IT'S TIME TO RACE!!

February 11, 2005 FSCR MATHIS, TOWLES AND SMITH AMONG NITE TWO OSW WINTERNATIONALS WINNERS By Dave Westerman Ron Towles Terry Mathis didn't have the fastest car on this night, but he still won his second straight Aaron's Pro Challenge feature during night two of the 2005 Winternationals at Orlando Speedworld. After setting quick time and winning the feature the night before, the Cumming, GA driver was already locked into the starting grid for night two. A pair of qualifying heats to set the remainder of the field were won by North Carolina's Ben Stancill and Georgia's Rusty McLain as 28 cars were set to take the green for 35 laps. Mathis had the pole and set the early pace with Brett McLain close behind as numerous caution flags for various incidents including two multi-car crashes kept the field bunched up. All eyes were on Josh Adams who had his truck-bodied machine working to perfection. Adams dogged Mathis for several laps before taking the lead on lap 33. With the checkered flag in sight, Adams' machine suddenly quit coming of turn two as Mathis and the rest of the field sped by. Mathis led the remaining distance to claim back to back wins in the class with Brett McLain finishing in the runner-up spot for the second night in a row. Ken Butler drove his Aaron's Dream Team car to third spot followed by Bobby Keys and Kyle Kennedy. Marty Arender took sixth with Mark Dyer, Jason Treschl, Frankie Roberts and Trent Mayo completing the top ten. Completing the field were Allen Mitchell, Larry Nuwbarn, Brett Butler, Rusty McLain, Bob Harshbarger, Fred Hardwick, John Litzinger, Ben Stancill, Adams, Nancy Hardwick, Mike Lago, John Chandler, Michael Foy, J.L. Snowden, Steve Strandlund, Wayne White, Mike Grissom and Mark David. John Tyler David did not start. Three heats were again needed to set the field for the Open Wheel Lite 15 lap main event. The preliminaries were all won by Florida drivers; Sarasota's John Bailey, Jacksonville's Rick Lundeen, and Ron Towles of Jacksonville Beach. Lundeen led the opening seven laps before tangling with George Landis while fighting for the lead. With both drivers restarting from the rear, Todd Shepherd of Manhattan, IL took over but led only two circuits before Ron Towles zoomed past and led the remaining laps. Bailey followed Towles across the line for second with Shepherd hanging on for third in front of Gingras and Brandon Bayse. Rounding out the top ten were Tom Schnable, Bob Hostetler, Kevin Baxter, George Landis and Jeff Slayton. Dan Nyhan, Junior Gould, Lundeen, Doug Schmidt, Rick Brayton, Max Evans, Vicki Schnable and Joseph Brayton completed the finishers while both Spanky McFarland and Mike Weisburg couldn't make the start. Doug Smith dominated the Florida Mini Cup Association All Pro Division leading every lap. Ed MacKenzie came home in second place trailed by Frank Pfister, and Wendy Kash. Smith's dominance was such that fifth place David Taylor was a lap down. Rick Auriemma was sixth with Larry Folino, Paul Tyson, Francois Pellitier and Heather Suggs rounding out the top ten. The remaining finishers were Rick Blair, Allen Mason, Matt Cole, Brian Ayers, Mark Peterson, Tom Mellin, Carlos Gonzales, Rick Hookman and Mike Hall while Nando Pinto was not able to make the starting grid. The Florida Mini Cup Junior All Star feature saw Eric Cunningham cross the line first but he was DQ'd in tech for a carburetor infraction with second place C.J. Faison being awarded the win. Faison, who hails from Seaford, DE was trailed by Seth Greco, Dylan Presnell, Stephen Hershey, Thomas Warnick and Carson Bomar. Mike Lago turned his luck around as the Lantana, FL driver came back from a crash on opening night to win the 30 lap Florida Pro Challenge feature. John Tyler David had the fastest machine, but he dropped out after leading the first 24 laps handing the top spot and eventual win to Lago. Howard Brennan came from last on the starting grid to take second ahead of J.L. Snowden, Steve Strandlund and Bobby Robillard, the only cars still running at the finish. Jim Benedict completed enough laps for sixth followed by Mark Spadoni and John Tyler David. Sam White did not start. In other action, Doug Carrigan dominated the Mod Lite field for the second night in a row over Mike Belusar, K.J. Pickett and Phil Krauthoff while David Northcutt took advantage of a late tangle between Chuck Mitchell and Will Ragsdale to claim the BM Modified win. Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board! news@karnac.org or send a letter to the editor!