IT'S TIME TO RACE!!

September 27, 2009 Gene Lasker tops Top Gun Sprints at North Florida The Top Gun Sprints made their second visit of 2009 to North Florida Speedway on Saturday September 26, 2009. There were 22 cars at the track to give fans three heat races and a 25 lap feature race. The 2 car driven by Rich Pratt had the pole for the start of the first heat race, with Thomas McCance in the 22jr car alongside, but by the end of the first lap it was fourth place starter Gene Lasker in the 02 car that held the lead. The first caution of the race was on lap 3 when the 2 car slowed to a crawl coming out of turn four. Once the car pulled off the track, the race got back to green until the 22jr car spun coming out of turn two on lap 5, bringing out the second caution flag. The car was pushed off the track and the rest of the race ran without further caution, with Gene Lasker taking the heat win. The second heat race saw Gary Avera in the 22 car and T.W. Parkinson in the 04 car on the front row. The 04 took the lead for the first lap but on the next lap the car came to a stop smoking on the back straight, bringing out the caution flag. The 04 was taken off the track and the race got back underway, with the lead now going to John Crowder in the 45 car who went on to take the heat win. Mike Schroder in the 6 car had the pole for the third heat race with Mark Ruel Jr. in the 83 car on the outside. The 83 took the race lead on the first lap and lead from start to finish taking the third and final heat win. Of the 22 cars at the track, 20 took the start of the feature race event. The 04 of T.W. Parkinson was unable to recover from the mechanical issues in it’s heat race and the 83 of Mark Ruel Jr. initially came out on the track but pulled off before the start due to a mechanical issue. After a six car inversion, it was Barry McCance in the 19 car that had the pole for the start of the feature race with Otto Scrape in the 66 on outside. The 66 made the better start and took the early race lead. The first of many cautions came after just one lap when the 38 of Tony Agin spun out on high side of the track at turn 3. He was pushed back off and rejoined at the back of the field, who ran one more lap before the 99 of Bruce Durden spun out at turn 4, bringing out the next caution flag and ending the night for the 99 car. While the caution was out, the 8 of Rich Alexander, the 45 of John Crowder and the 43 of Gene Machuga also pulled off the track. The race got back to green, but only for another lap when the 47w of Kyle Welchance spun between turns 1 & 2, ending his race while the 22 of Gary Avera also pulled off under the caution. With the field now down to 14 cars, the track got back to green. On lap 7, Gene Lasker, who had been on the rear bumper of the leader for several laps, took the race lead. On 9, the 2 car of Rich Pratt slowed on the front straightaway, but while he managed to roll the car off the track, the 77 car of Larry Pickett stopped on the front straightway with a flat tire, bringing out yet another caution as he was pushed into the infield. The cars again lined up and got back to green flag racing. The 19 car of Barry McCance pulled off into the infield on lap 10. On lap 14, the 22jr of Thomas McCance spun between turns 3 & 4 causing another caution while he was re-fired. The next caution was just a couple of laps later when Christine Auld in the 83A car spun high on the track at turn two and was narrowly missed by two cars coming at full speed who split her stranded car between them. She was pushed back off and rejoined the race. The 22jr car had a second spin, this time at the other end of the track just another lap or two after that, with yet another caution and ending his night’s racing. The 4 of Brandon Grobaugh and the 83A got together at turn 4 for yet another caution on lap 19. The 83A was able to rejoin the race but the 4 was done for the night. The 38 of Tony Agin pulled out of the race on lap 21 and the last caution lap of the race (caution #9 for those of you who are counting) was on lap 22 when the 27 of Troy Knowles out between turns one and two. He was re-fired and joined the other remaining seven cars to run the last few laps of the race. Gene Lasker took the race win in the 02 car followed by Mike Schroder in the 6 car, Ryan Partin in the 14 car, Otto Scrape in the 66 car and Tim Grobaugh in the 9 car rounded out the top five. The next Top Gun race is at East Bay Speedway on October 10. OFFICIAL RESULTS NORTH FLORIDA SPEEDWAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2009 - TOP GUN SPRINTS Heat #1 1) 02 Gene Lasker (Tampa, FL) 2) 19 Barry McCance (Callahan, FL) 3) 66 Otto Scrape (Jacksonville, FL) 4) 27 Troy Knowles (Gibsonton, FL) 5) 22jr Thomas McCance (Jacksonville, FL) 6) 2 Rich Pratt (Anthony, FL) The 8 of Rich Alexander from Tampa and the 38 of Tony Agin from Ft. Myers did not start the heat race. Heat #2 1) 45 John Crowder (Summerfield, FL) 2) 77 Larry Pickett (Callahan, FL) 3) 9 Tim Grobaugh (Silver Springs, FL) 4) 4 Brandon Grobaugh (Ocala, FL) 5) 22 Gary Avera (Jacksonville, FL) 6) 04 T.W. Parkinson (Lake City, FL) The 99 driven by Bruce Durden from Jacksonville did not start the heat race. Heat #3 1) 83 Mark Ruel Jr. (Jacksonville, FL) 2) 6 Mike Schroder (Southwest Ranches, FL) 3) 14 Ryan Partin (Orlando, FL) 4) 83A Christine Auld (Largo, FL) 5) 21A Amanda Ferguson (Montverde, FL) 6) 47w Kyle Welchance (Sebring, FL) 7) 43 Gene Machuga (St. Mary’s, GA) Feature 1) 02 Gene Lasker; 2) 6 Mike Schroder; 3) 14 Ryan Partin; 4) 66 Otto Scrape; 5) 9 Tim Grobaugh; 6) 21A Amanda Ferguson; 7) 27 Troy Knowles; 8) 83A Christine Auld; 9) 38 Tony Agin; 10) 4 Brandon Grobaugh; 11) 22jr Thomas McCance; 12) 19 Barry McCance; 13) 77 Larry Pickett; 14) 2 Rich Pratt; 15) 22 Gary Avera; 16) 47w Kyle Welchance; 17) 45 John Crowder; 18) 43 Gene Machuga; 19) 8 Rich Alexander; 20) 99 Bruce Durden The 83 of Mark Ruel Jr. and the 04 of T.W. Parkinson did not take the start of the feature race. Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board! or Email KARNACto send a letter to the editor!