| Pratt Again Tops LLM - Abney Heads Sportsman at Ocala Speedway | by Dave Westerman
Ocala, Fla - Local driver Rich Pratt brought the
curtin down on Ocala Speedway's Limited Late Model
division Saturday night with a convincing 30-lap
win.
The race was the last for the class here as the
Super Late Models begin racing regularly when the
track switches to Friday nights next month.
Just as the Limited Lates were set to qualify, a
heavy rainshower hit the speedway forcing a delay
of about an hour-an-a-half.
Once the track was dry, it was Robbie Smith setting
fast time at 15.383 just ahead of Pratt's 15.413.
The race started heads-up with Smith on the pole
and Pratt outside, but on the initial start,
Smith's car wouldn't fire and he came to a halt
in turn one bringing out the caution.
With Smith relegated to the rear of the field for
the restart, Pratt wasted little time grabbing
the top spot which he would hold the remainder of
the event.
The only major incident of the race came when Smith
and Keith Zavrel made contact on lap seven. A none-
to-happy Zavrel got a little overagressive after the
original tangle and was disqualified. It didn't
matter anyway as his car suffered severe front-end
damage and had to be towed from the track. Smith
continued again at the rear of the field.
Pratt had things in hand the rest of the way and took
the win while Ron Lentz had a great run in his Fire-
bird to finish second ahead of Brad Heath. Smith
charged back to fourth at the finish while Doug
Levesque came back from a wild slide through the
infield grass to claim fifth.
Mac McCullough, John Buzinec, Brad Atkins, Brock
Oglesby, and Roger Shinholsur rounded out the top
ten.
The best race of the night was the Steven A. Bagen
Sportsman as six cars finished in formation almost
like they were getting the green flag instead of
the checker.
Kenny Abney led all the way but had to withstand
constant pressure from Pete Close, Jr. who was an
extremely close second. Gary Wayne Crouthamel
drove a great race to claim third over a hard-
charging Tom Posevac and Frank Buchanan.
William Edwards brought out the red flag when he
slid off the frontstretch early in the race and
hit an infield barrier, a stunt ramp, and track
photographer Carleen Wilbanks' golf cart. No one
was hurt and Edwards made repairs and came from
the rear of the restart grid to finish sixth.
Michael Mennenga, Bob Masciarelli, Tommy Brakeman,
and Jeremy Finegan completed the top ten.
The visiting Classic Auto Racing Series saw Orlando's
Eddie Thornton take the lead from Ed Yates on lap
11 and go on to win his second consecutive race at
Ocala.
Jim Rahman, racing in front of a large group of fans
from his sponsor Ro-Mac Lumber, raced from eighth on
the starting grid to second but Thornton had the
field covered. Yates came home third followed by Al
"Hot Rod" Hagan, and E.T. McGhee. Patrick "Bam-Bam"
Sanders, Frank Conrad, George Hall, Jr., Bud Spencer,
and George Hall III rounded out the top ten.
Make it two in a row for Bobby Valeo in the Ford of
Ocala Pure Stocks.
Valeo bided his time coming from fifth in the starting
line-up and then breezed to a relatively easy win.
Early leader David Danielson held on for second in a
fine run over Bobby Carter, hard-charging Kyle Maynard,
and James Cook. Finishing sixth through tenth were
Paul Fletcher, Michael Rosa, Rick Hart, Darren Dukes,
and J.T. Schimborski.
Point leader John Betts jumped out to a big early lead
then held off a late-race chareg by Paul Fletcher to
take the victory in the Thrifty Nichel Hobby Stocks.
Mark Mitchell held off Tommy Roberts for third while
Frank Buchanan raced to fifth. Completing the top ten
were Paul Gladdin, Jamie Dunn, David Chastain, Chauna
Johnston, and Mike Wilson.
Steve Gallagher sped past early leader Joey Durbin and
put his Volkswagen in victory circle in the Coca-Cola
Four Cylinder Bombers.
Durbin held off point leader Ric Fort for second while
the mini-trucks of Tom Fralish and Robert Oxendine
trailed. Rounding out the top ten were Rocky Bowden,
A.J. Schreier, Kyle Helt, Jacob Antis and Richard
Kuhn.
Next week the Coca-Cola Four Cylinder Bombers race for
25-laps. Also on tap will be the Diamond Air & Heat
Modifieds, Steven A. Bagen Sportsman, Thrifty Nickel
Hobby Stocks, and Ford of Ocala Pure Stocks.
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