BARBERVILLE, Fla. - Steve Lade won his 1st Deland Truck Center Late Model Feature in 2003. Lade jumped to the lead on lap 1, as David Clegg & Joe Kump battled side by side for 2nd. Ro Ho Sims started picking off competitors every turn as he charged to the front. Lade gained several car links advantage as Clegg, Kump & Sims battled hard running high then sliding down low, side by side for position. Paul George & Kent Corbin were on their bumpers. New comer Tim Ewing, John Rankin, Mike Eubanks and the remaining field fought for positions behind the leading pack. A caution on lap 26, bunched up the field forcing a 4 lap dash for the win. Lade took the lead as restart green was thrown as Sims flew past Kemp & Clegg using the outside lane as if they were standing still. Sims was on a mission as he pulled up next to Lade as the white flag dropped. Lade used every bit of the track he could trying to hold off the hard charging Sims, who still had the outside groove smoking. Sim's car was hooked up as he pulled beside Lade as they crossed the checkered flag. Lade & Sims were side by side running wide open as Lade inched out Sims for the win.
The Action Performance Street Stock Feature was won by Trevor Gamble. George Lane jumped to the lead over Chuck Barney, Kevin Zahnen, Gamble, & Joey Haslauer. A caution flag for Todd Ponce & Trevor Gamble was thrown after green was dropped causing another restart. Lane again jumped to the lead over his hard charging competitors as they ran side by side, nose to bumpers, inches apart for position. Lane got loose going into turn 4 on lap 10 which gave Gamble the first chance to get around Lane for the top spot. The race was on as Gamble & Lane battled for position using every inch of the track. Lane threw caution to the wind, as he rode the outside groove pulling side by side next to Gamble. Fans on their feet as the two ran side by side, inches apart. Lady Luck again eluded Lane as with 2 laps to go he got a flat tire. Gamble then stretched out and took the win.
The Speedway Pull-N-Save Hobby Stock A-Main Feature was won by David Kinsey. Alan Peacock jumped to 1st followed closely by Landon Lungren, Johnny Westfall, Travis Gamble, John Palmer, & Kinsey all who fought each other furiously for position. Lungren, Westfall, Dennis North & Tom Hughes ran side by side, full throttle for 2nd when they collided slamming Lungren into low side of turn 2 as Westfall, Hughes & North hit hard on high side. Hughes took the hardest hit by Westfall as he started to flip then landed resting sideways slamming into the track. Red was thrown, all drivers were fine but these hard charging top 4 were out of the race. Kinsey over took Peacock on the restart as he maneuvered through lapped traffic. Peacock, Palmer, Richard Price & Joe Belkey fought door handle to door handle for position. Caution on lap 14, allowed the field to catch up on Kinsey who had taking a commanding lead over his competitors. Kinsey jumped to 1st on the restart as Peacock & Palmer fought wheel to wheel not giving an inch for 2nd. Palmer put the pedal to the metal as he blew past Peacock pulling beside Kinsey on the white flag lap. Kinsey crossed the checkered for the win with Palmer on his door handle for 2nd.
The Speedway Pull-N-Save B-Main was won by Pete Pollock. Pollock fought off Calvin Christian, Donnie Birdwell & Al Sanville as they ran, side by side, nose to nose for position. Hard charging Donnie Birdwell pulled up next to Pollock on white flag lap battling for the win but Pollock prevailed.
Mark Eldridge won The Certified Auto World Mini Stock Feature for his 2nd in 2003. Once the green flag dropped, the excitement was on. Rick Wilson spun under the flag stand, cars running full steam started going high & low trying to dodge Wilson. All got through except Jackie Rhames who was caught between several cars, had no where to go as she slammed hard into Wilson. Both drivers where fine but the cars were done for the night. Double file restart produced fearless drivers as they ran 2 wide, 4 deep, banging off each other for position. Ben Kadel took 1st as Eldridge, Donnie Ashford, Ryan Vansickle, Drew Smith & James McCague charged hard for the top spot. Vansickle & Ashford pulled out all the stops as they battled using the entire track for position. Caution for Stanton Mills on the white flag lap put the finish in a one lap shoot out. Eldridge jumped into 1st on the restart for the win as Ashford, Vansickle, Smith & Mike Ponce ran on his bumper for remaining positions.
John Blood won the Pure Stock Feature for his 2nd in 2003. This competitive field of 27 cars took the green flag, 4 wide, sliding high & low, slamming off each other for position. Red was thrown on lap 1 as Matt Grover flipped landing on his roof as he connected with points leader Mark Reiter, Robert Antes, Jeremy Theel, & Chris Aviz in turn 4. Drivers were fine but several cars had to pit for the night. Brad Fender took 1st on the restart only to have yet another caution for Steve Buker come into play. Blood over took Fender on the 4th restart with Rick Picard, Shawn Pawlak, Brett Weber on his tail. Time expired shortening the race as the field continued to run 3 wide, 4 deep, bouncing off anything as they ran for position & points. Blood took checkered with Picard & Pawlak running hard on his door handles.
