By Rick Anges

(KNS) Oct 21, 2000 - USA International Speedway was the place to be Saturday night as the NASCAR Goody's Dash Series, the SARA Late Model series, and the PARTS Pro Trucks were in town for a combined 300 laps of high-power action on the 3/4-mile banked oval. All three series provided nail biting, fender crunching, side-by-side action all night.

This was my first time experiencing the NASCAR Goody's Dash Series in action. The six-cylinder compact cars were a sight to behold as they looked much like a scaled down version of their bigger brothers in the Winston Cup. The racing was fast and furious all night long as the lead changed hands several times throughout the 150-lap race. Several violent wrecks slowed the pace a little, but all the competitors walked away unharmed. After the smoke cleared, it was a jubilant Jake Hobgood #64 who pulled into the winner's circle to take the trophy in an awesome display of racing.

The PARTS Trucks 100 lapper was also a great race to watch, but the pits were even a better place to be during this event. As my son, Joe, and I were walking up and down pit road to find a good vantage point to watch the race, I noticed a lady standing there with her hands clasped together shaking like there was no tomorrow. The lady was Rebecca Knight, and she was in the pit of the #4 driven by Wayne Sutherland. Sutherland's crew is definitely a family operation as it consisted of several teenagers and the crew chief.

At just before the halfway point, Sutherland had taken the lead and the excitement in those pits was just unreal. Pitted next to them was the up and coming team of Dusty Williams #38. The pair had started 11th and 12th respectively and now were up and battling for the lead. The last 50 laps were just about as good as it gets, as the two moved through lapped traffic and ran for the lead. Williams briefly got by on the backstretch, but Sutherland was too strong and held on for the victory. Williams locked up the Points Championship with his second place win. Kim Scheffler-Hayes won Rookie of the Year on honors.

The race with all the hype though was the SARA Late Model event. Bobby Beauchemin #161 was in a heated battle with the #07 of Jeff Scofield for the points championship and needed a 14th place or better to take home the coveted trophy. But, the real stand-out of the race was the return of three-time Winston Cup Champion, Cale Yarborough. The former champ drove the #28 in the SARA event.

When the green flag dropped the #2 of Chip Shell jumped out to the early lead with #17 of Jason Crossey hot in tow. Then coming out of turn four on lap five Yarborough slipped up running the 7th spot and spun in front of the field causing a major pile up on the front stretch. Involved in the melee was the #9 of Brent O'Niell, #3 Ed Howell, #40 Eddie Miller, #1 of David Logan. All the cars except the #28 were severely damaged with #3 of Howell having to be towed off with the assist of two wreckers. Also involved on the same lap in another wreck was the #77 of Tony Amico. Yarborough called it a night, but Amico fixed the #28 car and climbed back in to finish the race.

When the field took the green again, Shell again jumped out with Crossey right on his tail. Coming out of turn two Kim Scheffler-Hayes apparently blew a tire and slammed the wall ending her night in the Late Model. When racing resumed, Crossey tried to dive under Shell in four but Shell guarded his spot but was spun in the process sending a hard charging Crossey to the rear and moving #56 of Wayne Morris to the second spot. After battling for the lead, Morris apparently had motor troubles sending him to the pits and out of the race. This set up quite a battle for the lead with Shell and #7 "Iron Man" Dwayne Dempsey. Behind them there were battles all over the race track.

Jason Boyd in the #15 was fast-qualifier, but was found light after qualifying and sent to the rear to start the race. He battled his way up in the fray with points leader, Bobby Beauchimen and Scofield, all running hard for position. When the checkers finally fell, it was Shell holding off Dempsey for a well deserved win; #26x Scott Bramlet came across the line for third, and Boyd rallied and held on for fourth. Beauchemin took fifth, while at the same time winning the Points Championship after a great year of racing. Once again, the SARA Late Models put on an awesome show as they do at every track they run at. Rick Day and his crew did one heck of a job!

The races at USA Speedway were once again top notch with 300 laps of hard charging action all night long. From Lakeland Florida...

.....Rick Anges

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