May 4, 2002 – Ocala, FL – The Coca Cola 4 Cylinder Bomber
and the Thrifty Nickel Hobby Stock divisions pulled double
duty this week. Due to a bad accident last Saturday night
the races were ended before these two divisions were able
to run their feature event, so they ran their make-up
feature first before moving on to the heats and features
scheduled for this week.
The first make-up feature race was run by the Coca Cola
4 Cylinder Bomber division. Dale Durbin #46 took the
lead on Lap 1 when pole sitter Neal Durbin #33 pitted.
Richard Kuhn #47 who started in the 6th position, picked
his way up to the 3rd position on the same lap and
sandwiched in between was Rocky Bowden #1. A.J. Schreier
#98 and current points leader Rick Fort #2 made a pass
on Kuhn on Lap 3. A couple of laps later, Schreier and
Fort were able to get by Bowden and set their sights on
Durbin. The handling on Durbin’s car was going away and
he was fighting it all the way around the track but
especially in Turn 4. With only two laps to go, Schreier
and Fort were able to get by Durbin. Fort tried to make
some moves of his own on Schreier, but time did not allow
it. Schreier took the checkered flag followed by Fort,
Durbin, Bowden, and Tom Fralish #7 who started dead last
in the race.
The make-up feature race for the Thrifty Nickel Hobby
Stock division was next on the agenda. John Betts #08
set on the outside pole and led the race from flag to
flag with Chauna Johnson #43 right behind him. The
battle throughout the race was from 3rd position on
back. Mark Mitchell #71, Tommy Roberts #44, Frank
Buchanan #07 and Paul Fletcher #28 battled throughout
the race. The top five finishers were Betts, Johnston,
Roberts, Buchanan and Fletcher.
The Diamond “H” Air and Heat Modified division held
qualifying laps instead of heat races. Troy Robinson
#0 was the fastest qualifier followed by D.J. Hoelzle #8
and Mike Wilson #79. Mike Wilson sat on the pole after
the #2 inversion pill was drawn with David Baxley #64 on
the outside of him. Baxley took the lead a couple of laps
later when Wilson spun between Turn 1 and 2. Robinson
was behind Baxley and getting alot of heat from Alan
McCafferty #32. McCafferty and Kelly Lawrence #11 got
by Robinson on Lap 12 and began their pursuit of Baxley.
They made the pass on Lap 23 leaving Baxley to contend
with Robinson. Robinson got by Baxley for three laps
before Baxley was able to get the spot back. McCafferty
went on to take the win followed by Lawrence, Baxley,
Robinson and Hoelzle.
The Stephen A. Bagen Sportsman divsion took to the racing
surface. The racing was very competitive even though the
top four finishers pretty much finished the way they
started. Bob Masciarelli #72 started on the pole with
Pete Close, Jr #86 on the outside, William Edwards #08
in the 3rd position and Tom Posavec #01 in the 4th. When
the green flag flew, Masciarelli took the lead and Close,
Jr. got hung in the outside lane allowing Edwards to
get under him and have 2nd place. When the checkered
flew, the top five finishers were Masciarelli, Edwards,
Close, Jr., Posavec and Kenny Abney #6.
The Coca Cola 4 Cylinder Bomber division was ready for its
second feature of the night. A.J. Schreier #98 continued
to dominate this division leading from flag to flag. Ric
Fort #2 who started on the outside of row 1, got shuffled
back to 5th place while Bill Brezner #19, who started
6th moved up to 2nd on the same lap. Positions throughout
the field changed back and forth with lots of door to door
racing. When the checkered flag flew, it was Schreier
in lst followed by Brezner, Rocky Bowden #1, Fort and
Dale Durbin #46.
The Thrifty Nickel Hobby Stock division returned to the
track for their next feature. Frank Buchanan #07 and
David Chastain #17 made up the front row with John
Betts #08 and Tommy Roberts #44 in row 2. Buchanan took
the lead with Betts and Chastain in tow. On lap 2, Betts
and Chastain got together and Betts rolled his car two
times on the back straightaway coming out of turn 2. He
walked away without a scratch. When the green flag flew
again, Buchanan and Roberts put on a show running door to
door for the remaining laps, swapping the lead several
times. Mark Mitchell tried to fix it up by making it
three wide at times. The race ended with Buchanan taking
the checkered flag followed by Roberts, Mitchell, Moose
Alderman #7 and Paul Gladdin #9.
The final feature of the night was the WTRS Pure Stock
division. David Danielson #70 got his first ever feature
win. He started on the outside of row 1 along side of
the current points leader. Rick Hart #13, Darren Dukes
worked his way up to the 2nd position, but spun going into
turn 4 while challenging the leader. Bobby Carter #99
started last but patiently worked his way up through the
pack. At the checkered it was Danielson, Hart, Carter,
J.T. Schimborski #0 and Michael Rosa #76.
Join us next Saturday, May 11, when we host the Classic
Auto Racing Series, a 50 Lap Sportsman feature plus all
of our regular divisions. The cost for this event in
General Admission is $10.00 for Adults and Children 55″
and under are $2.00. Gates open at 5:00 p.m. and
racing begins at 6:30 p.m.
For complete race results or any other information, call
the Speedway office at (352) 622-9400.