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| DARING PASS NETS HAMMERBECK SOUTH 40 CLASSICS WIN AT ORLANDO SPEDWORLD | by Dave Westerman
After gaining his initial South 40 Motorsports Classic Auto Racing Series victory in 1999, Clermont's Dan Hammerbeck had gone winless until Friday night at Orlando Speedworld. Hammerbeck put little doubt in anybody's mind that he'll be a force to be reckoned with in the 2001 season following an exciting win in the 20-lap feature.
George Hall, Jr. drove his Cold Fire Thermal Cycling sedan to the first heat win to earn the pole for the feature while Hammerbeck won the second heat and started the race in seventh spot.Frank Conrad jumped to the lead at the drop of the green as Jim Rahman, Eddie Thornton, Rodney Eary, and Hammerbeck swapped positions behind him.Thornton eventually worked his way to the outside groove as he and Conrad raced several laps side by side as the crowd went wild. Meanwhile, Hammerbeck had passed Rahman and was moving in on the leaders as Ed Yates was on the charge moving into fifth.
Hammerbeck was waiting for one of the frontrunners to make a mistake, but both Conrad and Thornton slipped high coming off turn two on lap 14 and Hammerbeck drove underneath both of them in a daring move to secure the top spot.
The only caution of the race came out for a spin by Simeon Spagnuolo a lap after Hammerbeck moved to the point. But on the restart, Hammerbeck powered away to claim his second career South 40 Motorsports Classic Auto Racing series win.
Conrad held on for second despite intense pressure from Thornton and Rahman who finished in that order. Ed Yates had a fast car but could never find the racing room he needed and settled for fifth. Bud Spencer drove a steady race to take sixth followed by Rodney Eary and David "Fudd" Nunes who earned the Action Performance Hard Charger award for finishing eighth after starting 16th. George Hall, Jr. and Simeon Spagnuolo rounded out the top ten.
South 40 Motorsports driver Michael Williams made his first start in a Classic Car and crossed the line ninth only to be penalized three spots by Speedway officials for jumping the late race restart.
Hammerbeck was driving a coupe sponsored by XL Motorsports, Don's Paint & Body and ABC Bus Companies. His win, coupled with a third place finish in the season opener at Jacksonville gives Hammerbeck the points lead headed into the next race April 28th at Auburndale Speedway.
Official Finish, South 40 Motorsports Classic Auto Racing Series 4/13/01:
1. Dan Hammerbeck, Clermont #2
2. Frank Conrad, Ft. Pierce #11
3. Eddie Thornton, Orlando #4
4. Jim Rahman, Clermont #5
5. Ed Yates, Orlando #74
6. Bud Spencer, Palm Harbor #7
7. Rodney Eary, Orlando #4X
8. David Nunes, Orlando #54
9. George Hall, Jr., St. Peterburg #32
10. Simeon Spagnuolo, Vero Beach #21
11. Mike Albert, Winter Springs #24
12. Michael Williams, Apopka #3
13. Doug Cattanach, Lutz #50
14. George Hall III, St. Petersburg #9
15. Danny Shearer, Melbourne #77 DNF - tire
16. Al Hagan, Melbourne #6 DNF - mechanical
17. Mo Davenport, Palm Bay #27 DNF - mechanical
18. Wayne Ashton, Ft. Pierce #78 DNF - mechanical
19. E.T. McGhee, Deland #33 DNS - mechanical (in heat race)
20. E.B. Carr, Okeechobee #90 DNS - accident in warmups
21. John Prekup, Ft. Pierce #03 DNS - accident in warmups
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