by VSP Media

 
BARBERVILLE, FL-  Fans got twice the action for their admission price on Saturday night as “Rasslin and Racin” tag teamed everyone at Volusia Speedway Park.  While the wrestling got an early start and excited the crowd until heat races began, the Top Gun Sprint Car Series, Florida Mini Sprint Association, and Volusia’s own Budweiser Modifieds, picked up where the wrestlers left off and kept the energy level high. And in addition to exciting racing and wild wrestling events, the Daytona Antique Auto Racing Association turned out in full force with a museum load of racing history that can still go fast and turn left.

The Florida Wrestling Association got things going early as things got a little out of control.  The American Freedom Fighter defeated The Russian Assassin in a “mask for mask” bout, but managed to allow the hated Russian to escape without removing his mask.  J.C. Clark had two bouts, as he first defeated Barney Rumble in a scheduled bout, then lost to The Genius Lanny Poffo in a challenge match.  And two sworn enemies, Wildman Brody and Rick the Reaper, teamed up in a “Bunkhouse Rules” tag team match against The Mulkey Brothers.  The ensuing free-for-all resulted in everything that a wrestling fan could ask for with continuous action both in and out of the ring.  In the end The Mulkey Brothers won the match, but escaped without compensating the host facility for multiple chairs that were broken over their opponents’ heads.

 
The only regular racing division on the card for Saturday’s action were the Budweiser Modifieds, which saw Garrett Stewart put his 67 machine on the pole after much toil and trouble, and control the early part of the race.  But Jamie Carter had no concern over how much time, money, or effort, went into Stewart’s racing team, and he was all over the 67 from the opening laps, using the high side to stay all but side by side with Stewart for lap after lap.  Directly behind Stewart and Carter another side by side battle erupted between Jeff Mathews and Larry Burkins over the second spot, which lasted until problems sidelined Mathews’ car on lap 7.
 
As Mathews made his exit, Jason Davis and Jimmy Carter both stepped up their games, moving into the top five and putting pressure on the leaders.  Garrett Stewart began to fade under the strain as Jamie Carter assumed the lead and Larry Burkins climbed into second place, and as the laps wound down Burkins put all sorts of pressure on Jamie Carter but never managed to get the upper hand.  Jamie Carter grabbed the win followed by Burkins in second place, and Jason Davis got past Stewart to claim the third spot.  And while the 67 machine may have slipped a little late in the race, Garrett Stewart earned a very respectable fourth place finish and was followed by Jimmy Carter for fifth place.

Fans were excited to see if young Amanda Ferguson was a fluke or a find as the Top Gun Sprint Car Series hit the Barberville clay, but Ferguson ran into early mechanical issues during her heat race and was forced to retire for the night.  That opened the door for the always exciting Gene Lasker to take control, and he put his 02 machine on the pole for the 25 lap feature race.  Lasker never slows down, and failure to do so under caution early on proved costly as Lasker had to swerve to avoid a wrecked car in turn four, lost control, and backed hard into the turn four exit barrier.  Lasker drove away from that incident but was penalized to the rear for failure to heed the caution flag and lights, then made huge progress toward rejoining the frontrunners, but was disqualified by top Gun Series officials after the race ended.

 
Lasker’s misfortune was Tommy Denton’s gain, as Denton assumed the lead.  However, Danny Martin had his car hooked up for the track conditions, and he rocketed past Denton before lap 12 and began setting a pace that made the scorers sweat.  Martin outclassed everything on the track, lapping cars all the way up to third place before the checkered flags put a stop to his progress.  Ryan Partin also had a fast car and claimed the second spot, while Shane Kreidler followed in third place.  Tony Agin and Mike Schroeder rounded out the top five finishers.

The idea of watching miniature sprint cars powered by motorcycle engines may send some less seasoned fans toward the exits, but those who have the knowledge to stay and watch the Florida Mini Sprints in action know that the little cars can scream around VSP’s fast half mile at around 130 miles per hour, and that their races are almost always competitive and exciting.  2009 Mini Sprint Champion Tim O’Donnell held the pole and led the 21 car field to the green flag, but not far behind him lurked his son, Brett O’Donnell, who has been aggressively building on last year’s Rookie of the Year honor, and who did not care if it is his dad that he had to beat in order to get it done.  Steve Crabtree held the second spot early on as Eddie Moss Jr. and Jessie Teed joined the O’Donnells in a virtual lock on the top five positions.  And right outside the top five was Rae Lynn Moss, who showed about the same amount of love for her dad, Eddie Moss Jr, as Brett O’Donnell was showing for his.

One of the casualties in a mid race mishap was Sheldon Kinser Jr, who ended up on his side in turn two but righted the car and drove away, then began sorting his way forward toward the top ten, eventually climbing to a seventh place finish.  The caution flag got quite a bit of work during the race as various spins and contact slowed things down, but the periodic restarts also kept everyone within striking distance of each other, resulting in numerous position changes all through the field during the entire feature race, and keeping the excitement level high.

 
But thanks to the multiple slowdowns the race had to be shortened to 15 laps, and that set up a furious two lap sprint to the finish that had cars exchanging positions more than twice per lap.  Final lap moves gave the win to Brett O’Donnell while Eddie Moss Jr. finished in second place, and Jessie Teed ratcheted up the heat on the final laps to nab third place.  Tim O’Donnell was fourth and Steve Crabtree was fifth, as he managed to keep Rae Lynn Moss just out of the top five.
 
History buffs had their cameras clicking when the Daytona Antique Auto Racing Association (DAARA) hit the track and raced their machines.  Eric Orewiler of Hernando got a win in 1934 Hudson, and Dave Cash of Palm Coast raced his 1979 Gambler Sprint to the checkers as well.  Lonnie Roberts, who is better known for his exploits in the National Late Model Series, drove a 1932 Ford modified sportsman to a win, and a three quarter midget built in 1975 and raced by Tony Stewart in his teenaged days, secured a victory for Lake Worth’s Jerry Paquin.
 
Volusia Speedway Park celebrates “Uno De Mayo” on May 1st, as the Daytona Dodge Chrysler Late Models, Budweiser Modifieds, Taylor Racing Products Sportsman, Daytona Sportswear Street Stocks, and the 4 Cylinder Challengers, all return to action.  For more information on Volusia Speedway Park, or to see a complete schedule of racing action, please visit www.VolusiaSpeedwayPark.net.
Volusia Speedway Park Results for 4/24/10

Budweiser Modified

1- 15 Jamie Carter
2- 54 Larry Burkins
3- 145 Jason Davis
4- 67 Garrett Stewart

5- 75 Jimmy Carter
6- 7P Matthew Permann
7- Z06 Larry Mott
8- 7S Ronnie Chance
9- 33 Jeff Mathews
10- 41D Darron Smith
11- 7 Kent Corbin
12- 40 James Smith
13- 99 Charlie MacNichol
DNS- 90 Mark Buie
 
Top Gun Sprint Car Series

1- 24 Danny Martin
2- 14 Ryan Partin
3- 52 Shane Kreidler
4- 38 Tony Agin
5- 6 Mike Schroeder
6- 1 Tim George
7- 13 Coty Smith
8- 22 Shawn Murray
9- 27 Troy Knowles
10- 83R Christine Auld
11- 13H Howard Harris
12- 9 Tim Grubaugh
13- 6X Brandon Grubaugh
14- 21M Darren Miller
15- 50 Rick Byerly
16- 71 Steve Stone
17- 8 Rich Alexander
18- 30 John Crowder
19- 21Z Harley Zimmerman
20- 21D Amanda Ferguson
21- 99 Dan Jones
DQ- X Tommy Denton
DQ- 02 Gene Lasker

Florida Mini Sprint Association

1- 11 Brett O’Donnell
2- 8 Eddie Moss Jr.
3- 7 Jessie Teed
4- 28 Tim O’Donnell
5- 5 Steve Crabtree
6- 23 Rae Lynn Moss
7- 2JR Sheldon Kinser
8- 18 Jody McKenzie
9- 6 Andrew Kurjack
10- 14D Brian Penrose
11- 24 Ken Penta
12- 16 Chris Pacetti
13- 2 Mark Rider
14- 68 Dirk Miller
15- 31 Tommy Bowden
16- 711 David Pleaugh
17- X59 Austin Jackson
18- 82 Dominic Lanza
19- 21 Lenny Dallman
20- 1M Eddie Moss
21- 8T Gavin Thomas