In a race that featured only three flags Jimmy Cook of Sarasota won the Selective HR Solutions Sportsman event at DeSoto Speedway last Saturday night. The race covered 25 laps from green to checkered flag with 20 drivers jockeying for the lead at speeds reaching 90 mph. In the close, fast battle, Cook grabbed a quick lead and set the pace for the rest of the field. It was enough for the veteran driver to hang on for the win. "My wife and I worked all the car all day," Cook said. "We had all the springs and shocks off. We scaled it at 3:30 and got here at 4:30. We missed the first practice but we finally got it back together and this is what we ended up with. The work paid off." While Cook led the race, Joe Shaver of Arcadia held second place with Steve Gainey of Bradenton swinging high and low, searching for a way to pass. But Shaver's consistence and persistence paid off until the white flag flew and he held on the last lap to take second place with Gainey in a close third. Barry "Bear" Carlson of Largo took his first ever win in the earlier heat race.

Bruce Sherwood of Bradenton ran a patient race, waited for an opening and shot pass Wayne Dove to win the Express Personnel Service Street Stock feature event. "Wayne is a good buddy and I didn't want to do him wrong," Sherwood said. "He gave me the opportunity to pass him and I took it. It was a clean, fun race. It was a real good race." Dan Hall of Sarasota took third place in the feature.

The Arcadia Cowboy Howard Higgins came back from last week's lost wheel to blaze into the winners circle in the Contemporary Cabinetry & Closet Concepts Pure Stock feature event. "Put it all together and it worked fine," Higgins said. "I want to thank the new owners and ask all the fans to come see us." Gary McFall of Venice placed second and Greg Banach of Bradenton took third place.

Paul Huffstutler of Bradenton won his first feature of the season in the Q Auto & Injury Attorneys Stock Minis event. "I'm just glad to be up here in the winner's circle again," Huffstutler said. "My dad really helped me a lot, and I've been learning about chassis work and tires. It all help me get here." Jesse Dutilly of Bradenton placed second and Arlin Pope of Bradenton took third place.

Kenny Hankins of Lakeland took the win in the Manatee Lumber Modified Minis feature event. "It was a hard run," Hankins said. "In the heat race I didn't think we had the car to beat. But when the track cooled down the car hooked up a little better." Mike Mitrisin of Brooksville placed second. Matt Watts of Dade City took third place.

Danny and Brian Manchester out-whip-lashed the field to win the Chain Race. "We've never done this before," said a happy Danny Manchester, whose regular partner is Bill Arrowsmith. "Bill wasn't here and my brother filled in. But we did it. This is five wins in a row." Jamie Cook of Osprey claimed the win in the Demolition Derby.
by Ken Willis

Results:
SPORTSMAN
1. #89 JIMMY COOK, SARASOTA
2. #11 JOE SHAVER, ARCADIA
3. #1 STEVE GAINEY, BRADENTON
4. #98 LONNY MILLER, BRADENTON
5. #86 JEFF ANDERSON, BRADENTON
6. #21 JAMES CARTER, BRADENTON
7. #03 BARRY CARLSON, LARGO
8. #5 JOHNNY CASSIDY,
9. #7 PATRICK MCGINNIS, BRADENTON
HEAT: 1. #03 Barry Carlson, Largo


STREET STOCK
1. #05 BRUCE SHERWOOD, BRADENTON
2. #18 WAYNE DOVE,
3. #12 DAN HALL, SARASOTA
4. #28 JOE KURTZ, DOVER
5. #12 CASEY HALL, TAMPA
6. #69 CHET ROBERTS,
7. #9 BEN KELLY, NORTH PORT
8. #95 CLINT ROBERTS, DUETTE
9. #77 SCOTT WOODLAND, BRADENTON
10. #65 MIKE JOHNSON, SARASOTA
11. #40 MARK CHAPMAN, SARASOTA
12. #8 SUE PURINGTON, NOKOMIS
13. #51 CLARENCE SMITH, SEBRING
14. #47 BRUCE AHLERS, BRADENTON
15. #2 DAVID DICK, PARRISH
16. #95 WALLACE RAMSEY, BRADENTON
17. #42 DENNIS WILSON JR, BRADENTON
18. #93 JIM FRAKE, SARASOTA
19. #16 JACK ROBEY,
20. #57 LONNIE SMITH, ZEPHYRHILLS
HEAT 1. #05 Bruce Sherwood, Bradenton
HEAT 2. #95 Clint Roberts, Duette
HEAT 3. #42 Dennis Wilson, Bradenton


PURE STOCK
1. #7 HOWARD HIGGINS, ARCADIA
2. #68 GARY MCFALL, VENICE
3. #20 GREG BANACH, BRADENTON
4. #77 ED KRATZERT, BRADENTON
5. #16 JONATHEN ESPISTO,
HEAT 1. #77 Ed Kratzert, Bradenton

MODIFIED MINI
1. #8 KENNY HANKINS, LAKELAND
2. #98 MIKE MITRISIN, BROOKSVILLE
3. #3 MATT WATTS, DADE CITY
4. #16 RONNIE HEARD JR, SEFFNER
5. #31 GREG LUECKE, ST PETERSBURG
6. #7 STEVE MARTIN, PINELLAS PARK
7. #30 TIM MCPHAL,
8. #86 FRED PARAVICINI, BRADENTON
9. #25 SAM ROGERS JR., CLEARWATER
10. #X BONDIA MARTIN,
11. #1 BILLY CARLBERT JR,
12. #72 CHIP GAINES, SARASOTA
HEAT 1. #16 Ronnie Heard Jr., Seffner
HEAT 2. #3 Matt Watts, Dade City

MINI STOCK
1. #74 PAUL HUFFSTUTLER, BRADENTON
2. #30 JESSE DUTILLY, BRADENTON
3. #98 ARLIN POPE, BRADENTON
4. #4 TOMMY HUFFSTUTLER, BRADENTON
5. #14 JON BAILEY, ST. PETERSBURG
6. #35 GREG KROM, SARASOTA
7. #8 STEVE GLOVER, BRADENTON
8. #95 CLAY JOSEPH, BRADENTON
9. #70 TONY ELROD JR, KATHLEEN
10. #23 MIKE GAYLE, SARASOTA
11. #34 ERIC ANDERSON, BRADENTON
HEAT 1. #23 Mike Gayle, Sarasota
HEAT 2. #98 Arlin Pope, Bradenton

CHAIN RACE:
Danny and Brian Manchester

DEMOLITION DERBY:
Jamie Cook of Osprey




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