IT'S TIME TO RACE!!

May 16, 2004 FSCR Justin Drawdy takes SLM Feature as Super Lates prepare for Pete Orr Memorial next Saturday by Jane Smith Samsula, Fla. (May 15, 2004) A slight breeze was the only element that gave fans at New Smyrna Speedway any cooling off Saturday as fans saw plenty of hot action on the race track. A number of Super Lates came to New Smyrna to get alittle practice time before the 2nd Annual Pete Orr Memorial Orange Blossom 125 runs next Saturday. Due to the rainout of the Mini Stock and Strictly Stock features on May 1, their make-up features were the first to run. Ted "Mr Mini Stock" Vulpius had the pole for the rainout feature but it was Chad Carpenter who quickly jumped to the point on the green followed by Vulpius, Brian Bellaw, Alli Owens and Jamie Dixon. Carpenter and Vulpius do some very good side-by-side action for the lead as Dixon and Ben Cutler Jr. are also going side-by-side for fifth. Lap 6 the yellow comes out as Dixon spins going to the rear of the field for the restart. Carpenter holds the point on the restart followed by Vulpius, Bellaw, Owens and Cutler. On lap 9, Carpenter finds his mirror full of Vulpius right on his tail but Carpenter is able to hold on for the lead. But on lap 13, Carpenter pushes up just enough to let Vulpius slide by and take over the point. Vulipus takes the checkered followed by Carpenter, Bellaw, Owens, and Ben Cutler Jr. Strictly Stocks saw Chris Guidry on the pole for their rainout feature but it was Jose Rivera who took the lead but just alittle too soon being put back 2 spots for jumping the start. Rivera is shuffled backwards with Tom Poltz taking over the point followed by Jeremy Hovencamp, Bruce Muh, Rivera, and Mike Dohm. Caution comes out on lap 8 for Matt Crews who has spun. On the restart Poltz finds a very hard charging Jeremy Hovemcamp by his side. Poltz is able to hold off Hovencamp until he goes sideways opening the door for Hovencamp to take over. Hovencamp takes the checkered followed by Tom Poltz, Bruce Muh,l Jose Rivera, and Mike Dohm. With the rainout features done, it is time for regular heats and feature. Dave Riley has the pole for the Modified feature but does alittle spinning on the start to call for a complete restart. On the restart, it is Bobby Blake who jumped to the lead followed by Chad Pierce, Dave Riley, Max Mock, and Ed Kuhel. Rob Underwood was unable to race the feature due to a fire in his machine. Lap 2 finds Pierce looking every way possible but Blake holds. Lap 4, Pierce goes on the hunt again but Blake holds and closes the door on Pierce. By lap 7, Max Mock has passed Dave Riley and taken over third with Riley sliding to fourth. Lap 9 sees the yellow but only for debris on the track. The race goes back green with Blake, Pierce, Mock, Riley and Kuhel in the top five. Blake takes the checkered followed by Pierce, Mock, Riley and Kuhel. Chad Pierce was so excited about what a great race he had, he forgot to go thru tech right away and was disqualified changing the finishing order to Blake, Max Mock, Dave Riley, and Ed Kuhel. Chad Pierce took the heat win. Now it was time for the "BIG BOYS" with Eric Black on the pole for their 25 lap feature. But before a lap was down, Bruce Lawrence Jr., Rick Bates and Mark Vandevender all got together in turn 4 causing a complete restart. On the second try, Black took the point but found himself going side-by-side with Michael Williams for the lead. Black held strong with Justin Drawdy, Michael Williams, Guy Thomas and David Rogers in the top five. Lap 2 saw the yellow for Brent Hobbs and Bobby Fleckinger who had gotten together in turns 3 and 4. Hobbs was fine but had to be towed into the pits, done for the night. Fleckinger goes in for crew attention and is able to return to the field. Black holds the point on the restart followed by Drawdy, Williams, Rogers and Thomas. Drawdy is able to pass Black and takes over the point with Black falling to second. It is now Drawdy, Black, Rogers, Williams, Thomas, Jack Cook, Bruce Lawrence, Wayne McCall, Bruce Lawrence Jr., Rick Bates and Bobby Fleckinger. On lap 17, Rogers appears to have problems and falls off the pace going into the pits, done for the night. The top five are now Drawdy, Black, Williams, Thomas and Jack Cook. Lap 23 see Wayne McCall spin in turn 4 just as Bruce Lawrence passes Jack Cook. Because of the caution, Cook goes back to fifth with Lawrence in sixth. With only two laps to go, Drawdy is able to jump to the point on the restart and holds taking the checkered for his first feature win in 2004 at New Smyrna Speedway. Drawdy is followed by Eric Black, Michael Williams, Guy Thomas and Jack Cook. David Rogers and Eric Black took the heat wins. Josh Wronkowski had the pole for the Super Stock feature and was able to take the point on the green followed by Ron Whaley, Charlie Collins, Jack Lenzen, and Stephen Dembinsky. Whaley puts the pedal to the metal and takes over the point as Wronkowski slides back to fourth. Lap 4 finds Collins and Lenzen going side-by-side for second as the #3 of Jeff Colburn has alittle smoke coming from the tail. On lap 6, the caution is thrown with Colburn being black flagged for possible rear-end grease leaking from his car. Colburn goes in for crew attention. Whaley holds the point for the restart followed by Charlie Collins, Jack Lenzen, Josh Wronkowski, and Kevin Auger. By lap 7, Auger has passed Wronkowski and taken over fourth with Wronkowski going to fifth. Once again on lap 8, Collins and Lenzen are side- by-side for second. Lenzen is able to take the spot with Collins going back to third. Lap 11 sees the yellow for debris on the track. Whaley holds the point on the restart followed by Lenzen, Collins, Auger and Wronkowski. Lap 13, Lenzen gets sideways big time but is able to collect his car and continue on. Ron Whaley took the heat win. Mark Smith had the pole for the Late Models and quickly took the lead for the first lap followed by Chuck Abell, Don Hess, Dewayne Barrus, and David Pletka. Abell puts the pressure on and passes Smith taking over the point with Smith in second. But it was a short lead for Abell as Don Hess passes Abell and takes over the point with Abell, Smith, Pletka and Troy Atkins in the top five. Atkins puts pressure on Smith and takes over third with Smith sliding to fourth. On Lap 9, Smith and Pletka are going side-by-side for fourth with Pletka taking the spot and Smith going to fifth. No cautions give Hess a clear shot for the checkered followed by Chuck Abell, Troy Atkins, David Pletka, and Mark Smith. In tech, Hess was found to be 30 pound light disqualifying him and giving Chuck Abell the win. The new top five were Abell, Troy Atkins, David Pletka, Mark Smith and Dewayne Barrus. David Gibbs had the pole for the Sportsman feature but found himself going side-by-side with Dennis Gilliam for the lead. Joe Gerard hits the turn 4 wall and limbs back into the pits done for the night. Gilliam continues to lead followed by Gibbs, Donny Williams, Dale Clouser and Mike Soukup. Williams passes Gibbs for second with Clouser following Williams thru for third and Gibbs settling into fourth. By lap 8, it is Williams, Clouser, Gilliam, Gibbs and Soukup. Bobby Joe Woodley brings out the caution on lap 9 as he finds himself against the turn 2 wall. Woodley is fine, his car is damaged enough to be towed in and done for the first run for Woodley at New Smyrna. Woodley and Chris Peludat got together causing the caution with Peludat sent to the rear for the restart. On the restart, Clouser has problems and is off the pace going into the pits, done for the night. Lap 10 sees Gibbs in the turn 1 and 2 wall bringing out the yellow. Williams holds strong on the point on the restart followed by John Nusbaum, Dennis Gilliam, Chris Peludat and Mike Soukup. Williams takes the checkered followed by Dennis Gilliam, Chris Peludat, John Nusbaum, and Mike Soukup. In Victory Lane, Williams thanks his newest family member Kimber for the note she put in his car before the race and dedicates the win to Kimber and his son Michael who is in Army Boot Camp. Dale Clouser won the heat race. Chad Carpenter had the pole for the 15 lap Mini Stock feature and lead from green to checkered taking his first feature win. Following Carpenter on the green was Brian Bellaw, Jamie Dixon, Ted Vulpius and Alli Owens. By lap 1, Vulpius passed Dixon and took over third. Vulpius and Bellaw go side-by-side for the entire race with Bellaw closing the door each time Vulpius tried to take over second. Carpenter took the checkered followed by Brian Bellaw, Ted Vulpius, Alli Owens and Jamie Dixon. Brian Bellaw took the heat win. Mike Dohm had the pole for the 12 lap Strictly Stock feature and quickly took the point over Jose Rivera, John Poltz, Gordon Houck, and Chris Guidry. On lap 2, Rivera brings out the yellow as he hit the turns 3 and 4 wall. Rivera goes into the pits when a fire develops under his hood. The safety team quickly extinguish the flames and Rivera is done for the night. Dohm holds the point for the restart but sees the yellow thrown again for debris on the track. The race goes back green with Dohm, Poltz, Hovencamp, Houck, and Derek Slade in the top five. Lap 8 sees Slade and Dohm get together on the frontstretch with both restarting in the rear of the field. The new leader is now John Poltz but not for long as Hovencamp passes and takes over the point followed by Poltz, Houck, Crews, and McGonigal. Coming to the checkered, Poltz finds himself in a spin in turns 3 and 4 as Hovencamp takes the checkered followed by Gordon Houck, Bruce McGonigal Jr., Matt Crews and Mike Dohm. Chris Guidry and Jeremy Hovencamp took the heat wins. Next Saturday, May 22, the Pete Orr Memorial Orange Blossom 125 featuring the "best of the best" Sunbelt Super Late Models along with Sportsman, Super Stock, Mini Stock and Strictly Stock. OFFICIAL RESULTS NEW SMYRNA SPEEDWAY - MAY 15, 2004 RAINOUT FEATURES FROM 5/1/04 MINI STOCK: 1. #71 Ted Vulpius 2. #31 Chad Carpenter 3. #1 Brian Bellaw 4. #22 Allie Owens 5. #83 Ben Cutler Jr. 6. #6x Jamie Dixon 7. #2 Ron Karto Jr. 8. #6 Mark Broat 9. #11 Pug Puglisi STRICTLY STOCK 1. #39 Jeremy Hovencamp 2. #28 Tom Polz 3. #60 Bruce Muh 4 #73 Jose Rivera 5. #21 Mike Dohm 6. #126 Derek Slade 7. #X Chris Guidry 8. #26 Kenneth Walker 9. #18 Matt Crews 10. #40 John Zimmerman 11. #15 Mike Wofford 12. #65 James Smith 13. #667 Randy Kough FEATURES 5/15 SUPER LATE MODEL 1. #12 Justin Drawdy 2. #10 Eric Black 3. #40 Michael Williams 4. #2 Guy Thomas 5. #96 Jack Cook 6. #16 Bruce Lawrence 7. #116 Bruce Lawrence Jr. 8. #2x Wayne McCall 9. #34 Bobby Fleckinger 10. #4 Rick Bates 11. #11 David Rogers 12. #8 Brent Hobbs 13. #7 Mark Vandevender LATE MODEL 1. #19 Chuck Abell 2. #14 Troy Atkins 3. #23 David Pletka 4. #48 Mark Smith 5. #3 Dewayne Barrus 6. #119 Josh Schmidt 7. #59 Ernest Worley 8. #64 Don Hess DQ'D (Light at scales) OPEN WHEEL MODIFIEDS 1. #75 Bobby Blake 2. #44 Max Mock 3. #05 Dave Riley 4. #20 Ed Kuhel 5. #69 Rob Underwood DNS 6. #51 Chad Pierce DQ'D (DID NOT GO TO SCALES AFTER RACE) SPORTSMAN 1. #111 Donny Williams 2. #40 Dennis Gilliam 3. #27 Chris Peludat 4. #70 John Nusbaum 5. #28 Mike Soukup 6. #08 Paul Hudson 7. #47 David Gibbs 8. #30 Dale Clouser 9. #98 Bobby Joe Woodley 10. #6 Bruce McGonigal 11. #330 Joe Gerard SUPER STOCK 1. #2 Ron Whaley 2. #211 Jack Lanzen 3. #23 Charlie Collins 4. #07 Kevin Auger 5. #21 Josh Wronkowski 6. #50x Stephan Dembinsky 7. #27 Barry Parks 8. #29 James Adams 9. #3 Jeff Colburn MINI STOCKS 1. #31 Chad Carpenter 2. #71 Ted Vulpius 3. #1 Bruce Bellaw 4. #22 Alli Owens 5. #6x Jamie Dixon 6. #11 Pug Puglisi 7. #6 Mark Broat 8. #v3 Rex Christensen 9. #2 Ron Karto Jr. 10. #83 Ben Cutler Jr. STRICTLY STOCKS 1. #39 Jeremy Hovencamp 2. #99 Gordon Houck 3. #22 Bruce McGonigal Jr. 4. #18 Matt Crews 5. #21 Mike Dohm 6. #126 Derek Slade 7. #28 John Poltz 8. #15 Mike Wofford 9. #26 Michelle Dyal 10. #40 John Zimmerman 11. #X Chris Guidry 12. #73 Jose Rivera Have an opinion on this story? 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