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| Bontrager Blazes to DeSoto Truck Win | by Ken Willis
Ben Shives Truck Super Center night at DeSoto Speedway featured Sarasota's Todd Bontrager blazing to the Pepsi winner's circle in a tough 50-lap feature event. Bontrager starting 15th in the 19 DeSoto truck field and narrowly missed a bruising collision on the starting lap. On the restart Bontrager began working his way to the front and took control on lap 14. "The truck was comfortable running fast," said Bontrager, who set fast time for the event with a 16.32 second (83 mph) lap. "When I slowed it down it started getting a little squirrely so I just kept it on the mat." When the checkered flag flew Bontrager had a half lap lead on Mickey Kempgens of Tampa who placed second in the race. "We picked up a bad push about halfway through the race," Kempgens said. "I couldn't drive it in the corners. I didn't have enough for Todd but it seems we covered the rest of the field." Bontrager, who has had a bit of bad luck, worked throughout the week to get ready for the high-powered race. "We changed a bunch of things Thursday in practice," Bontrager said. "Every time we come out here we're looking for that perfect set up. I think we're pretty close now." After the collision on the starting lap James Glover of Pinellas Park came roaring back to take third place. "We got caught up in that bad wreck at the beginning and bent the right front wheel real bad," said Glover who started 14th in the race. "I could feel it shaking and went into the pits to get a tire. The one we put on may have been bad because it was pushing real bad. When we had the caution I went in again and changed it. Luckily I've got a great pit crew. I have to thank them and Leonard and Barbara McCue. I thought we'd have a chance to win but I'm glad Todd won and Mickey took second. I've been trying to help them out as much as possible." Glover also did triple duty Saturday night by racing in three different divisions; the Trucks, Open Wheels and Modified Minis. "It's been a long day for me," he said. "I think it's time for a drink."
Teddy Nelson of Pinellas Park blazed to the Pepsi winner's circle in the Callaghan Tire Open Wheel Modifieds. Nelson logged his fourth win and sixth top ten finish of the young racing season, but it wasn't an easy race. "We're still fighting the shocks and springs on the car," Nelson said. "it gets loose after a while and doesn't tighten back up. We're still chasing it. With the new motor rules the car reacts different. To be honest we haven't got the hang of it yet." D.J. Hoelzle of Dunedin collect his sixth second place and seventh top ten finish in the feature. Bill Davis of Wauchula took third place.
In other races: The ladies ruled the night in the Q Auto & Injury Attorneys Stock Minis. Jeanne Whitted of Sarasota took her first ever checkered flag in the 20 lap event. "Oh, gosh, I just jumped out there and kept my foot in it the whole race," said an elated Whitted. "I never looked back. I didn't want that caution with two laps to go but it worked out. But it worked out. I'd like to thank my husband Andy for the great car he puts under me every week, my sponsors and all the fans. It's great, I can't believe it." The second of the only two women drivers in the field, Syndee Brown of Bradenton, placed second. "That was great," Brown said. "I was so happy for Jeanne. I just said, Honey, we'll work it through this, be first and second. It's great." Corbin Gibbs of Plant City took third place.
Dennis Wilson Jr of Bradenton took the checkered flag in the Comcast Street Stock and announced his move up to the Open Wheel Modified. Chet Roberts of placed second. Rich Clouser of Grant, Fl took third place.
Mark Gill of Bradenton took the win in the Contemporary Cabinetry & Closet Concepts Pure Stock. Greg Banach of Bradenton placed second. Danny Anderson of Bradenton took third place.
Chip Gaines of Sarasota collected his second win in a row in the Manatee Lumber Modified Minis. Matt Watts of Dade City placed second. Ronnie Allen of Lehigh Acres took third place. John Erb of Sarasota won the 5 lap fan race.
TOP TEN:
CALLAGHAN TIRE OPEN WHEEL MODIFIED: 1. #34 Teddy Nelson, Pinellas Park; 2. #8 D. J. Hoelzle, Dunedin; 3. #15 Bill Davis, Wauchula; 4. #20 James Glover, Pinellas Park; 5. #2 J.r. Wade; 6. #22 Caleb Reschar, Palmetto; 7. #V1 Terry Vaughan; 8. #35 Bob Parker; 9. #3 Barry Carlson, Largo; 10. #33 Scott Faulkner, Sarasota.
Heat 1: #60 Pat Nanney, Bradenton; 2. #34 Teddy Nelson,
Pinellas Park.
COMCAST STREET STOCK: 1. #42 Dennis Wilson Jr, Bradenton; 2. #69 Chet
Roberts; 3. #8 Rich Clouser, Grant, Fl; 4. #05 Bruce Sherwood, Bradenton; 5. #12 Dan Hall, Sarasota; 6. #98 Johnny Allen; 7. #8 Sue Purington, Nokomis; 8. #77 Scott Woodland, Bradenton; 9. #75 Brenda Close, Bradenton; 10. #40 Mark Chapman, Sarasota.
Heat 1. #05 Bruce Sherwood, Bradenton; 2. #8 Sue Purington, Nokomis.
CONTEMPORARY CABINETRY & CLOSET CONCEPTS PURE STOCK:
1. #54 Mark Gill, Bradenton; 2. #20 Greg Banach, Bradenton; 3. #6 Danny Anderson, Bradenton; 4. #31 Randy Radley, Bradenton; 5. #56 Gary Flinn, Palmetto; 6. #52t Keith Thorbin; 7. #4 Bob Petrilli, Sarasota; 8. #68 Stewart Bradshaw, Tampa; 9. #3 Peggy Hurst, Sarasota; 10. #52 John Clouser. Heat 1. #67 David Yahraus; 2.
#54 Mark Gill, Bradenton.
MANATEE LUMBER MODIFIED MINI:
1. #72 Chip Gaines, Sarasota; 2. #3 Matt Watts, Dade City; 3. #68 Ronnie Allen, Lehigh Acres; 4. #70 Tony Elrod Jr, Lakeland;
5. #95 Clay Joseph, Bradenton; 6. #82 Jimmy Warram; 7. #31 Greg Luecke, St Petersburg; 8. #47 Mark Gonzalez, Wesley Chapel; 9. #7 Steve Martin, Pinellas
Park; 10. #44 Jeff Guilbault, Sarasota. Heat 1. Chip Gaines,Sarasota; 2. #5 Steve Gill, Sarasota.
Q AUTO & INJURY ATTORNEYS MINI STOCK:
1. #9 Jeanne Whitted, Sarasota; 2. #17x Syndee Brown, Bradenton; 3. #12 Corbin Gibbs, Plant City; 4. #97 Todd Freed, Bradenton; 5. #70 Tony Elrod Jr, Lakeland; 6. #30 Jesse Dutilly, Bradenton; 7. #35 Greg Krom, Sarasota; 8. #23 Mike Gayle, Sarasota; 9. #68 Danny Poling,
Sarasota; 10. #14 Jon Bailey, St. Petersburg. Heat 1. #97 Todd Freed Jr., Bradenton; 2. #17 Syndee Brown, Bradenton.
TRUCKS: 1. #8 Todd Bontrager, Sarasota; 2. #02 Mickey Kempgens, Tampa; 3. #70 James Glover, Pinellas Park; 4. #01 Larry Moyer, Tampa; 5. #15 Bobby Spaeth, Madeira Beach; 6. #61 Doug Baldwin, Merritt Island; 7. #Z4 Al Newmann, Bradenton; 8. #21 Pat Dunn; 9. #44 Paul Grynewicz Iii, Hudson; 10. #48 Steve Anderson.
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