Goodyear Challenge Late Model Bunny Hop 100 presented by Volusia Pennysaver this Saturday at New Smyrna Speedway
by Jane Smith
Joe Winchell led the Goodyear Challenge LM race flag to flag on March 18 at SpeedWorld
Samsula, Fla. (April 12, 2006) The Goodyear Challenge Late Model Bunny Hop 100 presented by Volusia Pennysaver headlines the Saturday night program at New Smyrna Speedway April 15th. This will mark the third time the Goodyear Challenge has raced in 2006.
The opening race was at Orlando SpeedWorld where Joe Winchell took the checkered. The second race was at Bronson Motor Speedway with rookie Travis Cope taking the checkered. Now we move to New Smyrna Speedway with an unknown winner.
Twenty five cars were at Bronson Motor Speedway on a very hot afternoon. Steve Dorer set fast time but pulled the number seven pill putting Rookei Travis Cope on the pole. Cope went on to lead every lap and get his first feature win in the Goodyear Series. Going into race three, Joe Winchell leads the points but not far behind Winchell is A.J. Curreli who considers New Smyrna is home track. Curreli has a number of wins under his belt at New Smyrna and will be a definite contender for the checkered.
New to the series and third in points is Troy Hall. Hall has many Late Model races under his belt and has proven to be just as good in the Goodyear Challenge as he was in the SARA Late Model Series. Greg Kaouk and Joe Winchell came from the same track, Hialeah Speedway which is not closed. Kaouk has had his ups and downs but always is up in points. Kaouk goes into race three fourth in points. Chuck Burkhalter stands fifth in points but you can never write out Burkhalter. He runs strong and runs hard and has one goal in mind, to win the 2006 Championship.
With his win at Bronson, Travis Cope stands sixth in points followed by fellow rookie Dustin Deschamps who comes from the Florida Mini Stock Challenge. Deschamps has tasted many victories in the Mini Stock Challenge and decided to move up this year to Late Model. Deschamps stands seventh in points. Amanda Gogel, one of two female drivers this year in the Goodyear Challenge, has had her fair share of hard knocks but nothing stops Amanda. Amanda began racing in the FASTKIDS and has moved her way up also thru Late Models. Amanda is currently eighth in points.
2005 Goodyear Challenge Late Model Champion Rich Clouser had a bad beginning to the 2006 season. He was knocked out of the race at Orlando and stood last place in points. But, as always, Clouser came back at Bronson and with his third place finish, moved to ninth in points. Clouser is another definite contender for the win at New Smyrna.
Derrick Kelly is well known for his Hooter's ProCup days but decided he wanted to have some fun this year and go back to his racing roots. But at Bronson, Kelly did not have fun and was the first car out which put him tenth in points. But watch the No. 21 Saturday as he goes to the front and causes fans to stand on their feet.
Also expected for the Goodyear Challenge Late Model Bunny Hop 100 are Alli Owens, Charles Kopach, Justin Larson, Dean Ferri, Jeremy Colangelo, Charlie Vest, Jeremy Goddard, Chris Huntoon, Chuck Abell, Matt Martin, Sam Watts, Ali Zargaran, Paul Barnhill, Gary Fountain. Eric Cunningham just to name a few.
Along with the Goodyear Challenge Late Model Bunny Hop 100 will be the Modifieds, Pro Trucks, Sportsman, Super Stock, Mini Stock, and Strictly Stock. There will be an on-track autograph session for the fans with the Goodyear Challenge drivers. Pit gate will open at 2 pm with practice alone for the Goodyear Challenge Late Models from 3 to 4 pm with division practice to follow. Qualifying for the Goodyear Challenge Late Model Bunny Hop 100 will be at 6:30 pm.
Grandstands open at 6 pm with racing at 7:30 pm. General admission is $15.00, students and seniors $10..00, children 11 and under FREE. There will be an Easter Egg Hunt for the kids, so kids, bring your Easter baskets.
New Smyrna Speedway is located between SR44 and SR417 between I-95 and I-4 eight miles west of New Smyrna Beach in beautiful Samsula, Florida. For further information go to www.fascar.org.
