Bradenton, Fl. The pits were overflowing with 165 racecars and teams at "The South’s Fastest Short Track". With 125 laps of Super Late Model Racing, 50 laps plus a 17 lap consi race for the Southern Sportsman Series and 175 laps of racing in the seven divisions of DeSoto classes the anticipation of some
"Heavy Duty" racing hung thick.
There were stories of all kinds in the pits. But the biggest of the day was the teaming up of two of the LEGENDS in Florida Short Track racing, "The King" Dicky Anderson putting "Big Daddy" Dave Pletcher behind the wheel of his familiar 92 machine. Pletcher who had sold his car and said, " The only way I’ll ever drive again is if it’s somebody else’s car", and what a ride to get.
Hoosier Cup AACS Twenty-one cars signed to qualify for race #2 of the All American Challenge Series. Qualifying was done under sunny skies with temperatures hovering near the 80’s. Times were all in high 14.6 to 14.8 times but it was ’04 and ’05 champion Jeff Scofield who made it two in row once again taking the fast time at 14.58. Choquette was second. The team of Pletcher and Anderson were tenth fast on the grid.
The field of 20 Supers was inverted five rolls by the roll of the die. This put a Florida stock car racing fans dream on the front row. "Big Daddy" Dave Pletcher in the Dicky Anderson prepared #92 machine and the familiar #61 of "Mr. Excitement" Jimmy Cope.
The first start of the 125-lap race had to be aborted as Pletcher jumped the gun thus calling for a complete re-start. The second start was clean as the field fired at the line in turn four. Cope blasted out to the lead with Pletcher following in second.
The action started early, on lap 28 Aaron Zartman was shown the move over flag as Cope was closing in on him. Zartman apparently didn’t see the flag or realize that the leader was closing and out of turn two took Cope to the wall sending a shower of sparks and concrete dust off the right side of his car. When Zartman still wouldn’t give the leader a line, "Mr. Excitement" lived up to his name sending the youngster around in cloud of "Hoosier" tire smoke.
Scofield who once again was marred deep in the field was steadily making his way through the pack when coming out of two contact was made with Scofield spinning just off the racing surface on lap 33. Scofield retired for the evening finishing 17th on his quest for a three-peat in the AACS championship.
All eyes were on the #94 of "the Rocketman" Wayne Jefferson. Jefferson had dominated race #1 winning the "Leroy Porter Icebreaker 125" and qualified third for tonites race. On lap 38 Jefferson stuck his ride on the outside of the #92 of Pletcher to take over the second spot. He then set his sites on the leader Cope. Pletcher faded back in the field finishing 15th.
Cope was beginning to struggle with his ride from his earlier contact with the wall. Jefferson made several attempts to get by the leader with Cope able to slam the door each time. Jefferson made a move coming out of turn four but Cope bobbled Jefferson made contact with Cope sending him around and brining out the yellow. Jefferson was relegated to the rear of the field for the infraction ending his bid for tow in a row but came back for a seventh place finish.
The move of the night came on lap 86 when Wayne Anderson and Darryl Shelnut were not only battling each other for second and third but trying to find away around the now ill handling leader Cope. Once again the action was in turn four. Anderson and Shelnut had to check up as Cope slipped. As the top three cars slowed Choquette sitting in the fourth spot jumped to the outside and roared into the lead. The handle completely went away in the #61 and Cope finished 13th.
Choquette put it on cruise control and went on to take the checkers for race #2. The young Palm Beach racer had injured his shoulder in the off season and this years racing was in question. When asked about it he said "I have to get one more check up but my Doctor said it was healing real well and to keep on doing what I’m doing now". With a win and an 11th place finish in the young AACS season he is on a fast road recovery and possibly a championship in ’06.
Wayne Anderson had a solid second place run. Chris Fontaine had a handful with a hard charging B.J.McLeod but was able to hold him off for the third spot. With his fourth place finish and Jefferson’s troubles on the night McCleod moves into a tie with "the Rocketman" for the early point’s lead at 320 points each. Rounding out the five was Daryl Shelnut.
Finishing Order
1 JEFF CHOQUETTE 2 WAYNE ANDERSON 3 CHRIS FONTAINE 4 B.J. McLEOD 5 DARRYL SHELNUT 6 JEFF SLOAN 7 WAYNE JEFFERSON 8 DAVID WILSON 9 SCOT WALTERS 10 DAVID POLLEN, JR 11 TROY MCNABB 12 JOHNNY CASADY 13 JIMMY COPE 14 ROBERT YOHO 15 DAVE PLETCHER 16 JOE BOYD 17 JEFF SCOFIELD 18 AARON ZARTMAN-R 19 ANDREW DYNDUL 20 JOHN SPADAVECCHIA JR 21 TERRY JACKSON DNS
Southern Sportsman Series
Todd Hutto and his crew proved their dominance in Florida Racing touring series as 37 Southern Sportsman rolled onto the track to qualify for the night’s 50-lap feature. Hutto who also runs the Florida Mini Stock Challenge Series and the Gulf Coast Modifeds had 36 racers show up for the first GCM race of the season at the Leroy Porter Icebreaker weekend.
Steve Gainey showed the way not only in qualifying taking the top spot by 6tenths of over the second fast time but dominating the second half of the 50 lapper crossing the stripe first with George Shaver holding off back to back champion Aaron Williamson for second. When interviewed in the winners circle Williamson said, " I think I was beat by two big motors tonight and we’ll just have to see what tech has to say". His thoughts were proved fact as both Gainey and Shaver were Dqed in post race tech handing the win to Wiliamson the win. Second went to Rikk MeMehan, third was Ron Heard Jr., Derrik Heath was fourth, fifth went to Authur Conquest. Johnny Mitchell was the winner in the consi race.
Clear Channel Bombers
The rumbling pack of 28 cars rolled to line for the drop of the green flag in the Bomber 25-lap feature. The race was barn burner with field going three and four wide swapping sheet metal over the course of the race but when the smoke cleared it was Barr-None racing taking the top two spots.
"Pistol" Pete Barr took the win from the outside pole, but it was his teammate "Radical" Rick Germony coming from the 18th starting spot to finish second. Also starting deep in the field (20th) "Dynamite" Dave Davis, the ’06 Bomber Champ, clawed his way to a third place. "Lonesome" Larry Brannan held off the charge of "the Punisher" Michael Crooks for fourth Crooks settled for fifth.
Pyramid Employers Pure Stocks For the past few weeks the focus on the track has been the battle between veteran drivers Jeff Dufresne and Jimmy Best. The duo has had the fans on their feet with their hardcore racing action week after week.
But tonight belonged to Darrin "Icewater" Ellis. Once the #71 driver got out front he walked the dog on the rest of pack taking his first win of the young season. "We put three tires on it tonight and it really hooked up" said Ellis. Jimmy Best came from near the back of the pack to take a solid second. David Yahraus was third, fourth went to Jody Collins and fifth Jeff Dufrsene.
Sarasota Ford DS Trucks Tech decided the finish in the 25-lap truck series race. Todd Bontrager and Bill Vandevender who finished one two on the track were Dqed in tech with the win going to Super Late driver Wayne Anderson, Jeff Firestine second, third Clint Snyder, Jim Reppi fourth and fifth Dustin Bates.
Magic 4's
1 ANDREW PRATT 2 ALBERT NAIL 3 DAVID KIMPTON 4 BILL LEAK 5 CLAY JOSEPH JRF 6 SHANE YODER 7 CHELSEA LAJOIE
Cowboy Caddies
1 DUANE CAMPBELL 2 ROGER SWINTON 3 ANTHONY EASTON 4 CHRIS BETZ 5 TOM CARLOUGH
Golden Corral Mod Minis
1 RICK SIRMANS 2 MARTY NEIKENS 3 RAYMOND FOLWELL 4 CHRIS THORNTON 5 JOE IRWIN
Outlaw LM
1 JOEY BARNES 2 MARK NELSON 3 ROBERT HART 4 CRAIG ROBINSON 5 ED KRATZERT
International Contractors Street Stocks
1 DENNIS WILSON 2 ALEX ABBOTT 3 CASEY HALL 4 JAMIE CASSIDY 5 WILLIAM SLACK
