Justin Reynolds wins Homer Gordon Memorial Sportsman 50 at SpeedWorld
by Dave Westerman
Despite a more than dismal forecast by all the local TV weathermen, Friday evening turned out to be very pleasant as a good field of Sportsman cars turned out for the 4th Annual Homer Gordon Memorial at Orlando Speedworld.
There would be a first time winner in the event as the drivers who won the previous three years, Dale Clouser, Patrick Thomas and Travis Towell were not entered. By races end, not only would the race have a first time winner, but it would be that drivers' first career win in the class.
Andy Nicholls took no prisoners in qualifying as he blistered the track with a lap 14.772 seconds just ahead of point leader Timmy Todd, Jr.'s 14.782 lap.
Nicholls would pull the "5" pill for the inversion and that put former Speedworld Sportsman champion Jeff Wright on the pole and he wasted little time in asserting himself in the lead at the drop of the green flag.
Caution would fly early on lap three as the two lady drivers in the race, Whitney Poole and Jessie Cuddy, tangled in turn three. Both were able to continue.
Wright continued to hold off a snarling pack behind him as the leaders encountered lapped traffic that seemed to be more interested in blocking them than moving over. The second caution was caused by just that as Derrick Wood had to spin after Brett Woodley was forced to slow by an errant lapped machine. Wood was given his spot back in the restart order.
Wright clicked off five more laps before John Tenney and Don Milam got hooked up in turn four for the third yellow flag. On the restart, third and fourth running Todd and Nicholls got tangled up. Nicholls was put at fault and sent to the rear of the restart line-up. Nicholls night would get even worse as he was involved in the next two cautions.
He tangled with Wood on lap 34 then was in the wrong place at the wrong time on lap 40 as Rob Kayse spun off turn four. Nicholls hit Kayse's machine and it punctured the radiator in his car and he was forced to go pit side. Then on the restart, the engine blew in Wood's car but he steered it off the track before it could drop any fluid and the race ran to the checker under green.
Wright led easily to the finish for what appeared to be his first win in the Sportsman class in two years. After enjoying the victory lane celebration, things turned sour for Wright in the tech shed as his car was disqualified for illegal cylinder heads.
After his car was also checked thoroughly, Justin Reynolds, who had run a steady race the entire 50 circuits, was awarded the win. For the young driver from Merritt Island it was his first career Sportsman feature win after a host of second place finishes this year. Brett Woodley's car also survived the post race inspection and he took the second spot while Jason Foster overcame several anxious moments in the race to claim the third spot. For awhile, Donny Williams looked to have plenty of steam to take the win, but his car faded late to a fourth place finish while Derrik Heath missed qualifying, started in the last row of an 18 car field, then steadily worked his way up to a fifth place finish.
Sixth through tenth were Kayse, Ted Head, Poole, Milam, and Todd, who had a right front tire go flat late in the race while he was running third. Completing the finishing field were Wood, Tenney, Nicholls, Henry Shepherd, Bill Hall, Cuddy, Joe Adams and Wright.
Bobby Riley dominated a large field of Super Stocks taking a wire to wire win in his Billy Cuddy Painting Monte Carlo. The race saw plenty of wild action but just two caution flags. First and second in points, Lee Wagner and Roger Benton, would both end their respective races in the infield after being black-flagged for excess smoke from their racers. James Frisbie, who currently lies third in the point chase, made up a bit of ground with a fourth place finish right behind winner Riley, Bobby Simcox and Darren Gould. Bob Starr was fifth with Ray Mullis, Matt Reynolds, Dennis Snyder, Jeff Parrish and Alaine Grogan rounding out the top ten.
Super Stock heat races were won by Riley and Frisbie.
Only four Super Late Models showed up for their final point race of the season and it was all Patrick Conrad once again as he took the lead from Jared Allison on lap three and never looked back in taking win number six on the season. Conrad also claimed the heat race win. Ricky Carmichael had his best run to date taking second over Allison and Joe Piazza. Allison's third place finish gave him his second Speedworld Super Late Model championship.
Pedie Allison cruised to yet another Mini Stock win as he looks for a buyer for his potent race car as he plans to retire from racing at years end. Rex "Boneman" Hollinger, sporting new power under the hood, actually stayed close to Allison but had to settle for second over R.J. Arnone, John Cook, Emily Cottrell, Bob Kelchner and Richie Laszlo. Kelchner's transmission blew up during the race while Laszlo's exit was much more spectacular as his engine blew up in a huge fireball exiting turn four. The fire extinguished itself as Laszlo spun to the infield and he was not injured. Allison also won the Mini Stock heat.
Glenn Rhodes led the first couple of laps in the Action Gator Tire Strictly Stock feature but William Hindman was a man on a mission as he zipped past and drove to a commanding win. David Leeper II came home second in front of Brent Bruner, Jim Erb and Gomez Alvarez. Rounding out the top ten were Rhodes, Richard Barrenechea, Neal Kirby, Rob Reynolds and Gary Thomas.
Heat races for the Strictly Stocks were won by Hindman and Erb. The Palm Tree Computers Junior Stock feature got off to a scary start when Jason Rosarius and Derek Binda tangled at the end of lap one sending Rosarius head-on into the turn one wall. The safety equipment required for the young drivers did its job and Rosarius scrambled out unhurt.
Jeff Cuddy would win the Junior Stock feature for the third week in a row. Cuddy was trailed by Carl Kwasny, Jr., Brandon Henault, Binda and Rosarius. Cuddy also won the heat.
OFFICIAL RESULTS ORLANDO SPEEDWORLD OCTOBER 19, 2007
Jr. Stocks 8-11
1 - 64 Jeff Cuddy 2 - 88 Carl Kwasny 3 - 88X Brandon Jenault
Jr. Stocks 12-15
1 - 27 Derek Binda 2 - 18 Jason Rosarius
Strictly Stock
1 - 2 William Hindman 2 - D2 David Leeper II 3 - 20 Brent Bruner 4 - 82 Jim Erb 5 - 12 Gomez Alvarez 6 - 63 Glenn Rhodes 7 - 20X Richard Barraechea 8 - 8 Neal Kirby 9 - A1 Rob Reynolds 10 - 76 Gary Thomas 11 - 11 Brenda Taylor 12 - 8b Greg Bruce, Jr. 13 - 54 Mike Dresch 14 - 22 Miguel Barrenechea 15 - 36 Ian Rhodes 16 - 86 Shane Smith
