Bradenton, Fl. - With the Seafest 250 only a week away drivers and crews were out to test their machines and get the setup for next week's big race.
Qualifying was a tight affair, Jimmy Cope held the top spot for awhile then Dave Pletcher dropped the time and was the man to beat. Wayne Anderson, Joe Boyd, Justin Drawdy were the others who cracked the clock and held the time briefly.
Eventualy it was the "King of Florida Short Tracks" Dicky Anderson who ended up being the fastest around the high banked 3/8 mile course. The front row was set with the two biggest names in Florida racing, Dick Anderson and Dave Pletcher to set the stage for the 125 lap event.
Twenty-four cars lined the front stretch and with the roll of die 5 rows were inverted setting the fast cars at mid pack. The green dropped and it was Chris Fontaine who jumped out to the early lead. Behind him the fight was hot and heavy.
Jimmy Cope made his way into the top five but was caught up in an altercation on the track with Johnny "Action" Jackson and had to go to the pits for repairs Jackson was finished for the night. Cope was able to come back with a 7th place finish. Justin Drawdy had his problems as he had to retire early with mechanical problems finishing in the 22nd position.
Fontaine continued to lead with Wayne Anderson in second. Although Fontaine maintained a good lead Anderson had a mirror full of his Father Dicky. The elder Anderson was showing his knowledge of DeSoto Speedway working the high and low lines trying to get around Wayne.
Dicky made the move on Wayne coming out of turn 4 getting underneath to make the pass but the yellow came out for a spin before the leaders crossed the line sending the field back to the previous lap line up.
Several laps after the green Dicky's car slowed on the backstretch and ended what appeared to be a good nights run. Wayne Anderson meanwhile had a great run on the restart and was able to work his way under Fontaine to take the lead.
Anderson in his back up car had his hands full in the closing laps with Mike Bresnahan. Bresnahan tried lap after lap to get past the crafty Anderson but he was not be denied and used all his racing prowess to hold the hard charging Bresnahan to take the checkered flag, Bresnahan settled for second, Dave Pletcher raced hard and helped his points lead finishing in third, coming on strong of late is Scot Walters with a strong fourth place finish and rounding out the top five was Joe Boyd.
Anderson who be will at Lowes Motorspeedway the week coming up to run in the Busch Grandnational "Little Trees 300" said "Hopefully we can we have a good run in the Busch race and get back in time to run the Seafest 250, I really like this racetrack."
Open Wheel Modifieds
1.Chet Senogossoff 2.Timmy Moore 3.John Shields 4.Steve Perez 5.Pat Nanney Street Stocks 1.Duane Best 2.Robert Haygood 3.Brad Price 4.Casey Hall 5.Jonathan Hiedenthal
DeSoto Trucks 1.Paul E.Grynewicz 2.Todd Bontrager 3.Shane Russ 4.Paul Grynewicz 5.Bill Manful Pure Stocks 1.Keith Thorbin 2.Jimmie Best 3.Alex Abbott 4.Darrin Ellis 5.Roy Anderson
Mod Mini 1.Steve Gill 2.Dusty Robinson 3.Robbie Storer 4.Andy Whitted 5.Brent Yoder Mini Stock 1.Todd Freed Jr. 2.John Wilson 3.Joe Gagen 4.Dean Butrum 5.Ed Jasper
