| Sunbelt Does Double Duty at Ocala Speedway and Bronson Motor Speedway | Powell Grabs Ocala Win, Durden Too Tough At Bronson
by John Barker
James Powell of Astor, FL in his Natural Products Chevrolet held off a late race charge to win the FASCAR Sunbelt Super Late Model Series 125 on Friday night at Ocala (FL) Speedway.
“It was tough period,” said Powell. “Any time you’ve got those people behind you it’s always tough. We were just fortunate enough to get some good breaks and get to the lead and were able to hold them off.”
Powell and Anderson exchanged some sort of barbs in victory lane after the race concerning proper passing techniques, but neither driver appeared satisfied with each other’s response. Anderson felt Powell was given room for his pass, but took him in the dirt in turn one when Anderson tried for the lead again.
Powell grabbed the point out of turn four in lap 56 from eventual second place finisher Wayne Anderson of Wildwood, FL in his Pro Shocks Chevrolet. Powell did face a strong challenge from Anderson following a lap 120 caution.
“I lost a cylinder,” said Anderson. “I don’t know, it must be electrical or something.”
Anderson, who slowed several times during the race found the culprit to be a stuck float in carburetor at his shop.
“When Powell and I got together on the front stretch the car started acting like it was on seven cylinders. I told the crew I didn’t know what was going to happen on the restart. I didn’t know if the car was going to take off or not, but then it ran fine during that last restart in lap 120.”
Jonny Kay of Deerfield Beach, FL driving the Steel Building Depot Chevrolet finished third after coming from the rear of the field with a strong run and a big restart moving from fifth to third in just two laps.
“The car was a real hot rod,” said Kay. “We just got an unlucky tap there at the beginning trying to pass somebody on the outside. The car was terrific and it stayed consistent the whole race.”
Anderson set fast time on the three-eighths mile Ocala Speedway oval leading a 22 car field in qualifying with a time of 15.920 seconds or 84.80 mph. Anderson drew 0 and started on the pole.
Anderson jumped quickly to the front in lap one and was followed by Aric Almirola of Tampa and Rusty Dixon of Riverview, FL. Patrick Williams of Archer, FL was fourth and Scott Grossenbecher of San Antonio, FL was fifth.
Powell, who started eighth was fifth by lap 18 and was on a strong charge to the front, and in the next circuit was fourth. Powell then moved to third in lap 25 and was quickly challenging Almirola for second.
The top four cars of Anderson, Almirola, Powell and Dixon moved to a 15 car lead over fifth place runner Williams until a caution in lap 35.
Powell moved into second in lap 43 and the real hunt was on for the lead. The running order was now Anderson, Powell, Almirola, Dixon and Mike Franklin of Homestead.
Powell took the lead in lap 56. The leader was followed by Anderson, Almirola, Franklin, and 2002 FASCAR Sunbelt champion Michael Williams of Mims, FL.
By lap 70, Anderson was working Powell hard trying to take back the lead, but Powell hung on. The top running duo were followed in lap 78 by Franklin now third and Almirola fourth.
Brock Oglesby of Ocala, FL moved to fourth in lap 82 and joined the quick moving top five. By lap 88 it was Powell, Anderson and Franklin. Fifth was now controlled by Almirola.
Anderson kept hard pressure on Powell for the lead in lap 99 and still had plenty of muscle left after his Chevrolet had faltered on a couple of other occasions.
Michael Williams would put his car into the wall between turns one and two following an accordion like restart in lap 104 changing the top five to Powell, Anderson, Franklin, Oglesby and Mac Johnson of Gainesville.
Kay moved into third quickly after working for fifth against Johnson for several laps. The order was now Powell, Anderson, Kay, Franklin and Johnson.
Powell opened a 10 car lead in lap 114. Anderson in second slowed again and was now facing a tough test from Kay who was on the move quickly.
A caution slowed the field in lap 120 and Anderson once again had his car get momentum back and charged after Powell for the lead, but didn’t have quite enough. A tough Mike Bresnahan of Inverness had moved into fifth after starting 12th.
Powell crossed the stripe followed by Anderson, Kay, Franklin and Bresnahan.
BRONSON MOTOR SPEEDWAY SATURDAY
BRONSON, FLORIDA – Kevin Durden of Archer driving the Happy Hour Billiards Chevrolet ran flag-to-flag from the pole winning the FASCAR Sunbelt Super Late Model Series 125 Saturday night at Bronson (FL) Motor Speedway.
Durden still faced a few challenges, but had his driving technique down as always at his home track. There were a couple of handling problems, but the winner was quite up to the task.
“The car was just a little bit loose off the corner, but I’ll tell you what, boy, that Progressive Motor when I got it straightened out it just was turning real good getting in, so I knew he (Powell) couldn’t get up under me,” said Durden. “I just knew if I could keep it straight for 125 laps it would be all right.”
Wayne Anderson of Wildwood, FL driving the Pro Shocks Chevrolet turned the three-eighths mile oval in 13.232 seconds or 102.03 mph pacing a 21 car field in qualifying for top qualifying honors for the second straight night and drew number five for inversion.
A third place finishing Anderson had his Chevrolet on a rail for the second night in a row, but was sent to the rear three different times by FASCAR officials for jumping a restart and also bringing out the caution. But Anderson took it all in stride and put on a race show.
“You know, I’d think that they (FASCAR) officials were paying me to go back to the rear and make a show if I didn’t know better,” said a chuckling Anderson. “I’ll guarantee you I wont see it (money) at the pay window.”
“The car was good – real good. It’s a shame - it just shows that the fastest car doesn’t necessarily win.”
In lap 28, Durden was followed by eventual second place finisher James Powell III of Astor, FL driving the Natural Products Chevrolet and Aric Almirola of Tampa. FL. Fain Skinner of Live Oaks, FL was fourth and fifth was Jonny Kay of Deerfield Beach, FL.
“Yeah, we really did have a good car,” said Powell. “I gave Durden everything I had except to knock him out – I wasn’t going to do that. He (Durden) drove us flat out and it was a good race. I really enjoy racing like that.”
The caution came out in lap 46 when a multi car wreck in turn one involving Skinner, Michael Williams of Mims, FL, Perry Lovelady of Lakeland, FL and Mike Franklin of Homestead, FL finally turned to a red flag stoppage. No one appeared injured, but all the involved race cars departed.
In lap 55, it was Durden, Powell and Almirola. Jay Middleton of Lake City, FL was fourth and Anderson had worked his way back to fifth after an early trip to the rear.
At halfway it was Durden, Powell and Almirola. Anderson was now fourth and fifth was Middleton.
A lap 68 caution changed the top five except for Durden and Powell in first and second. On the restart it was Durden, Powell, Middleton, Mac Johnson of Gainesville, FL and Mike Bresnahan of Inverness, FL.
Durden now faced a stiff challenge from Powell in lap 89, but still held tight to the lead. Then in lap 90 with Durden and Powell one-two Bresnahan was now third, Middleton was fourth and Brock Oglesby of Ocala, FL was fifth.
Powell tried Durden on the outside in lap 98, but the leader held him off. In lap 100, Anderson moved into fifth and was once again in contention.
Durden, Powell, Bresnahan, Middleton and Anderson were running nose-to-tail in lap 105. Powell gave Durden a tap in lap 108, but still was unable to make a pass.
Anderson moved to fourth in lap 111 and third in lap 115 making another move to the front. In lap 117, Durden was followed by Powell and Anderson. Middleton was fourth and fifth was Kay.
During lap 121, Middleton went into the front straightaway infield and on the restart it was Durden, Powell, Anderson, Kay and Bresnahan. Middleton went to the pits following a race dispute involving his restart position.
Durden crossed the stripe followed by Powell and Anderson. Kay was fourth and Bresnahan was fifth.
The next FASCAR Sunbelt Super Late Model Series race will be at Citrus County Speedway on March 29th.
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