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| Sugarland Speedway Back on Track | After sitting idle for two years, Pete Scalzo, decided to open up the Sugarland Speedway. It took him a month or two to get the little quarter mile dirt track ready, but with his sweat and a handful of good friends, they put it all back together again. Lo and behold, dirt track racing returns to the Clewiston and Moore Haven area. A lot of the racers from the two years past came back to their old stomping grounds. Some new drivers came in to try their skills at the fresh clay and the tight turns of the track tucked away in the cane fields near Lake Okeechobee. The drivers and the fans were not disappointed when the green flag started flying on the beautiful Sunday afternoon of November 25th.
The Pure Stocks started the afternoons racing with the first of two heats with Tommy Jarvis in the #73 car taking the win. The second heat for the Pure Stocks started the #07 of Jammy Hayden on the pole, but at the end of this eight lap race it was Jesse Brown taking the checkered flag in the #29. The Bomber Division came up next for their one heat eight lap go round with #71 of Jerry Patrick going on from the pole to the checkers for the win. The eight lap one heat race for the Street Stocks looked at the back bumper of #89 of Steven Johnson on the pole. With a daring last lap pass under Johnson, Rodney Williams takes the win in the #75. Up next for some dirt slinging were the Sportsman class for their one heat dash. The #08 of Jimmy Pearce started on the pole. Wayne Hildabrand in the #10 stole his thunder on lap five to take the win. The Mini Stocks had the honor of the last eight lap heat race with Johnny Allen and his #98 on the pole and leading all the way for the win.
The #73 of Tommy Jarvis started on the pole for the fourteen lap Pure Stock "A" Feature. With a caution at the half way flags for debri in turn four, the cars were bunched up with Jarvis still on the point. Unfortunately, with only two laps to go, #73 blows an upper radiator hose and goes into his pit with a hot engine. Jay Carver was running in second place at the right time and took the win in the #77 with the #19 of Skip Talbot in second and #49, Steve Parrish in third. The Pure Stock "B" Feature saw the #29 of Jesse Brown on the pole and out in front for all fourteen laps. It wasn't all green flag racing for Jesse as the caution came out at the end of the first lap when Scott Williams and his #74 were sliding up into the wall out of turn four and collecting the #67 of Jon Basquin. Basquin ended up with heavy front end damage and going into the pits done for the day along with Williams. Jesse Brown held on with the lead for the rest of the race while James Holder brought the #9 to a second place finish. #4 came in third. Sorry, no name at press time.
In the Bomber Feature the #71 of Jerry Patrick took the green flag at the pole, but Sabrina Mosley in her #55 decided to take over the lead at the end of the first lap. She never looked back. Even after the cars were lined back up after one car spun out at the back of the pack. Mosley takes the win with #9 (name not listed) coming in second after starting at the back of the line up. #92, Doni Weir, came across in third.
Rodney Williams in the #75 started on the pole for the Street Stock Feature. The #89 of Steven Johnson tried to take over the race on the first lap but Williams came back at the end of the second lap to take the lead and hold on to it for the rest of the race. Danny Esposito in #40 caused a caution on lap eleven lining up the cars for a restart. #75 came in first followed by #9, Ronnie Schran in second and #89, Steve Johnson in third.
The Sportsman Feature was a green flag to checkered flag cake walk for Wayne Hilderbrand in the #10. The #55 with James Vary held on to the second place for the majority of the race until his right front tire blows out on the last lap sending him into the back stretch wall out of turn two. He was O.K. but that ended his chance for a trip to the pay off window. #05 came in second place. No name at press time for #05. Jimmy Pearce took home the third place honors.
The stars and stripes #98 of Johnny Allen started the Mini Stocks on the pole for their Feature race. Greg C. out drives Allen on the start and takes the lead on the first lap in his #22 race car. Greg was holding on with a strong lead for the next five laps, but his car wasn't up to the task. He drove into the pits at the end of lap six out for the day. Wayne Hildabrand was doing double duty in the #10 Sportsman to the #10 Mini Stock that day. He took the lead after #22 met with his unfortunate fate. Wayne pretty much had the show all to himself, he thought. The whole time he was running ahead of the pack, Johnny Allen was working his way back up the front. Allen was driving the wheels off of his car to catch up to him and made a last lap pass under Wayne's #10 in turn three to take the win. #05 took the third place finish with Glen Travis behind the wheel.
It was a Grand Opening Day for the Sugarland Speedway. The weather was warm and sunny and the action was hot, as all dirt track racing is. Especially when it is a favorite track the local racers and race fans were glad to see open again. Pete Scalzo would like to thank everyone personally for coming out and enjoying what he knows can be the best dirt track in the South with the support of the surrounding communities. Thank You Pete from all of us. Keep up the good work, we will return. Log on to karnac.com for up and coming events and information. The next race day is December 2nd. Sunday afternoon. Gates open at 10:00a.m., Racing at 2:00 p.m. See you there.
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