Winchell Makes Statement With Late Model Win At Orlando
By Dave Westerman
Joe Winchell led the Goodyear Challenge LM race flag to flag.
Orlando Speedworld kicked off the 2006 racing season with a great night of competition that offered a little bit of everything.
The big event of the evening was the season opener for the Goodyear Challenge Late Models which featured a mix of veterans and young rookies that would eventually lead to some wild racing.
A.J. Currelli topped the 28 car field in time trials with a lap of 13.900 seconds while 2005 Florida Mini Stock Challenge champion Dustin Deschamps was second quick in his first start with the Goodyear Late Models, stopping the clock at 13.964. Sam Watts was third quick at 14.000.
The race would get off to a rocky start as outside pole sitter Don Hess got loose and spun coming off turn four sliding down the track and collecting the car of 2005 Goodyear Challenge champion Rich Clouser. It was a tough start to 2006 for Clouser as his car was towed to the pits and he was credited with last place.
The second attempt was better as veteran Joe Winchell of Davie sped to the early lead from his pole position start, but before lap two could be completed a multi car mess took place in turns three and four that sent several cars to the pits for repairs and eliminated the machines of Charlie Vest and Phil Tapia.
Winchell continued to set a blistering pace until the field was slowed again as Travis Cope and Sam Watts tangled just past the flag stand sending Watts' car hard into the wall. Watts was out while Cope continued.
Winchell again pulled away as Derrick Kelley and fast timer Currelli began to make their presence felt. The two were fighting for fourth when Kelley made a low side move going into turn one, turning Currelli around. Charles Kopach spun to avoid and ended up getting into the wall. An unhappy Kelley went to the back of the pack while Currelli kept his spot.
Hess was still running strong despite damage from the opening lap incident, but running well behind leader Winchell. Third place Chuck Burkhalter was putting the pressure on Hess when Hess got loose going into turn three and spun. Travis Cope had nowhere to go and crashed into Hess' car with both racers being eliminated from the race.
Winchell set the pace through two more caution periods as Currelli moved up and got past Burkhalter for second. The red flag was displayed at lap 82 after Chris Huntoon blew an engine going into turn three and backed into the wall.
Following the restart, Currelli was able to put pressure on Winchell for a couple of laps, but Winchell had his car hooked up and pulled away, slowed only by a lap 94 caution when Deschamps spun out of fourth place.
Winchell raced untouched to the checkered flag with Currelli second and Burkhalter third. Derrick Kelley raced back to fourth at the finish taking advantage of Chuck Abell's last lap spin. Greg Kaouk drove a steady race to grab fifth spot. Rounding out the top ten were Troy Hall, Amanda Gogel, Jeremy Colangelo, Kopach, and Justin Larson. Colangelo earned the Rookie of the Race award as well as the Hard Charger award.
Alan Bruns led flag to flag to top the Open Wheel Modifieds out-gunning defending Modified champion Corey Freed, Mark Emberson, Hoot Flynn, and Jack Arnold III.
Alan Bruns took the season opening Modified feature Friday night at Speedworld.
Rounding out the top ten were Shain Held, Tom Root, Matt Wheeler, Blake Lehr, and Bob Beiler. Modified heats were won by Freed and Chuck Burkhalter.
Richard Hight got the 2006 season off to a good start after a rough personal end to 2005 by winning the Sportsman feature. Billy Cuddy ran a strong second while rookie Bryan Silas took third after winning the heat. Timmy Todd, Jr. and Leonard Hearndon rounded out the top five.
Pedie Allison notched a wire to wire win in the Mini Stocks topping Dick Laszlo, Kelly Jarrett, Tim "Missleman" McPhail, and Bob "Mitsubishi" Miller. The twin heats for the Mini Stocks went to Allison and McPhail.
The Super Stock feature saw a wild finish. Roger Benton and Bobby Riley were battling for the lead on the final lap, but tangled heading for the checker. As they continued to pound each other to the flag, Racin' Jason Foster sped by them both to take the win. Riley and Benton crashed their way across the stripe to finish second and third, finally ending up in a heap in turn one where fourth place finished Dave Wright plowed into Benton's car. No one was hurt in the mess, but the cars were in bad shape. Rookie Bobby Byars led the first half of the race and held on for fifth. Super Stock heats were won by Foster and Frisbee.
The Strictly Stock feature also had a "thank you very much" finish as that's just what Adam Soukup had to say as the two cars running in front of him tangled coming to the line allowing Soukup to take the win. Jay Mullins was second ahead of Jerry Atherton, Robert Remus and Bill Spence. Winners of the heats were Soukup and Brent Bruner.
The new Junior Stocks made their first appearance with Jacob Cameron topping Adam Owen and Jeff Cuddy in the Junior Division while Cody Pierson topped the Seniors leading Jessie Cuddy, Devon Cuddy, Chad Cameron and Alex Fountain to the stripe. Owen won the Juniors heat and Jessie Cuddy topped the Seniors heat.
OFFICIAL RESULTS ORLANDO SPEEDWORLD - MARCH 17
GOODYEAR CHALLENGE LATE MODEL 100<./B>
1. #57 Joe Winchell, Davie 2. #2 A.J. Curreli, Daytona Beach 3. #1x Chuck Burkhalter, Clermont 4. #21 Derrick Kelley, Auburndale 5. #31 Greg Kaouk, Southwest Ranches 6. #30 Troy Hall, Coral Springs 7. #4K Amanda Gogel, New Smyrna 8. #05 Jeremy Colangelo, Deland 9. #53 Charles Kopach, Clermont 10. #88 Justin Larson, Safety Harbour 11. #83 Joe Strehle, Deland 12. #51 Dustin Deschamps, Brooksville 13. #22 Alli Owens, S. Daytona 14. #19 Chuck Abell, Apopka 15. #32x Ali Zargaran, Pompano 16. #99 Dean Ferri, Deerfield 17. #19x Gary Fountain, Minneola 18. #30x Chris Huntoon, Port Charlotte 19. #40 Jeremy Goddard, Naples 20. #64 Don Hess, Geneva 21. #26 Travis Cope, Bronson 22. #73 Sam Watts, Winter Springs 23. #37 Red Vann, Wesley Chapel 24. #38 Paul Barnhill, Crestview 25. #83x Eric Cunningham, Vero Beach 26. #32 Charlie Vest, Ocoee 27. #16 Phil Tapia, Sanford 28. #9 Rich Clouser, Palm Bay
Top Rookie: Jeremy Colangelo Hard Charger: Jeremy Colangelo
OPEN WHEEL MODIFIED
1. #4B Alan Bruns 2. #12 Corey Freed 3. #30 Mark Emberson 4. #57 Jim "Hoot" Flynn 5. #84 Jack Arnold 6. #55 Shane Held 7. #19 Tom Root 8. #97 Matt Wheeler 9. #4 Blake Lehr 10. #44 Bob Beiler 11. #8 Randy Froehlich 12. #05 Mike Murphy 13. #51 Chuck Burkhalter DNS
SPORTSMAN
1. #23 Richard Hight 2. #64 Billy Cuddy 3. #44 Bryan Silas 4. #25 Timmy Todd Jr. 5. #95 Leonard Hearndon 6. #55 Tom Vento 7. #22 Robert Gaier 8. #8 Glen Castro 9. #20 Justin Reynolds
MINI STOCK
1. #92 Pedie Allison 2. #07 Dick Laszlo 3. #97 Kelly Jarrett 4. #7 Tim McPhail 5. #02 Bob Miller 6. #10 Michael Seay 7. #98 Josh Hermann 8. #77 Randy Blakeslee 9. #43 Tom Rose 10. #09 Bob Kelchner 11. #24 John Cook 12. #13 Darrell Jacobs 13. #85 Rex "Boneman" Hollinger 14. #78 Tommy Morrison 15. #06 Heather Suggs
SUPER STOCK
1. #49 Jason Foster 2. #52 Bobby Riley 3. #14 Roger Benton 4. #65 Dave Wright 5. #12 Bobby Byars 6. #316 Ray Mullis 7. #17 Bruce Gayton 8. #86 Johnny Brown 9. #8 Matthew Jarrett 10. #7 Vince Keeley 11. #00 Michael Gennett 12. #07 Daniel Laszlo 13. #3 James Frisbie 14. #4 Ray Brown 15. #69 Gary Cameron 16. #40 Kenny Kirk 17. #22 Todd Ansel
JR. STOCKS (8-11)
1. #69 Jacob Cameran 2. #4 Adam Owens 3. #64 Jeff Cuddy
JR. STOCKS (12-15)
1. #57 Cody Pierson 2. #64 Jessie Cuddy 3. #14 Devon Cuddy 4. #69 Chad Cameron 5. #06 Alex Fortune
STRICTLY STOCK
1. #14 Adam Soukup 2. #17 Jay Mullens 3. #07 Jerry Atherton 4. #16 Robert Remus 5. #52 Bill Spence 6. #54x Brian Lynch 7. #20x 8. #20 Brent Bruner 9. #16x Bob Snyder 10. #22 11. #376 12. #8 Jerad Mullinnix 13. #80 Steven Streight 14. #77 David Lasky 15. #37 Tim Conlon 16. #33 Andy Richards 17. #54 Joe Jordan 18. #21a Anthony Robinson 19. #X Warren Schuur
