by BJ Cavin- Ocala Speedway Media
OCALA, FL- Ocala Speedway returns to action this Friday night as five divisions will challenge the toughest 3/8ths mile in the southeast. Fans will see exciting action from the Colortyme Rentals Modifieds, the Sportsman Division, the Amsoil V8 Thunder Stocks, the Mini Stocks, and the Gladiators. The grandstand gates will open at 5PM Friday evening with heat races scheduled for 8PM sharp.
Things remain quite tight at the top of the Colortyme Modified standings for 2010 with Jeff Mathews still holding down the top spot. But Mathews’ perch is by no means safe, as eight other top racers are within 75 points of knocking him down a notch or two. Kyle Bronson is only 20 points out of first place, while Wayne Hammond and Kyle Owen are just 24 and 25 points shy of the top. Right behind those three is Roger Crouse, who is only 30 points out of first place. And with the points standings this close, a slip by one or more racers this Friday could result in a very different arrangement in the top positions.
Ocala Speedway’s Sportsman Division has seen a host of racers who have come in, run an event, then disappeared, and with the early season weather problems that kept the point totals low it resulted in a confusing jumble at the top of the heap. But after the race on June 25th things settled down quite a bit, with those who race at Ocala consistently finally taking charge. “Big Frog” Augie Burttram remains on top of the points, while some mechanical gremlins have kept Hollister’s Kevin Mills 52 points out of first place. David Ponton follows in third place just 23 points behind Mills, and Billy Costello is mere two points behind Ponton.
Jerrid Bennett continues to hold onto first place in the Amsoil V8 Thunder Stock points standings, but EBD Racing’s Brian Shea, and the always formidable Michael Stalnaker, are tied at just 24 points out of first place. Stalnaker usually wins the races he finishes, but finishing has been an issue for the EZ Shines crew as of late. If Stalnaker can keep the wheels on and the engine running, he should be ready to pull ahead of Shea and unseat Bennett at the top of the heap. But if Stalnaker continues to have mechanical issues, Brian Shea is in position to take control.
The Mini Stock Division at Ocala Speedway remains tight at the top as the racers return after some time away from the track. 2009 Mini Stock Division Champion Paul Combast is again at the top of the points ladder, but the dynamic duo of Nick and Dan Kerr are giving Combast the fight of his life. Nick Kerr is just 3 points out of first place, while Dan Kerr remains 12 points shy of unseating Combast, and both will be gunning for Combast’s 19C machine this Friday night.
Steven Johnson will still have a finger hold on first place as the Gladiators hit the track this Friday, but Casey Feaster is asserting himself as the man to beat at Ocala Speedway, and is lurking within 3 points of taking Johnson down a notch. But Feaster cannot afford to focus on Johnson because he has a chaser of his own to contend with in Devin Walker. Walker has pulled the Lasoski Racing 55JR within 9 points of Feaster, and within 12 points of Johnson, and he is showing no sign of letting up on either of them. Matt Shea remains in the hunt as well, holding in the fourth spot at 40 points shy of first place.
Ocala Speedway remains the ONLY Friday night dirt track in Florida. To see the posted schedule, or to get the latest news from Florida’s oldest speedway, but sure to log on to www.OcalaSpeedway.com.