6. 4 Jim Smith Inverness
7. 84 Rob Haygood Bradenton
8. 45 Greg Krom Sarasota D.N.S.
Street Stock
1. 6 James Nanney Bradenton
2. 93 Jeff Firestine Venice
3. 11 Travis Barfield Myakka City
4. 69 Keith Neff Bradenton
5. 1 Ronnie Brock Jr. Sebring
6. 45 Mike Karrivan Bradenton
7. 72 Roger Dufrense Bradenton
8. 88 Jimmy Castleberry Aburndale
9. 7 Colleen Whitesell Bradenton
10. 8 Jamie Castleberry Auburndale
Bombers
1. 23 Kenny Gibson Venice
2. 22x Randy Spicer New Port Richey
3.88 Jimmy Castleberry Bartow
4. 7 Colleen Whitescell Bradenton
5. 74 Paul Huffstutler Bradenton
6. 92 Jerry Groves Venice
Modified Mini
1. 55 Tom Zimmerman Largo
2. 86 Fred Paravicini Bradenton
3. 72 Darin Ellis Myakka
4. 77 Lee Davis Lakeland
5. 4p Donnie Powers Myakka City
6. 6d Dave Davis Bradenton
7. 67 Bo Davis Lakeland
8. 6f Jimmy Frazier Avon Park
9. 68 Logan Allen N. Ft. Myers
10. 77r Rachelle Rudolph Tampa
11. 07 Steven Simpson New Smyna
12. 55f Frank Pelusio Clearwater
Mini Stock
1. 91v Todd Morey Wachula
2. 05 Ronnie Robinson Bradenton
3. 22 Cameron Cruse Sarasota
4. 008 Ren Wright Jr. St. Pete
5. 99x Johnny Marra Cape Coral
6. 3 Sherry Best Myakka
7. 67 Jimmie Best Myakka
8. 10 Kristen Milthaler North Port
9. 9 Meagan Hirschy Port Charlotte
10. 01 Christopher Milthaler North Port
11. 28 Eric Daniels Bradenton
12. 27 Frank Pelusio Clearwater D.N.S.
Enduro
1.132 Richard Campbell Siesta Key
2. 3 Duane Campbell
3. 869 Joe Lombardi Sarasota
4. 97 Elizabeth Keene Bradenton
5. 702 Justin Arrigoni Sarasota
6. 7 Molly Lombardi Sarasota
7. 4+ Darrell Taylor Bradenton
Road Course
1. 3 Duane Campbell
2. 132 Richard Campbell
3. 4t Darrell Taylor
4. 97 Elizabeth Keene
5. 102 Justin Arrigoni
6. 8 Josh Widner
7. 869 Joe LomBardi
8. 7 Molly Lombardi
Flagpole
1. 132 Richard Campbell
2. 3 Duane Campbell
3. 4+ Darrell Taylor
4. 869 Joe Lombardi
5. 97 Elizabeth Keene
6. 702 Justin Arrigoni
7. 8 Josh Widner