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Round And Around:Wednesday At Volusia Speedway Park

Racing in Florida was won by Mother Nature on Tuesday, the threat of tornadoes much more powerful than all the unlimited horsepower of race engines. The torrential rains were nothing compared to the nighttime warnings as people tried to get their needed sleep. But all is reported to be fine in our little race community. Wednesday arrived with dreary daylong drips that finally ended in time for the track to be worked in at Volusia Speedway Park. We felt sorry that the UMP modified series never finished their 8-night run, the championship points so close that anyone could have taken the title on the last lap. If Monday?s announcement was correct, then the champion would be Kenny Schrader. The Advance Auto Parts Big Blocks would join the late models for the remaining four nights, the open wheel modifieds mainly from the Northeast.

As before, pack-style qualifying was run for the late models, only 75 of them answering the bell Wednesday. Floridian Patrick Sheltra joined in after his ARCA run at Daytona International Speedway, and Tim McCreadie kept up his dirt skills before returning to his NASCAR ride. McCreadie did not double his fun in his former mod group here, nor did Clint Coffman, Tim Fuller, Ricky Elliott, or Billy Decker. Jeff Isabell competed in a late model earlier, but took out a mod as owner while fielding another for Danny Johnson to double his fun as well. Late model qualifying ended with the buoyant Billy Moyer fastest of all.

The eight-lap heats began with six late model contests and 18 earning feature starts. In the fourth heat Elliott was leading until suddenly slowing halfway through the race, ending his hopes for the night. The three B mains placed another six into the main event, with 15 to 20 cars only given ten laps to get to the front two positions. Intense as always, we felt sorry for G. R. Smith when his top run ended in a jarring impact to the inner wall. Without provisional starting positions available, those just missing the cut by one car were Don O?Neal, Michael Kloos, and Shannon Babb. The three dozen mods has a somewhat easier time, with each of the four heats sending the top five to the main, another six coming from the pair of B mains. Decker?s normal mount was driven by 15-year old Larry White, beginning his Speed Weeks experience by making the feature.

The first feature was a 30-lap late model contest, the top six heat winners redrawn for their starting positions. This put Moyer and Michigan?s Jeep Van Wormer on the front row, followed by Brandon Kinzer and Shane Clanton, then Josh Richards and Sheltra. We must say there?s nothing like a shot of confidence to improve performance, and Moyer is loading up on both lately with his new Victory Circle Chassis. He outlasted four restarts to win his second race in two nights at Volusia. Tire choice was important, as several found out when theirs went flat. Several pitted for fresh rubber, others had worse problems. Clanton was up to third when his car suddenly became critical just past the halfway mark. Danny Schlieper pitted in the infield, returned, then made an exit five laps later. As the checkered flag was displayed, Dennis Erb Jr. was still able to salvage a top finish despite suddenly slowing off the final corner with the rear end sparking. Moyer ascended the platform and told the audience, ?I just hope I don?t break this streak. Right now we?re doing everything right.? Moyer then was spurred to tell everyone to vote for him in the Alltell contest for most popular driver, as all watched the Jumbotron with glee.

The Big Block mods began with 26 cars beginning straight up from their heat finishes. Even though Mario Claire took charge right away, the announcer was wondering how things would be handled if the Canadian won. Claire only speaks French, the guy with the microphone only English. That dilemma was quickly solved when a caution came out and Billy Pauch took over from the second row. Six more slowdowns made things more challenging for the veteran, but Pauch hung on to win his first mod feature here since Feb. 8, 1988. Incredible as that seems, Pauch has been racing other types of cars in between. ?Twenty years is a lot?, declared the veteran, ?I?ve been here in the modifieds, but ran sprints,? and other divisions. Then Pauch stunned us all with, ?I?ve been in bed with a (over 100 degree) fever, and went to the doctor. I got a shot, and slept and slept.? Pauch then told of his previous run elsewhere. ?The first night we crashed, then we broke the motor. It was a pretty rough time. At least this week started better. We?re an underfunded team. It?s nice to see the little guy win once in a while.? How right he is.

At the end another veteran, Brett Hearn, had made it to second place from the fifth row, Pat Ward following the whole way. The audience was happy to have an early night in the chill air. Before 11:00 they were free to seek heat or go to the tent behind the grandstands and enjoy the music supplied by a DJ. Even though we were quite cold, the thermometer said it was in the low 50?s. This is nothing like our Wisconsin weather, which we would find very comfortable without a coat in the same temperature. But hearing from home today, we are told that it has snowed just about every day and there is no longer anyplace to put it. So maybe it?s not so bad here after all.

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