by Jimmy Rouse- Ocala Speedway Media
Car Warz was a huge success on Friday, after the washout 2 weeks ago. Most fans came back with rainchecks and a lot more came, leaving the fans with standing room only! Every fan who saw Car Warz got to see one of the craziest things ever.
Car Warz wasn’t the only event, however, as the Gladiators ran to make up a missed race from earlier in 2010. As the cars were lining up on the back stretch, 1 title competitor was fighting time. Casey Feaster showed up, but couldn’t get unloaded in time to start the race. The race started out with Kyle Morse jumping to an early lead; however, he got loose and took his 82 for a spin. After he got it re-fired, he half spun it and was T-boned by Steve Johnson. Casey Feaster was allowed on the track at this point, but at 2 laps down. The race went green from that point on and Matt Shea earned a huge win in his fight for the title. Steve Johnson would finish 2nd, Kyle Morse would rally for 3rd, Kathie Fisher stayed up front all night and took home 4th, and Terry Dunbar was 5th.
The Figure-8 race was the first Car Warz event of the night, and the fans loved it. Lap 1 showed the fans how important brakes are as Jonathan Appleby, an Amsoil V-8 Thunderstocks regular, rear-ended the first 3 cars in line. On lap 9, Greg Bonynge climbed the big mound of dirt near the flagpole and got a roar from the fans. 15 exciting laps were run for the Figure-8, and Michael Cherry won, followed by Jonathan Appleby, Kenny Thornton, Greg Bonynge and David Antis.
The Reverse Race was crazy, to say the least. The drivers took their cars, in reverse, once around the flagpole diamond, and than the whole speedway, to make 1 lap. A couple of minor wrecks left plenty of carnage to race around and Greg Bonynge did it best, taking “The Punisher” to Victory Lane. Kevin Cutrell was 2nd, Howard Allen 3rd, Scott Conover 4th, and Mike Brooks was 5th.
Flagpole racing is the same as the reverse race, just this time going forward. On lap 1, Todd Roberts lost his rear wheel and the sheet metal on the right side, at the same time. When re-entering the front stretch after running through the diamond, you had to be ever watchful of drivers at full speed coming out of 4. Howard Allen would dominate this race, closely followed by Mark Murchie, Jonathan Appleby, Greg Bonynge, and Casey Feaster.
The Boat and Trailer race went crazy when the drivers were told to run ‘the kidney bean’ which is where you go through the infield after turn 4, and re-enter the Speedway over in turn 1. On lap 1, Mike Brooks’ boat fell off right at the exit of turn 4, forcing the racers to navigate around it. As the race continued, the boats rapidly fell apart, leaving debris everywhere. On lap 7, Dave Warner and Ralph Murchie hit the boat left behind by Brooks, but both men continued. On the last lap, Jacob Antis went for broke, and he broke his trailer by spinning and clothes lining the back of an RV that would later be used in the demolition derby. Howard Allen won, followed by Dave Warner, Greg Bonynge, Jacob Antis, and Ralph Murchie.
The Chain Race was an event where the front car would go in reverse, leaving the cars nose to nose. On lap 1, the duo dubbed Sesame Street, broke their chain, along with the 11 and 00 team. On the white flag lap, the Truck Team broke their chain. The ruling from the officials had ‘Sesame Street’ winning because their cars were the only ones running at the end, with the Truck Team in 2nd, and the 11 and 00 were 3rd; however, those results are unofficial.
The Front Wheel Drive Demolition Derby had 7 competitors, but Bill Hindman wasn’t scared. The fans loved seeing cars demolished and it showed with all the roars. Hindman took his car out there and controlled the derby by saving his car and using it when he needed too. Hindman’s night wasn’t over yet, though, and he took his big RV out to the RV Demolition Derby.
Hindman played a cat and mouse game with Kevin Cutrell for the longest time, narrowing it down to the 2 of them during the demolition derby. At the end, Hindman used up the last of his RV to disable Cutrell, and it worked. Both RVs were done on the spot, but because Hindman made contact last, he was declared the winner. The fans went crazy and got what they wanted; a bunch of debris lying around from contact during the races and derbys.
Ocala Speedway will run the first half of the 2 night Sunoco United Dirt Late Model Challenge Series Fall Nationals. Volusia Speedway Park has the second half. Alongside our Late Model drivers will be the Amsoil V-8 Thunderstocks and the Mini Stocks. For more information you can call the Speedway or check out www.ocalaspeedway.com.
Ocala Speedway results for 10/8/10
Gladiators
1- 96 Matt Shea
2- 81 Steven Johnson
3- 82 Kyle Morse
4- 83M Kathie Fisher
5- 1 Terry Dunbar
6- 31 Jerry Taylor
7- 76 Ken McCloud
8- 12B Justin Bird
9- 10 Larry Nelson
10- 55JR Devin Walker
11- 42 Dakota Bare
12- 15 Hunter Gustafson
13- 20 Casey Feaster
14- 83 Kody Fisher
15- 3H Brandon Haseleu
16- 23 Rebecca Paugh
Figure-8
1- 8 Michael Cherry
2- 56R Jonathan Appleby
3- 221 Kenny Thornton
4- 911 Greg Bonynge
5- 7X David Antis
6- 69A Jeff Manning
7- 11X Jacob Antis
8- 44 Todd Roberts
Reverse Race
1- 911 Greg Bonynge
2- 00 Kevin Cutrell
3- 4097 Howard Allen
4- 27 Scott Conover
5- 29 Mike Brooks
Flag Pole Race
1- 4097 Howard Allen
2- FROGGY Mark Murchie
3- 56R Jonathan Appleby
4- 911 Greg Bonynge
5- 20 Casey Feaster
6- 11X Jacob Antis
7- 21 Art Souther
8- 27 Scott Conover
9- 29 Mike Brooks
10- 42 Dakota Bare
Boat and Trailer
1- 4097 Howard Allen
2- 55 Dave Warner
3- 911 Greg Bonynge
4- 11X Jacob Antis
5- 12 Ralph Murchie
Chain Race
(TBD)