FLORIDA TQ LATE MODELS OPENS 2006 SEASON AT ORLANDO SPEEDWORLD WINTERNATIONALS
Robert Palmiter
After 3 month off and a lot of preparation, The Florida TQ Late Models took the track last weekend at Orlando Speedworld during the first week’s events of the Orlando Speedworld Winter Nationals.
Of all the classes represented, the TQ’s were one of the fastest, most exciting racing groups to attend. Several cars picked up the pace from last year turning in laps in the 14:30 and 14:40, almost 4 tenths of a second faster than their last race at the track in November of last year.
Their new racing format this year started out with some skeptical drivers and crew but, by the end of the weekend the overall tone was positive. There was action on the track during every lap. Several comments were overhead from the stands about how exciting the TQ racing was. Even the track was impressed. The management gave the TQ’s an open invitation to come back anytime they wanted and paid out a purse for the last race that they didn’t have to. How often does that happen?
The inverted starts for the heats produced much closer racing that brought a few drivers to the front that had not been there before. Keith Barco won his first heat race and Johnny Lieupo and Brennan Palmiter won their first feature with several other drivers leading laps for the first time as well. - Race Results - Thursday’s heat race was supposed to be split into two groups but the drivers were so anxious to get out on the track that they all went out together! The race ran caution free with the #00 car of Travis Carter taking the checkers followed closely by the #18 of Johnny Lieupo and the #6 of David Raider.
In Thursday night’s feature the #00 of Travis Carter lead several laps until he made contact with a lap car that caused a spin and brought out the caution. On the restart the officials sent him to the rear with the #18 of Johnny Lieupo assuming the lead which he held to the checker flag. In second was the #27 of Brennan Palmiter and third was David Rader in the #6.
Friday’s heats were a bit more organized as the group was split with 5 cars in each heat. In the first heat the #00 of Travis Carter claimed the top spot and in the second heat the #54 of Keith Barco surprised the field with a terrific start and 8 consecutive fast laps to win it pulling away. This year, The Florida TQ Late Models will send the top 2 finishers of the prior race to the rear for the start of the feature setting up a mad scramble for the lead and a very exciting race. The #00 of Travis Carter lead from the pole for a pretty much un-contested win but there was plenty of racing from there back. The #6 of David Rader held on for a second place finish and the #18 of Johnny Lieupo charged from the rear of the field for a 3rd place finish.
Saturday’s heats and feature were rained out but the die hard group waited out the rain and endured the cold front that followed to race their final feature on Sunday morning.
The heats were cancelled so the line up was set by inverting the finishing order from Friday night’s feature which put the #27 of Brennan Palmiter, who dropped out the night before with a flat tire, on the pole. The inversion slowed the fastest car in the back but not for long. Palmiter took off and lead for the entire caution free race with the #18 of Johnny Lieupo and the #00 of Travis Carter once again rising to the top to finish in second and third.
The Florida TQ Late Models would like to congratulate Johnny Lieupo and Brennan Palmiter on their first feature win and to welcome their newest driver, Katherine Thomas to the group.
The Florida TQ Late Models will once again take the track on March 11th at Columbia Motorsports Park in Lake City where they will race the remainder of their season on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month.
