| Super Action At FASCAR's Orlando SpeedWorld | THOMAS TOPS GORDON MEMORIAL - PIERCE BAGS SLM WIN AT SPEEDWORLD
By Dave Westerman
Orlando Speedworld was the place to be Friday night as the biggest field of the year for a regular six division show was on hand with the Sportsman cars heading the list with the Homer Gordon Memorial 50 lap event that honored the local Orlando racer who suffered a fatal heart attack two years ago while racing at New Smyrna Speedway.
Orlando's Patrick Thomas had his crew convert their Southern Sportsman Series car over to FASCAR rules and they must have turned all the wrenches correctly as Thomas paced the field in qualifying with a lap of 14.432 seconds, a tick of the watch quicker than Charlie Vest's 14.557. Andy Nichols, Richard Hight, and Gary Bierline rounded out the top five in time trials while pre-race favorite Dale Clouser had a tire go down on his qualifying lap and he ended up turning the slowest time of those qualifying. Clouser would make his presence felt in the race though.
After a "missing man" formation to honor Homer Gordon, the field lined straight up from qualifying with Thomas and Vest on the front row. Vest got the jump and took the lead only to see his car lose power coming off turn two and coast into the infield. While this was happening, Eddie Thornton and Jeff Wright got together with both getting a piece of the wall in turn one. Thornton was done for the night while Wright would make several pit stops during the race and continue although never a factor.
Thomas bolted to the lead on the second start and began to immediately pull away as Hight and Nichols fought for second. Leonard Hearndon pounded the front stretch wall to bring out the caution on lap two. Hearndon was OK but his car was not as wide as it once was. Thomas continued to set the pace on the restart as weekly foes Nichols and Hight battled behind him. That battle escalated into a tangle on lap four with Hight clobbering the wall in turn three in the exact same place he hit it a few weeks ago when he broke several ribs. Fortunately, Hight climbed from his car shaken but apparently unhurt. Meanwhile, Nichols was sent to the rear of the line-up for the restart moving John Hodge into second.
Thomas was again having a good time out front with just token pressure from Hodge and third-running Timmy Todd, Jr. Caution was again displayed on lap eleven as Chris Peludat spun in turn two and was hit by Earl Beckner with both cars done for the evening.
Thomas was still the man out front but Dale Clouser was on the charge taking second place from Hodge on lap 21 and setting sail after Thomas. Hodge began to slow and eventually dropped out just past half way, not because of car problems but because he had forgotten to install a head rest on his driver's seat. "It was just plain driver fatigue, I couldn't hold my head up any more," said Hodge who had his car running better that it had all season.
The second half of the race was now a green flag struggle for almost everyone but leader Thomas. Clouser got within a car length before he began to suffer more tire problems which would eventually put him out of the race. Nichols took his damaged car back into second spot late in the race but had nothing for Thomas even though he got one last shot with two laps to go following the final caution for Jeff Wright who spun in turn two and had his car catch fire.
Thomas easily led the way to the checker with a happy Nichols just glad to come back for the runner-up spot. Timmy Todd, Jr. drove an excellent race to finish third, as the top three were the only cars left on the lead lap. New Smyrna regular Ron Lufcy took fourth, a lap down as was fifth finisher Gary Bierline who drove a good heads-up race as well.
Rounding out the top ten were Mike Soukup, Kerry Belflower (making his first start in some time), Glen Castro, Clouser and Joe Adams who brought out a beautiful new Pontiac in this race. The rest of the finishing field was Wright, Hodge, Peludat, Beckner, Hight, Hearndon, Vest, Thornton, H.B. Shepherd, and Justin Reynolds.
The Super Late Models were out in force with three heats needed to set the starting line-up for an expanded 30 lap feature. Heats were won by Barry Willoughby, Chad Pierce and David Pollen, Jr. with Mario Hernandez being the tough luck guy as he tangled with Rob Kasey and ended up with major front end damage to his Lee Faulk-built racer during heat one.
This race would see some crazy action that got started on the second pace lap when Sam Watts, making his first Super Late Model start in a car just purchased from Michael Williams, slid into Jason Boyd's new ride while they were scrubbing tires sending Boyd's car into the wall and out of the race. Dalton Zehr took the lead at the drop of the green and began to be the locomotive of a nine car freight train. Caution was out quick though as Kasey and newcomer Rick Hurley got tangled up in turn three with both able to continue.
Zehr set the pace on the restart but had Chad Pierce and Jared Allison all over him. Pierce snuck by on the inside for the lead on lap 20 but Zehr closed the door on Allison and maintained second. Bobby Orr spun coming off turn four on lap 22. As the caution was displayed, Rusty Ebersole checked up but Eric Deffendal and Sam Watts did not and the three cars made heavy contact with all three eliminated from action.
Hurley spun on lap 26 for a final caution, but Pierce had his Sports Med/Architectural Sheet Metal Mfg. Chevy running great and he took his first Super Late Model win in style. Zehr held off Allison for second with Barry Willoughby a strong fourth and David Pollen, Jr. fifth. Bobby Fleckinger was sixth ahead of Cliff White, Orr, Hurley and fan favorite Bruce Everett who finished tenth in his first start here in several years. Everett has been battling heath problems and it was a pleasant surprise to not only see the former track champ in the pits but actually behind the wheel of a Super Late Model again.
Ebersole, Watts, Deffendall, Kasey, A.J. factor and Boyd completed the field while the cars of Dusty Cornelius and Hernandez were unable to make the start.
Dennis Wheeler should have more headaches. Despite having a bad headache before race time, Wheeler took off from his pole position and led every lap of the Modified feature against a strong field of competitors. This race went green all the way as Wheeler kept his mount buried in the low groove while Skip Honaker was the guy putting on the show. Honaker went to the outside lane and passed both Alan Bruns and point leader Corey Freed but ran out of time trying to catch Wheeler and settled for second. Freed and Bruns were third and fourth with Jared Allison fifth. Dave Debelius, Andy Safiotti, Brandon Pitts, Terry Bryant, Steve Thornbrugh and Mark Emberson completed the finishers. Modified heats were won by Honaker and Freed.
The Super Stock feature was a crash-filled affair with many cars either being knocked out or looking like they'd been through a war including point leader Jason Foster who was sent to the pits by track rules after being involved in three caution flags, two of which weren't really his fault.
Bobby Riley got behind the wheel of boss Billy Cuddy's car and led every lap to win the feature while watching all the tangles and wall-banging going on in his rear view mirror. Ted Head came from deep in the field but couldn't challenge Riley at the checker and claimed second place honors. Ray Mullis was third ahead of Roger Benton and Brandon Evans with sixth through tenth going to Robert Ward, Todd Ansel, Dave Wright, Tom Vento and Johnny Brown. Rounding out the finishing field were James Frisbee, Matthew Jarrett, William Wingate, John Guinn, Foster, Eddie Moran, Ferris Crews and Kelly Jarrett. Heats for Super Stocks were taken by Riley and Moran.
Sean Bass again dominated the Mini Stock action taking the lead from Kenny Padgett on lap 12 and rolling to an easy win. Padgett's car lost power coming to the checker and he wound up fourth behind Pedie Allison and Michael Seay while Rex "Boneman" Hollinger was fifth ahead of John Cook, Bob DelMastro and Mike Cook. Bass also won the heat.
William Hindman and his Mustang again topped the wild and wooly Strictly Stock feature leading all the way over Tracy Jackson, David Dielman, heat winner Adam Soukup and Robert Remus. Rounding out the top ten were Matt Reynolds, Phil Getchell, Tony Jensen, Brent Bruner and Greg Froelich.
Editors Note: Orlando Speedworld Promoter Rusty Marcus was in Charlotte, NC to receive the Lowe's Motor Speedway Promoter of the Year Award from Humpy Wheeler this weekend.  To hear an extended interview with Rusty CLICK HERE!.
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