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| Meet Some of Florida's "No Name" Florida Pro and Sunbelt Racers | (KNS)When the Florida Sunbelt race comes to USA International in Lakeland on July 29th, check out the Rookies and the Pros.
After the Florida Pro race last weekend in St. Augustine at Florida Speed Park, there were alot of rumors going around that Florida Pro was going out the door. It is true that a few races have been cancelled, but Florida Pro is far from over. This great series started back in l993 with Shane Russ as the first Florida Pro Champion. If you attended last weekend's race, you would have seen Shane Russ. After a two year absence from racing, he returned and he returned to the Florida Pro series.
I was able to talk to Shane last weekend and he told me that the biggest difference in the Florida Pro today and that one in l993 is the amount of money a racer must spend now to race. Back in l993, racers went to a track with an open trailer and far less equipment than they do today. When Russ returned to racing, he found not only were the cars more expensive to build and maintain but the enclosed trailers were no cheap thing to buy. Whoever decided that enclosed trailers, the bigger the better, mean you are up there, must have had too much money in their pockets at the time.
But one thing that has definitely changed in the Florida Pro are the Rookies that come out each year. And being labeled a Rookie does not mean that you don't know what you are doing, since the Rookies of today's Florida Pro and Florida Sunbelt definitely know what they are doing.
Two racers, both from Merritt Island, FL, drive in the Florida Pro and Florida Sunbelt series; Brian Finney and Travis Kittleson.
Brian Finney is no stranger to the Florida Pro or the Florida Sunbelt but still his name is not well known yet although it is getting there. Brian is 23 and is a teacher but when not teaching, you can find Brian with the Finney family at their shop working on his car or his brother Kevin's or any number of friends that he also helps. Brian has always wanted to race in the Florida Pro and be the best racer he can and build the best race cars you could possibly ask for. And Brian Finney will be a name you will get use to.
 Travis Kittleson, 19, has only raced for a year. When Travis graduated from Merritt Island High School in l999, his wish was to go to Buck Baker Driving School and drive a Late Model. Travis did just that and last June, he came to race in his blue #88 Late Model at Orlando SpeedWorld and New Smyrna Speedway. Travis was most impressive in his first l25-lap race, although he was a few laps down, he finished that race and he had only been racing a few short weeks. Watch out for this young man, he will definitely be worth watching.
Jonathan Brown, l9, started out in go-karts with B. J. McLeod.  Eventually, Jonathan began racing a Sportsman at DeSoto Speedway since it is the closest track to his home in Sarasota, FL. When Sportsman did not go fast enough, he got a Limited Late which he ran during SpeedWeeks at New Smyrna Speedway.
In l998, he ran the prestigious Governor's Cup at New Smyrna Speedway, which was televised that year, in his new Late Model. Since then Jonathan has run a number of big Late Model races and last year, began racing in the Hooter's Pro Cup series. Jonathan may not have a well known name yet, but Florida fans will be seeing more of him and his #9 Sterling Marlin Chevrolet Late Model. Jonathan finished third last weekend in the Florida Pro race at Florida Speed Park.
Justin Drawdy, 21, from Ft. Pierce, FL, has been racing Late Models for about 2 years now. Justin started out in Chad Pierce's bomber that Justin bought and ran on dirt tracks down in south Florida. Justin has definitely come a long way from where he started, but he is getting better and better. Justin may not be known to alot of fans, but New Smyrna Speedway and Orlando SpeedWorld fans definitely know Justin and his crew. Justin proved himself last weekend with his second place finish in the Florida Pro race at Florida Speed Park.
Tom McCann, Jr., l9, from Ocala, FL, is no stranger to racing since he has been a modified racer up north, but this is his first year at Florida racing. Tom picked the Florida Pro series to race his new Late Model because of the good reputation and quality of drivers it has. Tom and his dad are the entire crew for this team and they have no sponsorship whatsoever yet. Tom McCann, Sr. raced up north and Tom says his dad can race anything with 4 wheels and make it go, but after watching this young man and the great job he did, the skill was passed on to young Tom. Hopefully, this young man will find some kind of sponsorship help since racing is not cheap and budgets are very tight. But watch out for Tom McCann, Jr.
There are a number of good, young drivers in both the Florida Pro and Florida Sunbelt Series along with the big names like Anderson, Cope, Rogers, Cook, Powell, etc. And, I am sure that each one of these guys will tell you that Florida Pro is not going anywhere right now and neither is Florida Sunbelt. So, if you like Late Model racing and watching some of the best of the best Late Model drivers that Florida has to offer, come to the Florida Sunbelt race at USA International in Lakeland on July 29th...And, check out the Rookies and the Pros.
-Jane Smith-
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