By Jane Smith

Mini-stocks seldom get to see a 100 lap race or a mandatory pit stop but last Saturday night at New Smyrna Speedway, fifty one Mini-Stocks filled the pits with forty eight going out to qualify. Trish Gray, David Castello and Lee Davis all had engine problems before qualifying. Gray and Castello were out but Lee Davis used Bo Davis's #67 and soon it was the #77 for Lee.

The first 20 fastest Mini-Stocks made the race but there were two consi races for the remaining sixteen slots for the field. Ted "Mr. Mini-Stock" Vulipus took the first consi race win and Kenny Hankins took the second consi win. Robbie Yokum set fast time for the race but after a number 4 pill was drawn, Steve Griffin's #3 sat on the pole.

When the flag flew for the 50 lap mandatory pit stop, fans had seen six cautions and 22 laps of green flag racing. The #2 of Corbin Gibbs lead the first 50 laps with Matt Watts, Steve Griffin, Rick Sirmans and Clint Foley in the top five. At the halfway point, 27 of the 36 starting cars were left on the track.

Corbin Gibbs continued to lead the second half of the race still towing Watts, Griffin, Sirmans and Welch behind him. But on caution 10, the #3 of Matt Watts blew and this left only the #2 Dodge of Gibbs in the top five.

Steve Griffin got very loose in turn 4 at one point but did a fantastic save. But his car was never really the same as he slipped back in the field and finally retired to the pits. Just as the white flag was waved for one lap to go and coming out of turn 4 for the win, Corbin Gibbs's motor let go. This let Rick Sirmans's #05 slipped thru and take the checkered flag.

Frank Welch won the Mini Stock Challenge Series Championship for 2001. KARNAC will feature Frank in an upcoming article about his success this year and background on his controversial visit to North Carolina.

Top five were: 1. #05 - Rick Sirmans, 2. #96 - Frank Welch, 3. #2 - Corbin Gibbs, 4. #70 - Marty and 5.#18 - Kenny Hankins.

A side note to the race: during the second consi race, the #57 of Jason Rendell blew a tire coming out of turn 4 and walked the wall setting his mini-stock up for a number of rollovers down the track. When the car finally came to a rest and stopped, Rendell was fine but not his car.

-Jane Smith

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