|
|
Twin 25 lap features for the Late Models topped the schedule for July21 at Flamboro Speedway, with a Late Model Autograph session at intermission, and double features for Street Stocks, Thunder Cars, and Mini Stocks as well. The night was action packed, full of great racing and holiday fun, and as an added bonus the 711 Strikeforce Team brought out there Hummer to show off and give away some 711 coupons and merchandise. Everyone was in a giving mood, on and off the track, and it all started with the Late Models.
In the first qualifier Paul Howse gave Kenny McNicol a run for his money, tailing the #77 all around the track. The heated duel got even hotter with two laps to go, as Howse brought the #8 up beside McNicol. Out of corner four with the checkers being shown, Howse on the inside edged the bumper just ahead of the #77 and collected the win. The second heat lacked the excitement of the first, when #45 Sam Hazelwood ran away from the field. It was the same sort of story in second round qualifying when the two corvettes, #5 Rob Munday and #74 John Harper, in their respective heats ran away with the lead. Both of the corvettes looked strong during qualifying, but their nights would end quite differently. John Harper got the #74 out front early in the first Late Model 25 lap feature, but had a huge threat in the #7 of Petey Shepherd who was right with him racing door to door. Shepherd and Harper separated themselves from the rest of the pack, putting at least a dozen car lengths between them and the #8 Paul Howse who ran third. The battle was paused when Rob Munday tangled with #36 Jim MacDonald in corner two, and ended up sitting dormant in the infield while the body panels of his #5 lay in corner two. On the restart the duel continued, Harper and Shepherd duking it out for the lead. Petey Shepherd worked inside the #74, got the nose of the #7 inside the drivers door and looked for the pass, but Harper cut back down. Shepherd baubled, got off the gas to collect, and in doing so lost his position when Paul Howse and Sam Hazelwood drove on by. With five laps to go Shepherd pulled back into line at sixth, while Harper just continued to pull away. The train flew out of corner four for the final time, as the #74 Maytag Sponsored corvette of John Harper led them down to the checkered flag. Paul Howse finished up second, Sam Hazelwood third, #91 Al Inglis finished fourth, and Trevor Warren rounded out the top five. In his victory lane interview Harper said, “I’m not going to push my luck, one win is sweet enough.” So rookie John Harper made it quite clear that he had no intentions of pushing to the front to repeat his success, leaving victory lane open to any one in the second feature.
When the green flag dropped for the second 25 lapper, two more rookies, #14 Justin Fraser and #77 Kenny McNicol Jr. were racing hard up front, but were interrupted by a bad wreck in corner two. Paul Howse had been fighting some bad handling coming out of corner four, but was able to collect as he came onto the front straight. Howse was not as fortunate out of turn two. Coming out of two Howse got sideways and ended up t-boning the back straight wall. If that wasn’t enough, Al Inglis had no where to go as he brought the #91 out of the corner, and ended up smacking Howes’ #8 hard. Once the cleanup crew was finished, and the two cars had been returned pit side with the help of French’s Towing, the racing continued and Justin Fraser was running away. A couple of ex-challengers worked together to move up in the ranks, taking the spots of second and third. Late Model rookies #4 Terry King, and #39 Harry Topp led the way to the back of Justin Fraser’s #14, and brought with them another rookie, #7 Petey Shepherd. Shepherd worked under Topp for third spot, and by halfway had gotten around the #4 of Terry King. Now in second, young Shepherd went to work on closing the distance to Fraser. With five laps remaining, Petey Shepherd was to the bumper of the #14. Shepherd spent the next four laps searching for a lane to pass. Inside, outside, Shepherd looked to get by Fraser. Finally, out of corner four with the checkers in sight, Petey Shepherd got up beside Justin Fraser, and made light contact with the #14. Shepherd backed out and gave Fraser the room he needed to correct and continue, but would once again lose out in glory. Petey Shepherd spun to the infield and watched as Justin Fraser drove across the line to win the race, and the rest of the field finish as well. #45 Sam Hazelwood finished second, followed by #9 Chris Boschler, #74 John Harper, and #3 Rob Fletcher. In his post-race interview Fraser gave credit to Shepherd saying, “I saw him coming, and all I could do was hope for the white and checkered flag. He was fast.” Great Late Model action, great shows for all our rookies, and another example of the exciting action and competition that the three-track alliance has created for the 2001 summer.
In other racing action, the Mini Stocks did double duty to make up for their delayed feature from July 14th. But first, #77 Bryn Rennie led the way to victory lane in the July 21st “Go Four” feature. #73 Ron Larkin Jr. finished a strong second, ahead of #85 Robert Allerellie, #22 Ken Turner, and #17 Jim Hill. In July 14th make-up feature, #2 Crash Myers held the lead early on, but was removed of his leadership duties by Ken Turner. Behind the leaders, Mini Stocks raced three wide for position before sorting out their lineup. At halfway Ken Turner had the lead well in hand, and with two laps to go the race was for second. Robert Allerellie brought the #85 up to contention, working by both Hill and Bryn Rennie. Down to the line it was #22 Ken Turner who claimed his first feature win of 2001, and was followed by Allerellie, Rennie, Hill, and Myers.
The Street Stocks also did double duty to make up for the rain-delayed feature race from July 7th. In the first feature of the night, July 21st, #90 Andy Wheller schooled the field on defensive driving, running from and protecting the lead from the #41 of Dave Miskolczi. Wheller went on to win the feature, followed by Miskolczi, then #20 Gary Slama, #06 Steve Brook, and #95 Lon Beauchamp. In the second feature for the Street Stocks there was some wild action in the beginning, with cars flying and spinning to the infield. Andy Wheller didn’t get caught up in any of these entanglements and was able to gain the lead by half. Wheller held the lead until the end, holding off Miskolczi again, as well as the #45 Dave Bennett. The final finish, #90 Andy Wheller won back to back features, and in this one was followed by Dave Bennett, Dave Miskolczi, Gary Slama, and then Randy Rusnell who was in the borrowed #1 ride from Kevin Mader after Rusnell’s regular ride “The Rocket” #72 lost the engine in qualifying.
The Thunder Car action was intense in both of their feature races.
In the first one of the night, from July 21st, #27 Mark Burbridge worked
his way to the front, but had the experienced #10 Ray Gowan right with
him. As added pressure to the young driver, #64 Steve Book was on
the move in a big way. Up front Gowan took the lead from Burbrdige,
but then Book made his way to the front and took the lead from Gowan.
All of the racing was then done for third, where four drivers were swapping
paint and positions in the closing laps of the race. Steve Book brought
the #64 to victory lane, beating out #10 Ray Gowan, who finished second,
then #27 Mark Burbridge, #31 Kevin Gallant, and then #3 Mike McCarthy.
In the final race of the evening, the Thunder Car make-up race from July
7th, Ray Gowan put the #10 out front early, but had strong competition
in the form of #43 Dave Habel and #31 Kevin Gallant. Habel got by
Gowan for the lead, bringing with him the #31 of Gallant and leaving Gowan
to fade to the back. The top two started to pull away, dueling between
themselves, but Gowan was determined to get to the front and started pushing
to get there. With two laps remaining Gowan was up to third, right
in the heat of the battle between Gallant and Habel. Out of corner
four Habel got loose. Gallant dove to the outside to go around the
squirrelly #43, but Habel turned right, up the track, cutting off Gallant’s
escape route and pinning the #31 against the front straight wall.
The biggest loser of the situation was Ray Gowan, who had no where to run
except into the side of Gallant’s #31. Gowan caught air as he ramped
up the #31, destroying the car. The #10 was taken back to the pits
in pieces, while the #31 and #43 attempted to run but then limped off the
track with their own respective mechanical problems. The green white
checker finish was a little more calm, as #12 Mike Post survived the carnage
and won the July 7th feature race. #6 Jim Ball finished up second,
then #91 Randy Richard, #38 Brad “Pape” Nutbrown, and #7 Robert Disher
rounded out the top ten. All of our racing action is now caught up.
We start fresh on July 28th, Kids Ride Night, and as an added feature a
Demolition Derby. Don’t miss a lap of the action, Flamboro Speedway,
where the fast and the furious come to play.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|