|
| SpeedWorld Opens New Season with A New Series | By Jane Smith
(KNS)Orlando SpeedWorld opened it's 2002 season by debuting the
new Bandolero Series. Only eight were out for the first
night but they expect to eventually have at least 25 racing
every Friday night. Also, cars for sale are at the track
and anyone from 8 to 80 can race a Bandolero car. They
have 30 HP Briggs and Stratton motors and they definitely
put on a good show.
Heats and features were run for all divisions. A number
of new drivers in each division were on hand and it looks
like Orlando will have a good number of cars in each
division this year. New Super Lates, Modifieds, Sportsman,
Super Stocks, Mini-Stocks and Strictly Stocks were seen.
All new drivers were welcomed and hopefully they enjoyed
their new home and their first night of racing at Orlando
SpeedWorld.
The first feature of the night was the Bandolero cars with
Matt Martin in the #2 on the pole. Although the race had
a rough start and had to be restarted several times before
the green was to stay green. Eventually they had to start
in single file with Martin on the pole but it was the #6
of Patrick Conrad that took the lead and won the race.
The only girl in the field, #32 Dana Layne had a rough
night getting going but all 8 drivers did a fine job on
their first night out. Top five were: #6 - Patrick Conrad,
#2 - Matt Martin, #60- Chad Akins, #21 - Eric Needs and
#63 - Dalton Zehr. The other three drivers debuting their
racing skills in this new division were #32 - Dana Layne,
#5 - Kory Abbott, and #8 - Austin Carr.
Sportsman saw the #23 of Richard Height on the pole but
it was the new #9 of Kelly Jarrett that took the lead
and won the race. Paul Colgan #31, Danny Shearer #77
(previously from the Classic Auto Racing Series), #16
Dave Berrer, #73 Mark Miller, #7 Bill Hall, #22 Homer
Gordon (previously a Super Stock driver) all came to
join in the fun at Orlando SpeedWorld with a number of
last year's Sportsman drivers. This class is growiing
fast and should be very exciting to watch. Top five
were #9 - Kelly Jarrett, #31 - Paul Colgan, #17 - Bill
Loomis, #82 - Tommy Johnson, #93 - Bruce Gayton.
Mini-Stocks saw the #8 of Kenny Hinkens back at Orlando
SpeedWorld after leaving last year to run at Auburndale.
Bobby Orr #30 was running second to #8 most of the night
until the last few laps where Bobby put on the heat and
took the lead from Hinkens wining the first race of the
2002 season. Top five were: #30 - Bobby Orr, #8 - Kenny
Hinkens, #7 - Tim "Missileman" McPhail, #98 - Jeff Davis
and #07.
Michael Williams, #40 from South Forty Motorsports, debuted
his new Super Late (and green too) and showed that South
40 makes a great car. Williams sat on the pole for the
Super Late feature race and won from the pole doing donuts
after the race to thrill the fans in the stands. Jared
Allison #02 did a great job trying to take the lead from
Williams but eventually ended up second. Rounding out
the top five were #47 Rusty Ebersole, #21 Scott Reeves,
and #5 David Hardin.
Pedie Allison sat on the pole for the Open Wheel Modified
feature race but on the start, coming down the front stretch,
Allison and Dennis Wheeler #97 touched sending Allison into
the wall and Wheeler upside down on his roof. Neither driver
was seriously hurt and the race was restarted On the
second restart, Shane Held #55 (2001 Modified Champion at
Orlando SpeedWorld) and #721 John Bennett tangled. Neither
driver was hurt but both cars were done for the night. On
the third restart it was Jason Boyd in the #2x on the pole
and winning from the pole. Following Boyd over the finish
line was the #17, #75 Bobby Blake, #30 and #91. Sorry, I
could not catch these guys to get their names but I will
next week.
Bob Wines debuted his brand new #7 Super Stock as he sat
on the pole for the first feature Super Stock race of 2002.
But it was Bobby Simcox in the #92 who took the lead until
the #1 of Carl Peters put the pedal to the metal and took
over the lead. Mike Peppler #81, Cory Freed #12, Bob
Wines #7, and Jeff Wright #50 completed the top five.
Ronnie Quarno, Jr. won the Strictly Stock race although
Rabo Pitts gave him a run for his money. Since I got
a little confused on the finishing order in the end, I
think it was the #74, #45, and the #0 in the top five.
#40 - Michael Williams, #31 - Paul Colgan, #98 - Jeff Davis,
#38 Strictly Stock, #7 Bob Wines Super Stock and #30 Modified
won the Best Appearing Awards for all their hard work over
the winter break from Orlando SpeedWorld in their cars.
Jane Smith
Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board!
news@karnac.orgor send a letter to the editor!
|
