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| Two in a Row for Reutimann In T.B.A.R,A. Sprint Cars | By Dave Westerman
Making calculated veteran moves, Wayne Reutimann, Sr. claimed his second straight TBARA sprint car victory in front of a huge crowd Saturday night at New Smyrna Speedway.
Reutimann won the third heat and lined up tenth on the starting grid of 19 winged outlaw sprinters. First heat winner Gary Gimmler had his machine dialed in and jumped to a full straightaway lead from his pole starting position. Bobby Rose was doing all he could to hold off a charging pack for second, but it wasn't long before the train consisting of Shane Butler, Doug Heveron, Reutimann, and second heat race winner Dude Teate came sweeping by.
Butler and Reutimann began to pull away from the rest, but they were still well behind Gimmler. Reutimann dogged Butler, finally getting past him with just a handful of laps remaining but it looked like there wouldn't be time to catch the high-flying Gimmler.
Reutimann quickly began to eat up the distance as Gimmler's right rear tire was going away as he caught lapped traffic. Gimmler gamely held on, but Reutimann was not to be denied on this night as he swept past and into the lead on lap 22 and pulled away for the victory. Shane Butler made a banzai charge on the final race to the flag but came up just inches short as Gimmler got second for his best career TBARA finish.
Butler took third followed by Heveron and Teate. Dave Pletcher, Jimmy Alvis, Joey Aguilar, Kevin Cahill, and Wayne Reutimann, Jr. rounded out the top ten. The entire 25 lap event ran green to checker and left both the crowd and the winner breathless. "These young guys made me work for this one tonight," said a happy Reutimann in victory lane.
Reutimann also won the Barfield's Gift Fruit "Clean Sweep" bonus by winning both his heat and the feature. The bonus has been won in all four TBARA events run so far this year. Reutimann was driving the Heckman Motorsports entry sponsored by Case Contracting and James Rivard Pontiac/GMC.
Fans were also treated to a wild and wooly Modified feature that produced a first-time winner at New Smyrna.Bo Davis survived all sorts of altercations to take his first win at the half-mile speedplant. Davis led early, but then watched as Tom Root worked by to the lead, but Root's car loosened up after a restart allowing Davis the chance to get out front again.
Root and Jon Compagnone, Jr. tangled and were eliminated leaving Jon Compagnone, Sr. to take up the chase, but Davis was up to the task and took the win. Compagnone, Sr. claimed second while Wayne Reutimann, Sr. drove his modified mount up from the rear of the field to take third making it a very successful evening for the Zephryhills, FL veteran. Mark Vandevender and Jeff Anderson rounded out the top five.
Survival was the word in the Late Model division as Chad Pierce and Robert Andrecheck crashed while fighting for the lead handing the top spots to the "Todd Squad" of Mike and Timmy Todd who finished one-two. It was Mike Todd's first win here in five years. Philip Bessette took third followed by Sonny Linn and Russ Moore, the only other cars still running at the end.
The Mini Stocks did their fair share of spinning and crashing as well, but in the end it was Conrad Grenier taking a well-deserved victory over Ted "Mr. Mini-Stock" Vulpius, Dale Casteel, Tim Clark and Charlie Staats.
Ian Huffman took the lead on lap eight after a tangle between leaders David Gibbs and Doug Samion and went on to win the Sportsman feature in his Gator Golf/Bryan's Plastering Monte Carlo. Samion came back to get second trailed by Steve Flinn, Ron Lufcy, and Bobby Mara. S teve Cochran was the third and final leader in the Super Stock feature as he posted a relatively easy win over a strong field that saw mechanical problems hurt many of the top contenders.
Both Kevin Shultz and Bobby Simcox looked to have the cars to beat, but mechanical woes forced both to finish well back in the field as Chuck Peludat drove a steady race to get second spot. Rounding out the top five were Jim Snyder (up from 11th at the start), Billy Stacy, and Mike Soukup.
Strictly Stock honors went to Shane Stacy as he topped Josh Wronkowsi, John Miller, James Adams, and Michelle Dyal.
TBARA SPRINTS (25 laps):
1. Wayne Reutimann, Sr. #22
2. Gary Gimmler #29
3. Shane Butler #18
4. Doug Heveron #48
5. Dude Teate #0
6. Dave Pletcher #75
7. Jimmy Alvis #21
8. Joey Aguilar #87
9. Kevin Cahill #63
10. Wayne Reutimann, Jr. #00
11. Bobby Rose #56
12. Ernie Teed #68
13. Matt Mercer #10
14. Lee Cipray #33
15. Ben Fritz #16
16. Keith Butler #19
17. Wendy Mathis #80
18. Sonny Hartley #32
19. Paul Madden #76
20. Bo Hartley #3X DNS
21. Jeff Daneau #4J DNS
22. David Crosby #1R DNS
Modified (15 laps)
1. Bo Davis #29 (FIRST WIN!)
2. Jon Compagnone, Sr., #5
3. Wayne Reutimann, Sr. #00X
4. Mark Vandevender #7
5. Jeff Anderson #99
6. Wayne Southard #00
7. Geoff Marquand #7X
8. Ted Head #51
9. Tim Dyson #22
10. Dave Savicki #70
11. Jon Compagnone, Jr. #26
12. Tom Root #19
13. Tim Wallace #77
14. Jimmy Alvis #21
15. Bill Gunn #13
16. Joe Middleton #71
Mini Stock (15 laps)
1. Conrad Grenier #01
2. Ted Vulpius #71
3. Dale Casteel #9
4. Tim Clark #15
5. Charlie Staats #9AR
6. Pug Puglisi #11
7. Jim Engstrom #37
8. Ron Dubeau #4
9. Jamie McCague #8
10. Rita Czaya #94
11. Travis Staats #1
12. Chad Carpenter #31
13. Rex Christiensen #V3
14. Rick Tumey #55
15. Ricky Powell #2X DNS
Sportsman (15 laps)
1. Ian Huffman #3
2. Doug Samion #04
3. Steve Flinn #90
4. Ron Lufcy #07
5. Bobby Mara #77
6. David Gibbs #47
7. Dean Totten #Z84
8. Dave Rowe #5
9. Brad May #2
Super Stock (15 laps)
1. Steve Cochran #29
2. Chris Peludat #28
3. Jim Snyder #55
4. Bill Stacy #32
5. Mike Soukup #45
6. Kelly Caudill #33
7. Bobby Simcox #92
8. Kevin Schultz #14
9. Stephan Dembinsky #50
10. Becky Dyson #21
11. Barbara Moser #44
12. Joe Woodbury #27
13. Mike Wieczoreck #30
14. Joe Evans #57
15. Kevin Auger #07
Strictly Stock (10 laps)
1. Shane Stacy #11
2. Josh Wronkowski #27
3. John Miller #29
4. James Adams #8
5. Michelle Dyal #26
6. Allen Herring #46
7. Joe Arnold #38
Late Models (15 laps)
1. Mike Todd #84
2. Timmy Todd #25
3. Phillip Bessette #17
4. Sonny linn #4
5. Russ Moore #39
6. Chad Pierce #57
7. Robert Andrecheck #90
8. Earl Beckner #3
9. David Love #2
10. Marty Zehr #63
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