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| Ocala Sunday Street Stock Special to Buchanan - Baxley Gets lst SLM Win | by Dave Westerman
Even a heavy rainshower at race time couldn't dampen the
spirtis of racers and fans alike Sunday afternoon at
Ocala Speedway as Frank Buchanan and David Baxley
topped 50-lap events for the Street Stocks and Super
Late Models.
With 98 cars in the pits, fans were ready for some
excitment and the rain actually cooled things off a bit
making it a bit more comfortable for them, although the
humidity would make it tough on drivers throughout the
late afternoon and evening.
The Street Stock field was 32 strong with three heats
and a consy needed to set the starting line-up for the
half-century grind.
Moose Alderman, Augie Bertram and Mike Wilson topped the
heats with John Betts leading Paul Fletcher and Brody
Giddens across the stripe in the 12-lap consolation race
to set the back of the field.
This race would be a dogfight between Alderman and Frank
Buchanan from the drop of the green to the checker.
Buchanan grabbed the top spot from his outside pole
starting position as Alderman made a big move at the
start to slip into second while the rest of the field
began to dice it out behind them.
Heat winner Augie Bertram would bring out the first
caution on lap 7 as he stalled in turn two.
As the green flew, Alderman began to put the pressure on
Buchanan and finally slipped past for the lead on lap
14 just before the second yellow flew for a tangle between
Chuck Stewart and Arthur Conquest.
After the restart, Alderman seemed to have a good rythm
going as the fans were treated to some great racing behind
him involving Buchanan, Doug Webster, Paul Gladin, Mark
Mitchell and Mike Wilson.
Gladina nd Mitchell tangled on lap 28 while battling for
fourth spot to bring out caution number three with both
taking a trip to the rear of the field.
When the green reappeared, Buchanan seemed to have things
back together as he hounded Alderman and slipped past to
reclaim the lead on lap 33 just before the fourth caution
came out for Harold Edwards who took a wild slide into
the extremely wet infield.
On the rstart it was Mike Wilson on the charge as he got
around Webster and began to put the pressure on Alderman
but action was slowed one final time on lap 42 as Paul
Fletcher pounded the turn four wall and was out of the
event.
Buchanan was not to be denied over the final charge to the
checkered flag as the Belleview driver put his Southside
Builders Camaro into victory lane with Alderman holding
off a determined Mike Wilson for the runner-up spot.
Webster held on for fourth while Mitchell drove back
through the field like a madman to get fifth.
After winning the consy, John Betts drove a smooth,
calculated race to get sixth spot with Darren Dukes,
Rick Hart, Dean Lawyer, and Chuck Stewart rounding out
the top ten.
The Super Late Model 50-lapper saw a first-time winner
although the driver has visited the winners circle many
time before at Ocala.
David Baxley let the drivers in front of him make the
mistakes and he took advantage to score a big and very
popular win. Baxley, the 2002 Modified champion at
Ocala, broke a string of five consecutive second place
finishes with his Modified and new Super Late Model.
Super Late Model qualifying was paced by Mike Bresnehan's
15.40 clocking with Herb Neumann and 14-year old Brock
Oglesby a tick of the watch behind at 15.44.
The re-draw saw Neumann on the pole and he quickly
jumped out to the lead but could never build up any
good momentum as this would be a caution flag-plagued
race starting on lap two for fluid on the track.
Oglesby spun off turn four on lap six and slid into the
infield losing three laps under caution before a push
from "Tiny's" wrecker could get him out of the mud.
Newmann had the lead, but it was E.J. Wise in his
Armstrong Homes/Petty Quarterhorses special applying
the pressure along the Bresnehan and Rich Pratt. Their
battle was interrupted again on lap 18 when Liquid Lee
McCullough stalled in turn four after tangling with Brad
Atkins. Four laps after the restart, Pratt dropped out
with mechanical troubles.
Neumann continued to hold the others at bay through two
more caution periods for spins by Roger Shinholser and
George Receveur, Jr., but Wise made the move on lap 35
to take the top spot bringing Bresnahan and Baxley
with him dropping Neumann all the way to fourth.
Lap 39 would prove the leaders' undoing as Bresnehan
tried to dive under Wise in turn one and they tangled.
Both cars were sent to the rear with Neumann back up
to second.
Baxley seemed to be dialed in as he easily pulled away
from Neumann, but action was slowed once again as Robbie
Smith and Mac McCullough tangled in turn four with Mike
Wieczoreck having nowhere to go as he hit McCullough's
car. A lengthy cleanup was needed and the red flag was
displayed. At this time most of the drivers exited
their cars as the high humidity had several feeling a
bit woozy.
As the green came back out, Bob Hughes zipped under
Neumann to nab second spot, but even a final yellow on
lap 47 for a Brad Atkins spin wouldn't slow Baxley
as he sped to his first win in a Super Late Model.
Hughes drove maybe the best race of anybody to take
second despite the right-side bodywork of his car
flapping in the breeze. Neumann held on for third in
front of Kevin Bryant while Wise worked his way back
up to fifth at the finish.
Robbie Smith, Brad Atkins, Roger Shinholser and Brock
Oglesby rounded out the ccars still running with
Bresnehan credited with tenth.
Belleview's Patrick Mennenga may have surprised even
himself with an easy wire to wire win over a strong
Sportsman field.
Mennenga took the lead at the drop of the green and never
looked back as this 15-lapper went all the way under green.
Kenny Abney held off a late charge by Pete Close, Jr. to
get second while William Edwards and Tommy Roberts
completed the top five. Sixth through tenth were Tommy
Brakeman, Travis Nichols, Robbie Cooper, Bob Masciarelli,
and Roger Damron.
Sportsman heats were won by Mennenga, Edwards and Tom
Posavec.
Williston's Larry Goolsby celebrated his birthday leading
all the way to win the Modified Mini Stock feature. Turning
around a season of terrible luck, Goolsby's car wasn't good
on restarts but was a rocket after the tires heated up as he
held off the charge of Jeff Stainaker, Sr. and last week's
winner Tater Stainaker to claim the win.
Clint Foley was fourth over Jeff Stainaker, Jr. while Morris
Richardson, Wild Bill Stalnaker, Jake Garver, Karla Phipps
and Glen Ervin rounded out the top ten.
Goolsby and Jeff Stainaker, Sr. won the heats.
Steve Gallagher's "Flying Tomato" Volkswagon was untouchable
in the Four Cylinder Stock main event as he went green to
checker with no real challenges.
This race was brought to a halt on lap five when Dan
Sanderson and Justin Durbin tangled on the backstretch
sending Sanderson's Toyota Pick-up hard into the wall back-
wards with Durbin's Mustang climbing the wall and landing
drivers-side down. Neither drier was hurt but their racers
were pretty well trashed.
Gallagher dominated the rest of the way finishing well
ahead of Robert Oxendine. Tom Ellis had a great run for
third in front of Ric Fort and Rick Kuhn. The second five
consisted of Kurtis Mitchell, Wayne Penny, Doug Auriemma,
Joey Durbin and Harold Barup.
Heat wins went to Gallagher and Fort.
Ocala Speedway is back in action this Friday night with all
six regular divisions in action including Super Late Model,
Open wheel modified, Sportsman, Modified Mini Stock, Street
Stocks, and Four Cylinder Stocks.
OFFICIAL RESULTS FOR 9/15/02
SUPER LATE MODELS (50 laps)
1) David Baxley #64
2) Bob Hughes #13
3) Herb Neumann #98
4) Kevin Bryant #54
5) E.J. Wise #57
6) Robbie Smith #01
7) Brad Atkins #25
8) Roger Shinholser #26
9) Brock Oglesby #88
10) Mike Bresnahan #3
11) Mike Wieczoreck #19
12) Mac McCullough #86
13) George Receveur, Jr. #9
14) Rich Pratt #0
15) Lee McCullough #H20
16) James Cook #21
17) Gayle Haines #04 (DNS)
18) Brad Heath #28 (DNS)
STREET STOCKS (50 laps)
1) Frank Buchanan #07
2) Moose Alderman #7
3) Mike Wilson #79
4) Doug Webster #72
5) Mark Mitchell #71
6) John Betts #08
7) Darren Dukes #4
8) Rick Hart #13
9) Dean Lawyer #19
10) Chuck Stewart #8Ball
11) Brody Giddens #17X
12) William O'Quinn #88
13) Arthur Conquest #78
14) James Morgan #7X
15) Rick Bass #21
16) PaulGladin #9
17) Roger Brass #81
18) Jason Holbrook #17
19) Michael Rose #76
20) Paul Fletcher #28
21) Chauna Johnston #43
22) Harold Edwards #65
23) Larry Welter, Jr. #58
24) Augie Bertram #56
25) Curtis Yeomans #70
26. Kenny Fischer #00
27) Jack Pate #69
28) Gary Hotalen #02
29) Donnie Pitts #0
30) David Knutson #8
31) Floyd Martin #1
32) Estle Morrow #X
SPORTSMAN (15 laps)
1) Patrick Mennenga #69
2) Kenny Abney #6X
3) Pete Close, Jr. #86
4) William Edwards #39
5) Tommy Roberts #44
6) Tommy Brakeman #20
7) Travis Nichols #2
8) Robbie Cooper #98
9) Bob Masciarelli #72
10) Roger Damron #76D
11) Tom Posavec #01
12) Joe Rankin #8X
13) Doug Levesque #27
14) Jeremy Finnegan #22
15) Ernie Reed #55
16) Carl Carr #09
17) David White #6
18) Wally Schneider #8
19) Jim Higginbotham #76
20) Leroy Donaldson #82 (DNS)
MODIFIED MINI STOCK (15 laps)
1) Larry Goolsby #27
2) Jeff Stainaker, Sr. #77
3) Tater Stainaker #14
4) Clint Foley #7
5) Jeff Stainaker, Jr. #10
6) Morris Richardson #81
7) Bill Stainaker #59
8) Jake Garver #10R
9) Karla Phipps #54
10) Glen Ervin #0
11) Jacob Antis #9
FOUR CYLINDER STOCKS (15 laps)
1) Steve Gallagher #39
2) Robert Oxendine #24
3) Tom Ellis #31
4) Ric Fort #2
5) Rick Kuhn #47
6) Kurtis Mitchell #00
7) Wayne Penny #4
8) Doug Auriemma #27
9) Joey Durbin #38
10) Harold Barup #3
11) Neal Durbin #33
12) Chris Antis #01
13) Joel Byall #40
14) Dennis Harden #17
15) Greg Helt #M
16) Dan Sanderson #7
17) Justin Durbin #1
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