| Lee Collins Sets New Track Record And Wins Tommy Patterson Memorial at New Smyrna Speedway | by Jane Smith
-KARNAC.com
 Samsula, Fla. (April 3, 2004) In spite of the full moon overhead, twenty two of Florida's finest Open Wheel Modified drivers ventured to New Smyrna speedway for the Tommy Patterson Memorial Penske Racng Shocks United Pro Modified 50 lap event. Lee Collins set a new track record with his 18.292 second lap.
Collins has been on fire in the last year with his No. 89 black and gold modified. Collins pulled a seven pill inverting the field seven places which put Mark Vandevender on the pole.
But when the green flew, it was Tank Tucker who quickly took the point followed by Brad May, Kevin Durden, Lee Colllins and Jerry Symons. Collns quickly worked his way to second and the fight was on for first.
On lap 6, Brad May passed Durden and took over fourth with Durden sliding to fifth. Vandevender shows that he has some problems and begins to slow on lap 11 and by lap 12 he was off the track and in for the night. Lap 19, George Murphy pulls into the pits, his night done early also. Lap 20 sees the yellow for a spin in turns 1 and 2. Glen Bradley spins to avoid the spun car but both cars return to racing. On the restart it is Tucker, Collins, May, Durden and Symons.
Lap 21 sees the #47 of Wally Patterson spin because of a flat. Wally is the brother of Tommy Patterson and always brings the yellow #47 for the memorial for his brother. Patterson slows makes his way into the pits disappointed for sure.
Tucker holds the point on the restart but finds his hands full with Collins right on his tail. Collins looks high, low and on lap 21, Collins is the new leader followed by Tucker, May, Durden, and Symons.
Lap 30 sees three cars spin on the frontstretch, Jim "Hoot" Flynn, Dave Savacki, and Mike Johnson. All are fine and continue on. Lap 32 sees J.F. McClellan pass John Gerstner for sixth with Gerstner sliding back to eighth. Gerstner's brother Jeremy had gone out before qualifying with a blown head gasket.
Paul Duncan, after running a very good race and his first time back in racing since 2003, breaks on lap 41 bringing out the yellow. Collins holds the point on the restart with a very hard charging Tank Tucker in second.
Symons puts the pressure on Durden and takes over fourth with Durden sliding to fifth. Lap 47 sees J.F. McClellan and Alan McCafferty spin on the backstretch. McClellan was not happy but continued racing.
Collins holds the point and takes the checkered for the Tommy Patterson Memorial followed by Tank Tucker, Brad May, Jerry Symons, and Kevin Durden.
The Thunder Roadsters made their first appearance in their 8 race series at both New Smyrna Speedway and Orlando SpeedWorld. Only three roadsters made the field with Hutch Hudson taking the feature win. Randy Dye and Jim Wade got together when Dye spun in turns 3 and 4 and Wade hit Dye. Dye was fine but very sore and Wade was transported to the hospital with a possible broken arm. The race was called giving Hudson is first feature win. Hudson took the heat win.
Donald Hess was on the pole for the Late Model feature as Randy Dye not-so-quickly switched driving seats from the Thunder Roadster to his new Late Model. But before a lap was down, Mark Smith, Josh Schmidt, Cynthis Strahley, Hank Baker, Slick Davis, and Troy Atkins also got together. All were fine but it called for a total restart.
On the restart, Hess quickly took the point followed by David Pletka, Randy Dye, Travis Wilson, and Charlie Merz. Hank Baker brings out the yellow on lap 1 when he hits the backstretch wall. Baker was fine but done for the night.
Hess once again takes the point on the restart followed by Pletka, Dye, Wilson and Merz. On lap 7, Dye passes Pletka for second. On lap 8 after a very good night, Travis Wilson has a flat putting him into the turn 1 wall. A disappointment for a very good night.
On the restart, Dye and Hess are going side-by-side for the lead with Dye finally taking the point. Dye takes the checkered for his first feature win in 2004 followed by Donald Hess, Charlie Merz, Troy Atkins, and Mark Smith.
Donald Hess took the heat win.
Cory Kaiser had the pole for the Sportsman feature but the yellow came out as quick as the green when Ed Kennedy spun in turn 2. On the restart, Kaiser holds the point but the yellow comes out again as Ron Lufcy and Bruce McConigall get together on the backstretch with McConigall getting the worse part. McConigall ends his night on the hook and not very happy with Lufcy.
On the restart, it is Donny Williams who takes the point followed by Earl Beckner, Cory Kaiser, Ron Lufcy and Ed Kennedy. By lap 2, Dale Clouser has moved into fifth with Kennedy going to sixth. By lap 5, Clouser is third and looking towards Beckner and Williams.
Beckner could get right on Williams's tail but could not make the pass as Williams held the point. Lufcy was able to pass Kaiser and take over fourth. Williams holds strong and wins his second race of 2004 followed by Earl Beckner, Dale Clouser, Ron Lufcy, and Cory Kaiser.
Dale Clouser and Cory Kaiser took the heat wins.
Brent Brown had the pole for the Super Stock feature but it was Jeff Colburn who took the point on the green followed by Charlie Collins, Brent Brown, Josh Wronkowski, and Tim Edmundson. With no cautions in this feature, it was the Charlie Collins - Jeff Colburn show as the two fought each other hard for the lead.
Collins is able to take the point from Colburn and hold Colburn off. Jack Lenzen and Ron Whaley work their way into the top five pushing Josh Wronkowski out to sixth place.
Collins holds the point and takes the checkered in spite of all the efforts of Colburn to pass.
Following Collins to the checkered was Jeff Colburn, Ron Whaley, Jack Lenzen, and Brent Brown. Ron Whaley took the heat win.
Mike Dohm had the pole for the Strictly Stock feature but it was Jeremy Hovencamp who quickly took the point on the green followed by Jose Rivera, Mike Dohm, James Smith, and Derek Slade. Todd McCrary, with his famous "pink" machine, moves from the rear of the field to fifth and begins to make his march to the front. McCrary works his way to second but Hovencamp cannot be caught. Hovencamp takes the win followed by Todd McCrary, Mike Dohm, Derek Slade and Jose Rivera. Jeremy Hovencamp took the heat win.
Ed Driggs won the Demo Derby with Bam Bam in second.
OFFICAL RESULTS
TOMMY PATTERSON MEMORIAL PENSKE RACING SHOCKS UNITED PRO
MODIFIED 50 LAPS:
1. #89 Lee Collins Fast Qualifier: 18.292
2. #15 Tank Tucker
3. #00 Brad May
4. #66 Jerry Symons
5. #0 Kevin Durden
6. #1 Wayne Jefferson Hard Charger
7. #77 John Gerstner
8. #32m Alan McCafferty
9. #57 Jim "Hoot" Flynn
10. #01E Steve Gainey
11. #19 Mike Johnson
12. #70 Dave Savicki
13. #01 J. F. McClellan
14. #06 Greg Nordstrom Top Rookie
15. #14 Glen Bradley
16. #4 Ronald "Blackie" Blackard
17. #88 Paul Duncan
18. #47 Wally Patterson
19. #7 Mark Vandevender
20. #51 Chad Pierce
21. #34 Mark Emberson DNS
22. #70 Jeremy Gerstner DNS
THUNDER ROADSTERS
1. #90 Hutch Hudson
2. #75 Randy Dye
3. #60 Jim Wade
LATE MODEL
1. #43 Randy Dye
2. #64 Donald Hess
3. #7 Charlie Merz
4. #26 Troy Atkins
5. #48 Mark Smith
6. #119 Josh Schmidt
7. #4 Cynthia Strahley
8. #62 Travis Wilson
9. #23 David Pletka
10. #52 Hank Baker
11. #Slick Davis
SPORTSMAN
1. #111 Donny Williams
2. #3 Earl Beckner
3. #30 Dale Clouser
4. #07 Ron Lufcy
5. #48 Cory Kaiser
6. #18 Ken Lewton
7. #51 Ed Kennedy
8. #08 Paul Hudson
9. #47 David Gibbs
10. #7 Tom Gamache
11. #6 Bruce McGonigall
SUPER STOCK
1. #23 Charlie Collins
2. #3 Jeff Colburn
3. #2 Ron Whaley
4. #211 Jack Lenzen
5. #57 Brent Brown
6. #21 Josh Wronkowski
7. #66 Tim Edmondson
8. #27 Barry Parks
9. #31 Paul Cornelius
10. #8x Ferris Crews
11. #45 Mike Soukup
STRICTLY STOCK
1. #39 Jeremy Hovencamp
2. #24q Todd McCrary
3. #21x Mike Dohm
4. #126 Derek Slade
5. #73 Jose Rivera
6. #65 James Smith
7. #X Chris Guidry
8. #75 Tim Logue
9. #78 Scott Sherrill
10. #14 Adam Soukup
11. #61 Kenneth Walker
DEMO DERBY
1. Ed Driggs
2. Bam Bam
Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board!
<news@karnac.org>or send a letter to the editor!
|
