By- Jim Rouse (10-13-12) Ocala, FL – The Florida State Sprint Car Championship wrapped up tonight with a bang while the Scorpion Racing Products Modifieds, Hobby Stocks, and 1-800-ASK GARY Thunder Stocks all made it a complete night on Fan Appreciation Weekend! All races had 5 laps added to them for the night (Sprints went 10 extra from a normal race).
First up were our Hobby Stocks who would ultimately go 25 laps. The race started off with a wild ride for William Gillam when he barrel-rolled the #13 on the backstretch. Gillam was okay but his night was over. Trevor Gamble would lead from 4th while title fighter Rodney Wright would have to fight from 10th. Trey Isgette, III would bring a caution out with 10-to-go and 4 laps later Kyle Maynard would do the same. Up front it was Gamble, Wright, and Mike Stalnaker. Trevor Gamble, though the car started going away, held off Rodney Wright for a massive win in a tight title fight. Mike Stalnaker and Hunter Gustafson solidified their statuses as top 5 drivers and Steve Branton took the #2S to 5th.
Scorpion Racing Products Modifieds went 30-laps and started with Chuck Gustafson, Jr. leading lap 1 over Tyler Clem at the front and Kyle Bronson coming from the back with Rich Pratt. Bronson took the lead on lap 3 before the yellow flew for Rich Pratt’s spin in turn 4. Jeff Mathews took the lead on lap 6 just before Bronson spun in turn 2 to bring the caution out with 23-to-go; Mathews would lead Kent Corbin and Pratt to the stripe. Pratt, however, would spin 1 lap later allowing Tyler Clem back into the top 3. With just 5 to go Dalton Lanich spun from 3rd putting Mathews and Bronson 1-2. Kent Corbin would restart 3rd. Jeff Mathews would hold on to win his 2nd race of 2012. Kyle Bronson finished 2nd after a strong result in Eldora with Kent Corbin, Chuck Gustafson, Jr., and Dalton Lanich in tow.
The final part of the Florida State Sprint Car Championship started with Tyler Godwin up front until he pitted under the lap 6 caution. Danny Martin, Jr. would inherit it from there with Matt Kurtz and “Haulin” Collin Cabre in tow. Martin, however, would break on lap 15 giving the lead to Matt Kurtz as the field continued under green. On lap 20 Kyle Pitts spun out of turn 4 setting up a restart with Kurtz, Cabre, and Robbie Smith the top 3. No one could catch Kurtz as he cruised to his 5th win at Bubba Raceway Park in 2012 and the ring is his! Collin Cabre finished a strong 2nd with Mark Ruel, Jr., Robbie Smith, and AJ Maddox the top 5.
The 1-800-ASK GARY Thunder Stocks put on a wild 25-lapper with Bubba Durbin the early leader. On lap 4 James Sullivan, III lost his left rear wheel and, after Gordon Cade made contact and Joey Durbin stopped near them, saw 3 cars out in 1 caution. On the restart Shane Nichols took the lead from Durbin but lost it 2 laps later. On a lap 14 restart Nichols took the lead back from Durbin for good. Bobby Cox spun with just 3-to-go setting up a fight between Nichols, Durbin, and James Erickson. Nichols would hold on while Durbin ended up with a flat right rear. Brian Mullins finished 2nd, Erickson 3rd, Jonathan Appleby 4th, and Rick Kilbury 5th.
Next week we return with our Scorpion Racing Products Modifieds as well as the Buddy’s Home Furnishings Limited Late Models, Hobby Stocks, 1-800-ASK GARY Thunder Stocks, and the Barfield Law Group Mini Stocks. For more information you can contact us at 352-622-9400 or on www.bubbaracewaypark.com!
Bubba Raceway Park Results (10/13)
Florida State Sprint Car Champion: 92 Matt Kurtz (3rd place and 1st place)
Florida State Sprint Car Championship Night Two
1- 92 Matt Kurtz
2- 83 Mark Ruel, Jr.
3- 6S Robbie Smith
4- 3A AJ Maddox
5- 24 Stephen Darvalics
6- 7 Kyle Pitts
7- 61 Skeeter Faulconer
8- 82 Danny Martin, Jr.
9- 0X Phillip Pettay
10- 38T Tyler Godwin
11- 8 Rich Alexander
12- 38 Tony Agin
13- 16 Frankie Hurst
DQ- 12 Collin Cabre
DNS- 36 Ken Laureno
Scorpion Racing Products Modifieds
1- 33 Jeff Mathews
2- 40B Kyle Bronson
3- 7 Kent Corbin
4- 34 Chuck Gustafson, Jr.
5- 2L Dalton Lanich
6- 122 Ron Burgess
7- 14 Tyler Clem
8- 5K Tim Smith
9- 78 Rich Pratt
10- 2S Garret Stewart
Hobby Stocks
1- 12 Trevor Gamble
2- 99 Rodney Wright
3- 9 Mike Stalnaker
4- 15 Hunter Gustafson
5- 2S Steve Branton
6- 19 Kyle Maynard
7- 77M Mark Maresca
8- 28 Brandon Elwood
9- 2 Trey Isgette, III
10- 17F Joey Forsyth
11- 77 Matt Kramer
12- 388 Walt Kahrs
13- 1 Dustin Turnage
14- 13 William Gillam
DNS- 23 Rebecca Paugh
1-800-ASK GARY Thunder Stocks
1- 65 Shane Nichols
2- 28 Brian Mullins
3- 16 James Erickson
4- 69A Jonathan Appleby
5- 71 Rick Kilbury
6- 6 Tony Campbell
7- 00 Bobby Cox
8- 12 Bubba Durbin
9- 25 Dean Kinsey
10- 15 Mike Valdez
11- 28E Brandon Elwood
12- 121 Gordon Cade
13- 55 Joey Durbin
14- 14 James Sullivan, III
15- 34 Mark Trexler
16- 33 Donnie Dobbins
DNS- 13 William Gillam
DNS- 29L Daniel Laird
DNS- 66 Harold Erickson