| Travis Hanson wins Late Model "Halloween 100" at the Charlotte County Motorsports Park | By: Melanie Beckner
Punta Gorda, FL...It was full moon racing at it's best this past Saturday night, at the Charlotte County Motorsports Park. The drivers got to treat alot of kids that were all dressed up in all sorts of diffrent customes, in hope of winning one of the three bicycles that were being giving out for the best customes, courtesy of Wal-Mart.
The Pro 4's were the first feature event of the evening with Corey Bigley leading the field to the start of the twenty five lap feature. On the start Corey Bigley missed a shift and Johnny Balzarano quickly gained the lead. Balzarano pulled away from the field and the battle for second and third was heating up behind him. Lap eighteen, Mike LeMaster and John Pummel Jr had made contact with one another in turn four, while they were battling for the second position. The contact sent LeMaster up the track. LeMaster was able to keep his car going without bringing out the caution. With five laps remaining no one was able to catch up with the leader Johnny Balzarano , so the race was for the second and third positions.
On the last lap it was a tight battle between John Pummel Jr, Mike LeMaster, Dylan Bigley and Derrick Horton . Coming out of turn four and to the checkereds it was Johnny Balzarano who took the win with John Pummel Jr in second and Dylan Bigley in the third spot. After the race was completed, second place finisher John Pummel Jr was disqualified in tech. This Moved Dylan Bigley to second and Mike LeMaster was awarded third place.
Mike Belasar sat on the pole for the Dward car, twenty five lap feature event, with Belasar jumping to the lead. The first caution came out shortly after the first lap was completed from Larry Hubbard Jr spinning out in turn three. Lance Sober drew the next caution three laps later, when he lost control of the car and went spinning coming out of turn four. The remainder of the race ran cautionless and Mike Belsar walked away from the field to take home the win. Roger Richmond was the second place finisher and Tom Pryor was third.
The always exciting Southeastern Champ Kart Series were next for there twenty five lap feature. Ron Letourneau paced the field of karts to the start of the race with Dustin Chisolm taking his car to the lead at the end of the first lap. The first caution waved on lap two when Tim Simmons and Paul Letourneau were battling for position and the two made contact with one anther, that sent both spinning. Meanwhile, Dustin Chisolm the leader had Tara Henderson and JD Cordon all over his back bumper waiting for him to make a mistake.
Ron Sanford brought out the last caution on lap twenty two, when he spun out in turn two and set up a three lap dash to the finish. Chisolm, still held the lead as the race got restart with several cars dicing for positions. Coming to the checkered flag it was a three wide battle for the second position, while Dustin Chisolm took the win. At the line it was Eric Garey that took the second spot and JD Cordon that crossed the line third. However, after the race was completed there was a scuffle between third place finisher JD Cordon and Chasr Fitzgerald and both drivers were disqualified and third place was handed over to Tara Henderson.
Greg Krom set fast time in qualifing for Sportsman and had a lap time of 16.111. The entire field was inverted for the thirty five lap feature and put Andy Allen on the pole for the start of the race. On the start of the race Greg Krom looped his car around in turn four and the race was restarted. Timmy Lowe jumped to the lead on the restart with the caution coming out again after the first lap was completed.
Aaron Williamson and Gary McFall were racing each other hard for the second position when McFall got loose coming out of turn three and spun out. As the caution waved Brandon Morris and Brian Richardson had nowhere to go and they were also tangled up in the mess. The green would not stay back out for long as the next caution came out the following lap for Briam Richardson driving into the back of Gary McFall going into turn four.
The contact sent McFall spinning and this time collecting Gref Krom and Andy Allen. Two laps later Gary McFall and lost it on his own and spun out in turn four and collected Greg Krom again. Tommy Lowe still had the lead on lap twenty one, when Gary MCFall drew the final caution when he spun out by himself on the backstretch. Since it was McFall's third caution he was sent to the pits for the remainder of the race. Timmy Lowe was awarded the victory with Aaron Williamson and Greg Krom completing the top three spots.
Kevin Ingram had the fastest qualifing time for the Late Model "Halloween 100". Ingram set a time of 14.913 barely beating Wayne Morris, who had set a lap time of 14.918. Ingram started the race in the seventh spot with Brian Blum sitting on the pole. As the green flag waved Joe Winchell put his car to the lead and the first caution coming out after the completion of the first lap. Wayne Morris went spinning coming out of turn four, in fromt of most of the field and collected several cars.
The wreck ended Wayne Morris, Billy Bigley Jr and Dustin Dunn's evening, as all three of there cars were heavily damaged to be able to continue. On lap eight, something had fallen off of Robert Regula's car which brought out the caution.
Mario Maresca drew the next caution when his car came to a complete stop at the bottom of turn two. Seven laps later John Yurowich spun his car around in turn one and Yurowich did the same ten laps later. Joe Wichell was still holding the top spot when the caution came out again on lap fourty four. Tommy Styer and Kevin Ingram were racing each other hard and the two got together on the backstretch and sent both cars to the top of turn three.
On the restart the leader, Joe Winchell fell off the pace and came to a stop and brought out the final caution. Winchell had gotten a flat tire and took his car to the pits for a fresh tire. When Wichell went to the pits the lead was handed over to Brian Blum. On the restart Travis Hanson was side by side for the lead with Brian Blum. The following lap Hanson made the pass for lead successful and lead the remaining last half of the race and took home the first place trophy. Brian Blum was able to hold on to the second position and Bobby Shelton completed the the top three.
The Fab 4's ran there entire twenty five lap feature caution free with Kerrrington McFadden leading them to the start of the race. Corey Malinowski took the lead as the green flag waved. Malinowski had a commanding lead and the rest of the field battled for the second and third positions. Corey Malinowski took home the win with Paul Richards in second and Brent Null in third.
The final race of the evening was the School Bus Figure 8, twenty lap feature. It had been a challenging week for the bus racers, as most of the buses had been vandalized the week prior and one even had two bullet holes shot through the block of the motor. Jimmy Volk, whose bus was the one that had the bullet holes in the block, was the polsitter. Jimmy Volk and Michael Volk battled for the lead for a few laps before Jimmy overtook Michael by lap two.
Mike LaPlant made his way through the field and was sitting in second by lap flive and was side by side with Jimmy Volk for the top spot on lap eight. Volk and LaPlant ran next to each other for several laps,while Briam Slentz and Shane Moore battled for third. On the final lap Jimmy Volk edged out Mike LaPlant for the win. Mike LaPlant had to settle for second while it was a three way battle for third spot coming to the checkered. Shane Moore, Brian Slentz got together coming out of the second corner and it alound Michael Volk to pass both buses and take the third position.
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!
|
