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| Night 4 at New Smyrna Speedway Finds Hanley in the Winner's Circle | It was the wee hours of the morn when racing was done
at New Smyrna Speedway. Features were made up from
the night before due to the rain out and with that on
the schedule too, it was about one a.m. when fans left
the track.
The 911 Racing was exciting especially with those
lights flashing. The #2 of Bob Hart, Pinellas County
Sheriff's Office, sat on the pole for the feature
rainned out last night. The #27 of Clark Wagner,
Pinellas County Sheriff's Department, tried his best
to overtake his fellow officer but just could not do
it. Following Hart and Wagner were the #47 of Joe
Gill, Citrus County Sheriff's Office, #28 of Phil
Riles, St. Pete Beach Police Department, and #10
Steve Wagner of Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.
Late Models, who also had a 50 lap race tonight, saw
the #4 of Don Thompson on the pole but before lap one
was on the board a caution came out for the #36. Joey
Miller #5 took the lead on the restart but once again
racing was delayed for the #36 who spun this time on
the front stretch and was towed back in the pits. Miller
continued to lead the pack with Larry Osteen, Jason
Boyd, Jason Burkett, and Mike Murphy filling out the
top five spots. Jerry Symons was on the move in his
new #66 Late Model but could never really get into
the top five. Boyd passed Miller for the win giving
Boyd three straight wins in the Late Model division.
Miller came in second with Larry Osteen #22, Jason
Burkett #42, Mike Murphy #26, Kirk Hooker #38, #55,
Jerry Symons #66, Don Thomson #4 and Gary Artuso #5x
in the top ten.
Rick Sirmans #05 had the pole for the rainned out Mini-
Stock feature but it was Ted Vulipus #72 that took the
lead. Frank Welch #96 did eventually get the lead but
a blown engine stopped his third win in a row. Tim
Clark #15, who has not had the best of weeks, hit the
turn 1 wall flying down into the turn 1 pit wall and
demolishing his new car ending his SpeedWeeks. Ted
Vulipus #71 took the lead from Welch's blown engine but
it was the #7 of Tim "Missileman" McPhail who passed
them all for the win. McPhail is one of the drivers who
has worked nightly building and rebuilding his engine
to race and the win was well deserved. Following
McPhail was Ted Vulipus #71, Waylon Flynn #6x, Scott
Reeves #11, and Charles Staats.
Chris Wimmer #52 sat on the pole for the thirty four
field of Super Late Models. But it was Jr. Hanley's
#66 who jumped to the lead and kept it throughout the
30 lap race. Justin Drawdy #12 and the #89 (?) wrecked
on the backstretch with the #89 on fire and Drawdy's
engine pushed threw the fire wall. Both drivers were
not seriously hurt, thank goodness, but their cars were
demolished. It was also a rough night for the #47 of
Louie Mechalides who had to retire also from the race
after hitting the inside pit wall in turn 3. Jimmy
Cope #61 did his best to shake Hanley's tree but was
not able to and ended up with the second place spot.
Following Hanley and Cope were the #88 Travis Kittleson,
#52 Chris Wimmer, #84 Wayne Anderson and #9 Matt
Hogan.
The TBARA Winged Sprints flew pass me so fast that I
was only sure of the winner who was the #0 car of Dude
Teate. My best guest for the top five were #0, #98,
#91, #A2 and #00.
STARRS had two feature races with the #2-19 winning
the first race followed by the #10, 2x, 77 and 21.
Race two saw the #53 win follwed by #6, #15 and
#16. Hopefully by tomorrow night, I will have a
rooster for these antique race cars.
The second Mini-Stock feature saw the #71 of Ted Vulipus
on the pole and holding on for his first win in the
2002 World Series of Asphalt Racing. Following Vulipus
across the finish line were Rick Tumey #55, Waylon
Flynn #6x, Scott Reeves #11, and Ron Dubeau #4. Tomorrow
night, February 12, will be the last night for the
Mini-Stocks this year. This class has had more blown
motors in these four days of racing than I have seen
in a long time and more dedicated racers fixing those
motors. I am sure these guys will be happy for a
rest before the Winternationals at Orlando SpeedWorld
next week.
911 Racing saw the #72 of Butch Yancey, Pinellas County
Sheriff's Office, on the pole but it was the #10 of
Steve Wagner taking the lead from the green. Wagner
held on until the #27 of Clark Wagner took over
the lead with Bob Hart right on his bumper (only place
where this is legal). With lights flashing, Hart
took over the lead and Wagner never could regain it.
The top five were Bob Hart, Clark Wagner, Phil Riles,
Joe Gill and Steve Wagner.
Bobby Blake in the #00 Open Wheel Modified sat on the
pole and did lead the race for a few laps but it was
last night's winner, Jerry Symons #66, who took over
the lead and held on for the win. Jason Boyd in the
#2x tried to rattle Symons but he never could. Steve
Johanneck #1, Bobby Blake #00, Wayne Parker #3, Mark
Ross #12, Jared Allison #18, Gary Artuso #5x, Jon
Compagnone #5, and the #2 filled out the top ten.
Mike Murphy's #26 sat on the pole for the 50 lap Late
Model race. Murphy did a good job of holding the lead
but once again, Jason Boyd in the #15 took over the
show. Larry Osteen #22 gave all the fans a big scare
as he rode the turns 1 and 2 outside wall on the car's
side. Luckily Osteen was not hurt and his car was
towed into the pits. Joey Miller, #5 and a 17 year old
Junior in high school from Minnesota, did a great job
of hunting down Boyd but just could not get enough speed
to pass him. Following Boyd across the finish line were
Joey Miller #5, Jerry Symons #66, Mike Murphy #26, Kirk
Hooker #38 and Don Thomson #4.
2/12 will feature Super Late Models, NASCAR Tour Type/SK
Mods, Late Models, FL/IMCA Mods, last race for the Mini-
Stock and STARRS.
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