|
| "HOBO" POPS THE TOP ON CHARLOTTE SIX-PACK | by Robin Smith Meiser
 Mike "The Hobo" Hovis has been racing at Charlotte County Speedway since they opened the gates over a decade ago. He won the limited late model championship in 1994 and again in 1999. On Saturday, March 3 he showed the fans he definitely knows his way around the three-eighths mile track by totally dominating the first segment of the Circle One Limited Late Model 6-Pack series for the 2001 season.
Hovis started the evening by taking the fastest qualifying time (15.544 seconds) for the 13-car race. The Hobo started on the pole with long time fellow competitor and past limited late model champion Rusty Hillman beside him. Hovis took the lead from the start while Joe Winchell made his way around Hillman to move into second position, leaving Hillman running in third. Randy "Hondo" Fox had a strong start, running fourth until a blown tire caused him to make a trip to the pits. Shortly thereafter, his engine overheated causing his early retirement.
As Hovis and Winchell pulled away from the rest of the field and Hillman rode in third, Jeff Dufresne, Doug Moff and Richie Anderson battled for fourth. Several laps after Hovis took the Halfway Race Leader Award, Moff and Anderson tangled in Turn Two. Moff aggressively approached Anderson on the track under caution but officials were able to stop the altercation and Moff was disqualified for having a crewmember on the track. Anderson was able to continue despite body damage.
When the race resumed, Hovis continued his dominance over the field. Winchell knocked on The Hobo's back bumper more than once but he was never able to pass for the lead and by Lap 80 Hovis had a straightaway lead on the pack. In the last ten laps, Hillman tried several times to take second away from Winchell but he was unsuccessful. In the end, Hovis took the win with Winchell and Hillman following. Dufresne finished an impressive fourth, while Hard Charger Anderson who had took a licking and kept on ticking finished fifth.
Joe Williamson led the first few laps of the unsponsored pure stock division while George Tanner, Billy Vandevender and Mike Loney battled for second. On the tenth lap, Loney came through the three-wide skirmish in the lead but he lost a wheel and went into the Turn Three wall, along with severakl other cars. Sparks flew on the track from Loney's car and from the hot tempers of Tanner and Loney. Loney threw his helmet at Tanner's car after Tanner appeared to aim his car at Loney standing on the track. Loney was disqualified for unsportsmanlike conduct while Tanner inherited the lead. Elbert Butts, Jr. and Joe Reese battled behind for second with Reese emerging the victor, passing Butts on the outside on Lap 15. One lap later, Reese took the lead and Tanner retired to the pits with car trouble. Reese took the checkered flag first, followed by Butts who slid sideways across the start/finish line. The Fords of Ray Jayne and Kevin Utter finished third and fourth, while Hugh "The Shoe" Hackney finished fifth. Tanner and Christine Gibson took heat wins earlier in the evening.
Twenty six cars took the green flag in the Lee's Auto Repair Road Warriors and rookie driver Michael Collins held off the Thundering Herd for over half the race after winning a heat race earlier in the evening after only his second start. Andy Wood waited patiently until Collins got loose and then passed for the lead. He led from that point on with John Boyer and Wood's teammate Chris Oncken vying for second. Oncken got around Boyer to finish second. Boyer was third while Joe Bossey and Del Beckner rounded out the Top Five. Jesse Gargus took a heat win, as well.
Danny Yates had no competition in the newly formed Little Vic's Concessions Modified Mini Stocks race after 2000 mini stock champion Frank Welch experienced problems with his mini truck early on in the four car feature. Yates took his second win in a row and was followed by Welch, Mike Giniatt and Paul White. Welch was able to take a heat win earlier in the evening.
Hugh Alexander led 18 laps of the Hendry's Mango Maniac Cowboy Cadillac division, after taking an earlier heat win, until his truck broke. Current champion Cheryl "The Pearl" Weaver took the lead and the win. Don Vanacker, Buck Wilson, Justin Bryant and Wally Smith followed.
-Robin Meiser
Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board!
or send a letter to the editor!
|
