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| Sands Tops Classic Cars at Volusia | by Dave Westerman
Knoxville, Tennessee's Robbie Sands put it all together Friday night to claim the 20-lap feature victory at Volusia Speedway Park's asphalt track as the Classic Auto Racing Series machines opened up three nights of racing during the Galaxy Motorsports Winternationals.
Sands took a clear-cut victory in the first heat race to earn the pole for the feature and was just as dominant in the main event, pulling away at will after each of the numerous caution flags that dotted the action.
It took two tries just to get the race started. On the first start, Maryville TN driver Mark Williams got sideways on the backstretch collecting Westminster MD's Daryl Winkler and several others. Williams was out while Winkler continued despite extensive body damage. On the ensuing restart, Jesse Teaster of Maryville, TN got loose out of turn two and and spun down the backstretch. Winkler found his lane blocked and hit Teaster's coupe head-on. Teaster was able to continue but the damage was too great this time for Winkler and the "Indian Outlaw" retired for the evening.
Finally the race got going with Sands building a comfortable lead as fellow Tennessee drivers Bart Baxter and Larry Gibson fought for second. Caution flew again on lap seven as Don Kirk of Ellicot City, MD got loose in turn one with Clermont, FL drivers Dan Hammerbeck and Jim Rahman tangling up trying to avoid him. Rahman pitted to change a flat tire. Sands continued to head the field as caution was out again on lap thirteen for a tangle between Kirk and Fred MacArthur of Maryville, TN. The final caution flew on lap sixteen as Kirk again got loose and tangled up with Severville, TN's dave Cribben. Sands continued to pull away for the victory with Gibson taking second. Second heat winner Bart Baxter was third followed by Ed Yates (Orlando, FL) and Teaster, who made a good run after his earlier altercation. Rahman, Hammerbeck, Eddie Thornton (Orlando, FL), Cribben, and E.T. McGhee (Deland, FL) rounded out the top ten.
Twenty cars signed in for the first race of the three-day series but only sixteen were around for the start of the feature. Three cars out of the State of Florida were eliminated in a grinding frontstretch crash in the second heat. Mike Albert spun coming out of turn four and was sitting sideways on the track, bringing out the caution. Danny Shearer was having problems with his car and was up on the high side of the race track while Mo Davenport had committed to go low around Albert. As Shearer hit the brakes, his car suddenly darted to the left slamming into Davenport's machine sending Davenport careening head-on into Albert's stalled car. All three machines were damaged beyond immediate repair and will miss the rest of the Winternational Series. None of the drivers were hurt although the 72-year-old "Granpa" Mo was pretty badly shaken. Results - Volusia Speedway Park - 2/9/01:
1. Robbie Sands, Knoxville, TN #17
2. Larry Gibson, Seymour, TN #83
3. Bart Baxter, Danridge, TN #13
4. Ed Yates, Orlando, FL #74
5. Jesse Teaster, Maryville, TN #22
6. Jim Rahman, Clermont, Fl #5
7. Dan Hammerbeck, Clermont, FL #2
8. Eddie Thornton, Orlando, FL #4
9. Dave Cribben, Severville, TN "46
10. E.T. McGhee, Deland, FL #33
11. Don Kirk, Ellicot City, MD #112
12. Fred MacArthur, Maryville, TN #28
13. Wayne Ashton, Ft. Pierce, FL #78
14. Daryl Winkler, Westminster, MD #1
15. Mark Williams, Maryville, TN #183
16. Jackie Kelley, Newport, TN #76
17. Bill Brown, Jr., Mt Airy, MD #88 DNS
18. Mike Albert, Winter Springs, FL #24 DNS
19. Danny Shearer, Melbourne, FL #77 DNS
20. Mo Davenport, Palm Bay, FL #27 DNS
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