Who would expect the crowd that was on hand to witness the return of TBARA Winged Sprint cars, Easter Egg hunt, Bike races and the Charlotte County Homeless Coalition. From the drop of the first Green flag till the last checkers flew the Punta Gorda Speedway sure had a little bit of something going on for everyone. 
Before the races even started the fans had to be parked so far away because the main parking lot was full, that speedway owner Kevin Williams was on a golf cart shutteling fans to the front gate with two other carts running with curb service. The place was packed in with fans and kids and the Easter bunny that walked through the stands all night visiting with all the kids. Speedway owner Kevin Williams was happy with the crowd that came out and all the support that was given to the Homeless 
coalition that had several tables set up with baked goods along with the waste management Robot, you had to see that thing.
First feature of the night was the Road Warrior make up from 3-31 that saw Rick Reed of Punta Gorda out run Jeremy Daring for first place and Jeremy second with Jason Miller third.
Cowboy Cadillacs was the other class that had a make feature and with no one able to break his winning streak, it was Stuart Vandevender bringing home the win with John Pummell Jr second and Jeff Deeble third.
Next up was the Easter Egg hunt that had kids from all ages invade the infield for the hidden eggs, once the track was cleared it was the kids bike race. Three different age groups got to run around the track and with only one casualty when two bikes got together all the kids had such a great time. Over sixty Easter baskets were brought in by drivers that had their pictures or cars number on them and were given out to kids through out the night. Two bikes were also given away that were donated by Carol Wicks and Flash Custom Metal Roofing of Port Charlotte and all the kids enjoyed the Easter Bunny that was in the crowd all night.
Rookie Trucks came out for their feature which saw Shawn Hooven of Orlando run start to finish holding off Chad Chastain of Alva. It was lap fourteen that young Chastain got called for spinning Hooven and sent to the rear but battled back to bring the watermelon truck home in second while Corey Bigley was third.
Legends came out for a thirty five lap feature that had fast qualifier Matt Blankenship from Lake Placid starting second row in side and Brady Marshall on the pole. Josh Williams of Port Charlotte jumped out the early lead until Blankenship got by him on lap fifteen and they ran nose to tail the remainder of the race. Blankenship stayed in front of Williams to bring it home in the first spot, Williams settled for a very close second place and Mike Veerhaag was third.
Noah Weaver from Sarasota was the winner of the Bandoleros.
Brother and Sister team Michael and Kelli Burns of Port Charlotte dominated the Pro Truck race and battle for position while Fast Qualifier Michael Burns lead the entire race. Kelli Burns start towards the back while brother Michael started on the pole, it took Kelli five laps to battle her way through the field to catch her brother and challenge him the remainder of the race for the lead. Sam Scott of Naples blew a motor in warm ups and was offered the Watermelon Truck of Chastain’s to keep in the points chase and brought it home in the third spot.
The race everyone was waiting for the TBARA Winged Sprint cars were pushed out onto the track and introductions were made and after everyone was fired up it was time to go racing for thirty caution free laps. The two of Larry Brazil jumped to the lead and had a fast car till something broke and he slowed on the front stretch and pulled it to the infield giving the lead over to the sixty eight of Mikey Kempgens. Kempgens ran in the first spot while Jimmy Alvis Jr was right behind him as they weaved in and out of lap cars for the remainder of the race. Ben Fritz would finish third, Mark Gimmler fourth and John Gilbert Jr. rounded out the top five.
The main Road Warrior feature came out and the cars beat and banged and it was the 5 of Jeremy Daring and the 80 of Richard Nelson that got the worst of it when they appeared to be locked together on lap eleven and both had to make pit stops for flat tires. Chris Loney of Naples out ran Chris Scott for the first half of the race and then Jason Miller for the second half to go on and win the main feature and lots of family celebrations in the winners circle. Back out after a few years off was Ann Marie Ricardi of Naples that had a good run roughing it up with the guys to come in sixth while Rick Reed of Punta Gorda was third.
The last class of the night was the Cowboy Cadillacs that saw Jeff Deeble from Port Charlotte lead the first seven laps and really battle Stuart Vandevender who got by him but it wasn’t easy. Vandevender and Deeble battle for a while but it was Stuart Vandevender that kept his winning streak alive and finished first with Deeble Second John Pummell Jr third and Brad Wegert was fourth.
April 14th at the Punta Gorda Speedway will be the Late Model Sportsman for 50 laps, Perfect Pest Control Pro 4, Dwarf Cars, T.Q. Midgets, Mini Stock and the Street Stock. Street Stock and T.Q. Midgets will also run a make up race from 3-31 and the field is set for that race.
PUNTA GORDA SPEEDWAY RESULTS
4/07/12
Road Warrior Make up
1. 10x Rick Reed Arcadia
2. 5 Jeremy Daring Lehigh Acres
3. 10 Jason miller Lehigh Acres
4. 33 Chris Loney Naples Ft. Myers
5. 80 Richard Nelson Port Charlotte
6. 97 Chris Scott Nokomis
7. 57 Mark Pehy
8. 13 Justin Teston
9. 22 Randy Spicer
Cowboy Cadillac’s Make up
1. 36 Stuart Vandevender Cape Coral
2. 86 John Pummel Jr. Arcadia
3. 8 Jeff Deeble Port Charlotte
4. 88 Brad Wegert Port Charlotte
TBARA Sprints
1.68 Mickey Kempkins
2. 21 Jimmy Alvis Jr.
3. 16 Ben Fritz
4. 51 Mark Gimmler
5. 7 John Gilbert
6. 1 Brian Gingras
7. 85 Rex Hollinger
8. 47 Jason Bradford
9. J1 Mike Tharp
10. 37 Mike Koss
11. 69 Ric Voisey
12. 8 Alan Randisi
13. 2 Larry J. Brazil Jr.
14. 41 Troy De Caire
15. 15 Geoff Styner
16. 67 Scotty Adema
17. 22 Johnny Gilbertson
Pro Trucks
1. 14 Michael Burns Port Charlotte
2. 4 Kelli Burns Port Charlotte
3. 14S Sam Scott Naples
4. 17 Mark Hooven Orlando
5.47 Travis Gossard Jr. Valrico
6. 32 Dylan Bigley Naples
7. 00 Whitney Poore Vera Beach
8. 25 Darin McCurdy Port Charlotte
9. 75 Robert St. John Arcadia
10. 99x Rick Penton West Palm Beach
11. 3 Jim Cowey Valrico
12. 20 Tom Carlough Venice
13. 99x Rick Penton West Palm Beach
14. 93 Jeff Firestine Venice
15. 36 Ralph Chastain DNS
Road Warrior
1. 33 Chris Loney Naples
2. 10 Jason Miller LeHigh Acres
3. 10x Rick Reed Punta Gorda
4. 97 Chris Scott Nokomis
5. 80 Richard Nelson Port Charlotte
6. 27 Ann Marie Ricardi Naples
7. 22 Randy Spicer
8. 57 Mark Petty Venice
9. 17 James Stokes
10. 5 Jeremy Daring LeHigh Acres
11. 13 Justin Teston LeHigh
12. 15 Clint Snyder
Cowboy Cadillac’s
1. 36 Stuart Vandevender Cape Coral
2. 8 Jeff Deeble Port Charlotte
3. 86 John Pummel Jr. Arcadia
4. 88 Brad Wegert Port Charlotte
5. 32 Shawn Schnault Punta Gorda
Legends
1. 94 Matt Blankenship Lake Placid
2. 3 Josh Williams Port Charlotte
3. 7 Mike Verhaugh Fort Myers
4. 48 Carl Haag Port St. Lucie
5. 55 Conrad Molter Naples
6. 14 Brady Marshall Sarasota
7. 22 Tyler Audie Orlando
Rookie Trucks
1. 17 Shawn Hooven Naples
2. 36 Chad Chastain Alva
3. 00 Corey Bigley Naples
4. 32 Randy Poole Vero Beach
5. 99 Dean Butrum
Bandolero
1. 14 Noah Weaver Sarasota