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| Taylor Sews Up Street Stock Special | By Jon Harney
Lake City, Fl - The fans at Lake City Speedway got more
than their money's worth as they were witness to a night
of racing that provided a year's worth of material for
a smash-and-crash highlight reel. Survival skills were
as equally important as speed this evening.
The Street Stocks headlined with a 40-lap special race.
Sixteen cars answered the challenge of the 3/8 mile
oil-base dirt track to claim the $600 first prize.
Shane Taylor earned the pole with a lap of 19.47. The
green flag saw Taylor outdrag Marvin Hassell into the
firt turn to claim the lead with Jason Garver and
Wayne Risner in hot pursuit. Unfortunately, the yellow
flag was also in hot pursuit as repeated incidents -
often involving the same cars - marred the event.
Taylor kept the pace throughout the oft-slowed event
while new challengers came and went. Randy Merwin
passed Ricky Boyd for second towards the end and gave
Taylor plenty of heat. The two cars touched in turn
one an both lost the handle. Taylor was awarded his
spot back as it was ruled that Merwin was over-
anxious in his quest for the lead. Taylor went on to
win the event with Boyd, Lee Brinkley, John Boy Wood,
and Risner following in that order.
The Florida Mini Sprint Association paid their second
visit to Lake City this season with 14 cars. T.J.
Knowles made amends for flipping his machine in last
month's race to lead every lap of the feature. Second
place Ryan Thomas and third place Doug Craig were the
only other cars on the lead lap. Johnny Sutton and
Russ Heider rounded out the top five.
Joe Brubb led the Late Model race until encountering
mechanical difficulties halfway into the event. Grubb's
demise opened the door for Hillbilly (as he proudly
identified himself) in the #14 car to take the lead
and eventually the race. Wendall Durrance beat out
Kelly Philman for second with Burn Nelson and Russell
Brown, Jr. in tow. Late Models will return in force
next week for round three of the GA/FL Late Model
Challenge Series.
Twenty-five Pure Stocks plus one 3/8-mile track equals
motorized mayhem. A swarm of malaria-infected mosquitoes
couldn't have done a better job of spreading Yellow Fever
than the Pure Stocks as caution after caution slowed and
eventually shortened their main. The first survivor
across the line was Joey Rolling who beat out a charging
Gene O'Steen at the line. Coleman Jandle III returned
to the Pure Stocks with a third place finish and was
trailed by Michael Sheffield and Smokey Spivey.
Derek Crawford had no trouble with his competition in
Modifieds as he stormed to his third straight victory.
Kyle Owen and Bobby Sheffield helped Crawford get away
as they locked horns in a spirited battle for second.
Owen triumphed by a length at the line. Morse was
fourth and Bill Johnson was fifth.
A six-pack of Mini Stocks started the Mini Stocks feature
which was the only race to run caution-free. Jeff
Stalnaker, Jr., was the early leader but he lost the
handle to his Mustang and allowed Larry Goolsby a brief
stint up front. Jeff Stalnaker, Sr. was on a roll,
though, and soon overcame Goolsby for the point. Curtis
Clark came from the last starting position to take away
second in the late stages but had nothing for Stalnaker,
Sr. at the finish. The order at the stripe was Stalnaker,
Sr., Clark, Bill Stalnaker, Goolsby, and Joe Lawson.
The GA/FL Late MOdel Sportsman Challenge Series returns
on Saturday, May 18, to Lake City Speedway. Once again,
the race will be 40 laps for $1500 to win. The Florida
Sprint Car Association gets their crack at the track
on May 25.
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