Jason Boyd Wins 50 Lap Late Model Feature on Night 4 at NSS
by Jane Smith
Samsula, Fla - Even though Tom Tipton, the announcer for New Smyrna Speedway, said Monday night was night 3 of the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing, in reality, it was night 4 as night 3 was rained out.
Fans got plenty of racing action as the TBARA Winged Sprints ran 4 heat races and the STARRS joined in the fun.
Freddie Query set fast time for the Super Late Models with a 18.200 lap time followed by Louis Mechalides with a 18.239, Randy Gentry with a 18.267, David Rogers with a 18.294 and Jr. Hanley with a 18,323, Kent Neilson set fast time for the Late Models with a 17.852 followed by Larry Osteen 18.634, Joey Miller 18.739, Mike Murphy 18.932 and Jerry Symons 18.933.
Practice and qualifying ran later than planned due to the fact that buckets of wet stuff fell at New Smyrna Speedway until about noon. By 3 p.m., the track was dry enough to start hot laps so with the lateness of getting started, only feature races were run, no heats except for the TBARA Winged Sprints.
Hank Ower, Dave Steele, David Slawiak and Keith Butler won the four heat races with Keith Butler taking the feature win over Kevin Feeney, Gary Gimmler, Dave Steele, and Hank Lower. In STARRS, it was #19, #21, #2-13, #17 and 6 in the top five.
Mini Stocks saw Shane Canipe of North Carolina on the pole for the feature event. But it was Rick Sirmans who took the point quickly as the caution was thrown for Ted "Mr Mini Stock" Vulipus and Scott Reeves in turns 3 and 4. Both drivers and cars were fine but went to the rear of the field on the restart.
Lap 2 Chase Goodson brought out the yellow for a spin with Sirmans still holding the point on the restart followed by Robbie Yoakam, Richard Kelley, Shane Canipe, and Dink Sullivan. Lap 5 Scott Reeves and Nelson Crowder nudge alittle to hard causing both to spin and rejoining the field in the rear.
On the restart, Yoakam powers his way around Sirmans for the lead with Rick Sirmans, Shane Canipe, Ted Vulipus and Ron Dubeau in the top five. Lap 8, Richard Kelley slows and retires to the pits ending his night and good run. Dick McPhail, father of Tim "Missileman" McPhail, gave the crowd a thrill as he spun coming off turn 4 on the frontstretch, getting into the grass and mud and slightly hit the rear-end of the "Missile" in the pit wall. But being the seasoned racer he is, got the car refired and back into action with a slightly dented in rear-end.
Yoakam took the lead on the restart followed by Rick Sirmans, Ted Vulipus, Shane Canipe, and Chase Goodson who had worked his way back up from the rear due to his spinout. Lap 17 saw Larry Long bring out the yellow for his backstretch spin.
On the restart, Vulipus got his steam up and passed Sirmans for the second place spot but Sirmans powers back and regains the second place spot. Yoakam crossed the checkers once again in first followed by Rick Sirmans, Ted Vulipus, Shane Canipe, and Chase Goodsoon.
As the green waved for the Super Late Model 30 lap feature, Steve Keller's machine had something to let go which brought out the caution before a lap was down. A total restart was in order with Don Thompson Jr. on the pole and James Powell III on the outside pole. As the green waved once again, Powell powered his way to the front over Wayne Anderson, David Rogers, Don Thompson, Jr., and Jr. Hanley. Lap 3 saw the yellow once again when Keller spun at the bottom of turns 1 and 2. On the restart, Hanley puts his machine in the third place position but only one lap later, David Rogers and Freddie Query are joined together at the top of turns 3 and 4. A red flag came out for the leaking fuel cell on the #11 TM Ranch Dodge of Rogers. The tow trucks retired Rogers and Query's machines to the pits.
Powell holds strong on the restart in spite of having Wayne Anderson right on his tail. Lap 12, Michael Williams thrills the crowd with his spin down the frontstretch. On the restart, it is still Powell on the point and Scott Hantz and Don Thompson, Jr. doing a side-by-side, door-handle to door handle run around the track for the fourth place position. Thompson was able to hold strong and retain his fourth place.
Lap 24, after running fifth, Louis Mechalides sets his eye on Thompson in the fourth place and is able to make the move on Thompson and take over fourth putting Thompson fifth. Hanley waited until lap 29 and powered his #66 pass Wayne Anderson for the second place spot putting Anderson third.
Powell proved that all his hard work during the week had finally paid off as he went to Victory Lane as winner of the 3rd Super Late Model event followed by Jr. Hanley, Wayne Anderson, Louis Mechalidea, and Don Thompson, Jr.
In the Winner's Circle, Powell told the crowd, " I would like to thank my crew who has worked so hard to get me here for all their hard work and this was a great race. Hope to see many more like this one."
Jerry Artuso found himself in the Winner's Circle Monday night as he finally beat the two time winner Jerry Symons in the FL/IMCA Open Wheel Modified division. Artuso, who started on the pole, lead every lap from green to checkered.
On lap 13, Jared Allison brought out the yellow for his little trip into the turns 1 and 2 wall. Allison was fine but his car had to be double hooked by the tow trucks. On the restart, Artuso held the point followed by Jerry Symons, D.J. Hoelzle, Jason Boyd and Steve Johanack.
Johanack had his hands full on the last few remaining laps with a hard charging Jason Boyd right on his tail. Boyd was able to power his machine pass Johanack and take the fifth place spot.
Victory Lane saw a smiling and very happy Jerry Artuso. Artuso said, "thanks to Jerry for a great race and thanks to my crew for a great car."
The Late Model division saw a 50 lap feature event on the program for Monday. Randy Gentry sat on the pole but it was Larry Osteen who quickly took the point on the green followed by Mike Murphy, Tim Russell, Joey Miller and Jerry Symons.
On lap 4, the yellow was thrown for John Crumbine and Kent Nielson who come together coming off turn 4 heading down the frontstretch. Jerick Johnson, seeing the accident up ahead, braked hard and found himself in the mud at the bottom of turns 3 and 4. On the restart, Tim Russell stands on the gas coming off turn 4 and gets a little squirelly as Joey Miller taps him sending Russell in a 180 down the frontstretch and hard into the frontstretch wall. Russell climbs out the passenger side of his machine, okay, but done for the night and not happy for sure. Miller's damage is slight and he is able to continue in the race. The race is red flagged.
On the restart, Osteen holds the point with Mike Murphy in second. But it is the third, fourth and fifth place cars of Miller, Symons and Jason Boyd who are giving the fans a show. With all three nose-to-tail, the crowd holds their breathe.
Boyd is able to pass Symons for the fourth place spot but still has a very determined Miller in front of him. Lap 13, Tim Watson brought out the yellow as he spun and found himself in the mud. Osteen holds the point on the restart and on lap 16, Jonathan Smith's tired goes down sending him hard into the backstretch wall. Smith is fine but finds himself on the hook and retired for the night.
Suddenly, the track lighting disappears and the cars find themselves in darkness. The race is red flagged as the lights are reset to come back on. When the green flies again, Osteen finds his mirror full as Boyd is heading his way fast.
Boyd finally passes Osteen for the lead and took the checkered flag followed by Larry Osteen in a great run, Jerry Symons, Mike Murphy and Joey Miller.
In Victory Lane, Boyd said "thanks to my dad for giving me a good car and for everyone who has worked so hard to get me here again."
Night 5 of the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing will see a 50 Lap feature for the FL/IMCA Mods, Super Lates, Lates, the last night of Mini Stock, NASCAR Tour Type/SK Mods, and STARRS.
FINISHING RESULTS MINI STOCKS - 20 Laps 1. #8 Robbie Yoakam 2. #05 Rick Sirmans 3. #71 Ted Vulipus 4. #09 Shane Canipe 5. #16 Chase Goodson 6. #21 Scott Reeves 7. #4 Ron Dubeau 8. #07 Dick Laszlo 9. #20 Nelson Crowder 10. #M61 Dick MePhail 11. #31 Chad Carpenter 12. #85 Rec Hollinger 13. #80 Roger Larson, Jr. 14. #91 Larry Long 15. #61 Richard Kelley 16. #17 Adam Murray 17. #15 Wayne Clark 18. #10 Tim Canipe 19. #1 David Castello
FL/IMCA OPEN WHEEL MODIFIEDS - 20 Laps
1. #05 Jerry Artuso 2. #66 Jerry Symons 3. #8 D.J. Hoelzle 4. #2x Jason Boyd 5. #00 Brad May 6. #1 Steve Johanack 7. #3 Wayne Parker 8. #97 Matthew Wheeler 9. #45 Shawn Stroble 10. #52 George Proctor 11. #17 Dink Sullivan 12. #10 David Winslow 13. #33 Chuck Rein 14. #7x Al Marmanle 15. #4b Allen Bruins 16. #72 Kevin Hanson 17. #22m Dan Ballard 18. #00x Victor Olmos 19. #51 Chad Pierce 20. #18 Jared Allison 21. #7 Mark Vandevender
SUPER LATE MODELS - 30 Laps
1. #37 James Powell III 2. #66 Jr. Hanley 3. #84 Wayne Anderson 4. #47 Louis Mechalides 5. #4 Don Thompson, Jr. 6. #72 Scott Hantz 7. #10x Jack Landis 8. #23 Eddie Meter 9. #09 Randy Gentry 10. #74 Ryan Moore 11. #12 Terry Shoppenhorst 12. #6 David Browning 13. #10 Donald Long 14. #7 Shelby Howard 15. #46 Chris Fontaine 16. #43 Eddie Hanby 17. #18x Frank Nitzke 18. #21x Todd Jackson 19. #60 Bob Eastwood 20. #03 Adam Cain 21. #63 Marty Zehr 22. #71 Jimmy Burns 23. #89 Donald Chisholm] 24. #12b Steve Weaver, Jr. 25. #40 Michael Williams 26. #11 David Rogers 27. #8 Freddie Query 28. #1 Chris Moore 29. #26 Jeff Emery 30. #29 Steve Keller 31. #80 Jonathan Smith 32. #7 Mark Vandevender 33. #18 Bruce Gowland 34. #90 Bob Fox
LATE MODEL - 50 Lap
1. #15 Jason Boyd 2. #22 Larry Osteen 3. #66 Jerry Symons 4. #26 Mike Murphy 5. #51 Joey Miller 6. #38 Kirk Hooker 7. #81 Scott Watts 8. #30 Terry Jones 9. #05 Jerry Artuso 10. #79 Pete Shepard 11. #2 A.J. Curreli 12. #88 John Crumbine 13. #29 Steve Gunde 14. #8 Tim Clark 15. #82 Danny Maddox 16. #9 Rich Clouser 17. #23 Jerick Johnson 18. #56 George Swansborough 19. #31 Shaun McWhirter 20. #90 Jonathan Smith 21. #30x Terry Jones 22. #9x Tim Watson 23. #36 Tim Russell 24. #09 Kent Nielson 25. #36x Jamie Parker
