Mike Faulk is fast gaining on a solid reputation as one of the premier Late Model Sporstsman jockeys in the southeast. While sharing his time with the SARA LATE MODEL division, where he is competing for Rookie of the Year honors, 18 year old Mike competes on a regular basis at the Bronson " Bullring", much to the chagrin of his competitors.Saturday nite, he put on a "clinic" for winning as he led start to finish in the 50 lap Dash for Cash. $ 1, 000 dollars awaited the winner and Mike was not to be denied.

Kevin Durdin, winner of last months dash gave chase throughout the event, but was unable to catch Faulk. "The carwas great tonite", said an appreciative Durdin , after the race. " We just did'nt have enough to catch Mike. Our hats off to him for a great run. Mike told the crowd from the car before the race," the set-up is completely off from what we practiced with last nite. It's like the car changed all by itself. It might even run backwards!" How wrong you were Mike-- it was a perfect run. Congratulations!

The pace of the race was furious for the first half as several cars fought for position. Jimmy Wear (#1 red) and Randy King ( # 54) got together for the first of three times on lap seven and brought out the first caution.. King, in a fit of frustration, retaliated with contact after the second caution for these two cars on lap #24, just short of halfway. He was disqualified after looping his car several times on the main straightaway. Wear would spin again on his own on lap #46 and was disqualified as well. ( three spins in the feature and you're out is the rule at Bronson).

From there it was a four lap shootout, as Kevin Durdin ( # 56), Gene Owens ( #1b)and Wayne Feagle ( # 66) tried to catch Faulk. Gene Owens, picked upthe famed " Bronson Stripe" when his car " kissed" the wall early inthe race. " It did'nt effect the handling any. We had a good run", Gene( Owens) told me after the race. Wayne Feagle had his Big Red Waste Monte Carlo primed and ready for the big race. " It's just getting so expensive to run", Wayne told me before the race. " I love this. I really do. Hopefully it will all pay off in the end." I'm, sure it will for this deserving driver.

PURE STOCKS Jerome Brown, driving the Cheifland Flea Market # 25 Camaro notched another win in this division and secured a solid lock on first place inthe points chase. He led all but the first lap and checked out on the rest of the field as Gerry Hodge and Tommy Ausburn battled for second position. The pretty # 37 Buick Regal of Hodge and Ausurn's # 69 Olds Cutlass put on a tremendous show for the fans as they dove under and side by side with one another for the entire feature. These cars are alot of fun to watch and they compete every Saturday nite in the BronsonRace Series.

SUPER STOCK Last week, Brody Giddens destroyed his car in a heroic decision to take on the pit wall, rather than risk injury to fellow competitors when his throttle stuck on his familiar # 46 Machine. In a gracious move,Denny Hodge, owner and builder of Bubba Hodge's # 18 machine gave the ride to Brody for this week's event. Bubba is out indefinitely with an arm injury. " The car was available and I wanted Brody to have a shot in it and stay in the points race.", said Denny Hodge in a very sportsmanlike jesture. Brody took full advantage of the opportunity and won, first his heat race, and then the feature in the car. It was a tough week for Brody until then. Not only did he lose his own car, but much more importantly, he lost his Mom, Pastell Willis on Monday, after a long illness. "This win was hers", said an emotional Brody after the race. "She was with me all night long!" " He had tears in his eyes for the last two laps of the feature", a family member told me later. So did we, Brody. So did we.

Dave Westrich is gaining ground every week in his # 38 Monte Carlo.Saturday nite, he notched a second place finish after a tough battle with Robbie Yoakam, who was visiting from Hernando , Fla. in his black# 44 Camaro. Wes Keller ( # 34), last years defending track champion and winner of this division, had a tough nite as his Advanced WaterTreatment Camaro broke a master cylinder and was unable to compete inthe feature. Arthur Conquest also had a tough outing in his Rockoustic Systems Drywall # 70 Nova as he was bumped around and spun twice during the feature. One thing is for sure, he and his competitors in this ground pounding division will be back next week. They are all truly SUPER and put on some show as they slide through the turns in theirpowerful custom machines.

MINI-STOCK Jeff Stalnaker, Sr. finally got all the gremlins out of his # 10 Pinto and found smooth sailing to notch a win in his feature event.Steve Griffen stormed through the field in his # 1 machine and gave Jeff a terrific battle for the entire twenty laps. Larry Goolsby was "right there" also in his Cheifland Machine Shop # 27 entry. " I think we all got a little of each other's paint on the bumper", said Larry after the race, " but it sure was fun." The entertainment dollar is stretched a lot of ways, but for $10.00, the racing at the "bullring" is a bargain. Where else can you go and see the movie, then mingle with the actors and actresses afterwards. Autographs and pictures are free!

4 Cylinder Cruisers "John Naber can almost find victory lane blind folded", said car owner and builder Al Bouchard as Naber notched yet another win in his familiar red, white, and blue, mini-truck. " It sure is fun coming home first!", he exclaimed. The whole class is getting tough as these guys learn their way around the high banks . Chad Dixon and Lil " J" ( JeffStalnaker, Jr.) had a great battle for second in the feature as Ryan Nagele and Mitch Clenny completed the field

RESULTS

LATE MODEL SPORTSMAN 1) #36 Mike Faulk,High Springs, Fla. 2) #56 Kevin Durdin, Archer, Fla. 3) # 1 Gene Owens, Gainesville, Fla. 4) # 66 Wayne Feagle, Alachua, Fla. 5) # 08 John Buzinec, Belleveiew, Fla.

PURE STOCK 1) #25 Jerome Brown, Newberry, Fla. 2) #37 Gerry Hodge, Cross City, Fla. 3) # 69 Tommy Ausburn, Bronson, Fla. 4) # 88 Trena Tuski, Crystal River, Fla. 5) # 20 Aaron Andrews, Alachua, Fla.

4--CYLINDER CRUISER 1) # 3 John Naber, Dunnellon, Fla. 2) # 27 Chad Dixon, Ocala, Fla. 3) # 10 Jeff Stalnaker,Jr. Ocala, Fla. 4) #9 Ryan Nagele, Citra, Fla. 5) #25 Mitch Clenny, Archer, Fla.

MINI-STOCK 1) # 10 Jeff Stalnaker, Sr., Ocala, Fla 2) #1 Steve Griffen, Ocala, Fla. 3) # 27 Larry Goolsby, Williston, Fla. 4) # 04 Josh Hars, Williston, Fla. 5) # 59 William Stalnaker, Ocala, Fla.

SUPER -STOCK 1) # 18 Brody Giddens, Bronson, Fla. 2) # 38 Dave Westrich, Old Town, Fla. 3) # 44 Robbie Yoakam, Hernando, Fla. 4) # 82 Michael Wright, Inglis, Fla. 5) # 37 Fred Tuski, Crystal River, Fla.

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