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| Thundercross Wraps Up Regular Season For 2002 | It was a great nite of racing at Thundercross Motorsports Complex in Okeechobee. It was the last points racing of the 2002 season, and what a show. There were 12 classes that ran, plus a kids bicycle race during intermission and the races were done by midnite. There were a ton of cars that showed. The grandstands, fence line and parking lot was full. The nite was chilled with the taste of winter, people who love racing showed up wrapped in jackets and blankets. Hot chocolate was being served and selling out.
On the track for the 1st feature were our Jr. Ministock division. These are kids 12-16 years of age. There was some great racing with some rough driving by a couple of drivers, but the race went well. The current points leader #41 of Mike Menard was on the pole and out in front. A brand new Jr. Mini driver only 12 years old #14 Corey Choquette, and his first race ever started in the back of the pack to come all the way to the front to challenge the leader #41, on the last lap coming out of turn #4 #14 Corey on the inside with #41 on the outside tangle and #41 spins out , but track officials deemed it rough driving by the new kid on the block, and Dq'd him, but overall the young fellow drove a good race. ( better luck next time Corey)
In our sportsman division, there was a field of 8 cars . Points leader #20 Rick Miller takes off out in front, but a new car it seemed, #XXX painted all black ( driver unknown ) but we find out later it was being driven by the one and only " Downtown " Jesse Brown puts on a challenge for the #20 , taking over the lead then back and forth between # xxx and #20, but the XXX spins and something breaks, putting him in the pits for the remainder of the race, back in the 2nd and 3rd position a great race between the #55 Jim Vary and # 32 Eddie Campbell all thru the sportsman race these two battle all the way to the checkerd flag, but #32 comes home 2nd with #55 in 3rd. In the Mini Modified division, #10 Wayne hilderbrand takes off in front only being challenged by the #20 of Charles Lang ( current point leader ) but #20 Lang breaks and finishes the race in the pits. #10 Wayne so far out in front unable to be challenged winds up lapping the entire field at least once and coming around for a 2nd time when the checkered flag falls. Couple new cars from different tracks show up to take 2nd and 3rd place.
Coming out on the track next is the ever so powerful Dirt slinging Late Models , with current points leader on the pole #70 15 year old Jeffery Choquette. Outside pole being held by #79 Vince Muzzin. On the start on the outside Vince shows the horsepower and is out in front. Cautions happen 3 times and had to restart each time , but #79 Vince Muzzin shows that he is definately the dominating car, however tough break for Vince something breaks and off the track he goes leaving the lead going to points leader #70 Jeff Choquette. Not too much challenging going on up front but further back in the field some great racing going on. A brand new late model for #97 Justin Choquette, ( young driver who use to race ministocks ) coming out in a late model and making it look easy. Comes home with a 4th place for his 1st ever late model race. ( Great Job Justin ) For our next feature is the Street Stock division, with current points leader #9 " Rockin " Ronnie Shron on the pole and takes the lead and no looking back.. Further back in the field some great challenging going on between the # 33 Mark Minor and #25 Eddie Thomas really battling for 2nd place, but 4th place car of #89 Greg Crowe, and 3rd place car of #33 Mark Minor tangle causing #89 to break a left front tire, due to rough driving on both drivers. #89 recieve the flag for the tire to go and fix it, but before leaving the track shows his temper, and come up behind the #33 and rams him, letting him know he is not happy. Thus causing #89 to recieve the black flag and being DQ'd for his temper. With 2 laps to go the #33 takes over 2nd from the #25.
Next feature was the Winged sprints, and points leader #3 of Tony Pinero takes off out front and never looks back to take the win, lapping the entire field with the exception of 2nd and 3rd, but there were enough cars and mayhems to keep track of your 1st , 2nd and 3rd place cars. You really had to be on your toes to watch this one with all the passing going on.. ( some great racing by these drivers ) In the open wheel modified division #2 Marion Sizemore dominates the whole field lapping every car. Tough break for the #27 he would have been the only competition for the #2 of Marion Sizemore. Coming out on the track next was our bomber division, with the #70 of Tabitha Hester on the pole, and she takes off and hold on for almost the entire race with the lead , she was challenged several times by the #8 of Dennis Hammit Jr. , but Dennis cuts a tire and has to fix it and start back at the rear of the pack.. #41 of Paul Flaskerud really puts on a challenge taking over the lead only to spin himself out, and he doesnt cause a caution, by coming back out on the track , and does his best to catch the field. Finally a caution does come out leaving #41 back in the playing field. Paul does some great driving to come back up front and passing on the outside comes home the with the win. These bomber ( guys and gals ) always show you what racing is all about.. Great job bomber drivers Out on the track in the purestock division, this is a close points race so these guys are out for blood. Some really awesome racing going on. #32 of Bobby vaugh takes over the lead from #7 Thomas Hill, and stays out front but #7 not giving up really challenges hard, and back in the 3rd the #9 of TBR racing " Big " Jim Holden does some great driving to really let #7 know he is wanting that 2nd place position, but unfortunately on the last lap "Big" Jim tries a little to hard coming out of turn #4 to spin himself out, thus leaving the #98 to take 3rd.. Another class that really shows there stuff, some real entertaining racing.
What a race in the V.W class.. only 4 cars show up to race , but these guys really were wanting to win. #7 of Robert Pruitt starts on the pole, and maintains the lead for a while until the #43 of Paul Ripa takes over 1st. Now the #7 is back in the 2nd position and gets loose and gets passed by the #18 of Jeff Barrett. #7 not wanting to give up the spot challenges hard in turn #2 to get under the #18 and the lock bumpers and thus causing #7 to run the #18 to the wall, #18 bounce off the wall and comes down on the #7 causing him to run up in the wall. This causes the #7 to break, and he is your points leader, and not a happy camper, gets out of the car, and runs over to the #18 and kicks the front hood of the car, and the driver door, them reaches in to smack #18 in the head. Thus causes the #7 of Robert Pruitt to be DQ'd for his display of his temper. Once in the pits only words were exchanged and it was all over. By this happening it caused all cars to break with the exception of the leader #43 Paul Ripa, thus giving the win to Paul.
For the next and final race for the evening the ministocks, and points leader #00 Jeremy Dowler out front and starting to dominate the field. However 15 year old Late Model driver Jeff Choquette jumps in his little brothers Jr. Mini, to start in the back of the pack of the 10 car field to literally smoke the field and catch the leader. He proceeds to fly by the leader of #00 , on the outside, and You can hear he never lets off the gas pedal. From dead last to take the win, what a show this kid always puts on. #6 of Glen Bidwell in the 3rd position, challenging hard the #00 to take over 2nd doing a fine job trying to take over 2nd , but has to settle for 3rd.. Some more great racing in the ministock division. This concludes the race report for Sat. Nov. 23rd 2002 at Thundercross Motorsports Complex. Now on with the final and official results. Don't forget No racing next Sat. November 30th due to Thanksgiving, but we will be back with you on December 7th. From everyone at Thundercross to all of you here is wishing each and everyone of you a very Healty and Happy Thanksgiving. Now to the results..... Jr. Ministock
Jr. Ministock
1)#41-"Mighty" Mike Menard
2)#52-Amber "half pint" Bonadura
3)#7- Matthew " Pumpin " Permann
Sportsman
1)#20- " Ragin " Rick Miller
2)#32- Eddie " catch me if u can " Campbell
3)#55- Jim " Vivacious " Vary
Mini Mods
1)#10- Wayne " the pain " Hilderbrand
2)#07- Casey Murphy ( out of town driver )
3)#40- Shawn Reiss ( out of town driver )
Late Models
1)#70- Jeff " The Jet " Choquette
2)#13- Gary " the sparkplug " Champion
3)#02- Brett " Cruisin " Carlton
Street Stocks
1)#9- " Rockin " Ronnie Schron
2)#33- Mark " Mad dog " Minor
3)#25- Eddie " Tear em' up " Thomas
Winged Sprints
1)#3- " Tiny " Tony Pinero
2)#11- David " Dig n' in " Kelly
3)#85- Clyde " Got the power " Poole
Open Wheel Modified
1)#2- Marion " Size em' up " Sizemore
2)#18- Richard " Test n' em' " Tipton
3)#1s- Garland " Spank n' em' " Spangler
Bombers
1)#41- Paul " Pass n' em' up " Flaskerud
2)#70- Tabitha " Hook n' and a Book n' " Hester
3)#8- Dennis " Ham it up " Hammitt
Purestocks
1)#32- " Boomin " Bobby Vaughn
2)#7- Thomas " King of the " Hill
3)#98- " Jumpin " Jerry Ferrell
V.W.
1)#43- Paul " Rippin " Ripa
2)#18- Jeff " Bare n' it " Barrett
3)#48- " Jammin " Justin Pruitt
Mini stock
1)#14- Jeff " the Jet " Choquette
2)#00- Jeremy " Dippin " Dowler
3)#6- Glen " Spinnin or Winnin " Bidwell
**** This conclude the race results for Sat. Nov. 23rd at Thundercross Motorsports Complex in Okeechobee. See ya Sat. December 7th for the next stock car racing event. Have a safe healthy , and happy Thanksgiving.
-"Scooby"
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