Fast Motorsports Group Draws A Crowd At Charlotte County Speedway
by Bill Green
Port Charlotte, FL (May 27th, 2006) Only the Fast Truck Pros and Fast Kids were in action at Florida's southern most asphalt oval. You would have thought the packed CCS crowd in attendance was there for some big, National event. FMG has expanded the view of local short track truck racing into a new level of entertainment.
From the veteran Pros, to the young gun Kids, Fast Motorsports has something for everyone. The fields average sixteen Fast Kids in the growing, 12 to 16 year old division, but it's the tried and true Fast Truck Pros that keep raising the bar with attendance of 25 to 30 trucks at each event. And 10 to 15 contenders at every event.
That makes for some exciting racing but, qualifying sets the tone for the day. This event was no exception, with the top contenders in points doing all they could to get the fastest times and better starting positions.
Last event winner Travis Roland and his points shadow, J. R. Garcia III, went the quickest, with Garcia on top at 16.579, over Roland's 16.629. Both would make up row-6 for the Feature start due to the last event winner & runner-up rule. So third quick Travis Hanson at 16.737, started three rows in front of the quick qualifiers, in 6th starting spot and had 4th quick qualifier, Brandon Johnson inside in the 3rd row.
The other top four starting spots saw young Jason Deaton on the pole and last weeks top qualifier at Citrus County Speedway, Gary Foxworth, outside the front row. Second row starters were Joe Coulter inside and James Wright III outside.
The Hydell-Ester/Water One 75-Lap Feature saw Coulter's #2 Tom's NFL Sports Bar & Grill take an early lead and never look back.
But behind him it was bumper to bumper action for second on back in the early laps. Levi Hobbs had to start outside row 5, that's just in front of the row six, last race winner and runner up spots, but the always positive Hobbs brought the Combee Road Hess backed machine to second fairly quickly.
Once he got into the second spot he settled in for the duration. Coming to third from his 12th starting spot would be points leader Roland in his Beast Energy Drink express. Fourth would go to the fourth starting James Wright III's Get-R-Done Motorsports Team ride and fifth saw Tom North break into the top-5 again in his North Lauderdale Landscape special.
Fast Kids were the second Fast feature on the night, but first qualifiers. Running behind the veteran Fast Pros for the first time ever. Fast timers would be Anthony Campi at 16.535. A time that would prove to be faster than the Pro Truck time of 16.579. Second quick was Michael Pilla's 16.541, with new comer Josh Williams going third fast at 16.719.
The "Q" Auto & Injury Attorney 35-Lap Feature had a rough start, but settled into a nice rythem after a few miscues. After a scary white flag lap crash by young Matt McGillivray into the front stretch flag stand opening, things ended with the Master Auto Care #24 of Michael Pilla in Victory Lane.
Second would go to the Waterside Realty ride of Anthony Campi, while Austin Howell drove to a third place finish in his Bob's Space Racers Gaming Design & Manufactoring machine. Fourth was the NAPA Chevy of Brian Blum, up 4 spots from 8th starting spot and rounding out the top-5 would be Anderson Automotive's Michael Cenzi with another good finish.
Fast Motorsports hits the early summer stretch coming back to Charlotte County Speedway on June 17th. For more information on FMG racing divisions and rules, visit FasTruckRacingSeries.com or call Fast Motorsports Group at 813-817-RACE(7223).
