Symons Wins Race, Cooper Wins Championship in Ed Meridith Memorial 100 at New Smyrna Speedway
by Jane Smith
Samsula, FL (Nov. 3, 2007) It was a perfect day for a 100 lap modified race at New Smyrna Speedway on Saturday. Not too hot and not too cool. It was the last race for the Extreme Modifieds in their first season and a race which honors Ed Meridith. Nineteen came to race with Robbie Cooper of Bronson setting fast time and drawing a 0 pill for the inversion.
Cooper, who went into the race leading the Extreanme points also became their first champion at the end of the race with his second place finish. But it was Jerry Symons from New Smyrna, who worked all night on his car to race Saturday, that lead from green to checkered.
When the green waved, Symons quickly took the point over Cooper. Lap 6 see the first caution for Alan Bruns who spun in turns 3 and 4 after having slight contact with Tank Tucker. Both were fine and both rejoined the field in the rear. On lap 10, we sadly see Alan McCafferty leave the race and go down pit road and taking that hard left that no one wants to do before the end of the race.
Symons takes the point as the race goes back green over Cooper, Lee Collins, Gary Fountain and Jason Garver. But it is a fast green as the yellow comes out once again for Garver and Fountain, Jr. as they get together and go to the rear for the restart. Symons once again takes the point over Cooper, Collins, Gary Fountain, Sr., and Chad Pierce who is driving Fountain's back-up car.
The top three, Symons, Cooper and Collins pull away from the field as Foutain, Pierce, Tank Tucker, Bobby Joe Woodley and Skip Honaker fight for position. Tucker, who has come from the rear due to the early incident with Bruns, passes Pierce for fifth and is looking now for fourth. Just as Tucker is putting the heat on Fountain, the yellow comes out for Kevyn Terry and J.F. McClelland who have gotten together on the backstretch. Terry goes in for crew attention as McClelland is sadly towed off the track.
Symons once again he has the power for the point as he leads the way over Cooper, Collins, Tucker, Fountain, Sr., Woodley, Honaker, Pierce and Alan Bruns. The caution once again comes out for track conditiions as Bruns has a wild ride down the frontstretch sideways. Bruns is fine and is given back his position since the yellow was for track conditions before his wild ride.
Woodley, who is having a great run, must go down pit road with a flat tire and rejoins the field in the rear for the restart. Woodley, after running Hooter's ProCup, has come back home, and loves racing his modified.
Lap 49 sees the restart as once again Symons has the point over Cooper, Collins, Tucker, and Fountain, Sr. Only three laps later the yellow is shown again as Art Kunzeman has spun high in turns 1 and 2 and rejoins the field in the rear. On the restart it is Symons, Cooper, Collins, Tucker, Fountain, Sr., Honaker, Pierce, Bruns, Garver and Wheeler leading the way.
Jared Allison, who is wheeling Yankee Chuck's famous 00, brings out the caution on lap 62 when he is tapped by Kunzeman and almost hits the wall but manages to keep it off. Allison retires the 00 to the pits as Kunzeman is pushed into the pits. The race geos back green on lap 65 as Symons shows he is the king. However, it is another short green as Shain Held brings out the yellow as he hits the turns 3 and 4 wall. Held, who is leading the points for the Orlando SpeedWorld Modified class, retires to the pits.
Lap 70 sees the restart as Symons leads over Cooper, Collins, Tucker and Fountain, Sr. Cooper, who has had enough of Symons leading the way, begins to look high and low to pass Symons but Symons is not having it. But Honaker does pass Fountain, Sr., and takes over fifth as Fountains goes to sixth. It is now Symons, Cooper, Collins, Tucker and Honaker.
With no more cautions, it is a dog fight to the end. With two laps to go, Cooper does give it his all to pass Symons but Symons does not budge. Symons takes the checkered followed by Robbie Cooper, Lee Collins, Tank Tucker and Skip Honaker..
Symons celebrates in Victory Lane as Cooper is proclaimed the 2007 Extreme Modified Champion.
OFFICIAL RESULTS ED MERIDITH MEMORIAL 100 NOVEMBER 3, 2007 - NEW SMYRNA SPEEDWAY
1. #66 Jerry Symons, New Smyrna 2. #98 Robbie Cooper, Bronson 3. #89 Lee Collins, Immokalee 4. #15 Tank Tucker, Samsula 5. #2 Skip Honaker, Titusville 6. #33x Chad Pierce, Orlando 7. #4b Alan Bruns, Clermont 8. #33 Gary Fountain, Sr., Minneola 9. #98X Bobby Joe Woodley, Palm Bay 10. #77 Gary Fountain, Jr., Apopka 11. #8 Mike Stalnaker, Ocala 12. #97 Matt Wheeler, New Smyrna 13. #27 Jason Garver, Starke 14. #55 Shain Held, Orlando 15. #00 Jared Allison, Cocoa 16. #9 Art Kunzeman, Deltona 17. #13 Kevyn Terry, Citra 18. #01 J.F. McClelland, Starke 19. #32 Alan McCafferty, Clermont
