Week number three of the 2014 season saw plenty of action at Orlando SpeedWorld as the weather finally felt more “Florida like” than the first pair of race nights.
Darin Coker made the trip up from the Southwest part of the State along with teammate Keith Sinkula and they ended up one-two in the 25-Lap Legend Car feature. Robbie Lyons, the previous weeks’ winner, grabbed the early advantage and did everything he could to hold off an early charge by Sinkula who took second from Dave Gleason on lap four. David Owen looped his car to bring out the caution on lap seven and was sent to the rear of the field for the restart. As the field took the green flag again, Coker slipped by his teammate and took off after Lyons. After some really good racing, Coker pulled ahead on lap 14 bringing Sinkula with him. A lap 17 caution for a Mark Bibeau spin didn’t slow Coker as he became the third Legend Car feature winner in as many weeks. Sinkula came home second with Lyons third and Bibeau recovered to take fourth spot ahead of Whitney Poole, who made her first Legend Car start a good one driving Owen’s back up car. Bob Lyons took sixth with Gleason and Owen rounding out the finishers although neither was still running at the end.
William Hindman grabbed his second Strictly Stock win of the year in his E&H Car Crushing Chevy Monte Carlo in a tight battle to the finish. Mike Hannah led the opening lap only to be overtaken by Charles King, Sr. who paced the field for a pair of circuits before Hindman took over only to spin out on his own in turn two. Hindman restarted from the tail of the field as King took over the top spot once again but it took Hindman just four laps to get back to the front and he led the rest of the way although he was challenged throughout
the final laps. Luis Guillen made a late charge to grab second at the checker trailed by King, Shane Sutorous and Tom Flynn. Completing the finishers were Hannah, Keith Wylie and Armando Coccharella. Last weeks’ winner Megan Metheny never made it past hot laps as a transmission cooler went kaput placing her car on the trailer for the rest of the evening.
The Four Cylinder Stocks continue to build their class up in numbers but one thing is for certain… the driver to beat is Eric Hodge. Hodge zipped his Ford Escort around early leader John Gross on lap three and never looked back despite the field being slowed by three yellow flag periods including a hard hit to the turn one wall be Troy Gregory who was OK. Charles King, Jr. made a late run to second followed by Rich Tyner and John Gross. Gregory, Jason Skinner and Jeff Gross were DNF’s and scored fifth through seventh. Hodge is unbeaten in the class this year.
Whitney Poole backed up her top five effort in the Legend Cars with a win in the Pro Truck feature. Poole took the lead from Eric Lichtenberger on lap 12 and led the rest of the was as Lichtenberger’s machine quit on the white flag lap giving second place to Richard Griffis.
Michael Held led every lap of the Super Stock feature but it was all for naught as he was DQ’d in tech for an unapproved clutch. That gave the win to David Gould, his second of the year, over Brandon Christian and John Bennett.
Sam Cornman won his second consecutive Bandolero feature over heat winner Colton Bramlett and Brandi Bibeau.
There will be no stock car racing next week as Orlando SpeedWorld will host the three-day NOPI Nationals that will feature a huge Car Show, Drifting and Drag Racing at the track’s drag strip. Friday night racing action resumes on April 4th with the Modifieds, Sportsman cars, Legends, Bandoleros, Strictly Stocks and Four Cylinder Stocks.
OFFICIAL RESULTS, ORLANDO SPEEDWORLD, MARCH 22, 2014
Pro-Trucks
1. Whitney Poole #00
2. Richard Griffis #5
3. Eddie Luchtengerberger #88
Super Stock
2. David Gould #16
3. Brandon Christan #28
4. John Bennett #721
Legends
1. Darin Coker #00
2. Keith Sinkula #19
3. Robbie Lyons #2
4. Mark Bibeau #65
5. Whitney Poole #96x
6. Bob Lyons #01
7. Dave Gleason #07
8. David Owen #96
Bandoleros
1. Sam Cornman #74
2. Colton Bramlett #22
3. Brandi Bibeau #65
Strictly Stock
1. William Hindman #89
2. Luis Gillam #8
3. Charles King Sr #28
4. Shane Sutorus #81
5. Tom Flinn #67
6. Mike Hanna #79
7. Keith Wyler # 180