IT'S TIME TO RACE!!

May 2, 2005 FSCR Thompson tops stellar RE/MAX Legends Field at Orlando SpeedWorld by Dave Westerman It was yet another awesome night of racing Saturday at Orlando Speedworld as twenty-six RE/MAX Legends Cars showed up for competition. It would be a wild night with a number of incidents, four different leaders and six lead changes in the feature before young Brandon Thomson would prevail in his Auto Parts of Taft sponsored car. As usual, three heats would be needed to set the starting line-up for the 25 lap main event. Kory Abbott in the Kendirk Performance car, who saw his four race win streak broken last week, walked off with heat one. Heat two would be a marathon as several incidents wiped out two-thirds of the starting grid. When all was said and done, rookie Jimmy Norman would have his first career win since moving up from Quarter Midget racing a couple of months ago. Heat three would be much calmer with Jordan Richardson taking the win. Stuart Dutton grabbed the early lead in the feature but was no match for Abbott who passed him for the top spot on lap three. Abbott's lead was short-lived as he broke an axle and spun wildly into the infield and back up the track in turn four to bring out the first caution flag. Dutton was back out front for the restart and was looking good until Steve Turbeville's car had its engine let go in turn three on lap six. During the caution period, an oil leak was found on Dutton's car and he was forced to the pits. Jimmy Norman had the lead for the restart but the caution was quickly out again as Bobby Byars and Todd Campbell locked horns with Campbell's car hitting the turn two wall. Byars was able to continue but Campbell's car was towed to the pits. On the restart, Norman was quickly passed by Jordan Richardson who brought Brandon Thomson with him. The two drivers battled it out for several laps before Thomson took the point on lap 17 and never looked back as he raced to his first win of the season. The victory was even sweeter for Thomson as he had several family members watching from the stands including two great aunts from Pennsylvania. Richardson took the runner-up spot while last weeks winner Matt Bowers did the passing job of the night coming from deep on the starting grid to nab third spot. Norman had his best run of his young career in fourth with Darin Coker having another impressive race to claim fifth. Brian Silas was sixth with Mitch Verhaagh again the top Masters Division driver with his seventh place finish. Jeremy Colangelo (driving a car borrowed from Doug Hall), Chelsea Schillig, and Mike Verhaagh rounded out the top ten. After leaders Beaver Daughtery and Tim Ousley took themselves out of contention on lap nine, veteran Ben Booth sped to the Classic Car win. Jim Rahman was well back of the leader in second with Simeon Spagnuolo in third ahead of Joey Strehle and Patrick Sanders. Norm Agostinho, Ousley, Daughtery, Ron Gustafson and George Hall III rounded out the top ten. It was win number five on the season for Gerald White, Jr. as he topped a good field of Bandelero Bandits. Blake Eden came home second followed by Nicholas Baluch, Donovan Ponder, Zach Harris and Tyler Rahman Ryan Rust also took win number five of the season in his Florida Green Racing special as he out-gunned Dalton Bergman and Jeff Black to win the Bandelero Young Gun feature. William Hindman won his fourth in a row in the Hurricane class driving a Honda to the win over the Ford Probe of Doug Webb. Next week the second leg of the PBG Florida Legends Car Tour will be running at Orlando Speedworld. It'll be a busy night as the Mod Lites, Pro Challenge, Bandeleros, Hurricanes and F.A.S.T. Karts will also be on the big race card. RE/MAX LEGENDS CAR FINISH - 4/30/05: 1) Brandon Thomson #54 2) Jordan Richardson #1 3) Matt Bowers #84 4) Jimmy Norman #2 5) Darin Coker #00 6) Brian Silas #57 7) Mitch Verhaagh #9 8) Jeremy Colangelo #555 9) Chelsea Schillig #75 10) Mike Verhaagh #7 11) Doc Richardson #00FL 12) Chris McDonald #94 13) Jarrad Cawley #31 14) Wesley McLeod #22 15) Bobby Byars #12 16) Bob Wilson #27W 17) Kyle Dombeck #20 18) Tom Clarke #66 19) Stuart Dutton #32 20) Todd Campbell #C01 21) Steve Turbeville #77 22) Kory Abbott #X DNS Mark Beebo #7X DNS Kara Clarke #21 DNS Doug Hall #55 DNS Ray Rivers #98 DNS Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board! news@karnac.org or send a letter to the editor!