![\"NewSymrna\"](\"https:\/\/karnac.com\/flanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/NewSymrna-275x99.png\")
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Just a few years ago Tyler Audie was racing on the Quarter Midget track
\nlocated between turns one and two at New Smyrna Speedway. Recently moving up
\nto the Pro Late Model class on the big high-banked half mile track, Audie
\nsurprised everyone, including himself, by standing in victory lane Saturday
\nnight following a wild and controversial season-opening 50 lap race for the
\nPro Late Models as a new season of weekly NASCAR Whelan All-America Racing
\nSeries action began.
\nCody Blair topped the 16-car field in time trials with a lap of 17.976, the
\nonly driver to go under 18 seconds. Jerry Symons was second in qualifying
\nfollowed by Ricky Anderson and William Carroll. That quartet would start in
\nreverse order for the feature as Blair pulled the four pill placing Carroll on
\nthe pole for the start of the race. The original start was called back after
\nDonnie Varcoe and Chris Brannon tangled up going into turn one, however both
\nwere able to continue. Ricky Anderson zipped out to the early lead once the
\nrace went green only to see the caution displayed for the first time on lap
\nnine as Jerry Symons went for a spin off the bumper of Canadian visitor Alex
\nGuenette. David Rogers, subbing for his TM Ranch teammate Brad May, had
\nnowhere to go and crashed into Symons. As “The Hammer” had his car towed to
\nthe pits, Rogers drove his car back to his pit stall where the team made
\nrepairs and got him back on track in time for the restart although his car was
\nnever quite right from that point and he later dropped from the running..
\nAnderson continued to set the pace with Blair now a very close second until
\nthe yellow flag came out again, this time for an altercation between T. J.
\nDuke and Daniel Miller that saw Duke’s car hit the wall with both ends of the
\nmachine putting him out for the night. On the double-file restart Blair
\nwasted little time getting to the point and started to assert himself as the
\ncar to beat. Guenette, penalized to the rear of the field for the earlier
\nincident with Symons, was working his way back up front until he got into the
\nthird place car of Jarrett Snowden sending Snowden for a spin. Once again
\nGuenette was sent to the back of the pack for the restart while Snowden was
\nawarded his spot back only to see himself spun out again, this time by
\nCarroll, just one lap after the green flag was displayed. Both cars were sent
\nto the back this time.
\nAt this point the field settled down for some good green flag racing. Blair
\nheld a comfortable lead while the crowd was watching Guenette quickly move his
\nway back to the front yet again. With just four laps to go, Audie got tangled
\nup with Dylan Martin going into turn one and the pair of rookies went for a
\nlong slide that saw Martin’s car get the worst of it requiring a tow from the
\nspeedway. When the field took the green, Guenette began to make his move and
\ndove under Blair for the lead going into turn three. Heading into turn four,
\nthe pair made contact with Blair going for a spin. Now it was time for the
\ncontroversy to begin as track officials ruled Blair to be at fault as Guenette
\nwas placed at the point while Blair tagged the back of what was now a
\ndecimated field.
\nRicky Anderson was not done yet as he moved in front of Guenette on the
\nrestart to take the lead back but it lasted only until the field reached turn
\nthree as Anderson and Guenette came together. Anderson’s car spun down low,
\nthen back up the track where it was drilled by the unlucky Donnie Varcoe who
\nsimply had nowhere to go. Varcoe’s car was a mess and needed to be hauled off
\nthe track while Anderson was able to drive his crippled machine back to the
\npits where his team made repairs good enough to allow him to re-enter the
\nfray. For his involvement in several incidents, Guenette was given the black
\nflag and told to park his car for the rest of the event.
\nNow it would be a green-white-checker finish and who found himself in the lead
\nfor the first time not only in the race, but in his brief career? Tyler Audie.
\nWith just five cars left on the track, everybody figured it would be Cody
\nBlair’s race to win but Audie had other ideas as he drove like a veteran to
\nhold off Blair to the finish to claim his biggest win so far. Blair finished
\nsecond but skipped the post-race festivities in the Gibson Truck World victory
\nlane as his team along with the teams of Anderson and Snowden gathered in
\nGuenette’s pit for and extended, yet reasonably calm altercation that mostly
\ninvolved a lot of shouting and name-calling. Nothing would prevent Audie and
\nhis crew from a wild celebration in victory lane that was well-received by the
\nnice crowd on hand for the evening’s action.
\nFollowing Audie and Blair in third spot was Daniel Miller with Colby Clements
\nfourth. Anderson, his car throwing sparks all over the track during the final
\ntwo laps from crash damage, still managed to actually finish the race as the
\nonly other car running in fifth. Guenette was credited with sixth spot as
\nVarcoe, Martin, Zach Jarrell and Rogers completed to top ten. Rounding out
\nthe finishers were Snowden, Carroll, Gordon Vipond, Duke, Symons and Brannon.
\nThe first feature race of the night and the 2014 regular season was for the
\nMini Stocks and it proved to be a real barn-burner. Jason Reynolds jumped out
\nto an early lead that he held through lap seven when caution flew for a spin
\nby Jeff White. On the restart it was defending Mini Stock champion David
\nRussell taking over for a pair of laps before being overtaken by Jamie Dixson.
\nDixson looked to have the car to beat as the field continued under green
\nuntil White spun again in turn two. Russell tapped the roof of his car
\nletting officials know it was his “tap” that sent White around and Russell
\nwent to the rear for the restart. With just two laps left, White spun on his
\nown again in turn two to set up a mad dash for the checker.
\nOn the restart, Dixson and Russell got together with both going to the rear
\nallowing Pat Wells to assume the lead. Wells led the white flag lap as it
\nseemed like the remaining cars on the track were all capable of taking the win
\nand were doing their best to make it happen. Russell managed to find an
\nopening and closed on Wells coming off turn four and, in a photo finish, won
\nby mere inches at the line. Wells was about a close a second place as you
\ncould possibly get while Mark Broat ended up third in front of Dixson and
\nWhite. Rounding out the top ten were Brad Blanton, Reid Christensen, Daniel
\nBrown, Reynolds and Tyler Simpson.
\nJ. T. Tippins led the first three laps of the Super Stock feature before being
\npassed by defending track title-holder Shannon Kelly. Kelly led until the
\nfirst yellow flag was tossed when Becca Samsoe spun and hit the inside wall
\nheading into turn one. There was only minor damage and she continued in the
\nrace. On the restart veteran Mike Trocki, making a rare start subbing for
\nregular driver Butch Herdegen, took over the point as caution flew a second
\ntime for Michael Bedient’s spin in turn two. Trocki was back out front on the
\nrestart until Samsoe spun again in turn one ending her night against the
\noutside wall. Meanwhile Bobby Holley, running in the top four, called it a
\nnight with an overheating engine.
\nJust after the restart, Tippins’ car suddenly slowed going into turn four.
\nJeff Colburn had to take evasive action but ended up making the wrong choice
\nthat found him running head-on into the water barrel protecting the butt-end
\nof the pit wall. Colburn was OK but his car was badly damaged and it caused a
\nbrief delay as track crews cleaned up the mess and put a new water barrel in
\nplace.
\nFrom that point the race ran right through to the checker with Trocki taking
\nan easy victory over David Gould, Kelly, Danny Frye and Joe Gerard.
\nCompleting the top ten were Tippins, Mike Amato, Robert Pence, Mike Dahm and
\nBedient. The remaining finishers were Holley, Samsoe, Colburn and Adam
\nSoukup. Ed Barber was also at the track but broke in hot laps and was unable
\nto start the feature.
\nDiamond Jim Higginbotham led the first two laps of the E-Modified feature
\nevent but it was defending track champion Jarrett Korpi taking over on lap
\nthree to lead the rest of the way in taking the win as the 25-lapper went
\ngreen to checker. Roger Benton ended up second followed by rookie Matt Green,
\nHigginbotham and Mike Dahm.
\nThe Strictly Stocks also ran their entire feature under green and Johnathon
\nMurphy became the only winner of the night to lead every lap of his race in
\ntaking the victory. Charles King, Sr. kept things close as he took second but
\nwas never able to seriously challenge Murphy. Warren Howie picked up the
\nthird place trophy trailed by Dan Webb, Aaron Overman and Robert Skinner.
\nNext week the open Modified Class goes for 50 laps and $1200 to win with
\nracing starting at 7:30 pm. Also on tap are the Sportsman cars, Super Stocks,
\nMini Stocks and Strictly Stocks.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
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