IT'S TIME TO RACE!!

July 18, 2004 FSCR Curreli Wins Late Model Feature at New Smyrna Speedway by Jane Smith Samsula, Fla. (July 17, 2004) Two light showers passed over New Smyrna Speedway on Saturday but with the heat of the hot summer day, the track dried in no time. Rain surrounded New Smyrna but somehow the Rain Gods were good to us and we got to do what we all love best RACE. The Mini Stocks ran their make-up feature from June 26 (when it was rained out) for double points. Alli Owens had the pole for the 15 lap feature but it was Chad Carpenter who took the point on the green followed by Owens, Brian Bellaw, Ben Cutler Jr. and David Castello. On lap 2 as Ben Cutler was taking over the third spot, his car suddenly went up the track and into the turns 1 and 2 wall with a broken axle. Cutler was fine but done for the night. Brian Bellaw took the point on the restart but it did not take Ted "Mr Mini Stock" Vulpius long to pass Bellaw and take over the lead. Bellaw tried but could not catch Vulpius. Vulpius took the checkered followed by Brian Bellaw, Chad Carpenter, Alli Owens and Rex Christensen. A good field of Late Models were in the pits with Travis Wilson on the pole for their 15 lap feature. Wilson quickly took the point on the green followed by A.J. Curreli, Troy Atkins, Robert Andercheck and Alan Bruns. Earl Goodwin Jr. brought out the yellow when he spun at the bottom of turns 1 and 2. On the restart, Troy Atkins was black flagged for not listening to the officials when he was told what position he was in. Atkins was brought down pit road and sent into the pits for the night. Wilson held the point on the restart with Curreli, Andercheck, Bruns and Don Hess in the top five. Hess put the pedal down and passed Bruns taking over fourth with Bruns in fifth. Wilson found his hands full of Curreli as they went side-by-side, door-to door for the lead. As Curreli and Wilson are fighting for the point, Robert Andercheck, who was running third slowed and went into the pits for the night. Curreli, who has had a monkey on his back this year, finally made the pass and took over the point followed by Wilson, Hess, Bruns and Sam Watts. Bruns passed Hess for third as Curreli took the checkered for his first feature win in 2004. Following Curreli across the checkered was Travis Wilson, Alan Bruns, Don Hess, and Sam Watts. Travis Wilson and Troy Atkins took the heat wins. Chuck Smith had the pole for the Super Stock feature but it was James Adams who took the point on the green followed by Smith, Jeff Colburn, Josh Wronkowski and Ron Whaley. Colburn quickly takes over the point as Ron Whaley and Josh Wronkowski follow in second and third. Lenzen holds fourth and Adams fifth. Lenzen takes over third from Wronkowski and the battle is getting hot when Danny Lester loses a rear wheel in turns 1 and 2. Colburn holds the point but it is a short green as Bob Bailey brings out the yellow when he loses a tire in the same spot as Lester. Bailey is towed into the pits. Colburn holds the point on the restart followed by Ron Whaley, Jack Lenzen,, Josh Wronkowski and Jason Foster. Lenzen puts the pressure on Whaley and takes over second and sets sail for Colburn. But James Adams and Chuck Smith bring out the caution as they tangle at the bottom of turns 1 and 2. Smith restarts at the rear of the field as Adams is towed into the pits. Colburn holds the point but not for long as Colburn and Lenzen are doing some heavy side-by-side action for the lead. Lenzen finally makes the move stick and takes over the point as Whaley tags along in second and Colburn settles down in third. Barry Parks and Chuck Smith bring out the caution as they spin at the bottom of turn 1. Lenzen holds the point and takes the checkered followed by Ron Whaley, Jeff Colburn, Josh Wronkowski and Jason Foster. Jack Lenzen and Jeff Colburn took the heat wins. Matt Wheeler had the pole for the Open Wheel Modified race but it did not take Bobby Blake long to take over the point. Wheeler tried but could not retake the point and with no cautions, it was Bobby Blake taking the checkered followed by Matt Wheeler, David Hite, Ed Kuhel and Tom Root. Bobby Blake took the heat win. Super Lates saw B.J. McLeod on the pole for their feature race but it was David Rogers who took the point. McLeod definitely let Rogers know he was there with a few little "love kisses" but McLeod had to settle for second. Rogers took the checkered followed by B.J. McLeod, Guy Thomas and Morgan Hoover. In tech, McLeod was disqualifed for not going to the scales giving Guy Thomas second and Morgan Hoover third. B.J. McLeod won the heat race. Donny Williams had the pole for the Sportsman feature and lead from green to checkered. Following Williams on the green was Mike Soukup, Justin Newby, John Nusbaum and Patrick Mennenga. Newby passed Soukup and took over second. The only caution of the feature came out on lap 2 for our newest Sportsman member Don Thacey who spun in turns 1 and 2. Williams holds the point on the restart followed by Newby, Soukup, Nusbaum and Dale Closuer. Clouser, who started at the rear of the field, now begins his march to the front. Clouser makes it to second but Williams is not to be caught tonight. Williams holds strong and takes the checkered followed by Dale Clouser, John Nusbaum, Patrick Mennenga and Justin Newby. Mike Soukup and Dale Closuer took the heat wins. Mini Stocks made their second appearance with Rex Christensen on the pole but before a lap was down, Brian Bellaw and Rick Gamache bring out the yellow as they get together in turns 3 and 4. Both drivers were fine and able to continue racing. Alan Buker takes the point on the restart followed by Christensen, Alli Owens, Ted Vulpius and Chad Carpenter. Buker and Vulpius put on another great show with plenty of side-by-side, door-to-door action. This continued for several laps until Vulpius finally was able to make the move and make it stick for the lead. Vulpius took the checkered for his second win of the night followed by Alan Buker, Rex Christensen, Alli Owens and Brian Bellaw. Alli Owens took the heat win. The Strictly Stocks put on one of the best shows of the night as Tim Logue had the pole and took the point on the green followed by Mike Dahm, Richard Renzi, Scott Cecil and Chris Ridley. Logue and Dahm do some great side-by-side action with Logue on the high side and Dahm on the low side. Logue gets alittle loose as Dahm takes advantage and takes over the lead. Ridley has problems and goes into the pits. Just as Dahm thinks it is safe, here comes Richard Renzi challenging for the lead. Renzi proves he is stronger and takes over the point and takes the checkered followed by Mike Dahm, Tim Logue, and Scott Cecil. Richard Renzi took the heat win. OFFICIAL RESULTS NEW SMYRNA SPEEDWAY - JULY 17, 2004 MINI STOCK (make-up feature from June 26 rainout) 1. #71 Ted "Mr Mini Stock" Vulpius 2. #1 Brian Bellaw 3. #31 Chad Carpenter4-ed 4. #22 Alli Owens 5. #v3 Rex Christensen 6. #6 Mark Broat 7. #61 Rick Gamache 8. #2 David Castello 9. #83 Ben Cutler Jr. SUPER LATE MODELS 1. #11 David Rogers 2. #2 Guy Thomas 3. #39 Morgan Hoover 4. #78 B.J. McLeod DQ'D LATE MODEL 1. #2 A.J. Curreli 2. #62 Travis Wilson 3. #4b Alan Bruns 4. #64 Don Hess 5. #73 Sam Watts 6. #14x B.J. McLeod 7. #119 Josh Schmidt 8. #29 Carl Goodwin Jr. 9. #48 Mark Smith 10. #97 Ali Zargaran 11. #90 Robert Andercheck 12. #14 Troy Atkins OPEN WHEEL MODIFIED 1. #75 Bobby Blake 2. #96 Matt Wheeler 3. #9 David Hite 4. #20 Ed Kuhel 5. #19 Tom Root SPORTSMAN 1. #111 Donny Williams 2. #30 Dale Clouser 3. #70 John Nusbaum 4. #16 Patrick Mennenga 5. #54 Justin Newby 6. #71 Tony Wilson 7. #75 Randy Jones 8. #25 Don Tracey 9. #08 Paul Hudson 10. #6 Bruce McGonigal 11. #7 Tom Gamache 12. #45 Mike Soukup SUPER STOCK 1. #211 Jack Lenzen 2. #2 Ron Whaley 3. #3 Jeff Colburn 4. #21 Josh Wronkowski 5. #49 Jason Foster 6. #01 Chuck Smith 7. #27 Barry Parks 8. #29 James Adams 9. #10 Bob Bailey 10. #69 Danny Lester 11. #5 John Castro DNS MINI STOCK 1. #71 Ted "Mr Mini Stock" Vulpius 2. #5 Alan Buker 3. #v3 Rex Christensen 4. #22 Alli Owens 5. #1 Brian Bellaw 6. #31 Chad Carpenter 7. #61 Rick Gamache 8. #6 Mark Broat 9. #22x Amanda Tonchuk 10. #11 Pug Puglisi DNS STRICTLY STOCK 1. #x Richard Renzi 2. #21 Mike Dahm 3. #75 Tim Logue 4. #29 Scott Cecil 5. #77 Chris Ridley Have an opinion on this story? 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