From Linda Jericka

The weather and ten dollars admission made for a perfect combination to bring fans out to the Punta Gorda Speedway for a great night of racing action. The hill in turns three and four is becoming a very popular place for race fans as they packed the place with lawn chairs to settle in for some of the best short track racing in the state. A full night of racing was on tap which included two 50 lap features by the Q Auto Injury Attorney sponsored Open Wheels and PGS Late Models which both had to qualify for position.

The Cowboy Cadillacs were first to take to the track with eight trucks taking the green and it looked like Chuck Sweet was the truck to beat when at the halfway point the 77 of James Dellea over heated and blew water on the track going into turn one. As Dellea brought out the caution and sat sideways in the middle of the turn the hard charging trucks behind him tried to avoid him but the slick track from the water sent Andy Vanscyoc in the 4 truck slamming in too Dellea’s drivers door so hard it knocked the windshield right out of Dellea’s truck. All drivers were OK and James Wright ended up the winner with Les Couch second and Chuck Sweet settled for third after having mechanical problems.

Super Stock class had the lineup posted and ready for their 25 lap feature, when pole sitter Shane Leonard took the challenge to start in the rear of the field and try to win for a $50.00 bonus. Bobby Fischer and Randy Sober took the first and second spot for the first half of the race while Leonard was making his way through the field. Leonard had made his way into the second spot on a restart bringing Jim Mieser with him and shuffling Sober back a few spots. Shane Leonard took over the lead from Fischer with five to go and went on to win the feature and the bonus.

The PGS late Model line up was set and fast Qualifier Tom Styer out of Mirimar would be starting in the fifth starting position with long time track favorite Randy Fox on the pole. Randy “Hondo” Fox out of Lehigh lead the first few laps when he had to pull the black number 4 to the infield as he watched the big wreck happen on the next lap sending 4 more cars to the pits. Steve Gill out of Sarasota would be the only one of the 4 to make it back out with 40 laps still to go. Styer took over the lead from David Weaver on lap 11 while Josh Williams of Port Charlotte was in third. Gill battled his way up to second putting Weaver in third who seemed to be spraying oil all over the windshield of Williams 99 car making it difficult for Williams to see but hung in there to finish the race. Styer went on to win the feature with Hard Charger Steve Gill second Dylan Bigley of Naples ended up third.

Q Auto Injury Attorney is the new sponsor for the Open Wheel Modifieds who would come out next for their 50 lap feature with fast qualifier Doug Moff outside and Shawn Harper on the pole.

Doug Moff took the lead on the first lap with Harper in second as the racing action was fierce behind them for almost the entire caution free race until the “big one” with seven laps to go. It took fifteen minuets to run 43 laps with some of the best racing action of the night till something went wrong on the back stretch which involved the 19 of Steve Arnold and the 71 of L.B. Skaggs which sent Skaggs into the back fence and then back onto the track into the 99 of Sean McLaughlin and cars scattered everywhere.

That caution would bring out a red flag till the safety team announced that all drivers were ok, then track officials realized Skaggs had taken some of the fence down when he bounced off it. Some thought the night would have to be shortened with part of the fence gone but track owner Kevin Williams didn’t want to disappoint the crowd or the Pro 4 class that was in staging waiting for their race. Williams and his track officials, safety crew and the help from the Pro 4 drivers worked on the fence and the fans stuck around till it was announced that the Open Wheels would finish their last seven laps which Doug Moff of Ft Myers would that home the win Robbie Cooper of Bronson FL. Second and Shawn Harper of Lake Wales third.

Upward Sports Ministry was on hand for the exciting racing action and put up $50.00 for a hard charger award which was given to Eric Rudd in the number 12 Open Wheel and the number 5 of Steve Gill in the PGS Late Models.

The pro4 class would finally make it onto the track for their 25 lap feature at 11:00 with still plenty of time before the 11:30 curfew. What a great race to top off a great night with the 14 (4 cylinder) cars running 25 laps with no cautions. Dylan Bigley of Naples made his second trip to the winner circle but this time it was for the winner of the night, after his third place finish in his late model, Phillip Ellis of North Port would be second and Paul Richards Sr. third.

April 2nd racing action will be: Pro Trucks and Rookie Trucks, T.Q. Midgets, Pro 4, Fab 4, Road Warriors, Legend cars and Bandoleros. Front gates open at 5:00pm with racing to start around 6:00.  All that racing for only $10.00 so bring a friend . Admission is $10.00 for Adults $8.00 for seniors Children 12 and under are FREE.

Punta Gorda Speedway is located at 8655 Piper Road Punta Gorda Exit 161. For more information you can visit the speedway web site at puntagordaspeedway.com or call the speedway at 941-575-7223

Late Model Feature

1. 2 Tommy Styer Miramar,Fl.

2. 5 Steve Gill Sarasota,Fl.

3. 28 Dylan Bigley NaplesFl.

4. 11 David Weaver Plantation,Fl.

5. 99 Josh Williams ,Port Charlotte,Fl.

6. 10 Jason Miller Lehigh Acres,Fl.

7. 8 Dan Scott Naples,Fl.

8. 54 Mark Childress Lakeland,Fl.

9. 93 Joe Gentry Punta Gorda,Fl.

10. 4 Randy Fox Lehigh Acres,Fl.

Open Wheel Modified Feature

1. 46 Doug Moff Ft Myers,Fl

2. 98 Robbie Cooper Bronson,Fl.

3. 00 Shawn Harper Lake Wales,Fl.

4. 12 Eric Ruud Naples,Fl.

5. 53 Doug Miller Largo,Fl.

6. 14 John Garrett Port Charlotte,Fl.

7. 71 L.B.Skaggs Fort Myers,Fl.

8. 19 Steve Arnold Cape Coral,Fl.

9. 99 Sean McLaughlin Port Charlotte,Fl.

10. 25 L.J. Grimm Bronson,Fl.

11. 11 Jimmy Wilkens III Fort Pierce,Fl

12. 76 James Wilkens Jr. Fort Pierce,Fl.

Pro 4 Feature

1. 28 Dylan Bigleyd

2. 29 Phillip Ellis jr.

3. 61 Paul Richards Sr.

4. 31 John Balzarano

5. 04 Ryan Collver

6. 98 Cody Allen

7. 00 Dan Collver

8. 32 Corey Bigley

9. 55 Jeremy Perkins

10. 30 Wally Smith

11. 97 Josh Flesher

12. 22 Thomas Willis

13. 87 Charles Null

14. 38 Gene Connell

Cowboy Cadillac Feature

1. 63 James Wright

2. 33 Les Couch

3. 15 Chuck Sweet

4. 18 Robert Willms

5. 30 Ken Badali

6. 24 Shane Moore

7. 77 James Dellea

8. 4 Andy Vanscyoc

Fab 4 Feature

1. 61 Paul Richards Jr.

2. 31 Karl Garrard

3. 4 David Patterson

4. 30 Linda Badali

5. 3 Zac Campilonga

6. 38 Duane Vandevender

7. 87 Skyler Null

8. 62 Mike McLallen

9. 67 Mike Simmons

10. 9 Allie Espinosa

11. 22 Tammy Phillips

12. 98 Aaron Hardgrove D.N.S.

Mini Stock Feature

1. 29 Chris Zimmerman

2. 21 Fred Harrison

3. 86 John Pummell Jr.

4. 09 Jessica Robbins

5. 29x Mike Slavik

6. 7 Kyle Rice

7 7r Joe Rice D.N.S.

Street Stock Feature

1. 18 Shane Leonard

2. 2 Bobby Fischer

3. 88 Jimmy Meiser

4. 68 Mike Wilson

5. 2s Randy Sober

6. 38 Jeff Gustafson

7. 1 Rick Reed

8. 9 Nic Ortega