Moff has "The Luck of the Irish" on St. Patrick's Day at New Smyrna Speedway
by Jane Smith
Samsula, Fla. (March 17, 2007) St. Patrick's Day, a good day, greeted the fans and racers at New Smyrna Speedway as they opened their 2007 season. Green was the color for many and it was a good day but a cool day with our newest cool front upon us.
Twenty five of the finest Late Model drivers in our coolish state came to try their luck at the second race of the season for the Goodyear Challenge Late Models. A few faces were missing from last week's Goodyear race at Lakeland but a few new faces were added.
Justin Larson of Safety Harbor, who was all decked in green for St. Patrick's Day, set fast time with a 17.933. Completing the top five were Jason Boyd of Orlando, Doug Moff of Ft. Meyers, A.J. Curreli of Daytona Beach, and Drew Brannon of Miami. Larson pulled the 3 pill for the inversion putting Doug Moff on the pole for the 100 lap race.
Jason Boyd takes the lead on the green followed by Moff, Larson, Curreli, and Brannon. But it is a very short green as the leader has problems on lap 4 and is seen against the wall in turns 1 and 2 as the car dumps water on the track. Boyd goes in for his crews' attention along with Johnny Kay who has gotten some damage in the process. Kay returns and is able to continue.
By lap 13 the mess is cleaned and the race goes back green as Moff holds the point over Larson, Curreli, Kay and Darren Brown. But another short green as the yellow comes out again on lap 17 for Alan Bruns who has spun in turn 4 along with J.R. McMichael. Both seems to be okay but must restart in the rear of the field.
The race goes back green on lap 20 with Moff, Larosn, Curreli, Brannon, Brown, Sam Watts, Rich Clouser, Joe Winchell, Daniel Keene Jr. and Greg Kaouk lead the way.
ST Patricks Day Brings Out the Green in All of us
But lap 28 sees the yellow once again for Stuart Dutton who has problems and slows on the track. Moff holds the point on the restart but things just seem to be going nuts as the yellow comes out again on lap 45 for Alan Bruns and Richard Douglas who both have bad luck. Bruns is against the turn 2 wall and Douglas is spun at the entrance to the pits on the backstretch. Both drivers are fine but not happy with their night.
Even with all the restarts, Moff holds his point as Larson tries but does not succeed to challenge Moff for the lead. However, Curreli finds his hands full of a very hard charging young Drew Brannon on his tail. By lap 65 Brannon is seriously challenging Curreli for third. Brannon makes the pass and makes it work as Sam Watts follows on Brannon's coattails as Curreli is shuffled back to fifth. A quick yellow comes out for debris on the track and it is back racing again.
Lap 70 sees the restart with Moff, Larson, Brannon, Watts, and Curreli in the top five. Rich Clouser, who is running sixth, finds his hands full of Joe Winchell who does pass Clouser for sixth with Chuck Burkhalter following thru also leaving Clouser eighth. In the front five, Brannon passes Larson for second as Larson settles into third. Short track racing at it's best going on.
Just when you think it is safe, it isn't. Lap 75 sees Larson spin in turns 1 and 2 bringing out what every racers does not want to see, the yellow flag. This usually means "sorry Charlie, go to the rear" which is exactly what Larson did.
Lap 77 sees the green as Moff leads the way over Watts, Brannon, Curreli, and Winchell. Winchell tries Curreli for fourth but Curreli is not moving and maintains his position.
Dave Grosswiler and Daniel Keene Jr. bring out the yellow on lap 81 as Grosswiler spins down the frontstretch. Neither Grosswiler nor Keene were damanaged but both sent to the rear for the restart.
Lap 85 sees the restart and bad luck for A.J. Curreli who breaks while running once again up front. This boy definitely needs more four leaf clovers in his car.
Larson, who was sent to the rear, is on a mission and is coming up fast. Moff continues his lead with Watts in second. Brannon, who is third, taps on Watts's tail but in doing so does something to his car and slows against the pit wall. The yellow is thrown as Brannon sees his night come to an end after a very good run and only six laps to go.
Moff takes the checkered for his first win of 2007 in the Goodyear Challenge Late Model Series. Following Moff over the checkered was Sam Watts, Joe Winchell, Justin Larson, and Chuck Burkhalter.
Nex up for the Goodyear Challenge Late Model drivers will be Bronson Motor Speedway on April 7. For more information on the Goodyear Series go to www.fascar.org.
OFFICIAL RESULTS GOODYEAR CHALLENGE LATE MODEL 100 NEW SMYRNA SPEEDWAY, MARCH 17
1. #46 Doug Moff, Ft. Meyers 2. #73 Sam Watts, Winter Springs 3. #57 Joe Winchell, Davie 4. #88 Justin Larson, Safety Harbor 5. #1x Chuck Burkhalter, Clermont 6. #9 Rich Clouser, Palm Bay 7. #31 Greg Kaouk, Penbroke Pines 8. #119 J.R. McMichael, Davie 9. #16 Daniel Keene, Jr., Weekie Wachee 10. #53 Darren Brown, Ormond Beach 11. #19 Chuck Abell, Apopka 12. #40 Jeremy Goddard, Naples 13. #08 Drew Brannon, Miami 14. #48 Johnny Kay, Deerfield 15. #100 Dean Ferri, Deerfield 16. #23 Dave Grosswiler, Margate 17. #99 Rick Penton, Loxahatchee 18. #98 Ricky Lindner, Deltona 19. #2 A.J. Curreli, Daytona Beach 20. #1xx Richard Douglas, Christmas 21. #4b Alan Bruns, Clermont 22. #Stuart Dutton, Tallahassee 23. #26 Jason Boyd, Orlando 24. #05 Jeremy Colangelo, DeLand DNS 25. #60 Chad Akins, Port Orange DNS
Mini Stock - Features Pos Driver Car # 1 Ted Vulpius 71 2 Rex Christensen V3 3 James Dixson 6X 4 Jeff White 15 5 Benjamin Zell 10 6 Mark Broat 6 7 Cody Blair 81 8 Greg Kopp 71K 9 Joe Rock 2 10 Josh Intoppa 18 11 Chad Carpenter 31 12 Chris Jones 15X 13 Ray Puglisi 11 14 Joseph Gerard 5
Modified - Features Pos Driver Car # 1 Alan Bruns 4B 2 Matthew Wheeler 96 3 Russell Antonucci 46 4 Art Kunzeman 9 5 Jimmy Winks 2X 6 Gary Fountain 33 7 David Le Beau 16 8 Gary Fountain, Jr 77
Sportsman - Features Pos Driver Car # 1 Donny Williams 111 2 Timmy Todd Jr. 25 3 Mike Pletka Inc. 23 4 Philip Luizzo 27 5 Clark Wagner 48 6 Robert Glover 74 7 Dale Howard 63 8 Paul Kitner 911 9 Jason Foster 49 10 Bruce McGonigal 6 11 Ambrose Griffin 05
Strictly Stock - Features Pos Driver Car # 1 Brent Bruner 20 2 Wiiliam Skip Wager 43 3 Doug Wolf 70 4 Harry Armstrong 77 5 Arnold Parent 03 6 Eric Wolf 69 7 Jody Roberts 13 8 Richard Stone 777 9 Rudy Crews 115 10 John Layne 00 11 April McGowan 39 12 Judy Dorton 26 13 Eddie Rush 71 14 Glenn Rhodes 63
Super Stock - Features Pos Driver Car # 1 James Frisbie 3X 2 Steve Green 32 3 Mike Dahm 21 4 Bruce McGonigal 22 5 Andy Wolfe 43 6 Vince Keeler 32X 7 Scott Smith 01 8 Bobby Holley 56 9 Gene Vitiello 99X
Trucks - Features Pos Driver Car # 1 Logan Bordeau 33B 2 Matt Bowers 84 3 Tim Gertsch 29 4 Jessica Murphy 62 5 Jarrad Cawley 31 6 Sonny Buchanan 7 7 Greg Skyta 73
