The Keels and Wheels Limited Late Model Spring Classic 50-lapper took place at Charlotte County Speedway on April 29. Fast time qualifier was Johnny “Action” Jackson (Ellenton) but he pulled the pill for the tenth starting position. Doug Moff (Fort Myers) and Randy “Hondo” Fox (Lehigh Acres) started on the front row and Moff took an early lead but Mike “Hobo” Hovis (North Fort Myers) was soon knocking on his bumper.

On Lap 8, Hovis got around the leader with Fox and Rusty Hillman (Cape Coral) soon passing second place Richie Anderson (North Fort Myers). Hobo and Hondo raced close until Fox came down on Hovis causing them both to wreck on the front stretch taking them both out of contention for a win.

Hillman was the leader on the restart with Mike Greenwell (Alva) behind him in second and Fast Qualifier Jackson in third. Despite a last lap move on the outside by Greenwell to pass Hillman, Hillman held him off and took the win!

After the 30-car melee from the week before, the Road Warrior division tried a new way to qualify for the feature race by using their heat race finish results. Fourteen cars from the first heat and ten cars from the second heat moved up to the feature race. Jesse Gargus (North Fort Myers) and Joe Bosey (Englewood) were the heat winners and ensured a spot in the feature race. It still took several restarts to get the “Thundering Herd” underway. Gargus led the race from the start , taking his first feature in impressive style. Joe Lippincott (Port Charlotte) and Del Beckner (Naples) rounded out the Top 3.
Pole Sitter Brian Richardson (North Fort Myers) took an early, wide lead in the Big Wheels Mini Stocks, building a straightaway lead at times during the caution strewn race. Doug Wilson (Cape Coral), Points Leader Frank Welch (North Fort Myers) and Steve Arnold (Cape Coral) moved up quickly through the field after starting well back in the field. Suzanna Navarro (Naples) was spun and wrecked hard into the wall, causing a red flag with a forklift removing her car from the track after she emerged uninjured. Richardson took the win, followed by Wilson, Arnold and Welch. Richardson and Wilson also took home heat wins.

Charlie Savage (Punta Gorda) led the Oldies 95 Open Wheel Modifieds feature race with Scott Adema (Fort Myers) and Dave Oblinger (North Fort Myers) battling for second until Adema took Savage to the wall on Lap 10 causing the second big wreck in the division, which resulted in Savage and Oblinger’s early retirement from the race. With Adema being penalized to the rear of the field, Bob Parker (Sebring) inherited the lead with Double Points Champion Chris Turner (Naples) in second until Parker’s steering broke, causing him to come down on Turner causing Parker to go airborne and go into to the pits on the hook. Turner took the win, followed by “Ol’ Man” Dave Beckner (Naples) in his first open wheel race and Point Leader Adema finishing second and third. Chris Dean (Fort Myers) and Steve Duerr (Cape Coral) won the heat races.


While dad, Dave Beckner, was pushing his car through technical inspection, son Flyin’ Bryan Beckner (Naples) started on the first row of the Sportsman division feature race, alongside Pole Sitter Jeremy Goddard (Naples), who spun on his own early in the race and was penalized to the rear. Walter Bolyard (Punta Gorda) led from the first lap with young Beckner running behind in a distant second. Meanwhile, Points Leader Raymond “Super Frog” Jones was sneaking up through the field. On the last lap, he overtook Bolyard leaving him to finish second with Mark Chapman (Fort Myers) finishing third. Heat wins went to Beckner and Cliff Bifaro (Naples).


The Fastrucks return to CCS on May 6. Also on the schedule are limited late models, Dwarfs, pure stocks, mini stocks and road warriors. The TBARA Sprints return for the second time this year on May 13.

Charlotte County Speedway is located at 8655 Piper Road , I-75 exit 28, and follow the Charlotte County . Airport signs. Gates open at 4 p.m. and racing begins at 6 p.m. For more information, call 941/575-2442.

by Robin Meiser


CHARLOTTE COUNTY SPEEDWAY RACE RESULTS APRIL 22, 2000

Keels and Wheels Limited Late Model Challenge


1. Rusty Hillman #7
2. Mike Greenwell #39
3. Johnny Jackson #1
4. Chris Libak #64
5. Glenn Morris #107


Road Warriors
1. Jesse Gargus #A1
2. Joe Lippincott #42
3. Del Beckner #73
4. Denny Ray #72
5. Joe Bosey #28


Mini Stocks


1. Brian Richardson #11
2. Doug Wilson #22
3. Steve Arnold #19
4. Frank Welch #96
5. Johnny Allen #68


Open Wheel Modifieds


1. Chris Turner #95
2. Dave Beckner #3
3. Scott Adema #22
4. Kurt Riley #31
5. Richie Corr #26


Sportsman


1. Raymond Jones #8
2. Walter Bolyard #71
3. Mark Chapman #24
4. Buzz Martin #62
5. James Dubose #67

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