Charlotte County, FL (Feb 25th, 2006) The Fast Media Group (FMG) finished its 2006 pre-season tune-up Saturday Night at Florida’s Charlotte County Speedway. Crowning both a Fast Kids and FasTruck Pro "Winter Heat II" Champion. The small field of 16 total trucks, 8 in each feature, was very surprising, but yet, did not take away from the action packed features, as the CCS crowd saw plenty of action on the track.
The 2006 points season has yet to start, but several teams flexed their muscles in preparation for the March 11th kick-off on this very same track. Many teams realize it is simple math that dictates you run the Charlotte County Speedway, Winter Heat Championships. Yes, I said simple math. The 2006 FMG Schedule has 18 total stops for the Kids and Pros. Seven of those stops are Charlotte County Speedway. That equates to approximately 40% of the points season. The Winter Heat Championships were really thrown up for grabs when many of the top-10 trucks from the first leg of our Winter Heat II tune-up, failed to return for this second and final run for the pre-season title.
Qualifying got off to an interesting start, when local star Cody Benoit brought the #39 truck to green. His first lap of 16.971 looked to be setting the youngster up for a chart topping fast run, but a bobble off turn two, near the back stretch wall, quickly turned into a stunt driving show that ended with the WRS Investment/Champion Door/Aubuchon’s/Lighting Radio/Dan & Sons Towing #39 getting into the tire barrier protecting the inside turn-3 light pole. His first lap time would hold up for third fast, but allowed Anthony Campi of Sarasota to get the top spot at 16.630 in his red and white Royal Tees/McDonough Plumbing/Campico/Bodies Automotive/VIP Pool special. While Ross Chastain would squeeze the #13 Chastain Flyer into second by 31 thousands of a second over the spinning Benoit.
FasTruck Pro qualifying went to an always improving J.R.Garcia III in his Ramm Transportation INC/ Florida Can/Commercial Metals INC/Industrial Metals/Smorgon Steel/Certified Spring & Brake/Bay Harbor Sheet Metal INC/Franklin Welding & Custom Rear-Ends/ 1st Choice Southern Barbque multi-sponsored #36 at 16.520. Followed by the #48 ShoTime Motorsports ride of David Wilson. Third fast went to the #05 “Silver Bullet” of “Hollywood” Michael Powers at 16.660 in his Cairo Lane Used Auto Parts speedster. But, Powers was not comfortable with the truck’s preparation and headed back to Hollywood, FL before the feature event.
The Fast Kids feature came up first and the 25-lap event sponsored by “Q” Auto and Injury Attorneys would give several new young drivers that all important seat-time opportunity they need. It would only take the pole sitting Anthony Campi about 18 minutes, to win wire-to-wire, also winning the Fast Kids "Winter Heat II" Championship. But the excitement of Ross Chastain bouncing off the front stretch wall at the drop of the green kept the fans on their toes. Then Chastain showed some grit by staying in the gas to run in third for the first 3 circuits. To finally have it all end as Michael Cenzi nudged past in turn 4, spinning Chastain and watching the right rear, axle and all, come out from under the #13. Apparently undetected damage was caused by the earlier brush with the front straight wall. Returning to action brought out three more yellows for the #33 of new comer Casey Caudill. Twice for solo spins and once for contact. Going second would be Cody Benoit, followed by a pieced together #9 Anderson Automotive & Repair truck for Michael Cenzi taking third. Forth went to very new pilot Matt Cohen, team mate of Pro division driver J.R.Garcia III. With the final top-5 Fast Kids spot going to 12 year old Greco Plastering/Apex Wholesale driver, Seth Greco in his #74 ride.
During a short intermission on this race night, the Sandibel Firefighter’s collected 1825 dollars for a fellow fighter stricken with cancer.
The FasTruck Pros came to the line two trucks and 20-laps short of there scheduled eight trucks and 50-laps, as New Pro driver Austin Hopper debut his #78 True North Systems backed ride in a plum of smoke during the final practice round of the day. That, along with the early exit of Hollywood’s #05 Silver Bullet, left six starters to prove it’s not the number of entries that dictates action, but the heart of the drivers. With a straight up start on time, it was out-side pole position David Wilson getting the early jump on fast timer Garcia. While Garcia settled into second, Danny Anderson cruised into third. Tom North was poised in 4th and Blake Kock (Cook) held 5th early. Garcia played cat and mouse with David Wilson for a lap or two then got by for the lead. Wilson returned the favor on lap 9 with an inside move that rubbed hard on the #36 as he drove by. Mean while veteran truck campaigner Danny Anderson watched from third. Wilson would let Garcia get back by a few laps later and then Anderson started his move to the front. Getting the youngster Wilson quickly to take second and reeling in Garcia as quickly, he sat and waited, and pressured, and waited, and waited and waited. Then it happened, with 4 to go Garcia slid up just a foot or two more than the laps before and Anderson made his move quickly in turns three and four. “The Balmer” as he’s know for his hometown of Balm, FL, Garcia knew he was had and back off and settled into second. It was Danny Anderson’s first ever FasTruck Victory Lane and it was a nice one. Thanking his crew, family and dedicated sponsors like Leonard McCue and the “Q” Auto & Injury Attorneys, Danny was visibly shaken by the win. Settling for second Garcia was happy with quick time and a second place run. Third went to early challenger Wilson, followed by “Winter Heat II” Champion Tom North forth and new racer Blake Kock piloted the recycled Sean Bass Championship truck into the final top-5 spot.
The FMG Extravaganza rolls into Charlotte County Speedway on March 11th to kick-off the 2006 Championship points season and will include all four FMG divisions in action. That includes the FasTruck Pros and Fast kids truck classes, but will be the first look at the newly formed Fast Late Model crate motor class and the fan friendly Fast Drifters-Formula DST tire smoking, sideways finesse ballet.
So don’t miss one lap of the 2006 points season as we travel from Charlotte County in March, to Ocala and Orlando for April and into Georgia in June and July. Call 813-817-RACE for more info or visit www.fastruckracingseries.com.
