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2001
NEWS ARCHIVE
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| Saturday Night Show at USA International SpeedFest | 
(KNS)The FASCAR Super Late Models started off the night with a three-caution 125-lap chase scene. Veteran Florida racer Billy Bigley, Jr, coming off a great rookie season in the NASCAR Craftsman Trucks, started on the pole and lead the first four laps. Travis Kittleson, with two top ten American Speed Association (ASA) finishes in 2001, started in the third spot, grabbed the lead early and led the rest of the way. Veteran Junior Hanley, Friday night's winner and SpeedFest Super Late Model Champion, drove from the eighth spot to overtake Hooters ProCup racer Clay Rogers on lap 66 for the second spot.
The chase was on!
Hanley was able to gain get within a couple of car lengths of Kittleson on the long runs but moving through the field of lapped cars the number 88 was always able extend his lead. Finally on lap 101 the third yellow flag of the race came out, allowing Hanley a shot at the youngster from Merritt Island, FL. On the ensuing restart Hanley appeared to slip a bit, and Kittleson opened up a three car length gap, and the two quickly drove to a half straightaway lead on Shane Sawyer, Jimmy Cope and Mario Gosselin. Meanwhile Cope drove hard trying to get the third spot from Sawyer until he broke and came to a stop near the wall between turns three and four with 5 laps left, bringing out the fourth caution of the night and putting the fear of Hanley into the Kittleson team.
Hanley came screaming down the front stretch on lap 121 trying to get under the #88 and then tried turn four, but Kittleson held off the charge and went on to secure the win on the 3/4 mile fast track. Hanley, in second, was followed by outside pole sitter Shane Sawyer, Mario Gosselin, and Clay Rogers. Rogers had outgunned Eddie Van Meter of Indianapolis, IN on the final lap to secure fifth.
Kittleson, 1999 Orlando Speedworld Rookie of the Year, 1999 Winter Series Championship at New Smyrna Speedway, 2000 Florida Sunbelt Rookie of the Year, and 2000 Orlando Speedworld Champion was one happy race car driver as evidenced by the volumes of smoke pouring from his tires as he pulled into the winner's circle at USA International Speedway.
 The win was both very special and important to Travis Kittleson, who is still seeking sponsorship for the 2002 ASA season, which begins at USA International Speedway on March 24th. Setting the fast time on both Thursday and Friday and finishing second to Junior Hanley in the 50-lap event on Thursday, Kittleson was having good weekend. But with pill draws to invert the field he started seventh on Friday and on the very first lap was hit from behind and turned toward the wall. Just as he saved the car, Travis was hit again in the right rear turning him into the outside wall. The car was heavily damaged and was forced to retire. The crew worked until 6AM in the morning preparing the car for the big race on Saturday.
The Saturday night show at USA International was a fan's delight. After all the qualifying was over all the cars and trucks were brought out onto the speedway and the fans were invited onto the track to get autographs, touch the cars and get close to the drivers. A stage was wheeled into place and live music replaced the sound of horsepower for an hour while the fans from Florida and around the Country mingled and got themselves ready for the big show.
The second race of the night was the 100 lap Late Models which once again was dominated by Orlando, FL's Jason Boyd. With only 13 cars in the field, the race didn't hold the excitement of the Super Lates, but with Boyd on the track excitement seems to happen. It only took 20 laps for the young star to grab the lead. He never looked back, winning easily and sweeping the Late Models at SpeedFest 2002. Boyd lead 177 of the 240 laps in the three days of Late Model racing. Second place went to Brent O'Neill (Pembroke Pines, FL) followed by Mike Hovis (Ft. Myers, FL), Wayne Morris (Mulberry, FL) and Steve Dorer (Riverview, FL).
If any fans had fallen asleep during the Late Model race, when the 21 Modifieds hit the pavement they certainly woke up. Fans in attendance on Friday saw six Modified cautions in the first lap or two, but not tonight. The first 14 laps were lead by Steve Hauser, Jr. who started in fourth and grabbed the lead on the first lap. Once Jerry Symons took the lead from Hauser, he really only had to contend with Dewayne Dempsey, with the real racing battles well back in the pack. Symons cruised to his third straight SpeedFest 2002 win, leading 76 of the 110 laps run. Dempsey took second with Chris Turner, Jerry Lee Yarbrough and Eddie Hartin following.
Friday night 35 drivers from the FASTRUCKS Series were on hand and tonight they bettered that by one. The 50-lap feature was won by Todd Bontrager followed by Mike Davison, Thomas Carter, Steve Arnold and Shane Russ.
The final event of the night saw the brand new EROC Series making their debut for 2002. The nine-car field was lead at the green flag by pole sitter Tommy Gibbs from Tallahassee, but Cape Coral's Doug Wilson driving the number 88 roared into the lead on the very first lap and stayed there for all 35 laps.
Second place went to Phil Schippers from Lakeville, Ohio followed by Phil Little, Aaron Dreher and Guy Thomas. The EROC series is an offshoot of the Executive Racing School and gives racers an economical path to big time racing at USA International Speedway.
SPEEDFEST SLIDE SHOW
Notes from SpeedFest 2002: On Friday night Kim Sheffler became the first woman to win a feature event at the 3/4 mile track. She had finished second but was awarded the win after Jimmy Gill was disqualified, failing a compression check.
Robert Yoho arrived on Saturday at 4 PM, bought the late model of Wendell Overstreet, got prepared to race the new purchase and wrecked it before the Late Model event took place.
Numerous racers were seen wearing the Hutchens Device, including Florida drivers Chris Turner and Scott Bramlett, as well as many out of state racers. The Hutchens Device has been mandated as required safety equipment by NASCAR.
The next scheduled event at USA International is the Lucas Oil 250 USAR Hooters ProCup race on February 23rd, which also will include the Goodyear Challenge Late Model Series and an EROC Series race.
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