By Rick Anges
Bradenton, Fl. The weather was perfect for a night of ASA sanctioned racing at the “High Banks” of DeSoto super Speedway and the fans in attendance were in store for another awesome night featuring the return of the High Powered TBARA Winged Sprints.
The “Four Wide” salute to the fans had the crowd on its feet as the field prepared for the action packed thirty-lap feature.
The green dropped and it was a wild scramble for position. Coming out of turn two on the first lap the cars of Ben Fritz and Shane Butler went spinning into the infield bringing out the caution. Both drivers were able to continue. Butler would come back and finish fifth Fritz would take eighth on the evening.
When the race was restarted it would be thirty-laps of green side by side racing for the rest of the feature.
Up front pole sitter Keith Butler would hold onto his top spot but just before the halfway point Dude Teate would come from his eighth starting spot and challenge for the lead. Teate would flex his muscles and make the pass on lap sixteen and pull away from the field.
Meanwhile all eyes were on “the Superman” Dave Steele who was making his return to DeSoto as he sliced and diced his way up through the field. Steele would get around second place Butler on lap nineteen but with eleven laps left there was almost a full straightaway between himself and the leader.
With seven lapped cars and laps winding down it would make sense to settle in and be happy with a solid second place run over a great field of drivers but then there is a reason they call him Superman.
With only a handful of laps to go the fans were on their feet as Steele had closed to within a car length of Teate and as the duo went under the white flag Steele was inches away from the leaders push bar.
Steele made several moves to get around Teate and was nearly beside him on the inside coming out of turn four but Dude held his line and roared to the checkered flag. Butler would take third, Larry Brazil Jr. would come from tenth for a hard fought forth and rounding out the top five was Shane Butler.
The TBARA Winged Sprints return to DeSoto Super October 30th.
TBARA FEATURE
Finish-Start-Car#-Driver
1 8 0 Dude Teate
2 11 91 Dave Steele
3 1 99 Keith Butler
4 10 20 Larry Brazil Jr.
5 7 18 Shane Butler
6 6 3 Bo Hartley
7 4 19 Dakotah Stephens
8 5 16 Ben Fritz
9 9 27 Sonny Hartley
10 13 11 Bryan Riddle
11 14 2 Johnny Gilbertson
12 16 47 Jason Bradford
13 3 15 D.J. Hoelzle
14 2 14 Steve Heisler
15 12 81 Brad Davis
16 15 28 Larry Brazil
TROPHY DASH – FEATURE
Finish Start Car# Driver Hometown
1 2 96 Jay Seykora Palm Harbor, Fl
2 1 15 Michael Gamache Tarpon Springs, Fl
3 3 25 Mark Jackson Bradenton , Fl
4 4 89 Allen Bragg Bradenton , Fl
FLYIN 4s – FEATURE
Finish Start Car# Driver Hometown
1 2 73 Randy Johnson Bradenton , Fl
2 3 38 Arthur Danielson Pinellas , Fl
3 7 90 Anthony Easton Bradenton , Fl
4 1 81 Brittany Barr St Petersburg, Fl
5 4 85 Michael Gamache Tarpon Springs, Fl
6 5 05 Ronald Robinson Bradenton , Fl
7 6 53 Mark Jackson Bradenton , Fl
MAGIC 4S – FEATURE
Finish Start Car# Driver Hometown
1 2 3 Kyle Best Myakka City, Fl
2 1 38 Joann Danielson Pinellas , Fl
3 3 85 Amy Gamache Tarpon Springs, Fl
4 5 01 Dallas Troyer Bradenton , Fl
5 4 44 Shanna Clark St. Petersburg, Fl
MINI STOCKS – FEATURE
Finish Start Car# Driver Hometown
1 8 33X Jesse Dutilly Bradenton , Fl
2 2 32 Bruce Carbone Bradenton , Fl
3 7 35 Darrin Ellis Myakka City, Fl
4 3 48 Mike Kerrivan Myakka City, Fl
5 6 17 James Wood Jr Bradenton , Fl
6 5 30 Robert Carter Wauchula , Fl
7 4 88 Anthony La Point Zephyrhills , Fl
8 1 42 Ricky Bullard Jr Arcadia , Fl
MODIFIED MINIS – FEATURE
Finish Start Car #Driver Hometown
1 2 6 Mitchell Webb Pinellas Park, Fl
2 6 10 Mike Birk Jr Pinellas Park, Fl
3 1 16 Glenn Kelley New Port, Fl
4 7 33X Jesse Dutilly Bradenton , Fl
5 5 30 Robert Carter Wauchula , Fl
6 3 42 Ricky Bullard Jr Arcadia , Fl
7 4 88 Timothy Herrington Zephyrhills , Fl
PURE STOCKS – FEATURE
Finish Start Car# Driver Hometown
1 2 30 Robert Crisp Largo , Fl
2 4 71 Darrin Ellis Myakka City, Fl
3 1 3 Duane Best Myakka City, Fl
4 5 21X George Bartimac St Peteersberg, Fl
5 3 88 Jamie Wilson Sarasota , Fl
6 6 14 Richard Mcclough Bradenton , Fl
7 7 67 Jimmie Best Sarasota ,Fl
BOMBERS – FEATURE
Finish Start Car# Driver Hometown
1 2 89X Scott Dawley Bradenton , Fl
2 1 80 Richard Nelson Bradenton , Fl
3 9 02 John Stewart Pinellas Park, Fl
4 4 33X Michael Crooks St Petersberg, Fl
5 8 67 Jimmie Best Sarasota , Fl
6 5 93 Jeff Firestine Venice , Fl
7 3 11 Ken (paul) Smith Largo , Fl
8 6 43 Mark Petty Venice , Fl
9 7 96 Fran Matera Palm Harbor, Fl