"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
TJ Duke wins Fastruck 50 at the Charlotte County Motorsports Park
By: Melanie Beckner
Punta Gorda, FL...This past Saturday night at the Charlotte County Motorsports Park saw another full night of great racing. Nine different divisions took on the 3/8ths mile "Jewel of the South, with the night ending with the "Run what you brung"Figure 8 race.
The Fab 4's were the first feature race of the evening with Paul Richards setting the pace for the start of the twenty five lap feature. Once the green flag dropped it was Paul Richards that took his car to the front. Richards remained unchallenged for the lead until the first caution came out on lap fifteen when David Goss's car started to leak fluid from under the car.
On the restart Paul Richards continued where he left off and pulled away from the field again when the caution caem out for the last time on lap eighteen. Brad Steger had brought out the caution when his car came to a stop at the bottom of turn four. Paul Richards went on to capture his first win in the Fab4's with Kenneth Baldali in second and Janene Elwell rapping up the top three spots.
It was the three man race for the fifteen lap TQ Midgets feature, with Ray Smith on the pole for the caution free event. Ray Smith jumped to the early lead while Jamie Barnum and Jack Duffy battled for the second and third positions. Ray Smith was not able to stretch the lead and by lap four Jamie Barnum heated up the battle for the lead going into turn four. At the line on lap five Jamie Barnum took over the position and walked away from both Smith and Duffy to take home the victory. Ray Smith finished in second and Jack Duffy was third, with Duffy taking third he was able to claim the 2009 TQ Midget championship.
Chris Scott was the polesitter for the twenty five lap, Junior's Trim Shop Road Warrior feature. Scott immdiately took his car to the front of the pack to lead the first couple of laps.
The first caution to wave was on lap two for a fire under Logan Leonard's car after it had started smoking and pulled into the pits. On the restart Chris Scott had a bumper full of Chris Loney, by lap four Loney was challenging Chris Scott for the lead and made the pass successfully the following lap. Brian Horbin brought out the next caution after lap five was completed,when he spun his car around on the frontstretch.
Two laps later Jon Prescott spun out in turn four, but was able to get his car going the right way around the track without drawing the caution. Jeff Rumbold blew his motor on lap nine which did bring out the next caution to clean up the fluid that was laid down on the track. While under the caution, the leader Chris Loney took his car to the puts and turned the lead over to Jeff Firestine. Loney was able to make it back out on the track before the restart of the race, however he had to restart from the rear of the field.
The last caution to occur happened on lap thirteen when Chris Loney and Chris Scott got together in turn four with the contact sending Loney spinning. Jeff Firestine went to take home another win wth Brian Horbin in second and Chris Loney was able to make his way back to the third position.
Richie Acres sat on the pole position for the start of the Pro 4 twenty five lap feature. The entire race ran caution free with Dylan Bigley jumping to the lead at the wave of the green flag.
While the race did run caution free for the full twenty five laps, it was full of action with half the field battling for the second and third spots while Bigley walked away from the rest of the field to take the win. John Pummel Jr finished in second while Mike LeMaster came home third.
Earlier in the day TJ Duke set fast time in qualifying with a lap time of 16.205 and pulled the number six pill which put Brent Huber on the pole for the fifty lap feature. On the start Brent Huber and Tyler Laing ran side by side for the top spot before the first caution came out on lap four when Cindarae Irish spun out coming out of turn four.
On the restart it was Tyler Laing who was given the lead after a hard battle with Brent Huber before the caution had came out. Tom Carlough drew the next caution from his spin out in turn one and on the restart Brent Huber and TJ Duke made contact with one another going into turn three that sent Duke spinning.
Meanwhile Tyler Laing still held the lead when the race restarted with a mirror full of TJ Duke for the next several laps. The fianl caution came out for the spinning car of Ricky Partridge coming out of turn four. With four laps remaining TJ Duke was door handle to door handle with Tyler Laing for the lead and at the line it was Duke who took over the position and bringing Ross Chastain with him. TJ Duke took the victory with Ross Chastain in second and Tyler Laing was third.
Bobby Mobley had the fastest time in qualifying for the Florida Suncoast Outlaw Street Stocks with a time of 17.094. Mobley pulled the number two pill and that put points leader Shane Leonard on the pole for the fourty lap feature. Shane Leonard immediately jumped to the early lead with the first caution coming out for Chris Scott on lap five when he spun his car around in turn two.
On lap fifteen Shane Leonard who was still in the lead, had a fire burning under his hood and the caution had to be brought out to take out the fire. Since the reason for the caution was for Shane Leonard he had to relinqish the lead over to second place Bobby Mobley. The following lap Danny Daniels Jr got loose in turn two and tried to save it, but ended up spinning out in on the backstretch. From here the top three in points Shane Leonard, Danny Daniels Jr and Jim Meiser's night went sour.
The first being Danny Daniels Jr on lap twenty seven his car had fluid leaking out of it and slicked up the track and brought out the caution. While under the caution Daniels Jr pulled his car into the pits and ended his evening. On lap thirty two steam started to roll out of the engine of Shane Leonard coming out of turn four and he to had to park his car for the evening.
With five laps remaining Jim Meiser's car hit a sour note when his drive shaft broke in half coming out of turn four and he drove his car straight off the track. Bobby Mobley went on to take the win with Billy Carlbert and Justin Rogers completing the top three spots.
The Mini Stocks were next to take to the track for there twenty five lap feature with Robert Carter leading them to the start of the race. Carter grabbed the lead at the start of the race with the first caution coming out after the first lap was completed, when Shane Moore spun out in turn two.
On the restart Tim Welan got into the rear of Joshua Carbone in turn two, sending Carbone spinning. While battling for the lead on lap six, Joshua Carbone pussed Robert Carter into turn two with the contact sending Carter into the spin cycle.
Meanwhile, points leader Jesse Dutilly was making his way through the field and by lap seven he was side by side with Robert Carter for lead and made the pass complete the following lap. On the final caution on lap ten, Joshua Carbone side swipped Mike LeMaster going into turn one. The contact sent LeMaster up the track and Carbone spinning and collected Jeremy Perkins and Shane Moore.
Jesse Dutilly went on to take home another first place trophy with Robert Cater finishing in second and Tim Welen coming in the third position.
Tom Pryor lead the Thunder Trucks to the start of there twenty five lap feature with Mike Bilacki grabbing the lead. The first caution came out on lap three when James Wright had gotten into Mike Bilacki coming out of turn four and spinning Bilacki out in front entire field.
As a result it was ruled by the officals that Wright was driving to roughly and was disqualified for the evening. Ray Janye passed Mike Bilacki for the lead on lap five and the next caution waved the following lap when Ralph Gross went spinning.
Lance Sober body slammed Michael LaPlant going into turn three and sent LaPlant spinning and Ralph Gross spun to avoid getting into LaPlants truck. On the restart Tom Pryor and Mike Bilacki were rubbing doors when the rubbing ended with Tom Pryor spinning into turn two. Ray Jayne took the victory with Tom Pryor and Lance Sober completing the top three positions.
The last race of the evening was the "Run what you brung" Figure 8 race with the 4cyclinder cars started ahead of the bigger 8 cyclinder cars. Brad Steger sat on the pole for the exciting twenty lap race. The only caution of the entire race was on the start when Mike Bilacki plowwed throught Jon Prescott and Jeff Firestine going through turn one which created a complete restart.
Richie Acres jumped to the early lead and lead the first four laps before Mike LaPlant passed Acres up for the spot. With five laps remaining Kenny Gibson ran into the side of Mike LaPlant to take over the lead and take home his first Figure 8 win. Mike LaPlant was able to hold on to the second position and Billy Carlbert in a 4 cyclinder rounded out the top three spots.
