FASTRUCKS Points Leader Todd Bontrager (Sarasota) was the fast time qualifier at Charlotte County Speedway on April 6. However, it was Danny Foster (Sarasota) who started on the pole and led the first eight laps until Matt Foy (Bradenton) took the lead by going to the outside of Foster while Paul Grynewicz (Hudson) went to the inside of Foster. By Lap 12, Grynewicz was tapping on Foy's back bumper and attempting to pass on the inside when a multi-truck collision caused the caution flag to fall while the broom crew cleaned the track due to a blown engine. Several laps after the race resumed Bontrager passed Grynewicz for second and by Lap 18 he took the lead from Foy. Bontrager took the win and was followed by Grynewicz and Foy.

The Florida Dwarf Car Federation made their monthly appearance at the Speedway in their motorcycle engine powered cars. The excitement started on the first lap when Stan Hope (Fort Myers) did cartwheels coming out of Turn 3, flipping end over end but emerging uninjured after the red flag was thrown. Fast mover Bob Quick (Jacksonville) was lapping cars by Lap 7. Alain Paradis (Miramar) tried to pass Quick several times on the outside for the lead and finally succeeded on Lap 12. Paradis took the win, followed by Quick and Paradis' son Brian (Miramar) rounded out the Top 3. Dennis "It's a Done" Diehl (West Palm Beach) won the Senior Division heat while Mark Landis (Delray Beach) took the Pro Division heat win.

"Outta My Way" Kay Jackson took the lead of the Q105 Pure Stocks and built a straightaway lead by Lap 9 when the caution flag flew due to fluid on the race track. The fans attention was on the points battle between Mark Ludvigsen (Fort Myers Beach) and Chuck Sweet (Port Charlotte) who went into the evening tied for the lead. While Jackson maintained a wide lead by the mid-point of the race, Sweet was up to second and Ludvigsen fifth. On the 20th lap as Ludvigsen attempted to pass a lapped car and fourth place Kevin Brinkley, Brinkley was bumped sending him to the pits on a flat and bringing out the caution flag. Jackson took the win; Sweet finished second enabling him to retain the points lead by ten points over Ludvigsen. Joe Reese (Bonita Springs) finished third. Ford man Kevin Utter (Fort Myers) and Mike Wiseman (Cape Coral) were the heat winners.

Although the field of cars was small in the Cat Country Limited Late Models the first laps were filled with good, tight racing until the ninth lap when Stuart Vandevender (Fort Myers) hit the wall hard after a racing altercation with Jeff Dufresne (Fort Myers). The red flag flew while the safety team tended to young Vandevender who emerged from his wrecked automobile on his own volition. John "Taz" Garrett (North Fort Myers) led the first half of the race until Glenn Morris (Bokeelia) passed him on the outside. Morris took the checkers first, followed by Garrett and Rookie Charlie Lee (Lehigh Acres), in his best finish to date. Garrett and Vandevender (Fort Myers) took home heat wins.

The first lap of the Big Wheels Mini Stock feature was a Free for All as a huge wreck occurred on the front stretch. Although they were given two more tries to get their race going they were unable to do so and were sent to the pits to cool off. They returned to the track after the Road Warrior feature and were finally able to complete one lap before the caution flag came out and the scenario repeated itself time and time again. Despite a curfew shortened race, Rookie Johnny Allen (Lehigh Acres) was able to hold Frank Welch (North Fort Myers) to take his first win. Welch finished second and Billy Ray, Jr. (Port Charlotte) was third. Heat winners were Brian Richardson (North Fort Myers) and Keith Risinger (Fort Myers).

The Road Warriors were able to get their feature race underway on the first restart but it went downhill from there as the field of cars got Yellow Fever as the yellow flag began to drop. Ron Dushek , Jr. (Lehigh acres) led the first laps until he was overtaken by Randy "Boogie Man" Hankins (Cape Coral) and the caution flag continued to drop. After 11 laps, the checkered flag flew giving Hankins his first win. Eric Smith (Bonita Springs) and Dushek Jr. rounded out the Top 3. Hankins and Smith also took home first place trophies in their heat races.
May 13 will be open wheel night at CCS as the ever-popular TBARA Sprint Cars return. Florida Midgets, Outlaw Modifieds, Open Wheel Modifieds, Pure Stocks and Mini Stocks will join them.

The Pro Late Models return on May 20 and the second leg of the Budweiser Open Wheel Modified 6-Pack series takes place on May 27.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.# CHARLOTTE COUNTY SPEEDWAY RACE RESULTS MAY 6, 2000

Florida Dwarf Cars
1. Alain Paradis #40
2. Bob Quick #06
3. Brian Paradis #68
4. Andrea Gagnon #6
5. Dennis Diehl #20


Q105 Pure Stocks
1. Kay Jackson #91
2. Chuck Sweet #81
3. Joe Reese #38
4. Mark Ludvigsen #711
Mike Wiseman #56


FASTRUCKS
1. Todd Bontrager #8
2. Paul Grynewicz #48
3. Matt Foy #18
4. Joe Boyd #00
5. Shawn Icely #27


Cat Country Limited Late Models
1. Glenn Morris #107
2. John Garrett #59
3. Charlie Lee #55
4. Bill Chapman #6
5. Jeff Dufresne #3


Big Wheels Mini Stocks
1. Johnny Allen #68
2. Frank Welch #96
3. Billy Ray, Jr. #41
4. Doug Wilson #22
5. Jason Kuykendall #55


Road Warriors
1. Randy Hankins #56
2. Eric Smith #2
3. Ron Dushek, Jr. #35
4. Chuck Stevens #74
5. Ron Dushek Sr. #35D

--by Robin Meiser



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