"I'm
noticing a turn of the tide on racing Web sites like Florida's
Karnac.com, the gathering place for the most dedicated race
fans in the state." -Orlando Sentinel
Kent McLean wins Q-Auto Injury Attorney Open Wheel Modified Race
By: Melanie Beckner
Punta Gorda, FL...Racing and Country music was the on tap for this past Saturday Night at the Charlotte County Motorsports Park. Thousands of people filled the facility for the first "Rednecks and Racing" event at the 3/8th mile track in Charlotte County for some great racing and to listen to a Country Music legend.
The first feature race of the evening was a fifty lap 4 Cylinder switch off race. Sitting on the pole for the first twenty five laps Thomas Willis. At the start of the race it was Chris Lucas who jumped to the lead, but he would only lead the first laps.
The following lap, the polesitter Thomas WIllis passed Lucas for the top spot for the next couple of laps. Blaine Baer passed Willis on lap four to gain the lead from him.
The first caution for the switch off race came out on lap nineteen, Jeremy Perkins hit the tires up against the turn two wall head on. Perkins and the car was fine and was able to continue.
Blaine Baer took the win in the first segment of the switchoff race, John Pummel Jr was second with Logan Leonard in third. On the second segment of the event Brandon Scott took over the driving duties from Blaine Baer and Scott started on the pole.
Late Model racing Legend Joe Winchell took over for John Pummel Jr and Derrick Horton took over for Logan Leonard. On the start of the race Joe Winchell pressured Brandon Scott for the lead for several laps. Brent Drake and Jeff Ambergy got together in turn four on lap twenty nine, which brought out the caution again. Joe Winchell finaully got around Brandon Scott for the lead on lap thirty eight, and brought Derrick Horton with him. Horton tried to challenge Winchell for the lead a few times but was never able to get around him.
The final caution of the race was a multi-car pile up in turn three that included Jason Perkins, Chuck Null, David Morr and John Rizzo. The team of Joe Winchell and John Pummel Jr took the win, with Derrick Horton and Logan Leonard finishing second. Originally Mark Davis and Vinnie Urbanowski took the third positon, but they were disqualified in tech, so that handed third spot to Blaine Baer and Brandon Scott.
The Bass Champions Challenge Series resturned for the second time this season to CCMo for their fourty lap feature with Mike Smith leading the field to the start of the race and leading the first lap. Brandon Williamson took the lead from Smith on the second lap. The first caution came out for Brad Sanders on lap nine, when his car came to a stop at the top of turn four with a flat tire. Sene Capps brought out the last caution when he looped his car around on the front stretch. Brandon Williamson took his first victory at CCMP with Daniel Miller and Paul White completing the top three positions.
Austin Craig was the polesitter for the thirty five lap Florida Suncoast Outlaw Street Stocks. Austin Craig would lead the first lap before Bobby Fischer passed Craig for the lead, however Fischer would only lead for two laps. The big blue machine driven by SHane Leonard passed Fischer and claimed the lead by lap four.
Lap thirteen was the only caution when Danny Daniels Jr blew out a tranny line and slicked up the track. Jim Meiser slipped into Daniels Jr fluid and hit the turn four wall, both Daniels Jr and Meiser had to take their cars into the pits.
It took track workers awhile to get the mess cleaned up, enough time for Daneils crew to fix the tranny line and Meiser's crew to fix his upper a-arm that he broke when he hit the wall. SHane Leonard won the thirty five lap race with Danny Daniels Jr coming back to finish in second and Bobby Fischer came home in third.
The final race of the evening was the fifty lap QW-Auto Injury Attorney's Open Wheel Modified race. Doug Moff was the fast qualifier for the race with a lap time of 16.137 earlier in the day. Kent McLean started on the pole for the action filled race. McLean put his car up front once the green flag waved. On lap two Johnny Allen got into the back of Tony Carreno's car, which sent Carreno into the spin cycle and collected Teddy Nelson, Scott McDaniel and John Rogers. All the cars were able to continue.
On the restart Mike Loney spun his car around in turn one and Mark Stroud spun his car around trying to avoid hitting Loney's car. The second restart was unsuccessful With the leader Kent McLean missing a gear coming to the green flag and Eric Rudd getting into the back of McLean's car and McLean spinning out on the frontstretch. McLean was given back his spot along with Rudd since the cars had not taken the green flag. Scott Kleiber hit the frontstretch wall hard on lap ten. Kleiber hit the wall hard enough for the entire front wheel assembly fell off the car.
Lap twenty three saw the next caution when Mike Loney spun his car around in turn four and the fianl caution waved for the spinning car of Mark Stroud on lap thrirty one. Kent McLean was able to hold off Eric Rudd for his first win in a Open Wheel Modified. Eric Rudd had to settle for second with LB Skaggs finishing third.
After the racing was done a opening band started the concert portion of the evening with Charlie Daniels Band taking the stage after. It was a great night of racing and the crowd loved the music entertainment by both the opening band and of course Charlie Daniels.
