IT'S TIME TO RACE!!

May 10, 2005 FSCR SCOFIELD TAKES ROUND FOUR AACS LATE MODEL EVENT AT DESOTO by John Berti Bradenton, FL - May 7, 2005 - Jeff Scofield, the Desoto Super Speedway 2004 All-American Championship Series late model champion, was the winner of the fourth series race of the 2005 season: a 125 lap grind. The night began with AACS late model qualifying. Top time trial honors went to Wayne Anderson who is the current point leader. Anderson sped around the 3/8 mile oval in 14.61 seconds. A total of 23 entries signed into the pits. Later in the evening two jubilant youngsters were given the thrill of rolling the giant di to determine the starting lineup. The number six came up, but according to DSS rules a maximum of five rows can be inverted. This put Shane Sawyer on the pole with B.J. McLeod to his right. Sawyer took the lead at the drop of the green a proceeded to hold the top spot through lap 94. I likened this race to a mystery theater play you'd see on a cruise ship or at a dinner theater. Just when you think you've got it figured out something happens to change everything around. You're just not going to figure it out until the end. Wayne Anderson, the heavy pre-race favorite, bobbled on lap 2 while running eighth dropping all the way back to sixteenth before he was finally able to get back into line. He fought his way back up through the field and was back into the top ten by lap 35. Scofield was another driver on the move as he passed McLeod on lap 38 to move into fifth. The top five at this point was Sawyer, Steve Dorer, Mike Bresnahan, Chris Fontaine and Scofield. An intense battle was on for the lead between Sawyer and Dorer. Dorer was applying intense pressure and made contact with the rear bumper of Sawyer sending him spinning in turn 4. Dorer was put to the rear for rough riding and Sawyer was restored to the lead. The running order up front was now Sawyer, Bresnahan, Fontaine, Scofield and McLeod. Attention switched to the race for third between Fontaine and Scofield. During the course of competition the right side sheet metal came loose and was flapping in the breeze. Each time Scofield went to the outside the flapping sheet metal would make him have second thoughts: he surely didn't want a cut tire. Scofield's golden opportunity came on lap 61 when Mike Finn spun in turn three to bring out the caution. On the restart Scofield shot under Fontaine coming off turn four to take third. Wayne Anderson, by now, had worked his way back into the top five. He too made an inside move on Fontaine into fourth on lap 76. The running under with 80 laps in the books still showed Sawyer as the leader followed by Bresnahan, Scofield, Wayne Anderson and Fontaine. Scofield completed an inside move on Bresnahan on lap 90 to take second. McLeod dropped out five laps later. The lead also changed hands on lap 95 with Scofield, powering by Sawyer for the top spot. Sawyer got trapped in the high groove losing two more spots to Bresnahan and Wayne Anderson. Bresnahan spun on the front stretch a couple of laps later and picked up at the back of the field. The running order at the front of the field at the 100 lap point was Scofield, Wayne Anderson, Sawyer, Fontaine and Scot Walters. The hot spot on the track now would be the battle for third between Sawyer, Fontaine and Walters. On lap 114 Fontaine hit the back of Sawyer's car just right and took him around. The officials decided to send Fontaine to the rear and give Sawyer back his spot. Fontaine would not go to the rear and was subsequently black flagged out of the race for unsportsmanlike behavior. Lap 114 would turn out to be a devil of a lap to complete as on the restart Wayne Anderson and Sawyer came together in turns one and two. Wayne Anderson was able to continue and was returned to second while Sawyer retired to the infield. The third attempt to restart lap 114 saw a violent looking crash going into turn one as the fourth and fifth place running cars of James Glover and Steve Dorer battled for the same real estate. Dorer's car climbed up the side of Glover's car almost going over the top. The cars crashed heavily into the turn one wall. Luckily there were no injuries. The field reassembled for the fourth attempt to complete the lap with Scofield the leader, followed by Wayne Anderson, Walters, Richie Anderson and Robert Yoho completing the top five. This time proved to be a charm. Richie Anderson got by Walters on lap 119 to take over third. Wayne Anderson dropped out on lap 123. Bresnahan charged all the way back to the front managing to pass Yoho for fourth on lap 124. The checkered flag waved for Scofield on lap 125 and the ever changing picture of the race was finally set to dry ink. Richie Anderson was runner up; Walters, 3rd; Bresnahan, 4th and Yoho, 5th. Official Finish of AACS Late Model 125 1. Jeff Scofield 2. Richie Anderson 3. Scot Walters 4. Mike Breshanan 5. Robert Yoho 6. Jeff Sloan 7. Dawayne Bryan 8. Wayne Jefferson 9. Todd Brown 10. Wayne Anderson 11. Kenneth Gerena 12. James Glover 13. Steve Dorer 14. Shane Sawyer 15. Andrew Dyndul 16. B.J. McLeod 17. Jimmy Cope 18. Joe Boyd 19. Wayne Morris 20. Mike Finn 21. John Spadavecchia 22. Bobby Coyle 23. Chris Fontaine Race results from other division which competed on this night: Modified Mini Feature - 25 laps 1. Justin Larson 2. Ronnie Jenezon 3. Clay Joseph 4. Joe Irwin 5. Sam Rogers DS Truck Series - 25 laps 1. Jeff Firestine 2. Nick King 3. George Gorham, Jr. 4. Jim Alterizio 5. Clint Snyder Street Stock Feature - 20 laps 1. Ronnie Heard, Jr. 2. Jimmie Best 3. Greg Krom 4. David Williamson 5. Dennis Wilson, Jr. Mini Stock Feature - 20 laps 1. Todd Freed, Jr. 2. Dean Butrum 3. Jon Bailey 4. Mike Kerrivan 5. Buddy Traylor Bomber Feature - 25 laps 1. Jerome "J.R. Sideways" Watland 2. Jay King 3. James Crawford 4. Kenny Gibson 5. Danny Partelo Cowboy Cadillac Feature - 20 laps 1. Joe Gagen 2. Roger Swinton 3. Allen Bragg 4. Matt Wildrick 5. Shannon Query Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board! news@karnac.org or send a letter to the editor!