"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
Johnny Kay wins the Lee Memorial Health Late Model 100
By:Melanie Beckner
Punta Gorda, FL...It was Lee Memorial Health Systems night at the races this past Saturday night at the Charlotte County Motorsports Park. Mother nature did it's part by leaving the rain away and the fans got to see some great racing, including the return of the Late Models.
Twenty nine Late Models entered into the race with Anthony Campi taking the fast time in qualifing with a time of 14.801, only two hundreds of a second off the track record set by Dickie Anderson back in 1992. Campi started fifth with Billy Bigley Jr sitting on the pole for the One Hundred lap feature.
Johnny Kay grabbed the lead once the green flag waved with Bigley tucking his car behind the leader Kay. The first caution came out on lap seven, when Mario Maresca made contact with Sean LeMaster in turn four, looping around LeMaster's car.
A few laps later Tommy Styer got into the back of Casey Caudill coming out of turn two and sent Caudill spinning on the backstretch. Tommy Syter brought out another yellow flag when his car came to a stop on top of turn four, on lap twenty six.
Meanwhile Johnny Kay is still setting the pace with Billy Bigley still running in second with a mirror full of fast qualifier Anthony Campi making it up to third. Michael Cenzi backed his car into the turn three wall hard on lap thirty one and somehow managed to be able to make it back out on the track a few laps later.
THe contact did shorten his racecar by a couple of feet and the crew worked on it hard and got him back out in the race, even though he was a handful of laps down. On lap fourty two Sean LeMaster hit the turn one wall head on and the red flag was displayed to check on him. Thankfully LeMaster got out of the car and was uninjuried, but his car had heavy damage.
Anthony Campi and Chris Fontaine were running hard for the third position when Campi climbed the side of Fontaine's car in turn two. Both cars continued without bringing out a caution. John Yurowich Jr spun his car out in turn four on lap seventy six and on the restart Casey Caudill drove into the back of Billy Bigley Jr's car in turn two which sent Bigley spinning.
While under the caution Billy Bigley Jr drove into the side of Campi's car and Campi returned the favor by doing the same in the backstretch. Both cars were disqualified for the evening for unsportsman like conduct. At the time Billy Bigley Jr was running in second and Anthony Campi was third, so this put the fourth place car of Joe Winchell to second on the restart of the race.
Johnny Kay was able to hold on to the lead and take home the victory with Joe Winchell coming in second and Travis Hanson took home the third spot.
The Thunder Trucks were the first race of the evening with Robert Willms leading the field to the start of the twenty five lap feature. Robert Willms jumped to the lead at the beginning of the race with the first caution coming out on lap five.
Ray Jayne had gotten into the back of Lance Sober in turn four, which sent Sober spinning. With two laps remaining Lance Sober drew the caution, after spinning out in turn two. Robert Willms went on to claim the win with James Wright finishing in second and Ralph Gross in third. After the race was done and the trucks were in tech, second place finisher James Wright was disqualified for being to light, so this moved Ralph Gross up to second and Ray Jayne to the third position.
Tammy Phillips sat on the pole for the twenty five lap Fab 4 feature. On the start a bunch of cars got together going into turn one with Jamie Swartz spinning out to avoid hitting another car. On the restart Kerrington McFadden jumped to the lead. It was only the second night of racing for the young man and he held a commanding lead for the first half of the race before Josh Cole caught up with McFadden. The entire race ran caution free with the two top cars pulling away from the rest of the field.
Josh Cole made several attampts to pass Kerrington McFadden, but he was never able to complete the pass and Kerring ton McFadden took home his first win. Josh Cole settled for second and Karl Garrad came in third. Mini Stocks were next on the track for there twenty five lap feature with Robert Carter on the pole. Robert Carter put his car out front on the start of the feature. Joe Rice and Shane Yoder brought out the first caution on lap four. Joe Rice made contact with the back of Shane Yoder's car in turn one and Joe Rice spun himself out out trying to correct his car.
Jesse Dutilly made his way through the field and by lap thirteen he was all over the back bumper of Robert Carter, who was still leading. Carter and Dutilly ran side by side for several laps for the lead and Dutilly had barely edged Carter over the line on lap twenty three when the last caution came out for Joe Rice, who's car had came to a stop on the frontstretch. On the restart Dutilly and Carter picked up where they left off and third place car Joshua Carbone got into the mix. On the last lap the three cars were neck and neck with Jesse Dutilly coming across the line first with Joshua Carbone in second and Robert Carter finished in third.
The Junior's Trim Shop Road Warriors had another eventful feature race with Dan Scott leading the field to the start of the twenty five lap race with Scott jumping to the early lead. On lap two the cars went three wide coming out of turn two and James Dellea made contact with Stuart Vandevender and Vandevnder hit the backstretch wall and but kept going.
However on the same lap Chris Scott came to a stop on the bottom of turn one and drew the caution that Vandevender needed to make some repairs to his car, along with Della. Vandevender and Dellea both made it out on the track in time for the restart of the race, but both had to start from the rear of the field.
On lap six Stuart Vandevender and James Dellea made contact again in turn four with James Dellea spinning out in turn four. As the caution was coming out Jon Prescott and Jeff Firestine, who were running in second and third got together on the frontstretch and they both hit the wall. Jeff Firestine was able to continue, however the night ended for Jon Prescott.
Meanwhile Dan Scott was still leading the race and yet another caution came out for Chris Loney coming to a stop at the bottom of turn four. On the restart Corey Scott made contact with Terry Price. Corey Scott went spinning into turn four and collected Stuart Vandevender and Jeff Firestine. On the last caution Terry Price ran all over Jeff Firestine in turn two with Firestine spinning out and Terry Price being disqualified for rough driving. Dan Scott lead the entire feature and took the victory with Stuart Vandender coming in second and James Dellea was third.
In tech third place finsiher James Dellea was disqualified for being to light so fourth place finisher Ernie Sparks was summons to tech and he too was disqualified for being to light as well. Chris Loney who origially finsihed in fifth, passed tech to claim third.
Jason Perkins was the polesitter for the twenty five lap Pro 4 feature. On the start Jeremy Perkins had gotten into the side of Mike LeMaster going into turn four and LeMaster spun out and the race had to be restarted. The restart was good and Jason Perkins put his car out front for the first three laps, Brandon Scott took the top spot away from Perkins on lap four, but he would only lead for a few laps himself. By lap eight John Pummel Jr came from the back of the field to take over the lead from Scott. The rest of the race ran cautionfree and John Pummel Jr won his second race in a row. Brandon Scott finished in second while Jason Perkins was third.
It had been years since CCMP had seen so many Mini Cups at the track with eighteen signing up for the feature, but sixteen had actually started the race. David Pollen was the polesitter and took the lead on the start of the race.
The only caution came out on lap twenty seven, when Harold Croomer and Brady Marshall where racing hard for the second position. Brady Marshall had gotten into the side of Croomer coming out of turn two and both cars went spinning into the backstretch. Brady Marshall was sent to the back of the pack and Harold Croomer was given back his position. On the last lap David Pollen and Harold Croomer were side by side coming to the checkers with David Pollen barely edging out Harold Croomer for the win. Croomer had to settle for second with Cindarae Irish finishing in third.
