Franklin back to back Wins in Limtieds, Freed Street Stock Shoot-Out Winner
By Rick Anges
Bradenton, Fl. A hot muggy evening greeted the racers and fans for Saturday nights racing action at the “High Banks” of DeSoto Super Speedway.
Qualifying was up first for the nights racing action with Jessie Dutilly the 2005 champion returning for the first time in 2006 to take the fast time for the Turner Tree and Landscape Limited Late Model 100 lap feature. William Slack was the top dog taking the pole for the 35 lap International Contractors Street Stock Shoot-Out. In the PBG Legends it was Brandon Thomas with the quick lap. Turner Tree and Landscape Limited Late Models The field was inverted by the roll of the die three rows putting Steve Gill and Lonny Miller on the front row. Gill would lead a good portion of the caution filled race and Miller was running a solid top five but a rod through the side of the oil pan ended his night and saw him finish in the twelfth position.
One of the early cautions saw Steve Dorer and Doug Moff battling for the third position. The two got together in turns one and two. Moff slammed into the wall suffering enough damage to end his race. Moff came out of his car and let Dorer know that he wasn’t pleased with the out come. As Moff’s machine was towed into the pits Dorer was sent to the rear of the field missing a fender.
As the race progressed the cream rose to top as Steve Gill, Jessie Dutilly and Mike Franklin Jr. pulled away from the rest of the field. Dutilly, who has many laps around DeSoto, began sizing up the leader Gill as the race wound down. Second place Dutilly made a charge coming out of turn four and just as he and Gill crossed the start finish line they made contact sending Gill slamming into the wall and Dutilly flying in the air over the leaders fender. Franklin dove low and besides a damaged hood was able to continue. Gills run for the win was over and would finish ninth, Dutilly with a lot damage was sent to the rear but was able to come back for a sixth place finish.
“Hollywood” Mike Franklin has been racing at DeSoto for many years but scored his first victory there in the last Limited race. The stars shined on him again, as he would score his second win in a row at “the South’s Fastest Short Track”. “We tried a different set up and we were way off, I really hated to see Gill and Dutilly crash I don’t think we could have caught them but here we are”! Said Franklin.
Tate Pierce stayed out of trouble and brought his ride home unscathed for a solid second. Steve Dorer came from the back of the pack to run third, fourth across was Johnny Casady and rounding out the top five was Kenny Vaughn.
RESULTS 1 MIKE FRANKLIN JR. 2 TATE PIERCE 3 STEVE DORER 4 JOHNNY CASADY 5 KENNETH VAUGHN 6 JESSE DUTILLY 7 JASON BOWSER 8 BUBBA THOMPSON 9 STEVE GILL 10 JEFF FIRESTINE 11 GREGORY KROM 12 LONNY MILLER 13 RICKY BULLARD JR. 14 SCOTT WOODLAND 15 DOUG MOFF 16 SHAWN ICELY
International Contractors Street Stock Shoot Out Three rows were inverted for the thirty-five lap Street Stock shoot out putting James Nanney and Todd Freed Jr. on the front row. Freed, Last years Mini-Stock Champ, was only in his third race in the car formerly driven by Sue Taylor. But he looked like he had been running the car several seasons as he lead the entire thirty-five lap feature from green to checkers.
It was all easy though as points leader Casey Hall stayed right on his back bumper for the entire race. When the checkers flew it was Freed taking his first win in the V-8 class, Second was Hall, third went to Jeff Padilla, fourth was William Slack and fifth Mike Amo.
Q-Auto and Injury Open Wheel Modifieds Young Brad Bischoff had many wins and championships in his go-kart-racing career so he decided it was time to move up. Many people questioned his decision to jump into the high powered Open Wheel class but on this night he answered them as he dominated the thirty five lap feature to take his first win in the class.
The rookie driver held off veteran drivers such as Ralph Bowman who finished second, third Bobby Baldwin, fourth Dustin Chisholm and fifth Eric Rudd.
