Thomson and Abbott take Season Opener for PBG Legends Car Tour
by Dave Westerman
The 2007 season for the PBG Florida Legends Car Tour opened on back-to-back weekends with races at Bronson Motor Speedway and Desoto Super Speedway. For the first time since the inception of the PBG Tour, the Bandoleros are also now part of the action as well.
Nineteen Legends Cars made the trip to Mike Cope's immaculate Bronson Motor Speedway. Defending PBG Tour champion Kory Abbott of Apopka had engine problems in practice and was able to borrow another engine from Josh Williams' team. Abbott made it out just in time to qualify and timed second quick behind Brandon Thomson.
Thomson pulled a five for the inversion and that put former Florida State Legends Car champion Patrick Conrad of Clermont on the pole. Conrad, who hadn't been in a Legend Car in almost two years after moving up to Super Late Models, was driving Josh Williams' back-up car meaning that the Williams team had both their back-up car and engine in the race.
Chelsea Schillig, who one her first-ever Legends Car race at this event last year, was on the outside pole but it was Conrad who shot to an early lead only to be tracked down by Thomson who took the lead on lap four with Abbott in tow.
The race ran green for the first 20 laps but lapped cars would so come into play as one moved up directly in front of the lead pack with Thomson hitting him. Order was restored and Thomson remained the leader only to find more lapped cars running three-wide in front of him about five laps later. Again Thomson could not avoid one of the back-markers and another collision took place.
Despite damage to his machine, Thomson was still setting the pace, but his cars' handling was not what it was before and it was only a matter of time before Abbott sped by and into the lead.
Abbott appeared on his way to a convincing win but his replacement power-plant started going sour during a late race caution period and he pulled his car into the pits with four laps to go.
Thomson re-took the lead, and despite his ill-handling machine, was able to hold on for the victory. Young Josh Williams had a great run and claimed the second spot ahead of teammate Conrad, Andy Logan and Schillig. Jimmy Norman, Tony Sansom, James Rodriguez, Mike Verhaagh and Mike Fazio completed the top ten with the remaining finishers Alex Kempf, Leonard Hearndon, Wild Willie Wilson, Doug Hall, Gerald White, Jr., Rick Wetmore, Gary Verdier, Abbott and Charlie O'Melia.
Eleven Bandoleros made the trip to Bronson, Four Young Guns and seven Bandits, Young Gun Mark Hooven led their 15 lap feature from Green to checker with Bandit Critter Saile taking second. Young Guns Kaleb Hearndon and Donovan Ponder were third and fourth with Bandit Zoey Guignardi fifth. Rounding out the finishers were Shawn Hooven (B), Gerald Campbell (YG), Coty Bibeau (B), Justin Bechtold (B), Daniel Conlin (B) and Leighton Hearndon (B).
The Legends Car field increased to 22 cars at Desoto Super Speedway. Brandon Thomson, coming off his first ever win in a Stock Car the night before at Orlando Speedworld where he won the Sportsman feature, set quick time for the second race in a row followed by Kory Abbott, Chelsea Schillig, Josh Williams and Jimmy Norman.
Again Thomson pulled a five
Norman led the opening lap until passed by Schillig who was in turn passed by Thomson on lap three. The first caution came out on lap five as something broke on Andy Logan's car and he stalled on the track.
Thomson set the pace as the field circulated under green with the lapped cars behaving much better than they did the previous week at Bronson. Thomson's car began to develop a push and Abbott moved to the point on lap nine. Caution number two came out five laps later as Spike Sabo looped his mount in turn two.
Following the restart, Abbott was able to move out to a 3-4 car length advantage over Thomson. Things remained that way until Thomson spun his car going through turns three and four on lap 24. Thomson kept going but Schillig hit Thomson's car before he could get back up to speed. Schillig stopped on the track with a broken suspension part to bring out the caution. That was a lucky break for Thomson as he was placed second in the restart order as the field reverted back to the last completed lap under green.
Just after the restart, Shaughn McCormick tagged the turn two wall with Rick Wetmore also getting involved to keep the track under yellow.
The remainder of the race ran under green flag conditions and Abbott sped to the win over Thomson. Patrick Conrad, who won the Super Late Model feature at Orlando Speedworld Friday night, again drove Josh Williams' back-up car and took the show position just ahead of his young teammate. Jimmy Norman had a great run for fifth. David Tart made his first PBG Tour start and came home sixth with Tony Sansom, Mike Verhaagh, James Rodriguez and Alex Kempf rounding out the top ten. The remaining finishers were Gerald White, Jr., Eric Eichelberger, Mike Fazio, Leonard Hearndon, Gary Verdier, Spike Sabo, Tim Osterlund, Shaughn McCormick, Rick Wetmore, Mark Bibeau, Chelsea Schillig and Andy Logan.
Ten Bandoleros came to race at Bronson and it was the Bandits showing off this week as the were able to out-run their older Young Gun counterparts on Desoto's small inner track.
Critter Saile took the win with fellow Bandit Zoey Guignardi right behind. Young Gun Gerald Campbell was third with heat winner Mark Hooven (YG) fourth ahead of Young Gun Donovan Ponder. Completing the finishers were Shawn Hooven (B), Coty Bibeau (B), Leighton Hearndon (B), Daniel Conlin (B) and Kaleb Hearndon (YG),
