The Florida Untied Promoters Series made it’s final trip of 2012 to the friendliest track in the south this past Saturday night. 23 of the states top late model pilots turned out for the A-Able Septic Service 125, the largest field of the year for the series. The nights events got cranked up with time trial qualifying for the series late models. Once the drivers all took the best of 2 qualifying laps, it was Daniel Webster (33) coming out on top with a lap of 13.60 seconds. Following Webster were Kevin Macy (19) in 2nd, and Jonathan Guy (42) in 3rd. After the top 8 qualifiers randomly drew for their staring positions, Guy would have lady luck on his side, drawing the pole position. David Green (12) would start alongside Guy, with point leader Steve Dorer staring 6th, and championship challenger Jesse Dutilly (30) starting 9th.
Guy would get the jump at the drop of the green flag and lead till the 1st caution at lap 4 for a spin by Eric Stokes (8). Guy would lead the field to green on the restart, but soon had pressure in the form of fast qualifier Webster for the lead. Webster would take the high side and move by to take the lead. Guy soon felt pressure from Joe Winchell for the 2nd position, as Winchell also moved around the outside of Guy to take away the runner up spot. Caution flew again at lap 19 for a spin involving the 4th running Green, and 5th running Daniel Keene Jr (5k). Keene would rejoin the end of the field, while Green headed to the pits with damage. Webster would lead on the restart, with Winchell just behind in 2nd, and Guy 3rd. Series point leader Dorer found himself in 5th, and Dutilly in 7th for the restart. After the restart, the race would go green for 65 laps, which shuffled the field considerably. Webster would rocket away and build almost a full straight away lead on Winchell in 2nd. Behind them the racing was tight, Dorer, Herb Neumann Jr (98) and Dutilly waged a furious battle for the 5th position. Dorer would pull away from the other two drivers gradually, and begin his march to the front. Dorer would catch Macy, and move to 4th after giving the position up to Macy early on. Then he ran down Guy for 3rd, moving by at lap 75. Lap 84 would see a welcomed caution for the stopped car of Guy on the backstretch, with a flat tire. Webster was still your leader, followed by Winchell, a charging Dorer, Dutilly, Neumann, Macy, and Guy. Websters quick pace, combined with the 65 lap green flag run, had now left only 7 cars on the lead lap. Webster would bring the field to green again, and the battle for 2nd was on behind him. Winchell saw the handle on his car slip away, and now was under heavy pressure from Dorer and Dutilly. Dorer would finally find a way by the cagey veteran on lap 98. With only 25 laps left in the race, Dorer had over a 2 second deficit to make up on Webster to battle for the lead. Lap 107 would erase that lead as contact between Winchell and Dutilly would send cars spinning and the caution flag flying once again. Winchell would take blame for the incident, giving Dutilly back the his position, and sending himself to the rear. Webster now had the nights two biggest movers on his bumper for the restart in Dorer and Dutilly. Webster brought the field to the restart green, but spun the tires badly as they came to the start line. Dorer ducked to the inside to move to the lead before the cars exited turn 2. Caution would fly once again just 1 lap later. Series officials decided Dorer had passed on the inside before passing the start finish line, which is not permitted in the series rules. The series officials penalized Dorer 3 positions, moving him from the lead, to 4th for the restart. Webster now had the lead back, and a mirror full of Dutilly challenging for the lead. Neumann found himself 3rd just ahead of an angry Dorer. Webster jumped out to a slight lead on the restart over Dutilly, and Dorer moved by Neumann on the first lap of green to take the 3rd spot. Dutilly challenged for the lead, as Dorer tried to run the top two down with only 13 laps remaining. Caution would fly again though on lap 112 for the stopped car of Guy again on the racetrack with a flat tire. Webster had completely lost the handle on what was the dominate car till lap 100. Webster once again brought the field to green with Dutilly and Dorer in his tire tracks. Dutilly went to work right away, but saw his car get loose on the entry to turn 3, sliding up the track. Dorer would take advantage, and move by to take the 2nd spot with only 12 laps left. Webster was hanging on for dear life in the lead, and Dorer took advantage on lap 115, retaking the lead for the final time. Dorer would pull away to a sizeable lead over the final 10 laps, while Webster and Dutilly had the fiberglass and smoke flying in the battled for 2nd. Dorer would go on to take his 5th series victory of 2012, and 2nd in a row at Citrus County Speedway. Webster would hold onto 2nd just ahead of Dutilly in 3rd. Dorer has now increased his points lead to 20 heading into the season ending Regal Kia 150 and Auburndale Speedway on December 8th.
11 Street Stocks registered for their final points event of the season. Dora Thorne (48) came into the night as your points leader, with Bubba Martone (98) just behind in 2nd. The battle for the championship was shaping up to be a good one. But a heat race altercation between Martone and Kenny May (10) would result in Martone being disqualified from the rest of the nights events, and May needing a new front clip on his racer. Thorne would just need to start the feature now to take home the championship. Bill Ryan (33) would take the early lead in the event, but lost grip on his racer exiting turn 2, handing over the lead to James Peters (5). Peters soon faced pressure from Curtis Flanagan (3) for the lead. Flanagan would move by Peters, and go on to take his 12 feature win of 2012. Peters was running a solid 2nd, until contact from 3rd running Joey Bifaro (12) sent him sliding up the track coming to the checkers. Bifaro would edge out Peters for 2nd at the line. Thorne would suffer 2 flat tires in the feature event, but was able to bring home the 2012 division championship, edging out Flanagan by 8 points.
Rick Kuhn (47) came into Saturday nights Modified Mini Stock event 2nd in championship points behind Clint Foley (7), and had little hope of catching the leader. All Foley need to do was take the green for the feature, and he was the points champion. Foley was a no show on Saturday night, choosing not to compete. Kuhn now had a new lease on life, now just needing to start the feature to be the 2012 champion. The race saw young Nick Neri (2) rocket to the front to take an exciting victory followed by Chris Zimmerman (29), and Phil Edwards (24). Kuhn suffered mechanical problems, and finished dead last. Last was enough to get the job done, and Kuhn claimed the 2012 Modified Mini Stock champions ship by 22 points over Edwards.
Shannon Kennedy (20) took a dominate victory in the 20 lap Mini Stock feature well ahead of Mark Patterson (22) in 2nd, and 2012 division champion Jeremy Sharrone (32) in 3rd.
Bo Bass (14) once again found his way to victory lane in the DWARF car feature ahead of 2nd place Chris McClelland (98) in 2nd, and Stan Butler (3) in 3rd.
Kyle Stoner (7) took the victory in the Hornet division. Rounding out the top 5 were Brittany Brown (98), Jeremy Ortiz (151), Christy Dorer (6), and Dick Jordan (1).
This Saturday night will be the final points night of the 2012 racing season. Points championships are still up form grabs in the Open Wheel Modified, Sportsman, and Pure Stock division where only 3 points separate the top 2 drivers. Joining these battles will be the Florida Untied Pro Truck series for 50 laps, as well as the Mini Stocks, Hornets, and the Eagle Buick Legends Fall Shoot Out. Gates open at 4pm, racing takes the green flat at 5:30!