It was a very cool finale to a long week of racing but another large crowd would be on hand to catch the longest race of the week for the Big Blocks as they went fifty laps on Saturday night while the Late Models would wrap up their week with another forty lap main event.
Car counts would remain strong this year right through the completion of the last program with thirty eight Big Blocks and fifty seven Late Models still in the pits to make one last attempt before everyone scatters home and gets ready for the rest of the racing season.
The program format would be identical to previous nights with the Modifieds taking to the track first on Saturday with the week long rotation complete. Phelps would be quick qualifier for the Big Blocks as he would eventually put together a nearly perfect night while Ricky Thornton Jr would be quickest for the Late Models while on his way to a mediocre night.
It didn't take long to see that there was going to be a problem on this night. Quite simply, there just wasn't enough water on the track on Saturday for whatever reason with the dust flying early during hot laps and the groove starting to move down the track and the surface taking rubber very early. Two lengthy track prep sessions, both before the Late Model Last Chance races and again between the two feature races only helped minimally and briefly as the damage had already been done hours before and there would be no salvaging their mistake on this night. The result was, sadly, a couple of poor feature races which included a Big Block race that turned into a farce at the end, costing much of the good will and positive thoughts that had been built up by a week of good racing and varied winners.
That final part would be the only positive salvation of this night with Jimmy Phelps and Chris Madden winning their first mains of the week and making it a complete sweep for varied winners as there were no repeat winners in either the Big Blocks or the WoO Late Models during the series here this week, very unusual and in the case of the Big Blocks, unprecedented.
Phelps would draw the pole for the Big Block feature and he would lead all fifty laps to win the top honors. And not only did he win a "Little Gator" for his feature win, his consistent runs all week would also allow him to go home with the "Big Gator" as the week long point champion.
Phelps would get the early jump on Adam Pierson for the lead with Matt Sheppard eventually taking over that spot. The field would go for eighteen laps before the yellow would slow things down and by that time, the track was hard locked down and Phelps was wisely trying to set a pace that would keep him from catching the back of the pack where he might be forced into making a move and perhaps getting out of the rubber.
The first seven or so drivers just got into line and rode around the track, waiting to see if anyone would slip out of line while more importantly, trying to keep their tires under them as tire wear would be a key component to finishing the race.
Things were moving along smoothly if indeed uneventful until Kyle Coffey slowed with a flat tire with just nine laps left in the race. This would be the portent of things to come and through the rest of the race, it turned into a tire wear fiasco and a farce of a race. While Phelps was able to keep his tires under him and just enough tread on them to keep them from blowing, much of his competition wasn't able to to the same thing. During the last nine laps, Sheppard, Marc Johnson, Mat Williamson, Pierson, Jake Lehner, Demetrious Drellos and Peter Britten, all contenders, rolled to a halt with flat right rears as the yellow waved eight times during the last nine laps of the race, disgusting the crowd while cries came to just throw the checkered, which in fairness they truly couldn't although it would have been nice.
For sideshow entertainment, a fight broke out on pit road between a couple of teams with an explanation of just what triggered the dustup hard to figure. Finally, the field was able to get the last lap run on a green and checkered finish and Phelps nursed his car, with cords showing on the right rear, home for the win. Larry Wight and Stewart Friesen would finish behind him, two of the few that also didn't burn up a tire.
For Phelps it was a great week with consistent finishes, his first win and the Big Gator going to him. No repeat winners emerged and the poor final show was not a true reflection of the fine racing that had gone on during the week previously.
The track was "ripped" for a second time following the Big Block feature for the Late Model finale and it gave the racers a precious few laps of racing before it locked back down once again and the drivers all lined up single file.
Dale McDowell looked like he just might be the first repeat winner as he took the lead over Max Blair and would lead the first sixteen laps. Mike Marlar would start out hot, passing Madden and moving up but Chris would soon get back around Marlar and pressure Blair for second.
McDowell caught the back of the pack and he had to make a tough decision whether to try and pass the slower cars and where indeed to go on the track to do so. His choice didn't work as he tried to move higher around the slower cars and he got trapped with Madden surging forward to take over the lead.
And just after that the yellow waved, the track got even more one groove and the outcome was pretty much determined. Two more yellows would occur in the next ten laps but series officials, correctly so, lined the cars up single file for the restarts as the rubbered up surface would have been unfair for anyone on the outside lane for a restart.
However, this just promoted the "train" and Madden would drive smart and conservative, maintaining his lead over Blair but not pushing the issue. Madden would drive on for the win and become another new winner for the Late Models this week while Blair would get out of the rubber on the last lap, costing him two spots as both Marlar and McDowell would get past him. Only five drivers would not complete the ceremonial tire smoking adventure as it was a shame that after a largely good week of racing things would end on a downer note.
Devin Moran was not a factor all night but he would salvage the "Big Gator" as his competitors for that title all had bad luck or poor performances during the night.
However, despite the less than scintillating conclusion to the week of racing, overall it was pretty darn good. Car counts held up very well and it's always a good thing with varied winners. Crowds were monstrous most nights, leading all to be hopeful for the upcoming season.
Thanks need to go out to all the helpful WoO employees that made this a good week of racing and all the track workers who were the real heroes with their long hours and tireless efforts. I also need to send out a special thanks to "Super" Dave Wohnourka for all his help at various tracks during this Florida adventure.
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