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| One Crazy Last Points Night at NSS | by Jane Smith
Samsula, Fla - To say the last night of points at New
Smyrna Speedway was costly, would be the obsolute truth
as more cars were wrecked in one night than many nights
put together. It seemed as though the cool, damp night
air and the beaming moon over head brought out the
worse in drivers.
Bill Stacy sat on the pole for the Super Stock feature.
Ted Helmes and Ron Whaley have run neck in neck for the
points championship and Saturday night was the night for
naming one or the other as champion.
Before the green was even going, a mass pile-up on the
backstretch brought out the red flag. Chris Detwilder,
Nick Vogler, Ron Whaley, Kenny Marshall and Alan Dillon
had tangled with Dewilder's car going into the truck
of the Kenny Marshall Super Stock. Whaley was badly
damaged and tried to continue but was unable and saw
his championship hopes go down the tube. Dillon was
the only car able to continue on.
On the restart, Josh Wronkowski took the point followed
by Ted Helmes, Bill Stacy and Jack Lenzen. A little
dicing and slicing and Helmes took the lead with
Lenzen in second spot.
The second red flag was then thrown as another pile-
up occured coming off 4 and next to the pit road entrance.
Scott Taylor had a fire under the hood but the safety
crew quickly got it out. Jeff Colburn, Randy Jones, and
Robbie Gauther were all involved in the pile-up although
Gauther was able to continue racing.
On the restart, Helmes took the point but it was Charlie
Collins, who has had bad luck all year with motors, who
passed Helmes and took over the number one spot. Collins
held his engine together and took the checkers followed
by Ted Helmes, Josh Wronkowski, Alan Dillon, Robbie
Gauther, John Kunstbeck, #721, Ron Paradise and Michael
Ridgeway.
Ted Helmes won the 2002 Super Stock Championship.
Paul Duncan sat on the pole for the Open Wheel Modified
feature but it was Bobby Blake taking the point on
the green followed by Brad May and Jason Boyd. May
passed Blake taking the lead but spun coming down the
frontstretch doing a 360 and stopping before hitting
the frontstretch wall.
On the restart, Boyd is able to outpower Blake for the
lead but Blake pulled right up to Boyd's bumper. Then
Blake and Boyd get together on the backstretch sending
Blake into the backstretch wall and madder than a wet
hen. Blake showed his maddness as he pointed to Boyd,
got back in his car and preceded to show Boyd what it
felt like to be taken out. Both cars are done for the
night with Boyd going into the upper pits from the
track.
On the restart, Mark Vandevender holds the lead and
takes the checkers followed by Chad Pierce, Brad
May, Chuck Burkhalter, Glen Bradley, Paul Duncan, Ed
Kuhel, #00, Ken McCracken, and Tim Dyson.
Justin Henderson won the points Championship for the Open
Wheel Modified division.
Chris Pedulat sat on the pole for the Sportsman feature
but it was the new 2002 Point Champion Donnie Williams
who took the lead on the green and never looked back.
Following Williams across the checkers was Dale Clouser,
Ron Lufcy, Marty Wolf, Brett Bultemeier, Mike Trocki,
and Jim Snyder.
Wayne Morris led from green to checkers in the 100 lap
Goodyear Challenge Late Model series final race of 2002.
Following Morris across the checkers was Tim Russell,
Larry Osteen, Jerry Symons, Brad May, Tony Amico, Sean
Murphy, Kenny Crites, A.J. Currelli, and Randy Dye in
the top ten.
Twenty five took qualifying with Wayne Morris setting
fast time at a 18.576 sec lap.
Wayne Morris took the win but Jerry Symons won the 2002
Goodyear Challenge Late Model Series title.
Katherine Thomas sat on the pole for the Mini Stock
feature but it was Ted "Mr Mini Stock" Vulipus who took
the point and never looked back. Following Vulipus to
the checkers was Chris Hooker, Larry Goolsby, David
Castello, Dick Laszlo and Vern Rozier.
David Castello is the 2002 Mini Stock Champion.
Sorry, I missed the Strictly Stock race but James Smith
is the 2002 Strictly Stock Champion.
Next weekend, our last weekend for 2002, at New Smyrna
Speedway - racing all divisions with final points for
Late Models and Super Lates plus the National event for
the Classic Auto Racing Series.
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