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| Red Vann Returns in Style to Ocala - Allen Dominates FASTSPRINTS | by Dave Westerman
Tampa's Red Vann returned to the track he dominated in
2001 and led every lap of the 50-lap Modified special
Friday night at Ocala Speedway.
A stellar field of 26 cars was led in qualifying by Troy
Robinson's 15.414 clocking, but that would be the only
bright spot to Robinson's evening as he lined up in the
fourth row on the re-draw while Vann had the pole for
the big race.
Vann took off in the lead with Alan McCafferty in tow,
but this race would be a caution flag-filled affair
starging early with a tangle between Jason Garver and
Ron Campbell on the opening lap. Then on the restart,
Jeff Borden and Robert Gulvin crashed on the frontstretch
to put the field right back under caution.
Vann, who had decided last Friday morning to go to the
race, had his car geared for the faster high-banked tracks
of New Smyrna and USA International and was at a definate
disadvantage coming off the corners as McCafferty hounded
his every move but could never really build up any
momentum due to the numerous yellow flags.
Rob Partelo spun on lap 19 to bring out the caution, then
it was out again on lap 26 for a controversial tangle
between D.J. Hoelzle and Gary Southard as they battled just
outside the top five.
Mitchell Reeves spun on lap 33 for yet another caution,
then following the restart it was a multi-car crash that
saw fast qualifier Robinson take his car pitside with
damage severe enough to drop him out of the event.
Vann continued to set the pace when there was actually
green flag racing and the final caution for a Jeremy
Gerstner/Kevyn Terry tangle set up a five lap dash to
the checker.
Try as he might, McCafferty could not pressure Vann into
a mistake and he made one last effort on the final lap
moving up to the high side of the track, nearly pulling
even with Vann at the stripe.
In victory lane, McCafferty said he should have tried
his outside move earlier but said Vann did what he needed
to do: keep the inside line.
Vann praised McCafferty for driving him clean and thanked
his crew for preparing a great race car on short notice.
Rick Hall made his first start in over a month and drove
to a solid third-place finish over David Baxley and
Raymond Vann who managed to keep things relatively clean
between themselves after an altercation a few weeks
ago.
Darren "Action" Jackson, racing on three-year-old
Goodyear tires soaked in WD40 prior to the race, grabbed
sixth spot with Chris Fadling, Mike Wilson, Jeff Conyers
and Johnny Newsome rounding out the top ten.
The FASTSPRINTS made their second appearance of the
season at Ocala and the evening was dominated by Taylor
Andrews' Daytona-Andrews Dodge team out of St.
Petersburg.
"Big Daddy" Dave Pletcher, fresh off his AACS Super Late
Model win at DeSoto Speedway the week before, took over
the wheel of the car that Andrews normally drives and
led the way in heat one while his teammate Sport Allen
ran off with heat two.
Luck of the draw saw both drivers start in the front row
of the 30-lap feature and it was no contest from the drop
of the green as Allen drove away from his teammate and
the rest of the field in dramatic fashion, lapping
everyone but second place Pletcher, third place Jimmy Alvis
and fourth place Joe Melnick as the race ran all the way
under green.
Kevin Cahill was fifth, one lap down, follwed by Lee Cipray
and Skeeter Faulconer.
Murray Hall was putting on the best show of the night racing
lap after lap with Melnick and Cahill until he climbed the
backstretch wall and nearly turned his car over. Hall was
able to keep the rubber side down and soldiered on to an
eighth place finish despite a damaged suspension.
Mike Love and J.J. Dutton rounded out the top ten.
For Allen, it was his second sprint car win of 2002 at
Ocala as he took a TBARA win earlier this year and he
heaped praise on Pletcher in victory lane for building an
"awesome engine."
Street Stock action was wild and crazy as always and a
heartbreaker for John Betts.
Betts grabbed the lead from Paul Fletcher on lap two and
had his car working perfectly, well on his way to victory
when the engine blew in turn three on the final lap.
Second-running Mark Mitchell slid in the oil and tagged
Betts' car but only received bodywork damage and was able
to continue.
A one lap race to the checker saw Mitchell take the win
followed closely by Moose Alderman.
Doug Webster, involved in an early tangle, came back
through the field to claim third followed by Tom Fralish
and Darren Dukes. Michael Rosa, Jamie Dunn, Rick Hart,
Steve West and Mike Fiddia completed the top ten.
Alderman, Doug Webster and Frank Buchanan won the heats.
A short field of Mini-Stockers saw Clint Foley run off
with the 10-lap feature over Tater Stainaker, Jeff
Stainaker, Sr., Larry Goolsby and Jacob Antis. Tater
Stainaker won the heat.
The Four Cylinder Stocks put on quite a show as always,
but point leader Robert Oxendine and 2002 regular season
Champion Ric Fort were out before a lap could be
completed after a crash on the backstretch.
When the race got going there was more slicin' and dicin'
than a Three Musketeers movie as Joey Durbin grabbed
the top spot and held off fellow Mustang drivers Tom Ellis
and Justin Durbin for the win. Steve Gallagher and his
VW were fourth just ahead of Dan Sanderson's Toyota pick-
up truck.
Gallagher, Oxendine, and Ellis won the heats.
Also visiting the track were the Florida Open Wheel Lite
cars, and although New Smyrna's Dan Nyhan led all the
way, he was forced to fend off constant pressure from
Rick Lundeen, Brian Gingras, and Bob Quick, who finished
in that order. Jim Harrison was fifth.
Heat wins were taken by Nyhan and Quick.
Next week, Ocala Speedway has a six-division show featuring
the Super Late Models, Modifieds, Sportsman, Street Stocks,
Mini Stocks and Four Cylinder Stocks beginning at 8PM.
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