by VSP Media

BARBERVILLE, FL- The world famous Volusia Speedway Park played host to an exciting night of “Fast Lane 5” racing on Saturday, as fans were entertained by the Daytona Dodge Chrysler Late Models, Taylor Racing Products Sportsman, Daytona Sportswear Street Stocks, Amsoil Synthetic Lubricants Thunder Stocks, and the 4 Cylinder Challengers.  And to make things even more interesting, fans and some racers got to go head to head in a very “chilly” intermission game that failed to go exactly as planned.

A strong field of Daytona Dodge Chrysler Late Models cruised to the green flag behind the bright yellow machine of JO Nobles, but Brandon Dewitt leapt forward and grabbed the lead on the first lap as Nobles was overwhelmed by the top five cars.  A caution for a spin by Larry Anderson set up a restart and Dewitt interestingly chose the inside position versus a very quick Dillon Wood, who had the 7 machine absolutely hooked up on the outside.  Dewitt’s choice worked at first, but Wood was coming fast and creating awesome momentum using every inch of the track near the walls.

Dillon Wood kept working the high line and swung past the leader on lap nine in turns 3 and 4, leaving Dewitt to deal with David Clegg who was trailing in the third spot.  And also making moves was the 35 of 14 year old Christian Augspurger, who was at VSP in order to get some seat time on the half mile in preparation for the United Dirt Late Model Challenge Series.  Augspurger had been very conservative in his heat race and early in the feature, but now had taken a liking to the big half mile track, blowing past the competition, and setting his sights on Clegg.

 
Dillon Wood kept it high and in front, grabbing an impressive win and making it two victories for the night.  Wood had also been the only competitor to successfully unroll and don a solidly frozen t-shirt at intermission, after what seemed like an endless battle that included beating the shirt into the front stretch wall and heating it over the exhaust of an ATV.  Brandon Dewitt held off David Clegg for second and Clegg claimed the third spot despite Christian Augspurger’s efforts.  Augspurger was fourth and Bobby Richardson claimed the fifth spot.

Things got off to a rather rocky start for the Taylor Racing Products Sportsman Division, as an early race incident in turn 4 ruined the plans of Blaise Hetznecker, Marc Kinley,and others.  But once clean up was completed the Shaun Daugharty show began, as he jumped out front and grabbed the lead.  But waiting to spoil the show was a host of contenders, including Aaron Barsness and Drew Smith.  Smith had the first shot at Daugharty but could not make the pass, and later got tangled up with a hard charging Steve Shead who had begun challenging him for second place.  Their contact in turn one brought out a caution and sent both racers to the rear of the field for the restart.

As Daugharty continued to lead, Aaron Barsness inherited second place and began working on the leader, while Paul Shead filled the void in third place. But Daugharty was too strong for either, and once again ” The Destroyer” Shaun Daugharty got to celebrate in Victory Lane.  Aaron Barsness settled for second place while Paul Shead claimed the third spot.  Matt McGillivray finished fourth as Steve Shead fought his way back to salvage a top 5 finish.

When the Daytona Sportswear Street Stocks exited the track after their feature race, the fans in the grandstands probably thought that was that.  The 64 machine had yet again outshined the entire field, and had earned another celebratory moment in Victory Lane. But shortly after the celebration ended, a closer look revealed the 64 of Trevor Gamble held in quarantine, which meant that there could be a late night in tech later on.

Early on the 13 of Phillip Brown got the lead but could not hold it as Trevor Gamble blasted to the front.  Right behind Gamble was Bubba Christian, who also had his sights on the clear track ahead, and Mike Tovet who was battling his way forward from a ninth position start.  Trevor Gamble had an absolute lock on the top spot, so everyone else battled for position behind him.  Three wide racing was common, and as the dust settled in the end Trevor Gamble had outrun the rest yet again.  Mike Tovet won the battle for second place and Tim Hughes went home with a third place finish.  After getting as high as second place, Bubba Christian settled for fourth and Phillip Brown finished fifth.

 
And as expected, Trevor Gamble’s car was completely torn down by Volusia Speedway Park tech officials after racing had ended for the night.  And even if Gamble had to transport his engine home in boxes once it was over, he at least went home with the first place trophy as well as a disassembled motor.  The car was declared legal and the victory stands.

The Amsoil Synthetic Lubricants Thunder Stock Division has had a good share of drama over technical issues as of late, but on Saturday night it appeared that all of that was washed away and a new attitude had prevailed.  Randy Strehle led the field to the green flag but could not hold it as racers went three wide on the backstretch, and as it sorted itself out in turn 3 Luke Sadler had made some leaps forward along with Matt Schell.  Sadler challenged Strehle again in turn 2 and wrestled the lead away, and Schell also muscled his way around Strehle a lap later.

Luke Sadler, who had gone through four engines in a month of racing before Saturday night, got an interview with Joe Dirt in Victory Lane as the winner of the race while Matt Schell scored the second place finish.  Randy Strehle crossed the line behind them to claim third place, followed by Scott Mooers for fourth.  Tom Hughes rounded out the top five finishers.

Things looked very different as the 4 Cylinder Challengers took the green flag on Saturday night.  For one thing, Casey Feaster was starting the race from the front of the pack instead of in the rear, and Shawn Kosier, who had a dismal heat race experience earlier, was stuck behind 15 other cars.  The role switch for these two racers went even further, as Kosier came away as the hard charger on the night, gaining 12 positions despite a bent wheel that he acquired in his earlier heat race misfortunes. And Casey Feaster jumped out in front early and remained there, and although he got the win it didn’t come without him having to fight RJ Glaser tooth and nail for the victory.

Casey Feaster had finished first at Ocala Speedway on Friday night but was later disqualified in tech for an illegal part.  With that in mind, his car was watched carefully by VSP officials, who verified that the race car was as it should be.  That made Feaster, who was very worried that his reputation might be tarnished by the Ocala incident, very happy to be in Victory Lane and have the win stand.   RJ Glaser raced hard but settled for second place, as Kevin Dugan grabbed the third spot.  Shawn Kosier vibrated his way to fourth place, bent wheel and all, as Denica Hetznecker claimed the fifth spot.

“Rasslin and Racin” returns to Volusia Speedway Park this Saturday, April 24th, as the Florida Wrestling Association will battle it out behind the turn one grandstands at 6PM.  Then at 7:30PM the racing action begins with 16 year old Amanda Ferguson trying to build on her earlier win at Ocala Speedway with the Top Gun Sprint Car Series.  The exciting Florida Mini Sprints will also be back, as will the DAARA Vintage Race Cars.  And topping off the program will be VSP’s own Budweiser Modifieds, returning after a week off to blister the fastest half mile in the south.  For more information, visit www.VolusiaSpeedwayPark.net or call the track at 386-985-4402.

 
Volusia Speedway Park Results for 4/17/10
 
Daytona Dodge-Chrysler Late Model
1- 7 Dillon Wood
2- 2D Brandon Dewitt
3- 07 David Clegg
4- 35 Christian Augspurger
5- 45 Bobby Richardson
6- 16 Shane Williams
7- J17 Joe Kump
8- 18 J.O. Nobles
9- 46 Hamp Conlay
10- RP1 Bug Rose
11- 25 Donnie Chappell
12- 30 Larry Anderson
DNS- 23 Lawton Minchew
DNS- 42 Adam Bennett
DNS- 10 Win Ingersoll
Taylor Racing Products Sportsman

1- 00 Shaun Daugharty
2- 11 Aaron Barsness
3- 80 Paul Shead
4- 95 Matt McGillivray
5- 10 Steve Shead
6- 26 George Lane
7- 05 Dan Lane Sr.
8- 57P Ronnie Ponce
9- 29S Drew Smith
10- 77 Wayne Allen Jr.
11- 2 Jimmy Norman
12- 38 Colin Wright
13- 57 Karl Heinz Haas
14- 56 Tony Sansom
DNS- 17H Blaise Hetznecker
DNS- 17K Marc Kinley
DNS- 5 Alan Peacock
DNS- 18M Justin Merry
DNS- 96 Lonnie Wagner Jr.

DQ (weight) 66C Kyle Chappell
Daytona Sportswear Street Stock

1- 64 Trevor Gamble
2- 98T Mike Tovet
3- 54 Tim Hughes
4- 04 Bubba Christian
5- 13 Phillip Brown
6- 66V Greg Vandergriff
7- 12 Travis Gamble
8- 77M Mark Maresca
9- 94 Robert Simmons
10- 2S Mick Kulak
11- 2H Cory Hupp
12- 18E Mike Eubanks

13- 28 David Higgs
14- 17M Billy Medders
DNS- 11S James Smith
Amsoil Synthetic Lubricants Thunder Stock
1- 15 Luke Sadler
2- 57 Matt Schell
3- 24 Randy Strehle
4- 10 Scott Mooers
5- 29 Tom Hughes
6- 13 David Whitt
7- 27 Chad Scranton
8- 6 Wally Douglass
9- 23 Jim Nichols
10- 9 Jim Goempel
11- 03 Robert Schrunk
12- 9R Robert Donaly
13- 42 Dalton Strehle
14- 19 AJ McKay
15- 22 Kelly Snyder
16- 114 John Thorpe
17- 11 Austin Kirpatrick
18- 07 Richard Calmes Jr.
19- 13G Timothy Gigon
20- 28 Glenn Vincent
21- 14 Bryan Cox
22- 32 Jim Shaw
23- 81 Courtney Eubanks
24- V1 Delbert Moyer

4 Cylinder Challengers

1- 20 Casey Feaster
2- 004 RJ Glaser

3- 5S Kevin Dugan
4- 97 Shawn Kosier
5- 16 Denica Hetznecker
6- 67 Pete Hanstine
7- 11 David Ladrie
8- 86 James Clay
9- XX Jordan Myers
10- 48X Harold Lewis
11- 01 Davey Wolf
12- 60 James Smith Sr.
13- 17D Rick Sullivan
14- 101 Wade Lear
15- 6E Gilbert Espy
16- 33 Jason Higgins
DQ- 12 Robert Graham