Bradenton, Fl. With the first cool night of racing in awhile the speeds were up and the racing was hot at “the South’s Fastest Short Track”.
Turner Tree and Landscape Limited Late Models Doug Moff took his second fast time in a row qualifying for the 100-lap feature. The field was inverted three rows putting Moff back in the field for the start. The front row was made up of Tate Pierce and Kenny Vaughn Jr. for the drop of the green flag.
Pierce led the early laps but it wasn’t long before Moff took over the top spot. Moff had lead 111 laps the previous week in 125 lap Seafest Limited race only to succumb to point’s leader Steve Dorer who had played the tire conservation game to take the win.
This week would be different as Moff was smooth the whole race easily taking the win, Pierce didn’t have it so easy as Dorer was all over him in the closing laps but Dorer had to use a lot of race car to get where he was and Pierce was able to hold him off for second. Dorer had a solid points night with a third place finish with only two races left in the season. Mike Franklin Jr. finished in the fourth spot with Steve rounding out the top five.
Magic 4’s Shane “the Iceman” Yoder dominated the early part of the season with several wins in a row. But the competition has picked up the pace and wins have been harder to come by for the young wheel man.
Yoder would show the way in qualifying setting the track record and taking fast time in the 25-lap shoot out. The Magic 4 ‘s are made up of 12-17 year olds in 4cyl machines with all the safety equipment. The class usually runs 15 so tonight would be a new experience.
The field was inverted three rows setting the front with Albert “the Hammer” Nail and Dave Bowser Jr. Nail led the early stages of the race but action heated up fast behind him. Chelsea LaJoie and Yoder were charging up through the field when LaJoie’s ride broke on the backstretch ending her night.
Yoder battled hard but was eventually able to make his way to the front and win the first ever shoot out for the class. Andrew “Three Wheels” Pratt made some good moves and took a well desereved second, third across the stripe was Dave Bowser Jr., fourth went to last weeks winner Dylan Bigley and in the fifth spot was Austin Craig.
Q Auto and Injury Attorneys Open Wheel Modifieds The fans and everyone in attendance all took one deep breath as late in race as the leaders were coming up on lap traffic when the car of John Rodgers got sideways in turn three. Everyone in the top spots all checked up. 2005 points champ and current points leader went into the turn full bore.
With everyone checking up Baldwin had no where to go hitting Wayne Bowman’s machine, going airborne and slamming in to the turn three wall nearly head on with a sickening thud. The crowd rose to their feet as Bowman climbed out of his destroyed race car under his own power. Bowman was also able to walk away. Both cars were towed off the race track with severe damage to both.
Ralph Bowman went on to win the thirty-five lap event, Brad Bischoff took home the second spot, third was Eric Rudd, fourth went to Pat Nanney and fifth Richie Shepard in his first modified run.
Officials race The officials took to the track in borrowed Pure Stocks for a 20 lap feature. Drivers had to take over the job of the official who was in their car to make for an interesting race.
John Sarppraicone Sr. took his first ever checkered flag in his dominating run for the win in Tyler Lau’s car. Rob Vigilo ran right on his bumper but was unable to get by finishing second in the Duane Best ride. Joey “the Flag Man” ran third in the former #35 car.
OFFICIALS RACE
1 JOHN SARPPRAICONE 1 2 ROBERT VIGILO 67 3 JOEY FLAGMAN 66 4 DAVE CAZEMIRO 30 5 ELI BUGGY DRIVER 6 6 GREGORY ROBERTS 35 7 ROBERT COON 73 8 BARRY SCOREBOARD 60 9 ROB FIREMAN 44 10 TONY SARPRAICONE
31 Clear Channel Bombers
1 JEROME WATLAND 2 MICHAEL CROOKS 3 RANDY JOHNSON 4 JAMES CRAWFORD JR 5 JOHN STEWART
Pyramid Employers Pure Stock
1 JIMMIE BEST 35 2 DUANE BEST 67 3 TYLER LAU 1 4 RICHIE THORBIN 30 5 DAVID YAHRAUS 49
International Contractors Street Stocks
1 DENNIS WILSON 42 2 CASEY HALL 11 3 WAYNE LEWIS 28 4 JAMIE CASSIDY 72 5 ALEX ABBOTT 17 6 JAMES NANNEY 6
Trailer Super-Center Mini-Stocks
1 DEAN BUTRUM 32 2 MATT WATTS 5 3 TODD SCHNEIDER 77 4 KEVIN WOOD 17 5 ROBERT CARTER 30
Cowboy Caddies
1 DUANE CAMPBELL 77 2 ANTHONY EASTON 95 3 JOE GAGEN 1 4 CHRIS BETZ 73
