Abbott again in Legends - Steinmann tops Outlaw Mods at SpeedWorld
by Dave Westerman
Orlando Speedworld returned to its regular Saturday schedule to start the month of May with beautiful weather and a good field of cars including the first visit of the year by the Outlaw Modifieds.
Kory Abbott continued his hot streak in the RE/MAX Legends Cars by winning his third in a row at Speedworld and fourth straight overall including his PBG Tour win at Citrus County Speedway last week. RE/MAX Legends heat races went to Brandon Thomson and Darin Coker but it was Andy Logan and Abbott making up the front row for the start of the 25 lap feature run.
Abbott wasted little time blasting to the point and was never headed. Thomson had moved to second by the time the only caution waved on lap 12 for Mitch Verhaagh's spin in turn four. Thomson pressured Abbott for a few laps but Abbott pulled away in lapped traffic to get the win over Thomson, Logan, Matt Bowers and Chelsea Schillig. Coker came home sixth with Bryan Silas, Wesley McLeod, Shaughn McCormick and Mike Verhaagh rounding out the top ten.
Completing the finishing field were, Kara Clarke, Mark Bibeau, Mitch Verhaagh, Eric Eichelberger, Wild Willie Wilson, Steve Hart and Jimmy Norman. Sixteen of the 17 entries finished as Norman was the only DNF.
The always popular Outlaw Modifieds made their first Appearance of 2006 and, as usual, put on a great show.
After Raymond "Super Frog" Jones and Doug Hopper grabbed heat race wins, the field was set for the 25 lap finale with Rick Voisey moving out to a quick lead with the whole field jockeying for position behind him.
Mike Bean touched wheels with another car and shot hard into the turn three wall to bring out the first caution on lap five. Bean was not hurt but his car was silenced for the night.
Following the restart, Hopper zipped by Voisey and took the lead with Robbie Bean following into second on lap nine. Four laps later, Cliff Steinmann moved by Bean into second only to spin a lap later on the back stretch. During the caution it was determined Steinmann's spin was caused by fluid ion the track from the slowing car of Mike Endee. The track was cleaned up and Steinmann returned to second in the restart line-up.
One lap after the green reappeared, Steimann went to the high side and took a lead he'd never relinquish. Three more cautions for minor spins didn't deter Steinmann as he was the class of the field on this night taking an easy win over Hopper, Robbie Bean, Bobby Dayton and Voisey. The remainder of the top ten were Robert Campbell, Billy Campbell, Jones, Tom Meyer and Craig Sherar with Myk Lauter, Rick Mills, Zack Rudd, Endee, Buddy Ryan, Mike Bean and Phillip Brigham completing the finishers.
Jacksonville's Ron Towles was back in victory lane as the Florida Open Wheel Lites brought 19 cars to the track for racing action. Towles, Max Howe and Sonny O'Sullivan took the trio of heat races that saw one bad crash in heat three. Nick Shadid spun in turn four and was clipped by newcomer Dave Kellogg who slammed hard into the turn four wall. Both drivers were OK but neither started the 25 lap feature.
Towles got the jump at the drop of the green in the main event which saw a red flag early in the event as J.J. Wolfe and Jason Stout, another new driver in the group, tangle in turn four with Stout's car taking a terrifying crash into the wall. Fortunately, Stout was just fine but his new ride was a mess.
Phil Krauthoff gave Towles some pressure after he moved into second but Towles pulled away late in the going to take the win by a good margin over Krauthoff, Dennis Diehl, Mike Belusar and Rick Lundeen. Rounding out the top ten were Howe, Brian Paradis, Alain Paradis, O'Sullivan and Sam Mancuso.
Rodney Eary scored his first win in the Florida Cracker Classics since coming back to the group full time this year. After winning the heat race, the two-time Classic Car champion took the lead on lap two and held off a hard-charging John Smith to the checker. Jeff Wright made a late run to third with Norm Agostinho and Greg Helton completing the top five. Sixth through tenth were David Nunes, Derrick Wood, Ron Gustafson, Tommy Kirk and Jim Rahman.
After Shawn Hooven scored his first win in the Bandelero Bandits heat race, older brother Mark Hooven made sure his younger sibling and everybody else finished behind him in the feature. Mark grabbed the lead at the drop of the green and never looked back as Nicholas Baluch took second ahead of Shawn Hooven, Zach Harris, Tyler Rahman, T.J. Kirk, Koty Bibeau, Critter Saile and Donovan Ponder. Maxx Bennett did not Start.
Nothing changed in the Bandelero Young Guns as Gerald White, Jr. remained unbeaten for 2006 taking both his heat and feature. Kristina Baluch was second ahead of Eric Filguleras and Kaleb Hearndon.
Zack Colangelo won out in a great side by side duel with Kara Clarke over the final three laps to take the win in the Bandelero Outlaws. Clarke came home second ahead of Ed MacKenzie and Sam Gearhart.
Adam Soukup out ran Blaze Fisher and Bobby Crites to win the Hurricane feature while Luke Burke was the best of the Junior Stock 8-11 year olds and Kaisee Crites on top of the Junior Stock 12-15 year olds.
