Darrly Shelnut Wins Florida Pro at Hialeah Speedway
by Marty Little
HIALEAH, Fla. - Using a front row starting spot and home field advantage, former track champion Darryl Shelnut made his first start of 2003 at Hialeah Speedway a smashing success Saturday night as he led all 100 laps in winning the Florida Pro Series tour event on the flat third-mile oval.
Wheeling Tommy Sytsma's Hurricane Racing entry, Shelnut had a mirror full of fast qualfier James Powell III from the sixth lap on as both played a lightning quick game of cat and mouse. On lap 74 the two touched briefly on the front straight but confidence and experience saw both able to recover and continue the battle to the checkers.
It took three attempts to get the event under way with points leader Doyle Boatwright one of the casualties of a multi-car tangle. Joe Winchell ran third for most of the event and was able to keep that spot to checkers desptie late race engine woes. Jay Middleton and J.R. McMickle rounded out the top five in the 19 car field.
In support events Steve Dielmann scored his first Street Stock feature win of the season with a great drive in the 25 lap headliner. Jim Vary led early but was not match for the fleet Dielmann who went to the front on lap eight. Travis McCoy checkered second over T.C. McElyea, Vary and Bubba Martone.
S.C. Klinger easily romped to his eighth Mini Stock score of the season in his fleet Toyota with a good drive over Bill Calder. Jim Miner, Richard Earl and Jim Murray rounded out the top five in the 15 lap run.
Steady Cyclone runner John Pettit finally put it all together and claimed his first feature win of the season. Pettit grabbed the lead on lap 19 from Linda Schmal and never looked back, topping Eddie Lawler, Schmal, Tony Crowder and George Morales in the 25 lapper. Caesar Bacarella was the best of the Super Mini Cup racers, taking the 15 lap win in front of point leader Brett Jameson, Eryk Hardwick, Carlos Gonzalez and Doug Capps.
Complete finish of Florida Pro Series 100 showing finishing position, driver and laps completed:
1. Darryl Shelnut 100 laps; 2. James Powell III 100; 3. Joe Winchell 100; 4. Jay Middleton 100; 5. J.R. McMickle 100; 6. Michael Faulk 100; 7. Steve Throop 100; 8. Bobby Coyle 100; 9. Craig Seewald 100; 10. Steve Lamb 99; 11. Danny Maddox 99; 12. David Weaver 96; 13. Doyle Boatwright 51; 14. John Namor 44; 15. Steve Weaver, Jr. 25; 16. Al Beckelheimer, Jr. 6; 17. Mario Maresca 3, 18. Steve Godlewski 0, 19. Brian Finney 0; 20. Mario Hernandez DNS, clutch; 21. Bob Regula DNS, accident
