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| Rannallo Takes OWM Feature At DeSoto | by Ken Willis
Lonny Miller of Bradenton went flag to flag to win the Selective HR Solutions Sportsman feature event at DeSoto Speedway last Saturday night. Miller, the 2000 Points winner and Rookie and Sportsman of the Year, made use of his pole position to lead all the way, but not without earning it. "I knew Clyde (Cole) was back there," Miller said. "He was definitely faster than I was. I just tried to keep a good smooth line and hang in there." Cole, a 30 year veteran of the oval track, pressured Miller until a hesitation on the backstretch gave him an opportunity. Cole went to the outside going into turn three on lap 21. But Miller held low in the slot and inched ahead going down the front straightaway. . "I tried a new exhaust system and I believe it was pumping heat on my right rear tire," Miller said. "I skidded a little. We're going to do a little changing on that next week. I thought I'd lost it, but the car stuck with me and we took it home." Cole, a Sarasota resident, raced Figure 8s for more than 25 years before moving to the Sportsman division a couple of years ago. "We've got to get the bugs out of this thing," Cole said. "We just put the motor in about three days ago. Lonnie drove a good race." Bill Bathrick of Englewood, Gus Coorson of Sarasota and Brian Teeters of Ellenton rounded out the top five in the action filled race.
Corbin Gibbs of Plant City took his first ever win in the Q Auto & Injury Attorneys Stock Minis feature event. "I really didn't expect this," said an elated Gibbs. "In practice I was way off. I didn't think I'd come close. There's a lot of good guys out here. Jesse (Dutilly) gave me a hard time, but that's racing. He didn't get me sideways or anything. I'm happy." Gibbs started on the pole and lead all the way holding off Dutilly, a Bradenton resident, while Andy Whitted of Sarasota battled with Tony Elrod Jr. of Lakeland for third. Coming out of turn four heading for the finish line Whitted and Elrod ran side-by-side with Whitted taking third place by a bumper length.
In other events: Rocco Rannallo of Bradenton blazed to the winners circle in the Callaghan Tire Open Wheel Modifieds feature event with D.J. Hoelzle of Dunedin placing second for the second week in a row. "We finally figured out what it takes to get around there," said Rannallo, a stock car veteran of more than 20 years," "Rannallo said. "I think the motor modifications this year is going to be good for us." Last year's points champion, Teddy Nelson of Pinellas Park, took third place.
In the Comcast Street Stock feature event Wallace Ramsey of Bradenton sent a message to his neighbors from the winner's circle. "This is for all the people in the neighborhood that said I couldn't win so I showed them that I could," he said. "They're all good driver's it's just they got held up and I had a fast car on the front."Rich Clouser of Grant, Fl took second place and Dan Hall of Sarasota placed third.
Mark Gill of Bradenton took the checkered flag in the Contemporary Cabinetry & Closet Concepts Pure Stock feature event. "The carbuerator wasn't doing so good," Gill said. "I wouldn't have made it another lap. I think it helped that everyone else is kinda green. My car's been ready all winter. David Yahraus of Sarasota placed second and Troy Davis of Bradenton took third place.
James Glover of Pinellas Park won his second straight event in the Truck feature with Todd Bontrager of Sarasota making a run from the rear of the field to take second place. Danny Glover took third place. In the Mini Cups Terry Lee Tullis of Winterhaven took the win with Tom Clark of Brandon in second and 12-year-old Wendy Kash placing third. William Slack of Bradenton won the fan participation race in a Ford.
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