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Drew Brannon victorious in ASA Late Model South 100 at CCMP
By: Melanie Beckner
Punta Gorda, FL...It was a packed out house this past Saturday night at the Charlotte County Motorsports Park . The last time the ASA Late Model South were here it rained out that nights racing and what seemed to begin the start of a series of rain outs at the 3/8 mile "Jewel of the South". The racing started on Friday night with the Pro 4, Fab 4, Mini Stocks and Thunder Trucks all running features races while the ASA Late Models and Open Wheel Modifieds got to shake down there cars for there big races on Saturday.
The first feature race on Saturday was the CCMP Drafting Karts with Brian Scherrer leading the karts to the start of there fifteen lap race. Scherrer took the lead at the start of the race while Kelli Burns and Zeb Davis had contact with one another in turn one, but both kept going and a restart was not needed. The only caution came out on lap five for debris.
On the final lap of the race coming out of turn four JD COrdon and Mike Burns were side by side for second and third and it was so close of a finish the scorer's had to go back and look at a photo to determine who finished a head of who. Brian Scherrer took home the win while it was determined that Mike Burns edged out JD COrdon for second and Cordon had to settle for third.
Chris Scott sat on the pole for the start of the Junior's Trim Shop Road Warrior, twenty five lap feature. Scott jumped to the early lead once the green flag waved. The first caution came out on lap four when Chris Loney's car came to a stop on the frontstretch. Loney was able to refire the car and pulled his car into the pits and made it back out in time for the restart.
Lap seven seen the only battle for the lead with Jeff Firestine taking over the top spot from Chris Scott. Chris Loney was still having a hard time keeping his car running when his car came to a stop again in turn one. Jeff Firestine went on to take the win with Chris Scott coming in second and Billy Benoit was third. After the race was completed third place finisher Billy Benoit was disquailifed for being to light. This handed the third place finish to Chris Stockton.
It was a thirty five lap feature for the Jim Amusement Sportsman with Aaron Williamson on the pole. Earlier in the day Williamson set fast time in qualifying with a time of 16.274 and he then drew the pole in the pill draw.
Aaron Williamson put his car out front at the beginning of the race with the first caution not coming out until lap nine when David White came to a stop in turn three. Two laps later Andy Allen and Josh Calvert got together in turn two with Calvert spinning his car into turn two. On the restart Allen and Calvert got together again with Calvert spinning into turn one.
On the second restart of lap eleven, David Williamson spun his car around in turn three. On the final lap Josh Calvert hit the frontstretch nose first and drove it off the track. Aaron Williamson remained unchallenged for the lead the entire race and took the win with Brandon Morris finishing in second and Brian Richardson coming in third.
Drew Brannon needed to complete just one lap to take the 2009 ASA Late Model South Championship. Brannon took fast time in qualifying with a time of 14.946 breaking Brandon Johnson's record last year. Blake Koch sat on the pole for the one hundred lap feature with Austin Kirkpatrick taking the lead at the waved of the green flag. The first caution to come out was for Stephen Nasse spinning out Justin Larson in turn one on lap seven.
On the restart Brandon Johnson was hot on heels of Austin Kirkpatrick and on lap twenty ine Johnson got Kirkpatrick loose going into turn one. It was a three way battle of the lead going into turn three between Austin Kirkpatrick, Brandon Johnson and Drew Brannon.
Two laps later Drew Brannon took over the lead. Jeremy Gerstner spun his car around coming out of turn two on lap twenty nine. The last caution came out on lap fourty eight when Austin Kirkpatrick got into the back of Aaron Willimason going into turn one.
The remaining fifty two laps ran caution free with Brannon checking out from the rest of the field. Drew Brannon took the 2009 points Championship for the ASA Late Model SOuth Series and the win. Brandon Johnson finished in second while Brian Blum came in third. Austin Kirkpatrick was crowned rookie of the year.
The Q-Auto Injury Open Wheel Modifieds ran two heats races to determine where they would start for there thirty five lap feature. On the first heat Ricky Coffin sat on the pole for the eight lap heat race with Phil Morrison jumping to the lead.
On lap six the caution was brought out for Ricky Coffin and Teddy Nelson making contact and both spinning on the backstretch. Wayne Jefferson challenged Phil Morrison on the restart and passed Morrison for the lead the following lap to go on a take the heat win. On the second, eight lap heat Doug Moff was the polesitter and took the lead. Eric Rudd spun out in turn three on lap four after contact with Kent McLean. Doug Moff took the win in the second heat race.
Wayne Jefferson was the polesitter for the feature with the caution coming out immediatly at the start of the race due to a air cleaner coming off a car going into turn one. On the restart Phil Morrison got into the back of Wayne Jefferson and got him crossed up and the yellow came out again.
The second restart was good and Moff put his car out front. The first caution came out on lap two when Bill Shaffer got loose and spun out in turn one which collected Jay Winkley and Kent McLean. Two laps later John Rogers brought out the caution from his spin in turn two. Eric Rudd and Phil Morrison got together on lap six with Morrison spinning out.
On the restart Phil Morrison got into the side of Doug Miller spinning both cars around and colleted Bill Shaffer and Danny Brown. The final caution came out with two laps from John Rogers looping his car around in turn three. Doug Moff's car was on a rail and sailed to the victory with LB Skaggs and Wayne Jefferson completing the top three positions.
The final race of the evening was the Florida Suncoast Outlaw Street Stocks thirty five lap feature. Jim Meiser was suppose to be the polesitter, but on warm up laps something broke on his car and had to pull it into the pits and this then put Austin Craig on the pole. Billy Carlbert jumped to the lead on the start. Danny Daniels Jr took the lead from Carlbert on lap six on the same lap Wayne Jefferson was challenging Billy Carlbert for the second position when Jefferon got into the side of Carlbert in turn two and the contact sent Jefferson spinning into turn two.
On the restart Stuart Vandevender blew up his motor and spun out on the top of turn three and collected Logan Leonard. On the final lap Wayne Jefferson got into the back of Jim Meiser going into turn two, Meiser was able to save the car and going into turn three Jefferson and Meiser were door handle to door handle for the fourth spot when the two made contact and Meiser went spinning out on the top of turn four. Danny Daniels Jr went on to the take the win with Shane Leonard in second and Billy Carlbert finishing in third.
