| Fritts, May and Deschamps top USA International | by John Berti
Lakeland, FL - April 30, 2005 - The FASCAR Sunbelt Super Late Models, Goodyear Challenge Series Late Models and the American Building Material/Florida Mini Stock Challenge Series all were very well represented with significant car counts and each ran impressively at USA International Speedway on Saturday.
Qualifying was determined through time trials which were conducted in mid afternoon.
The FASCAR Sunbelt Super Late Models took to the 3/4 mile asphalt oval first. A total of 29 cars went under the clock with Jeff Scofield coming away with the fastest time with a lap at 20.746 seconds.
The Goodyear Challenge Series Late Models were next up to qualify. An impressive 34 cars took time. When it was all said and done it was Brad May at the top of the list with a lap time of 21.464 seconds.
Last to take to the oval for their qualifying was the American Building Material/Florida Mini Stock Challenge Series. An astounding 44 cars took time. Dustin DesChamp came away with the best time of 24.477 seconds. The first 22 qualifiers from time trials were automatically transferred to the feature. The remainder were relegated to running in one of two consolation races from which five cars would qualify. The first consolation was won by Don Faunce followed by Scott Sharpe, Paul Combast, Mary Green and Billy Carlbert while Lee Davis took the second consolation trailed by Joshua Robertson, John Peterson, Mark Moniz and Tom Zimmerman.
The first feature to take to the speedway was the FASCAR Sunbelt Super late Models for the Mark III Conversions 125. The top nine qualifiers were inverted to set up the starting line up. This put Scotty Crockett on the pole flanked by Georgia driver Matt Hawkins.
At the drop of the green it was Hawkins jumping into the lead with Crockett second and Wayne Anderson third.
Anderson got by Crockett for second on lap 19 with Crockett going pit side on lap 22 when smoke began to pour out from the rear of his car.
The running order at the time was Hawkins, Anderson, Jeff Choquette, Mike Fritts and Mario Gosselin.
Choquette and Fritts managed to pass Anderson on lap 34. One lap later Gosselin moved by Anderson into fourth.
The running order would remain the same until lap 59 when Anderson went by Gosselin back into fourth spot.
Jason Boyd was making his presence known coming up from his 14th starting position to get by Gosselin on lap 65. A few laps later he was into fourth taking the measure of Anderson.
It was now Fritts turn to make some noise as he passed Choquette on lap 83 and dove under Hawkins up the front stretch to take the lead on lap 85.
A spirited battle between Choquette and Anderson came to a destructive end as they got crossed up in turn two on lap 91. They ended up taking each other out as well as Joe Boyd. There were no physical injuries just injured pride.
The restart had Fritts leading followed by Hawkins, Gosselin, Jason Boyd, and David Rogers. Gosselin and Jason Boyd got by Hawkins as the race went back to green.
The remainder of the race saw Fritts pulling away to a half lap lead with great side by side battles for second between Gosselin and Jason Boyd and fourth position between Hawkins and Rogers.
Lap after lap the foursome had the crowd on their feet with Rogers finally getting the better of Hawkins on lap 124 to move into fourth.
Gosselin and Jason Boyd took it right down to the checkered flag with Gosselin just edging out Jason Boyd for the second spot.
The top five finishers were Fritts, Gosselin, Jason Boyd, Rogers and Hawkins.
The Goodyear Challenge Series Late Models were next up for their 100 lap main event. Former NASCAR Winston Cup driver Rick Wilson was on the pole for this race with Jesse Dutilly joining him to make up the front row. Wilson got the lead immediately outracing Dutilly to turn one.
Wilson held on to the lead through the first ten circuits.
Meanwhile Brad May, who started ninth on the grid was quickly making his way to the front passing Greg Kaouk, Jerry Arturo and Dutilly into second by lap seven. Wilson drifted high coming off of turn two on lap 11 and that's all May needed to shoot into the lead.
Arturo got under Wilson for second on lap 26. While Wilson was hung out to dry on the high side he was also passed by Tim Russell, A.J. Curilli and Kaouk.
The running order remained May, Arturo, Russell, Curilli and Kaouk until lap 89 when Curilli retired to the pits thus putting Wilson back into the top five.
There was no change in the running order at the front of the field down to the checkers with May in for the win, Arturo, 2nd; Russell, 3rd; Kaoul,
4th and Wilson, 5th.
The American Building Materials/Florida Mini Stock Challenge Series capped off the night. Keith Roggen and Chris Thornton brought the field around for the start of the 35 lap feature.
Roggen blasted into the lead but on the second circuit he lost control of his car on the backstretch doing a 180. Brian Dorer, with nowhere to go, smashed into the rear quarter panel of Roggen's car spinning him around like a top. Both drivers were all right, but their cars suffered heavy damage.
On the restart it was Sean Bass being shown as the new race leader. His lead would be shortlived as Rick Sirmans shot by him for the lead on lap four to become the third different race leader.
Sirmans remained in command up through the mid point of the event when FMSC champion and current point leader Dustin DesChamp completed his charge from the 20th starting position to take the top spot on lap eighteen. Jason Bowser, Ronnie Larson, Robbie Storer and Chuck Frazier made up the top five at that point.
Larson spun out while running third on lap 20. Storer's car caught fire briefly on lap 25 necessitating a caution.
When the checkered flag waved 10 laps later it was DesChamp heading to victory lane. Sirmans held on for second followed to the stripe by Bowser, Robbie Yoakam and Jay Zolciak.
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