IT'S TIME TO RACE!!

April 7, 2008 DECAIRE WINS RAIN SHORTENED DICK FRIEDLEY MEMORIAL TBARA MEDIA Troy DeCaire worked his way from the 10th starting position to the lead just in time before the rain began to fall bringing an early end to the TBARA Dick Friedley 50 Lap Memorial Race. 31 cars signed into pits to provide a full field of racing for the fans at Desoto Superspeedway. With weather forecast to approach later in the evening, the TBARA and Desoto staff did an excellent job of expediting the events to get the show in. The evening started off under clear blue skies with a full card of heat race action lining up 10 plus cars in each run. Heat race one went to Sonny Hartley in the DJ Racing 27. In heat race two, Billy Riddle, grandson of legendary Frank Riddle, came home the victor. The third and final heat race of the evening saw Tommy Nichols pilot his own 55 to the win. Larry J. Brazil Jr. was victorious in the special The Job Site Concrete Dash for Cash. This Dash featured the top six drivers in points that were in attendance. Brazil grabbed the early lead and was never headed in the 6 lap event. The B Main proved to be the most exciting qualifying race of the night with Dude Teate and Wendy Mathis running side by side for several laps late in the race. Mathis jumped out to an early lead at the green while Teate worked his way forward from a rear starting position. At the half way mark Teate caught Mathis which then produced an excellent battle for the lead spot for the next 4 laps. Teate finally bested Mathis and went on for the win. In the A Main feature Billy Riddle jumped out to an early lead with Larry J. Brazil Jr. in hot pursuit. Brazil passed Riddle twice but multiple yellows on lap 6 recalled Riddle to the lead. Brazil was finally able to work his way around Riddle for the lead while DeCaire worked his way forward from his 10th starting spot. In typical Desoto fashion, the race was fast and furious with challenges for position occurring throughout the pack, sometimes resulting in three wide racing. On lap 26 with Decaire firmly in the lead, Sonny Hartley and Shane Butler got together in turn 4 bringing out the yellow. While Hartley and Butler’s cars were being sorted the rain began to fall and the race was red flagged. With the volume of rain coming down and a look at the radar it was determined that it would be impossible to restart the race. With 26 laps in the books the race was more than half way over and DeCaire declared the winner. THE FINISH DeCaire, Brazil, Steele, Gimmler, Teate, Alvis, Anderson, B. Hartley, Beard, Retzlaff, Martin, Riddle, Smith, S. Hartley, S. Butler, Mathis, Heisler, Ladner, Stan Butler, Cipray, Fritz, MacMillian, Nichols, Slawiak, Maddox, Aguilar Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on The Real Racin USA Florida Fan Message Board! or Email KARNACto send a letter to the editor!