Modified Show Thrills at Putnam County Speedway Park
By: Tera Gunter June 10, 2006
Fan favorite open-wheeled modifeds had the main event at both Friday and Saturday night speedfests at Putnam County Speedway this weekend. With full racing in all six divisions on the card for both nights, the speedway featured non-stop action on a slick track surface allowing two and three wide racing.
Opening night found Tom Sherrill of the Florida Short Track Report on hand to present St. Augustine modified racer Jason Lowe his award for winning the 2005 Florida Short Track Report Driver of the Year. Lowe and track owner, Stan Lawrence, were the featured guests on the internet radio program Monday night. Unfortunately for Lowe, a broken frame on the left rear prevented him from participating in this weekend’s events. Lowe anticipates he will be ready for the next week’s racing.
Due to a broken drive shaft, point leader Kyle Owen entered the weekend’s action in borrowed rides. Pete Timbie took the initial lead before Jamie Burrows asserted his dominance. Timbie’s night came to an early end after a racing incident left Timbie’s ride up on the outside retaining wall on the back stretch. With Burrows in the lead, quick changing action ensued amongst Buzzie Reutimann, Jeff Matthews, Raymond Larsen and Ronnie Soltis for position behind Burrows. All eyes were riveted on Reutimann, who challenged Matthews for the second position for most of the race. A last lap run by Modified racing legend Reutimann succeeded and Burrows led Reutimann, Matthews, Soltis, and Larsen to the checkered flag.
Saturday’s modified feature found Burrows looking to make it two in a row and fantastic racing amongst a field looking to upset Burrow’s applecart. Ronnie Chance, Matthews, Tiny Greene, Jamie Carter, and Soltis became Burrow’s shadows before the show came down to a battle of wits between Soltis and Burrows. In action that brought fans out of their seats, Soltis appeared to be the racer to inherit Burrow’s lead. Soltis stuck to Burrow’s like glue and placed hard charges on the race leader, pulling beside of him multiple times. Carter, however, was making moves of his own, working through the field to challenge Soltis on lap 29. A lapped car on lap 31 gave Carter the opening he needed to inherit the lead as he flew low on the backstretch to pass Burrows. Carter took the win over Burrows, Soltis, Matthews, and Greene.
Late models provided very entertaining racing as two fan favorites, Robby Barris, and J. O. Nobles, dueled for the lead Friday night. Barris’s night ended on lap 14 and David Crews moved in to challenge Nobles. A former Putnam County late model division champion, Nobles proved to have the home field advantage as he took the win over Crews, Clyde Herron, John Trammell, and Tony Lewis. Nobles almost made it a repeat Saturday night as Crews, Ryan Van Sickle, and Billy Costello all dueled for the lead. Crews took the lead from Van Sickle, and after a spin by Nobles placed him to the rear, Costello moved into position behind Crews. Hank Wilson moved up to challenge Costello and Crews. After Wilson’s night ended on lap 10 due to a hard hit on the wall in turn 3 and Crews exited the track, Costello took the lead and defended his position from Nobles, who had worked back through the field. Costello, a Putnam County racer, celebrated his first win of the 2006 season over Nobles, Van Sickle, Michael Cherry, and David Jones.
Danny Miller took the lead Friday night in the hobby stock feature and held off multiple challenges from the division’s 2005 champion, Mike Tripp. Michael Moore and David Miller decided Tripp wouldn’t have it easy as both challenged Tripp and made for some very entertaining racing action. Contact between both Miller’s ended Danny Miller’s chances at the win, leaving Tripp and Moore to do battle. Not to be left out, David Dowling moved in to challenge Moore as a flat tire sent Tripp to the pits on lap 10. Dowling took the checkered over Moore, David Miller, Steve Branton, and Robert Hicks. David Miller and Tripp appeared to be the cars to beat in Saturday’s feature with Randy Moody proving to be a strong contender. Miller fell out of contention halfway through the race leaving Moody to challenge Tripp, a battle Tripp won at the checkered flag.
The street stock division saw fans hoping Kevin Mills would be able to shake the monkey off his back and Mills almost did that Saturday night. Tim Dowling, Richard Adams, and Martin Johnson battled for the win Friday night with Dowling taking his third win of the season over Johnson, Floyd Martin, and Charlie Staats. Saturday’s feature race provided a great early battle between Chris Vogel and Marc Kinley as both racers ran side by side, dueling for position through most of the race. Vogel took the win Saturday over Mills and Dowling.
The mini and box stock fields have been growing each week and these divisions are really beginning to provide some very entertaining racing action. Donnie Nobles tried valiantly to hold off Blake Spencer in Friday night’s event. Spencer took the win over Nobles, Marc Aldridge and Randy Strehle Friday night. Strehle fended off challenges by Justin Carney and Spencer Saturday night but Spencer prevailed as he took the win in Saturday’s event over Strehle, Carney, and Ricky Rydell.
