Jim Rouse, 10-27-12 (Ocala, FL) – The Twisted Tea Top Gun Sprint Cars took the wings off and the RaceCar Engineering Late Models went topless! Hobby Stocks, 1-800-ASK GARY Thunder Stocks, and Rent-N-Roll Gladiators joined them for an amazing night. Of course, the Trick-Or-Treating and Costume Contest at Intermission was the highlight for many people!
First up were Hobby Stocks and under the pace laps Bubba put it to Trevor Gamble and Rodney Wright: “Come from the back (and win) and I’ll give you an extra $100.” Both accepted the offer. Those 2 starting outside the top 15 allowed pole sitter Devin Walker to lead lap 1. On lap 9 Glenn Baum lost a wheel which would set the restart up like this- Walker, Wright, Gamble. Walt Kahrs set up a G-W-C after he spun out of turn 4 but the order was still the same. Devin Walker held on to play championship spoiler with Gamble bettering his rival Wright. Marty Smith finished 4th with Mark Maresca rounding out the top 5. JD with City Electric Supply put up $200 for the winner and Bubba split the $100 and gave Wright and Gamble each $50 for putting on a wonderful show.
Bo Allen would lead from pole as the RaceCar Engineering Late Models went lids off before Mark Whitener passed him on lap 6. The field slowed on lap 10 when Austin Dowling spun out of turn 4; Whitener, Allen, and Christian Augspurger made up the top-3. Whitener would not relinquish that lead as he took home a big win over Christian Augspurger in a 1-2 for Barry Wright chassis. Bo Allen and JO Nobles would finish 3rd and 4th, respectively, with the Bubba Army Performance Engines, and Bryan Bernhardt rounded out the top 5.
The race in the middle was the wingless Twisted Tea Top Gun Sprint Car Series feature. Danny Martin, Jr. shot to the lead from pole position but lost it when the #82 broke down on lap 4. Shawn Murray inherited the lead with Matt Kurtz and Dave Slawiak in tow. On lap 6 Murray spun and collected Kurtz but further back Mark Ruel, Jr. went for a wild ride as he tried to avoid the wreck. Ruel would be okay after the incident. Dave Slawiak would inherit the lead after Murray was put to the tail and Kurtz retired. As they fought for the lead, Tim Grubaugh misjudged the gap to Slawiak- they made contact and both flipped their machines wildly. Both climbed out under their own power. Murray would go back to the lead with 5-to-go and Brandon Grubaugh behind him. Murray would win with Tony Agin 2nd and Brandon Grubaugh 3rd. Rich Alexander finished 4th and Dan Statter rounded out the top 5.
The 1-800-ASK GARY Thunder Stocks started like they seem to always end- with Shane Nichols leading. Cautions ate up much of the first few laps but Gamble and Nichols stretched their legs and put on a fantastic battle to the end. Nichols would hold Gamble off even as they had to pick their way through traffic towards the end. Gamble finished a relieving 2nd with James Sullivan, III 3rd. Brandon Elwood and Joey Durbin jumped up into the top 5 after Brian Mullins and James Erickson crashed themselves out of good top 5 finishes.
Rent-N-Roll Gladiators rounded up the night with Steve Johnson, Tony LaPorta, and Brandon Haseleu leading in a real championship decider. Johnson would retire on lap 2, however, when the right front broke off and left him stranded. LaPorta would miss a shift on the restart and that allowed Haseleu, Mike Patton, and Stephen Frankland around him. He would quickly retake the lead and never give it up. Haseleu finished 2nd with Patton, Jordan McMillon, and Frankland the top 5. In tech, LaPorta was disqualified for not allowing his car to be claimed by the track which gave Haseleu the win over Patton, McMillon, Frankland, and Tonya Keene.
RaceCar Engineering Late Models, Buddy’s Home Furnishings Limited Late Models, 1-800-ASK GARY Thunder Stocks, Barfield Law Group Mini Stocks, and Rent-N-Roll Gladiators join us next week at Bubba Raceway Park. For more information you can contact us on Twitter now at @BubbaRacewayPrk! Also, check out the Facebook Page “Bubba Raceway Park” or check out www.bubbaracewaypark.com. And, as always, you can call us at 352-622-9400!
Bubba Raceway Park Results (10/27)
Twisted Tea Top Gun Sprint Car Series
1- 22 Shawn Murray
2- 38 Tony Agin
3- G6 Brandon Grubaugh
4- 8 Rich Alexander
5- 59 Dan Statter
6- 21 Shawn Cornell
7- 82 Danny Martin, Jr.
8- 79 Dave Slawiak
9- 5 Tim Grubaugh
10- 83 Mark Ruel, Jr.
11- 92 Matt Kurtz
RaceCar Engineering Late Models
1- 58 Mark Whitener
2- 35 Christian Augspurger
3- 71 Bo Allen
4- 14 JO Nobles
5- B69 Bryan Bernhardt
6- 0 Rich Pratt
7- J17 Joe Kump
8- 17 Richard Ferry
9- 20A Adam Higginbotham
10- 72P Len Parrish
11- 18 Austin Dowling
12- 33 Carter Stokes
Hobby Stocks
1- 55JR Devin Walker
2- 12 Trevor Gamble
3- 99 Rodney Wright
4- 18 Marty Smith
5- 77M Mark Maresca
6- X Jon Layerd
7- 15 Hunter Gustafson
8- 21 Gene Anderson
9- 81 Don Woosley
10- 2 Trey Isgette, III
11- 82 Brian Kohl
12- 23 Rebecca Paugh
13- 388 Walt Kahrs
14- 9 Mike Stalnaker
15- 23B Glenn Baum
16- 17F Joey Forsyth
17- A2Z Chuck McHone
18- 83 Joe Boyd
DNS- 77 Matt Kramer
1-800-ASK GARY Thunder Stocks
1- 65 Shane Nichols
2- 21 Jason Gamble
3- 14 James Sullivan, III
4- 28E Brandon Elwood
5- 55 Joey Durbin
6- 69A Jonathan Appleby
7- 28 Brian Mullins
8- 16 James Erickson
9- 6 Tony Campbell
10- 83 Joe Boyd
11- 1 Marlon Durbin
12- 15 Mike Valdes
13- 3 John Thorpe
14- 26 Jeff Weaver
15- 12 Bubba Durbin
16- 25 Dean Kinsey
17- 34 Mark Trexler
18- 00 Bobby Cox
19- 49 DJ Horiski
20- 33 Mike Stalnaker
21- 66 Harold Erickson
22- 96L Eddie Lake
23- 28H Randy Harless
Rent-N-Roll Gladiators
1- 3 Brandon Haseleu
2- 26 Mike Patton
3- 68 Jordan McMillon
4- 7UK Stephen Frankland
5- 02 Tonya Keene
6- 01 Curtis Clark
7- 96 Corey Palmer
8- 81 Steve Johnson
9- 83 Kody Fisher
DQ- 3T Tony LaPorta