The Classic Auto Racing Series was back for round number two at New Smyrna Speedway Saturday night, but the results were much the same as they were for round one back in April as everyone was looking at the rear bumper of Clermont's Jim Rahman.
With the FASCAR Sunbelt Super Late Model Series 125 also on the schedule, no heats were run in favor of an extra-distance 30-lap feature.
Luck of the draw found Bud Spencer on the pole (not in hisusual "lavender love machine" but in a car that he formerly owned when he was Rookie of the year in 1998) with Rahman on the outside of row one.
Rahman wasted little time getting to the front and the defending Series champ was trying to leave the field behind before caution flew on lap three as Patrick Sanders and point leader Ben Booth tangled in turn four. Sanders continued while Booth pitted to replace a flat tire. Both drivers restarted at the rear of the field.
Following the restart, Sanders was trying to make an outside move on Tim Ousley in turn two when his car got loose and he spun backwards into the pit gate. The damage to Sanders car was not severe, but bad enough to force him out of the race.
On the restart, Bill Posey moved in on Rahman and the battle for the lead was on. Lap after lap Posey would look high and low trying to find a place to get a good run on Rahman. "I was just trying to run my line," said Rahman. "I knew if I could do that, it would be hard for anyone to pass me, especially at this race track," he said.
Al "Hot Rod" Hagan was on the charge moving from his ninth starting position to third by mid race with Daryl Grief right on his tail. Wayne Ashton and Ben Booth were also charging hard although Booth was racing without knowing track officials had penalized him a spot for jumping the lap three restart.
Daryl Grief's night would come to an end with a broken transmission on lap 22. Booth was charging hard with Ashton on his tail, but with no cautions, catching the leaders was impossible.
Rahman held on for his third win of the year, with two of those now at New Smyrna. Posey had his best career finish in the Classics coming home a very close second and also earned his first Door Operating Systems Rookie of the Race Award. Hagan came home with his third consecutive top three finish while Booth crossed the line fourth, but his penalty moved Ashton into the fourth spot with Booth getting fifth.
Even with the fifth place finish, Booth added to his point lead as he finished ahead of all of his other chief contenders.
RESULTS - NEW SMYRNA SPEEDWAY 9/27/03:
1) Jim Rahman, Clermont #5 2) Bill Posey (R), Rockledge #00 3) Al Hagan, Merritt Island #6 4) Wayne Ashton, Ft. Pierce #78 5) Ben Booth (R), Deland #12 6) Joey Strehle (R), Deland #X11 7) Tim Ousley, Windermere #88 8) George Hall III, St. Petersburg #9 9) Bud Spencer, Palm Harbor #31 10) Daryl Grief, Deland #1 11) George Hall, Jr., St. Petersburg #32 12) Patrick Sanders, Winter Garden #8
