Exciting Sprint Car Action at Ocala Speedway By BJ Cavin
Ocala, FL Sep 07, 2008 - If anyone ever wanted to know what happens when a pit area overflowing with
sprint cars from two differing groups are turned loose together on a race
track, the answer is that it means excitement.
The effort to bring together the best sprint cars in Florida took cooperation between two race tracks, and some understanding and cooperation between drivers who were running two different rules packages. Thanks to hard work and the will to make it happen, the fans at Ocala Speedway were treated to quite a show on Friday night.
Unfortunately part of the excitement was tempered with some serious moments
as well, resulting in some delays in the show. The first incident involved a sprint car flipping on the front stretch and impacting the fencing in front
of the grandstand. While the chain link and support posts did not fair well
against the race car, the catch cables did their job exactly as they were
designed to do, keeping the car out and away from the grandstands. No one was
injured in the incident, and after some repairs to the fencing the racing
continued.
The second delay came during a restart on lap 7 of the A-main race when the
95 machine of Jeff Parks was involved in a nasty tangle with another car in
turn one. Parks stated to the first Ocala Speedway crews on the scene that he
thought he may have Seriously hurt his neck or back, so every precaution was
taken to assure that any injury was not aggravated in removing him from the
damaged car. The extrication was done slowly and precisely by both Ocala
Speedway crews and Marion County Fire/Rescue personnel who were called to the
scene. Parks was removed form the car after a lengthy delay and transported to
a local hospital for further treatment. No update on his condition was
available after racing Friday night.
After four competitive heat races and two B-main events, a final field of
twenty-four 360 sprint cars took the green flag and raced for 7 fast laps
before a three car mishap in turn 4 slowed things down with a caution. It was on the restart from this initial caution when Jeff Parks tangled with another
car, resulting in his injuries. Once the race restarted from there, it was
obvious that Gene Lasker and Bryn Gohn had the two cars to beat on the night as the two of them battled for the lead. Lasker was aggressive and held the
lead despite Gohn's best efforts, and late in the race Gohn was forced to retire after his car expired and coasted into the infield grass.
By the time the final laps rolled around the field had been whittled down by
mechanical woes and accidents, and a final incident in turn 4 took out the
cars running in the second and third place spots with just three laps
remaining. Danny Jones spun in turn four to end his night as Bryn Gohn coasted to the infield. That left only Lasker and Gavin Thomas on the lead laps, and when the green waved they battled to the finish. Gene Lasker took the win and Thomas placed second, followed by the 92 machine for third place.
The Mini Stocks took to Ocala's clay with Keith Briggs mired in the rear of
the field and looking for a route to the front. Johnny Zackery had his brand
new race car out in front early, but relinquished the lead later to Paul
Combast. And while that was playing out Keith Briggs was busy working his way
through the field toward the front of the pack, where he eventually found that
Combast was in no mood to move over and let him pass. It took some effort
from Briggs, but he managed to find room on the outside in turn 4 and drove to
the win, followed by Combast and the 55 of Arnold Perkins.
Grady Christian ad David Miller Jr have been trading places all season in
the Hobby Stock division, taking turns winning races and enjoying the intense
competition. This time around it was Grady Christian's turn to get the win,
after first holding off Wally Schneider and then hanging on to outlast Miller.
Robert Hicks would also figure into the equation as he managed a well deserved third place finish.
The V8 Thunder Stocks have had their share of excitement in recent races and
none of that was lost during a few weeks away from the track. The battle up
front came from the same racing stable as Doc Batson, Michael Stalnaker, and
Jeff Stalnaker Jr, traded places and paint as they raced for the lead. Batson held the point until Michael Stalnaker got the better of him on a restart,
stealing the lead and holding off everyone else. In the end it was Michael
Stalnaker who crossed the finish line first, but a visit to the tech shed
later resulted in a violation and a DQ, making Doc Batson the winner of record. Jeff Stalnaker Jr finished in the third spot.
By the time the Gladiator division got the green flag as the last feature
race of the evening, the other divisions had left them a rather nasty rough
spot in turn four that figured heavily in how things would play out during the
race. Greg Bonynge figured out how to avoid the hole and drove to a first
place finish, while James Gentiles and David Wells rounded out the top three.
Ocala Speedway returns to action on Friday, September 12th, as the Open Wheel Modifieds join the Hobby Stocks, Mini Stocks, V8 Thunder Stocks, and Gladiators, for another night of intense racing action. Fans are reminded to bring their old cell phones to the speedway to turn in for a two dollar discount off the admission price. The phones will be recycled and traded for phone cards that American soldiers overseas can used to contact family members at home.
