Bradenton, Fl. The night before the Daytona 500 has traditionally become the opening night for DeSoto Super Speedway. School Bus Figure 8’s and the TBARA Winged Sprints are the featured events.
TBARA The winged sprints of the Tampa Bay Area Racing Association rolled in twenty six cars strong for their first of eight scheduled races around the “High-Banks” of DeSoto Super Speedway. This would be the fourth race of the young 2007 for the sprinters with three different winners. David Steele was the first winner at Citurs County Speedway with Troy DeCaire and Keith Butler following up with a pair of races during World Series of Asphalt at New Smryna Speedway.
The chilly weather didn’t keep the fans from standing and cheering as the field performed the signature “Four Wide” Salute to the fans. Ben Fritz and 2006 Champion Bo Hartley took the green from the front row.
Hartley immediately jumped out to the lead and dominated the rest of the race never being challenged, at one point having a full straight away lead over the field. Hartley would take the checkers but the story didn’t end there.
Behind him the “Super Man” Dave Steele who started in the twelfth posistion wowed the fans as he maneuvered his way through the pack and up into the second spot but he would be declared the winner after Hartley was Dqed in the post race tech inspection. Second would be Keith Butler, third was 06 Rookie of the Year Micheal Smith, fourth went to Stan Butler and fifth Shane Butler.
The thirty lap feature was over in just under seven minutes. Heat winners were Ben Fritz, Kipp Beard and Bo Hartley.
School Bus Figure 8 The fans got their money’s worth as the School Buses roared around the figure eight track. The field spread out quickly and their were several near misses in the intersection.
Brian Conrad in the 4Q bus looked to have the field covered as he had his bus on a line around the speedway. But it was bound to happen, with one bus stalled right before the X blocking the view of the drivers coming into the intersection the leader Conrad was T-Boned by the 8 bus of Shannon Easton.
Both Buses were destroyed with Easton’s bus catching fire. The safety crew was on the scene and quickly extinguished the flames. Easton suffered a shoulder injury and was transported to be checked out.
When the race was resumed it was last years champion Ernest Helfrick taking the checkered flag, second was Keith Brisson, third went to Mark Jackson, fourth Raymond Holtorf and fifth Brian Hayn.
Outlaw Modifieds The Outlaw Modifieds also had their share mishaps. Early in the race the 78 car of Craig Sherar slammed into the front stretch wall destroying his race car.
The impact was so intense that Sherar’s helmet was cracked. The driver was later transferred to the local medical facility to be checked out.
Robert Campbell went on to take the win, second across the stripe was Cliff Steinmann, third was Robbie Bean, fourth went to Doug Hopper and fifth John Gilbert.
Pure Stocks 1.TYLER LAU 2.DUANE BEST 3.TOMMY KELLY 4.BLAIR PONTIOUS 5.DARRIN ELLIS
