Bass & Taylor Extend Points Leads Toward Fastruck Championships
Bill Green
Charlotte County, FL (Sept. 17th, 2005) - Charlotte County Speedway fans reaped the action packed rewards of a FasTruck field that counted 22 Pros and 15 Kids strong. The big winners on the track would be the current points leaders Sean Bass in the Pro ranks and Fast Kid Spencer Taylor as both extended their leads.
Qualifying has become very important as the improved starting positions often keep you clear of mid-pack race trouble. Fast Kids were up first and quick time went to a very quick Drew Brannon at 16.586, leaving Travis Hanson second at 16.600. Third fast was points leader Taylor with a 16.800 edging out close points rival Levi Hobbs' 16.861. Filling out the top five junior speedsters would be new comer Joe Coulter at 16.847.
FasTruck Pros saw the elder statesman of the "Hialeah Posse" George Morales clock a tenth faster than current points leader Bass at 16.609, yet slower than young Brannon whom qualified just minutes earlier. Bass settled for second quick, 16.703 while his closes points threat Gary Foxworth stayed close with a 16.708. Fourth on the Pro list would be Jake Reedy, 16.728 and the final top-5 time went to Stuart Robertson at 16.767.
Fast Kids action started quickly as a few new names in the young gun class found the learning curve to be tuff going. The female ranks in FasTruck racing improved with the arrival of 12 year old Blair Brown of Palatka, Florida getting her first start in the full size race trucks. Also getting his first shot at the Fast Kid competition would be 14 year old Kyle Eastham traveling from Ovido, Florida.
Along with Anthony Campi's second race in his new #81 Waterside Reality machine coming home 9th on the night and bettered only by a 7th from Joe Coulter's #2 after his resent debut. So as new youngsters enter the Fast Kids ranks each week, several older Kids division racers are looking forward to making the move into the Pro ranks.
The "Q" Auto & Injury Attorneys 25-Lap Feature saw Drew Brannon visit Victory Lane for the second time in 2005. Brannon swept qualifying and the race, starting on the pole and going flag to flag for the win. Second place would go to points leader Spencer Taylor, with Levi Hobbs loosing ground in the points chase finishing third. Fourth would be Travis Hanson in a handsome new #41 machine. Leaving Brian Blum to round out the top 5.
FasTruck Pros went 50-laps for the Budweiser "King of Beers" Feature. Pole sitter Robertson got the luck of the invert, but would wind up 8th as the field scrambled to move forward. Fast qualifier Morales would start 12th after winning the last Citrus County race. That left the other top qualifiers to battle up front until Morales worked his way through traffic.
The big story early would be under funded Jake Reedy keeping the M1 Tank out front for the first 36 laps. That's how long it took hot-shoe Sean Bass to make the patented Bass Pass, working the inside several times, faking the outside run and countering with the big inside move. Plus the Mopar pilot got a major points boost when Gary Foxworth, second in the championship chase by only 13 points coming in, took his 25 Today's Graphics ride to the pits for a new shoe (tire) while running 3rd. He'd finish 10th in the end.
Bass has made it very hard for Foxworth or even red hot George Morales to catch him in his sprint to the Championship. Yet Morales must have been encouraged by the leap forward toward Foxworth in points, but lost a few to Bass also. Reedy shined in his second place finish, followed by Tom North third, Morales fourth and Brandon Johnson fifth.
Your next opportunity to see the points battle continue for the FasTruck racers will be at Auburndale's Bull Ring on October 1st. But, real diehard FasTruckers will see the FasTruck Six Pack All-Stars in action at Charlotte County on September 24th.
