Late Model 50 Lap Feature Event at Putnam County Speedway
ByTera Gunter
Late Models had the featured event of the evening at Putnam County Speedway Park. Fourteen lates turned up to battle it out and battle it out, they did! David Crews took the lead as Travis Rhoden and Jeff Henry began a duel to unseat Crews.
Rhoden held Henry off for three laps before Henry made his move to second, leaving Rhoden to duke it out with the speedway’s 2005 Late Model Champion, Eric Platt. Platt placed multiple challenges on Rhodes until lap 5 when an incident on a restart cost Platt 3 positions, and Henry, taking Rhodes with him, upset Crews for the lead.
With Henry out front, heated action continued behind him for the second position as Rhoden, Robby Barris, and Crews entertained the fans for several laps, running three wide at one point. David Jones joined the melee as Barris, Platt, and Jones flew three wide for nearly a lap with Barris pulling out ahead coming out of turn 4. Barris’ night ended early when his ride failed and Ryan Van Sickle moved in to challenge Platt and Jones with more three wide racing.
A pile-up between turns 1-2 involving Tony Lewis, Clyde Herron, and Crews stopped the action until officials could untangle the racers. All three were able to continue.
The restart saw Henry back out in front and fans on their feet as more three wide racing amongst Platt, Van Sickle, and Jones ensued. A restart after a caution on lap 20 paid off for Jones as Jones and Platt slipped by Henry. Henry furiously challenged Platt for several laps before he passed Platt and set his sights on Jones. A racing incident between Platt and Henry in turn two caused both racers to spin and both placed at the end of the lead lap. Henry put heat on Van Sickle for the second position with Van Sickle holding Henry off until hard racing handed Henry second and Van Sickle a spin. At the restart, Henry challenged Jones for the lead. A late race caution sent Jones to the pit, placed Henry in the lead and Jones back on the track at the end of the lead lap.
A shootout for the last three laps found Jones, Henry, and Rhoden running three wide before Rhoden got loose allowing Van Sickle to move up behind Jones. Rhoden quickly recovered as Henry led Jones, Van Sickle, Rhoden, and Crews to victory lane. A post race tech decision disqualified Jones and handed the second place position to Van Sickle.
Street stocks welcomed a couple of new players to the field and the green flag drop saw Kevin Davis taking the early lead. Kevin Mills had the car to beat tonight as he flew up to challenge Davis, snatching the lead from the race leader on lap 2. Mills pulled out ahead and left the field to battle behind him before a melee in turn four collected Marc Kinley, Glenn Henry, Sr., Glenn Henry Jr., and Johnny Tilton. All four racers were able to continue, were placed at the rear of the lead lap, and the restart saw Mills pull out ahead of the field again.
Kinley began working back through the field to pull behind the race leader as Tilton, Richard Adams, and Glenn Henry, Jr. entertained the crowd with three wide racing down the back stretch. Kinley appeared to close in on Mills a couple of times but by lap 15, Kinley got loose coming out of turn 4. Kinley recovered as Mills once again gained a good lead over the rest of the field. Ricky Cooper showed his mettle as he decisively worked through the field to challenge Kinley. Cooper ultimately passed Kinley but was no match for Mills as the Putnam County racer flew under the checkered over Cooper, Kinley, Davis, and Henry, Jr. to a victorious victory lane celebration for his first win of the season.
Open wheeled-modifieds lined up for their feature race with Buddy Rohn taking the initial lead and point leader Kyle Owen behind Rohn. Owen lost a few positions after he got loose and contact with Raymond Larsen out of turn 2. Both racers recovered without bringing out the caution. Last week’s 40 lap event winner, Jamie Carter, flew up to challenge Rohn. As Jason Lowe began moving through the field, Carter moved into the lead with Raymond Larsen moving in behind Carter. Lowe and Larsen ran side by side before Lowe moved to pass Larsen and Carter out of turn 2 one lap later.
Carter challenged Lowe and both racers flew side by side before Lowe got loose coming out of turn 4. Contact on the backstretch with Owen a couple of laps later sent Lowe to the pit with a flat tire. The restart found Lowe just a shade too late to re-enter the field before the green flag drop and Carter once again took the lead. Larsen appeared to have a time handling his ride as he got loose a couple of times later in the race and quickly recovered, none of which hurt Larsen as lap 24 found Carter a few positions behind and Larsen where he needed to be to take the checkered flag over Owen, Rohn, Carter and Garland Spangler.
Hobby stocks lined up with Randy Moody and David Miller, Sr. in the front row and Mike Tripp close behind. Multiple cautions marred this usually entertaining division causing time to run out on a shorted race. Mike Scranton showed his mettle as he flew from the rear of the field to take up position behind Mike Tripp. Tripp challenged Moody with both racers running side by side before Tripp flew too high in turn 2, a mistake Scranton took advantage of as he flew by Tripp to run side by side with Moody. Scranton moved into second out of turn four and set his sights on Miller. Moody and Bubba Moore entertained fans for several laps before Moore passed Moody out of turn 3 and Moody ended up on the inside retaining wall on the backstretch.
The restart saw Miller unwilling to give up his lead as Scranton continued to challenge him. Contact on the front stretch between Tripp and Scranton sent both into the wall and both to the pit. Both were back out before the green flag drop as Miller once again continued his lead. Miller took the checkered flag for his first win of the season over Ron Frank, Bubba Moore, Danny Miller, and Tripp.
Blake Spencer took the lead in the Mini stock feature but Stanton Mills appeared to have the car to beat. Starting near the rear of the field, Mills methodically worked his way through to do battle with Randy Strehle and Steve Bennett. Justin Carney pulled into the second position behind the race leader before mechanical failure ended his night. Spencer maintained his lead as the field behind him battled for position. The last lap of the race saw Spencer in position to take the win before Mills surprised the race leader as he moved into the lead out of turn four and took the checkered over Spencer, Brock Gill, Strehle, and Joey Brinson.
Box stocks provided a highly entertaining battle as Claude Herron and Shawn Pawlak started in the front row. Justin Dean and Pawlak began one of their fun battles as both dueled for second with Dean passing Pawlak and setting his sights on Herron. Dean took the lead on the front stretch as Pawlak defended his position from Lonnie Magruder. An incident between turns 1-2 found Pawlak’s wheel continuing up the track without him and Pawlak hooked on a tow truck. As has been the norm this season, Pawlak has a never say die spirit as the plucky racer re-entered the field with his wheel firmly back on his ride. Magruder and Herron duked it out in a fun to watch battle all the way to the end of the race as Herron took the checkered over Magruder, Wayne Pawlak, James Smith and Dean.
Racing resumes at the speedway Friday, June 23rd with action winged sprint fans won’t want to miss as the awesome Florida Sprint Car Association will make their first season appearance. June 24th and 25th features the mighty monster truck show with entertainment to satisfy fans of all ages. Visit the speedway’s website at www.putnamcountyspeedway.com for more information.
