Joey Aguilar wins 2nd Annual TBARA Dick Friedley Memorial Race
The TBARA made its third appearance at Sunshine Speedway in Pinellas Park, Fl, on Saturday May 10, for the second Annual Dick Friedley Memorial Race. 19 cars made the trip for this, the 11th race in the TBARA calendar, providing the fans with three heat races of 8 laps each. The first heat had an untidy start that saw the cars lined up a second time for a full restart. Joey Aguilar in the 96 car had the pole position for this heat and kept his position to take the checkered flag.
The second heat saw the 56 car driven by Bobby Rose on the pole, but he was passed on turn 3 of lap 1 by defending TBARA champion Shane Butler in his 18 car, who then went on to win this heat. Last years Dick Friedley Memorial Race winner, Sport Allen in the 88 car, took the pole for the third heat, but after a superb battle he was passed by third place starter Gary Gimmler in the 29 car. Gary went on to take the checkered flag in this heat, whilst the 3X of Bo Hartley retired on lap 4.
The 30 lap feature race saw Joey Aguilar in the 96 on the pole, alongside Sport Allen driving the 88 car that started in second place and Shane Butler starting in third place with the 18. As the race commenced, the 96 retained his first place position, with the 88 and the 18 close behind. On lap 5, the 78 car of Tim Sharrone spun and hit the wall at turn 1 after making contact with the 3X of Bo Hartley. The caution flags were out whilst the 78 was removed from the track. As the race got back underway, Bo Hartley in the 3X pulled into the infield. Bo had been using a spare car after having problems with his usual car. The 56 pulled in on lap 24. On what would have been the last lap, Shane Butler in second place in the18 car and Sport Allen in the 88 in third place, both of whom had been battling for the second place for most of the race, made contact resulting in the 18 car hitting the wall hard at turn 1. A caution was thrown whilst the car was removed from the track and Shane was taken from the track by the paramedics. Shane was taken to the hospital for a routine check up. During the caution, Scott Adema in the number 2 car was retired to the infield after his car began smoking. The race recommenced for the final lap, which saw Joey Aguilar in the 96 car take the checkered flag, whilst Sport Allen, whose car had not been damaged or brought to a stop requiring a restart by a push vehicle during the incident with the 18 car, took second place. The TBARA's next race is June 7 at Cordele Speedway in Georgia.
TBARA Sunshine Speedway, May 10, 2003
HEAT 1
1) 96 Joey Aguilar 2) 19 Keith Butler 3) 68 Dude Teate 4) 78 Tim Sharrone 5) 79 David Slawiak 6) 6 Skeeter Faulconer 7) 44 Chuck Klaussing
HEAT 2 1) 18 Shane Butler 2) 22 Doug Heveron 3) 33c John Sambor 4) 51 Mark Gimmler 5) 56 Bobby Rose 6) 6F Curtis Carter
HEAT 3 1) 29 Gary Gimmler 2) 88 Sport Allen 3) 2 Scott Adema 4) 66 Ray Bragg 5) 3 Richard Burnett 6) 3X Bo Hartley
FEATURE
1) 96 Joey Aguilar; 2) 88 Sport Allen; 3) 66 Ray Bragg; 4) 22 Doug Heveron; 5) 68 Dude Teate; 6) 29 Gary Gimmler; 7) 19 Keith Butler; 8) 51 Mark Gimmler; 9) 18 Shane Butler DNF; 10) 2 Scott Adema DNF; 11) 33c John Sambor; 12) 44 Chuck Klaussing; 13) 79 David Slawiak; 14) 6 Skeeter Faulconer; 15) 6F Curtis Carter; 16) 3 Richard Burnett; 17) 56 Bobby Rose DNF; 18) 3X Bo Hartley DNF; 19) 78 Tim Sharrone DNF
