It was a cool, dry night at Punta Gorda Speedway that was fill with ghost and goblins, bubble bees, and even a visit from Danica Patrick. As the kids from all ages invaded the speedway dressed up in all sorts of costumes there were no signs of all the rain that fell on the speedway all day long Friday. Speedway owner Kevin Williams was at the track bright and early Saturday morning to start pumping out all the water that flooded the track from Fridays rains so the kids would not be disappointed, With a late start to practice so the drivers would have a safe racing surface, Williams gave the thumbs up and racing was a go for the night. All classes qualified for a night of extended lap features and first up was the 4 cyl class that was combined with Pro4 and Fab 4 drivers. Fast time was set by the 73 of Randy Johnson and only three Fab 4 drivers dared to enter this forty lap feature that was set by inverting the entire field. All cars made it around for one lap in the books and down the front, coming to the stripe, bumper to bumper, the 18 of Stuart Vandevender tapped the 13 of Justin Teston and he shot sideways in front of the field. When the smoke cleared, it was the 04 of Ryan Collver that had to be towed off and end his night with a broken tie rod. The 05 of Ronald Robinson led for eighteen laps while Dylan Bigley was chasing him down and then got send to the rear for spinning the leader. With Robinson back at the front Dan Collver was trying to make a pass for the lead when Robinson cut him off and spun again, this time he was not so lucky and it was Robinson that took up the rear. Randy Johnson passed Collver on the restart to take over the lead while Bigley was charging through the field, ten laps to go Robinson broke and Collver was back in the lead. Bigley was back up to second and chasing Collver when the 29 of Phil Ellis spun Robinson with three to go to bring out the last caution. Collver on the pole, Bigley outside and the green waved and Bigley passed Collver to take over the lead while Cody Allen was battling Robinson for that third spot. When the checkers flew it was Bigley, Collver, and Allen to do the interviews in the winners circle.

The always entertaining Cowboy Cadillacs came out for their 35 lap feature and James Dellea of Port Charlotte who set fast time was in the lead by lap seven. The battle was for that second spot as Ken Badalli and Terry Price both from Port Charlotte ran bumper to bumper with Les Couch back out in a new truck also in the mix. Price got by Badalli on lap 20 and gave it his best to catch a fast Dellea but it would be Dellea who was to fast to catch coming in first, Terry Price second And Ken Badalli third.

As the kids lined up along the front grandstands the cars pulled out onto the track and got set up to hand out tons of candy. Kids of all ages dressed in all sorts of costumes finally were let loose to go car to car, driver to driver to fill up with tons of treats. After clearing the track it was time to judge all the great trick or treaters and wow what a hard job to do. Three age groups were judged and the top three of each group were awarded trophy’s, good job by the Jr fan leader Jessica Bryant who had all those kids organized to be Judged.

Open Wheels remained on the track as they were up next for a 50 lap feature that saw Zach Rudd on the pole and Eric Rudd outside. Fast qualifier Shawn Harper of Lake Wales took up the rear and the green was dropped as Zach Rudd was only able to keep the lead for three laps till Steve Arnold of Cape Coral made his way to the front for that first place spot. Nine laps in, the 11 of Jimmy Wilkens III bounces off the back stretch wall which causes a tire to come off and and plows him into turn three wall to end his night early. Harper took that time for a quick pit stop as his car was not running as fast as his time in qualifying and took up the rear again at the restart. Arnold had Doug Moff on the outside of the start and Arnold knew he had to go when the green dropped. Arnold had a fast car and drove the wheels off as he tried to stay in front of Moff who tried everything he could to get by Arnold. Bumper to bumper, wheel to wheel, so close sparks were flying for twenty straight laps, fans were on the edge of their seat and lap 37 to much contact, Arnold and Moff touch. Arnold barely keeps control Moff spins and the caution comes out, it was called hard racing and both were given there spots back to battle for twelve more laps. Arnold had another good restart over Moff and Shawn Harper was now close in the mix as he was chasing them in the third spot. It was a fierce battle to the end with Steve Arnold out of Cape Coral holding on to the lead to bring the 19 car to the winners circle. The rolls were reversed as Moff would have to settle for second and Shawn Harper brought it home in third.

The last race of the night was the Road Warriors for 50 laps that saw a three car pile up on the backstretch before there was one lap scored. Cars were towed, track was cleared and the cars were relined for another attempt of the start of this thundering heard of Road Warrior cars. Joey Morales of Miami was in the lead for the first ten laps till something went wrong and he pulled off to the pits giving the lead over to the orange pumpkin looking car of Rick Reed of Punta Gorda. Reed would lead the next ten laps with Randy Kile of Lehigh right on his bumper. Half way to go and Shane Leonard of Cape Coral was making a pass for the lead as Kile went with him leaving Reed hung on the outside. Leonard running in first, no cautions, Kile in second Richard Nelson of Port Charlotte made a pass on Johnny Allen for third and those top six cars put on a heck of a show as they battled to the end. It would be Leonard coming in first with Kile second, Nelson third Johnny Allen fourth and Jason Miller would round out the top five. Speedway owner and staff would like to thank all the driver’s that brought out tons of candy so that all the kids had plenty of treats to take home for a fun filled night.

Next week

Nov 5- Pro Trucks 2nd Annual AL Newman Memorial 50 laps, Rookie Trucks,

Pro 4, Fab 4, Super Stock, Legends, Bandolero, TQ Midgets

Punta Gorda Speedway

Results from   10-29-2011

 

Open Wheel Modified

1. 19 Steve Arnold   Cape Coral

2. 46 Doug Moff   Fort Myers

3. 00 Shawn Harper   Lake Wales        Fast Time 15.447         

4. 76 James Wilkens Jr.   Fort Pierce

5. 29 Zack Rudd

6. 12 Eric Rudd   Naples

7. 11 Jimmy Wilkens III.   Fort Pierce

 

Road Warrior

1. 8 Shane Leonard   Cape Coral

2. 14 Randy Kile   Lehigh

3. 80 Richard Nelson   Port Charlotte Fast Time 18.304

4. 89 Johnny Allen   Lehigh

5. 10 Jason Miller   Lehigh

6. 1   Rick Reed   Punta Gorda

7. 27 Derrick Horton   N. Fort Myers

8. 5   Jeremy Daring   Lehigh

9. 22 Jeremy Perkins   N. Fort Myers

10. 51 Jarrett Cornell   Fort Myers    

11. 96 Joey Morales   Miami

12. 97 Chris Scott   Nokimis

13. 97B Pete Bloodgood   Nokomis

14. 18 Logan Leonard   Cape Coral

 

Cowboy Cadillac’s

1. 77 James Dellea   Port Charlotte   Fast Time 15.447

2. 35 Terry Price   Punta Gorda

3. 30 Ken Badali   Port Charlotte

4. 88 Brad Wegert   Port Charlotte

5. 4   Tony Harrelson   Port Charlotte

6. 33 Les Couch   Punta Gorda

7. 9   Joe Le Mier   Arcadia

8. 99 Ray Scott   Arcadia

9. 26 Mike True

10. 8 Jeff Deeble   Port Charlotte

 

Mini Stock

1. 21 Fred Harrison    Polk City

2. 86 John Pummell Arcadia

 

Pro 4 – Fab 4

1. 28 Dylan Bigley   Naples

2. 00 Dan Collver   N. Ft. Myers

3. 98 Cody Allen   Lehigh

4. 05 Ronald Robinson   Bradenton

5. 91 Jessica Ostrovskis   St. Pete

6. 29 Phillip Ellis Jr.   Rotonda

7. 32 Corey Bigley   Naples

8. 87 Skyler Null   N. Fort Myers

9. 61 Paul Richards Sr.   Naples

10. 73 Randy Johnson   Bradenton   Fast Time 18.635

11. 18 Stuart Vandevender   Cape Coral

12. 77 James Dellea Jr.   Port Charlotte

13. 73W Chad Wittle   Lehigh

14. 1   John Garrett   Port Charlotte

15. 98x Aaron Hardgrove   Lehigh

16. 63 Kris Bridges Venice

17. 04 Ryan Collver   N. Ft. Myers

18. 13 Justin Teston   Lehigh