by Marty Little
IRVINGTON, Ala. – Dude Teate made it two for two on the TBARA Gulf Coast swing Saturday night as he again bested the winged sprint car feature at Mobile International Speedway.
Polesitter Johnny Gilbertson hustled to the lead at the drop of the initial green flag but the first of two yellow flags waved on lap three when Bo Hartley ran off the backstretch. The field regrouped with Hartley at the rear and Gilbertson still in command until lap five when Teate’s fleet No. 0 powered to the point of the 17 car field.
Point leader Shane Butler gave chase and ran side by side with Teate for several laps until shredding his right rear tire.
The second and final yellow of the evening waved on lap 14 when D.J. Hoezle suffered a flat and looped his car out of harm’s way. When the green flag waved again it was all Teate as he powered to his fourth tour victory of the season. Hartley charged back after his early spin for second money ahead of Mickey Kempgens, Shane Butler and Steve Heisler. Heat race victories went to Hartley, Butler and Kempgens.
The tour moves to DeSoto Super Speedway in Bradenton on Oct. 30 and wraps up the 2010 season at Citrus County Speedway in Inverness on Nov. 6.
First heat (8 laps) – 1. Bo Hartley, 2. Todd Fayard, 3. Dude Teate, 4. Bryan Riddle, 5. D.J. Hoezle, 6. Ricky Burnett.
Second heat (8 laps) – 1. Shane Butler, 2. Johnny Gilbertson, 3. Bobby Rose, 4. Larry Brazil, Jr., 5. Frankie Hurst, 6. Nick Manakis.
Third heat (8 laps) – 1. Mickey Kempgens, 2. Ben Fritz, 3. Shane Miller, 4. Steve Heisler, 5. Skeeter Faulconer.
Feature (30 laps) – 1. Teate, 2. Hartley, 3. Kempgens, 4. Butler, 5. Heisler, 6. Hoezle, 7. Fayard, 8. Hurst, 9. Fritz, 10. Riddle, 11. Gilbertson, 12. Faulconer, 13. Manakis, 14. Brazil, Jr., 15. Miller, 16. Brazil, 17. Burnett.