Brian Richardson cruises to the Winners Circle at Punta Gorda Speedway

It was a great night for racing at Punta Gorda Speedway where you can always find some of the best short track racing action that’s affordable for the entire family. The night started off with the T.Q. Midgetwenty five laps that saw the thirty of Mike Belusar out of Punta Gorda bring home the win. Belusar had one fast machine as he was coming to the checkers for the win had lapped the last two cars that were on the lead lap. Coming in second would be Jack Duffy and third would go to Geoff Styner of Cape Coral.

Pro 4 class took to the track were Dylan Bigley out of Naples ran start to finish in the lead chased by Ryan Collver, but in a caution free twenty five laps had to settle for second. Young Aaron Hardgrove ran a great race running in the third position the entire race coming in third.

Cowboy Cadillacs rolled out next with one key driver missing for the night, Robert Willms the points leader, so it was on for who would battled for the win and maybe take over the points lead. Andy Vanscyoc would make it two wins in a row, a late charge from Ken Badali came in second and Les Couch third.

It was time for intermission and the entertainment was a fan favorite, Fan Participation, were fans are able to bring their street vehicle to the track and compete around the track for a lap or two. After several laps of elimination there were two trucks left and to make it a little more difficult for the participants the flagman turned the two around to race each other the opposite way. The winner was Richard Nelson in the nice big black truck, that cruised across the stripe first.

The winning streak of Shane Leonard was finally broke by his son Logan Leonard in the Super Stock feature, who started on the pole and lead the entire race. Jeff Waterman who traveled from Indian Lake in his camo colored number 42 put the pressure on Logan until lap eight were an altercation with the eighty eight of Jimmie Mieser sent Waterman to the back and Mieser to the pits with a flat. After the restart of the race and no other caution it was Logan who went on to win the race with father Shane Leonard pushing him across the finish line to come in second and Bobby Fischer third and Waterman fourth.

The main feature of the night would be the Sportsman race for thirty five laps were eighteen drivers showed up for this very competitive class filled with very talented drivers. Another father and son team were not so lucky, they had both cars break before the feature, Greg and Josh Gorniak that traveled from Homestead would have a long trip home. Brian Richardson started on the pole and jumped out to the lead and had points leader Greg Krom in hot pursuit for all thirty five laps. The first half of the race saw cars driving into walls, breaking down and spinning out, until lap 23 when Jerry Bryant and Phil Morrison got together and both left the track on the hook. The last ten laps of the race was caution free and saw the 67 of James Dubose and the 68 of Gary McFall run side by side battling for the fourth position and McFall would get the position when the checkers flew. Richardson who was always seen in the winners circle years past, would make this only his second trip this year with Krom second, and Stuart Vandevender third McFall fourth and Dubose rounding out the top five. Sportsman will be back on June 25^th for fifty laps so make plans now to come out and watch some of the best racing action from some of the most talented and competitive drivers in the state.

The last feature of the night would be the Fab 4 cars were points leader Zac Campilonga was leading while a hard fought challenge by Logan Allen and Jessica Ostrovskis battling for second. With five laps to go the pink ninety one of Jessica would take over the second spot and challenge the leader when the yellow flew sending her to the pits with maybe a blown motor and Allen who was dragging a bumper to the rear. On the restart Duane Vandevender made a pass on the leader and make it his first trip to victory lane for celebrations. Campilonga would settle for second and Logan Allen third.