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| Bresnahan Wins in Controversial Super Late Model Finish at Ocala | by Dave Westerman
The full moon was out Friday night at Ocala Speedway helping
to supply some incredible action with a few "extras" in
for good measure.
In Super Late Model action, Mike Bresnahan came out of the
box with a strong time trial lap of 15.01, three-tenths of
a second quicker than the rest of the field.
The re-draw of the top qualifiers put Bresnahan in seventh
spot for the start of the 50-lapper with Rich Pratt on the
pole.
Pratt wasted no time asserting himself in front and appeared
to have his car set up perfectly as he pulled away from the
field.
Caution flew for the first time on lap eight for Robbie
Smith's spin then again on lap 14 for E.J. Wise "daily
double" as he tanged with Chuck Hiers in turn four, then
also got tangled up with Bob Hughes going into turn one.
Although Hiers and Hughes had considerable damage to
their cars, they continued while Wise went pitside.
As the race went back to green, something happened to
Pratt's car and he slowed off the pace handing the lead
to the new "blonde" in the field, David Baxley.
Bresnehan had been working his way through the field and
pulled up behind Baxley and the battle was on, finally
coming to a head off turn two on lap 25 as they tangled
sending Baxley spinning into the infield.
Both drivers were deemed to be partially at fault and
were sent to the rear as a big cheer rose from the crowd
as 14-year-old Brock Oglesby inherited the lead.
With only half the race completed, it was apparent Oglesby
would eventually have to deal with Bresnehan and Baxley,
but half his worries would be gone as Baxley dropped from
the event shortly after the restart.
Bresnehan, using a fast car and a little bit of right
front fender at times, worked his way back to second,
but by that time Oglesby had checked out and appeared
headed for his first big Late Model win.
Bresnehan got the break he needed on lap 41 when Hughes
spun in turn four. With cautions no longer counting at
lap 45, it would be a five-lap dash to the checker.
Oglesby maintained the top position with Bresnehan all
over him but driving him clean. Bresnehan was able to get
under Oglesby out of turn four as the white flag flew
and the two raced side-by-side through the first set of
turns.
As the pair battled down the backside, a car spun bringing
out the caution and the checker together. Bresnehan shoved
his way past Oglesby to claim the win although a partisan
Oglesby crowd appeared none-to-pleased with the decision
to throw the checker and Bresnehan's last lap tactics.
Oglesby quickly exited his car and congratulated Bresnehan
on his win as Bresnehan enjoyed his victory lane photos with
a spattering of boos from the crowd.
"I know there's a lot of Brock Oglesby fans here that really
wanted to see the kid win and he drove a great race, but I
get paid to win races, not finish second," said Bresnehan
in victory circle.
Oglesby, who has a stellar career in front of him, took it
all in stride. "Yeah, I'm disappointed, but we'll be back
next week, you can count on that," he said.
Robbie Smith had his share of problems during the race, but
kept his cool and crossed the line in third ahead of Brad
Atkins and Roger Shinholser.
Dominating would be the word for Troy Robinson in the
Modifieds. Robinson let the field know in a hurry that he
was the man to beat by setting quick time, then started
fifth in the 20-lap feature.
Things would get a bit "testy" on lap ten as Jeremy Gerstner
and Kevin Durden tangled for a second time on the back-
stretch. With nowhere to go, Rick Brewer plowed into both
cars. Durden and Gerstner exited their machines and
got into a shoving match, but track officials intervened
before things got out of hand. All three cars were done
for the night.
As the field went back to green, Robinson turned on the
afterburners and blased past Wilson for the top spot and
never looked back as he pulled away from the field to an
easy victory.
Tampa's John Gerstner came home second ahead of Alan
McCafferty while Wilson faded to fourth at the finish.
Shane Nichols was fifth.
The fans were treated to yet another awesome display of
driving by the Sportsman division with side-by-side and
sometimes three-wide racing throughout the 15 laps.
In the end it was Dunnellon's Tom Posavec just holding
off Roger Damron at the line for the win with Pete Close,
Jr. getting third by a nose over Tommy Roberts who did an
awesome job holding off the "hotshots" for several laps
with his former Hobby Stock car.
Last weeks winner Patrick "Sweet Pea" Mennenga drove a
steady race to round out a very close top five.
Sportsman heat wins were taken by Close, Jr. and Bob
Masciarelli.
Williston's Larry Goolsby has apparently turned a season
of bad luck completely around as he won the Mini Stock
feature for the second week in a row.
Goolsby took the point at the drop of the green and led
every lap despite constant pressure from Jeff Stainaker,
Sr. and Clint Foley who eventually crossed the line in
second and third. Don Strosahl, Jr. and Tate Stainaker
completed the top five.
Goolsby and Stainaker, Sr. won the heats.
Another large Street Stock field spent the entire 15 laps
chasing Augie Burtram to the checkers.
Burtram started from the pole and was never headed although
Doug Webster did make it interesting late in the race but
had to settle for second. Mark Mitchell made a late charge
to nab third while Paul Gladin and Rick Hart came home
fourth and fifth.
Last weeks 50-lap Street Stock winner Frank Buchanan was
racing for third spot when he tangled with another car and
was sent to the rear. He then pouned the frontstretch
wall just after the restart and was out of the running.
Before that, Buchanan had taken a heat race win with the
other Street Stock heats going to Gladin and Webster.
After getting on his side in a big wreck last week, Justin
Durbin took no prisoners on this night as he speed to an
easy Four Cylinder Stock win in his Mustang.
"Mr. Outside," Robert Oxendine drove his Toyota Pick-up
truck to second while Dan Sanderson in a similar truck
re-built from a crash last week grabbed third. Rounding
out the top five were Rick Fort and Steve Mooers.
Heats were won by Justin Durbin and Oxendine.
Next wek the non-wing FASTSPRINTS will be at Ocala
Speedway, also on tap is a 50-lapper for the Modifieds
plus racing in the Street Stock, Mini Stock, and Four
Cylinder Stocks.
COMPLETE RESULTS - 9/20/02
SUPER LATE MODEL (50 laps)
1) Mike Bresnehan #3
2) Brock Oglesby #88
3) Robbie Smith #01
4) Brad Atkins #25
5) Roger Shinholser #26
6) John Buzinec #08
7) Chuck Hiers #21W
8) David Baxley #64
9) George Receveur, Jr. #9
10) James Cook #21
11) Bob Hughes #13
12) James Findley #88B
13) Rich Pratt #0
14) E.J. Wise #57
MODIFIEDS (20 Laps)
1) Troy Robinson #0
2) John Gerstner #77
3) Alan McCafferty #32
4) Mike Wilson #79
5) Shane Nichols #65
6) Chris Fadling #29
7) Robert Gulvin, Jr. #33
8) John Gamble #34
9) Rick Brewer #9
10) Jeremy Gerstner #70
11) Kevin Durden #69
12) David Baxley #64
13) Mark Rider #16
MINI STOCK (15 Laps)
1) Larry Goolsby #27
2) Jeff Stainaker, Sr. #77
3) Clint Foley #7
4) Don Strosahl, Jr. #15
5) Tate Stainaker #14
6) Don Strosahl, Sr. #84
7) Wayne Wells #23
8) Jake Garver #10
9) Glen Ervin #0
SPORTSMAN (15 Laps)
1) Tom Posavec #01
2) Roger Damron #76D
3) Pete Close, Jr. #86
4) Tommy Roberts #44
5) Patrick Mennenga #69
6) William Edwards #39
7) Bob Masciarelli #72
8) Gary Wayne Crouthamel #28
9) Big John Smith #31
10) Jim Higginbotham #76
11) Doug Levesque #27
12) David White #6
13) Tommy Brakeman #20
14) Joe Rankin #8X
15) Jeremy Finegan #22
STREET STOCK (15 Laps)
1) Augie Burtram #56
2) Doug Webster #72
3) Mark Mitchell #71
4) Paul Gladin #9
5) Rick Hart #13
6) Chuck Stewart #8Ball
7) Darren Dukes #4
8) Moose Alderman #7
9) Paul Fletcher #94
10) Tom Fralish #79
11) John Betts #08
12) Paul Fletcher #28
13) Michael Rose #76
14) William O'Quinn #88
15) Bobby Carter #99
16) Steve West #78
17) John Mamph #82
18) Rick Bass #21
19) Jamie Dunn #24
20) Chauna Johnston #43
21) James Morgan #7X
22) Frank Buchanan #07
23) Roger Brass #81 (DNS)
FOUR CYLINDER STOCK (15 LAPS)
1) Justin Durbin #1
2) Robert Oxendine #24
3) Dan Sanderson #7
4) Rick Fort #2
5) Steve Mooers #15
6) Tom Ellis #31
7) Joey Durbin #38
8) Neal Durbin #33
9) Harold Barup #3
10) Rick Kuhn #47
11) Kurtis Mitchell #00
12) Dennis Harden #17
13) Wayne Penny #4
14) Chris Antis #01
15) Joel Byall #40
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