Mark Whitener has a solid grip on the points lead as the Late Models return this Friday, but Ivedent Lloyd lurks just 21 points back, and from there back the standings become extremely close. The 2009 Late Model champion, J.O. Nobles, is just 3 points shy of second place, and Phillip Cobb trails Nobles by a point. Depending on who shows up and how the race plays out, anyone could be anywhere by the time racing ends on Friday night.
Scott Mooers has become the man to beat when it comes to Amsoil V8 Thunder Stock racing in central Florida with wins at both the big half mile and at Ocala. Michael Stalnaker managed to get past him last Friday night but then failed the post race tech inspection, thus handing the win back to Mooers. Meanwhile Willard Driggers could not repeat his big win from two weeks ago this past Friday night and is looking for some redemption, while Harold Erickson has quietly slipped into the hunt with some consistent runs as of late. Stalnaker’s troubles on Friday leave Jerrid Bennett leading the points race despite a recent run of bad luck.
Ocala Speedway’s Mini Stocks may have turned the corner and provided some thrilling racing under the new rules package, but Nick and Dan Kerr still seem to have a firm hold on the top of the heap at present. Last year’s champion, Paul Combast, holds the third spot behind the Kerr’s in the points, and keeps getting good finishes but few wins, while Keith Briggs could not buy a break with a million dollars and would simply like to finish a race.
Steven Johnson remains the points leader in the Gladiator Division, but the youngsters are right on his tail. Devin Walker has a determined spirit that keeps him in the hunt, and at just 11 points out of first place he is Johnson’s “man in the mirror” at present. And while Kody fisher remains in the third spot in the points race, he is more focused on learning to drive his new rear wheel drive race car, plus repair the damages he did to it on Friday night with two head on smacks into the wall.
Ocala Speedway will fling open the grandstand gates at 5PM on Friday, and racing will be underway at 8PM with the first heat races. For more information, be sure to visit www.OcalaSpeedway.com, or phone the track at 352-622-9400.