| RACERS WAIT OUT THE RAIN AT SPEEDWORLD | GOESS, HAIR, SCHILLIG, STOVER AND BUNNELL TAKE WINS
By Dave Westerman
Chelsea Schillig took first feature win at Orlando
The INEX/600 Racing portion of the 4th Annual Winternationals got under way Tuesday at Orlando Speedworld in what would turn out to be a long day thanks to Central Florida's wacky Winter weather.
Heat races were concluded just before the leading edge of a cold front moved in bringing about an hour of heavy thunderstorms that thoroughly soaked everything. However, in less that 15 minutes time, the weather went from pouring rain to bright sunshine and the show was back on.
Two air boats and a blower truck were summoned to help track crews dry things up and after about an hour and a half, the main track was race ready. The newly paved Bandelero track was deemed to wet to run on, so the Bandelero features were canceled and moved to the Wednesday program.
First up was the Legends Car Semi-Pro feature. After two false starts, the front row was moved back two rows to see if things could be done better by a new pair of pole sitters. That would last only to turn one as the new inside front row car of Bryan Silas got turned around and was hit by the car of Travis Baer. Both were out of the race.
The field was re-aligned in single file order from the original line-up putting Chelsea Schillig at the point for the start. The local high school student from Apopka, FL, who has to rush here each day from school just to make her heat race, had won her heat earlier and took off like a rocket at the drop of the green.
John Stancill quickly reeled in Schillig and was giving the young lady a run for her money when the caution flew on lap 10 for Tony Sansom's stalled car in turn two.
With the race time limit of 25 minutes quickly ticking away, Schillig pulled out to a good lead on the restart. Four laps later, Josh Williams had trouble going into turn three with several other cars also doing solo spins.
That set up a green-white-checker finish and Schillig was not to be denied as she took her second career Legends Car feature win and first-ever at her home track of Speedworld. Stancill ran a solid second with Pistone Racing teammate J.R. Allen third, Oregon driver Zach Zimmer fourth and Luke Fleming fifth. Rounding out the top ten were Shaughn McCormick, Jimmy Norman, Ty Dillon, Zach Stroupe and Gene Kirila.
Completing the finishing field were Parker Hammons, Corey Smith, Tanner Berryhill, Darrell Vance, Williams, Greg Frye, Ryan Moore, Chad Hackenbracht, Sansom, Silas and Baer.
Stancill won the second heat while Silas was the victor in heat three.
 The Legend Car Chargers class for less-experienced drivers was up next and they did a great job going all the way green to checker although it was a tough finish for local driver Dalton Bergman who had engine problems on the final lap while running third.
The race was totally dominated by Gastonia, NC driver Matthew Stover as he led all the way and was never challenged. R.S. Senter came home a distant second over George Cushman, Jamie Smith, Bergman and Phillip Bell. Stover also won the heat race.
The Legends Car Pro Division feature saw first heat winner and initial pole sitter Nick Pistone have to go to the back of the field for the start after having to switch to a back-up car. The opening lap also produced the hardest hit of the night as Kyle LaPier and Paddy Rodenbeck tangled sending Rodenbeck's car smashing into the turn four wall. Fortunately Paddy was OK, but his team has to be glad they brought a second car.
With Pistone relegated to the rear, Craig Goess, Jr. inherited the pole slot and made the most of it leading every lap to post a big win. The only thing that slowed Goess was a lap seven caution for a tangle between Thomas Van Wingerden and Roger Austin. Austin was a little "hot under the collar" and rammed Van Wingerden's machine as they lined back up earning Austin a DQ for the evening.
Goess, who hails from Greenville, NC, sped off with an easy win ahead of Jason Dunn who had several car lengths on third finisher Kory Abbott. Pistone had the drive of the night but ran out of laps and settled for fourth at the checker while Cole Miktuk was fifth. Completing the top ten were Rette Causey (up from 17th at the start), Scott Knox, Jesse Bunnell, Kyle Beattie and Paul Schrein, Jr.
The second heat for the Pro class went to Miktuk.
 When Clay Hair has the pole for a Legends Car Masters Division feature, you probably have a pretty good idea what the outcome will be... yet another feature win for the veteran driver from Mt. Pleasant, NC. Hair would go wire to wire for the win in a race slowed just twice. The second incident produced a red flag after Brian Weimer and Bruce Little tangled and crashed hard into the turn one wall. Both drivers were fine but the cars were not.
Hair led easily to the checker ahead of Tim Brockhouse, Canadian Cy Harvey, 2007 Florida Masters Division Champion Andy Logan and veteran Cotton Spry who ran second much of the race until his engine started running sour. Rounding out the top ten were Mike Verhaagh, Jimmy Rodriguez, Larry Friddle, Scotty Edwards and Gary Bursey with the remainder of the finishing field consisting of Ronnie Poland, Sr., Mike Beebe, Frank Johnston, Tom Clarke, Rick Whitmore, Bob Wilson, Little and Weimer.
Heat races for the Masters went to Hair, Spry, and Brockhouse.
 In Thunder Roadster action, Jesse Bunnell grabbed the early feature lead from heat winner Thomas Van Wingerden until Van Wingerden took the top spot away on lap ten. However, his mount suffered engine problems and he surrendered the top spot back to Bunnell on lap 18 as Van Wingerden pulled off the track. Bunnell claimed the win well ahead of second and third place Steve Carter and Tom Clarke.
Bandelero heat races were held before the storms hit with Bandit wins going to Bodie Blackburn and Zach Stroupe. The Young Gun heat went to Ronnie Bassett, Jr. while Christopher McKinney was the Outlaw heat winner.
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