|
| WILD AND WOOLY NIGHT AT THE THE NEW BRONSON OVAL | by Gil Peck
The Ugly Duckling Car Sales 100- a feature race for MINI_STOCKS and a $ 1, 000 prize at the end of the rainbow was held Saturday at Bronson Motor Speedway's high banks. Tater Stalnaker got the surprise of his life and an uninvited ride along the backstretch wall as the event started with a fury on lap #1 .
After several wild re-starts re-start five cars broke away for a lead. Larry Goolsby, Matt Watts and teammate Corbin Gibbs broke away, with crowd favorite Robbie Yoakam in hot pursuit.
As traffic thinned out, this group of cars battled nose to tail, until on lap #32, Yoakum made his move for the lead and pulled it off coming off turn 4. The rest of the field followed Larry Goolsby in hot pursuit. After a mid-race mandatory stop for fuel, the pack of Goolsby, Watts, Rick Sirmons, and Corbin Gibbs took off after Yoakum again. Yoakam maintained a four car advantage and appeared to have the race in the bag, when his engine suddenly erupted with just three laps to go." It was a solid ride, the car was brand new," he told me after the race. "I'll be alright, but just don't talk to my wife right now, she might throw something at you." said the dejected, but valiant warrior.
Meanwhile , in victory lane, Matt Watts was elated to take the checkered flag for the win. " I just want to thank my teammate ,Corbin ( Gibbs), and our sponsors who literally helped us get here! We had a flat tire, right there at the exit for their Jimbo's Smoke House, and they went and got us a new trailer tire. I saw Robbie( Yoakam) go up in smoke, and all I kept thinking was " stay out of his oil". We did, and wound up here!" His teammate Corbin Gibbs had a great run for second, but Rick Sirmons was coming fast and snatched it away from him with ten laps to go.
SUPER STOCK
Arthur Conquest, who was injured earlier this year, is making a smooth recovery, and in the process, is contributing to a great racing set-up on the Bronson Lube/Bronson Ace Hardware # 71 Nova. Veteran Wes Keller has done a super job in the ride and piloted the machine to a victory over Rob Cooper Saturday night. Al Bouchard was third in the F.T.W group Pontiac. " We had a ball!", Al told me after the race. These guys are really a lot of fun to race with". They are fun to watch as they broadslide their powerful cars around the track and through turn # 4.
PURE STOCKS
21 Cars started the feature Saturday night and it was a wild affair to get the feature started. On lap four of the 20-lap event car # 84 got caught up in traffic and slammed the retaining wall on the front stretch. He was unhurt, but the same could not be said for the car, which was heavily damaged in the front end. On the re-start, it was a three car breakaway with Doug Webster in the lead, followed by Jason Holbrook and Gerry Hodge. These three battled nose to tail for the length of the feature, with Webster pulling off the win.
TQ Late Models
David Rader survived several wild spins to win the 15 lap event for these feisty and beautifully prepared cars over Mike Carrigg and Johnny Young. Young had the fast set -up and was the early leader before a spin forced him to line up on the rear. He had a beautiful drive to finish third.
The Florida Midget Racing organization was also on hand Saturday for a demonstration of their midgets. These cars run at a variety of tracks and represent a form of racing that has excited fans for more than 40 years.
Be sure to be with us this coming Saturday night when the Thunder and Lightning division LATE MODEL SPORTSMAN cars roll into town for their fifty lap dash for cash. The dwarf cars will also be on hand . Racing starts at 7:30. Gates open at 5: 30 so you can come early and watch practice.
RESULTS
MINI-STOCK
1) # 3 Matt Watts, Dade City
2) # 61 Rick Sirmons, Pinellas Park
3) # 2 Corbin Gibbs, Plant City
4) # 27 Larry Goolsby, Williston
5) # 11 Jeff Stalnaker, Sr. Ocala
PURE STOCK
1) # 72 Doug Webster, Ocala
2) # 17 Jason Holbrook, Morriston
3) # 37 Gerry Hodge, Cross City
4) # 02 Mike Baker, Inglis
5) # 22 Mickey Burns, Hernando
SUPER STOCK
1) # 71 Wesley Keller, Lake City
2) # 98 Rob Cooper, Bronson
3) # 74 Al Bouchard, Williston
4) # 18 Bubba Hodge, Chiefland
5) # 97 Larry Goolsby, Williston
TQ LATE MODELS
1) # 6 David Rader, Jacksonville
2) # 22 Mike Carrigg, Glen St. Marys
3) # 07 Johnny Young, Jacksonville
4) # 2 Tony Carrigg, Jacksonville
5) # 5 David Carrigg, Callahan
Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board!
or send a letter to the editor!
|
