On Wednesday night, February 12th, racing continued at the Volusia Speedway Park with another doubleheader of Late Models and Big Block Modifieds. The only difference on this night was that the Late Models would be sanctioned by the World of Outlaws, it would be their fourth point race of the year after three in New Mexico and more money would be on the line. Each of the last four nights will feature ten grand to win races for the Late Models and things such at provisional starting spots, points and procedures would all be operated by the Outlaw staff. For the Big Blocks, it would be their second of five nights of racing action also.
The Late Model car count hit its highest point of the week to date with fifty one drivers signing in to race. Several of the drivers that had taken nights off returned to race on Wednesday and there were two new entrants as Earl Pearson Jr. found his way down from Jacksonville and Minnesota driver Steve Hucovski also joined the action.
While there was a wind chill advisory in effect for my home area with the possibility of the wind chill dropping to a negative thirty five on this night, the only local advisory was for a sand advisory, warning that if you get too much sand between your toes while walking the beach barefoot, it could chaff! Am I rubbing it in? You bet I am as this is the first time in several years that I have had the opportunity to enjoy racing and warm weather together in Florida and I am soaking in every little part of it.
Along with the Late Models, thirty four of the Big Blocks returned for racing action on Wednesday with the likelihood that there would be any more entrants small. However, a considerable number of the participants do have back up cars so that if they have some severe issues, they have a replacement car on hand if need be.
It was announced that the official measurement of VSP is actually .425 miles around and therefore, all the stats they give about speed etc for the track are really skewed as they are basing all that information on a half mile track which it actually isn't. However, the fact remains that with its wide corners, banking and relatively short straightaways, it is a momentum track of the best kind and very fast, even when it dries out.
I do feel sorry for the pits crews here in both classes as with the absence of any support classes, on alternating nights it is either the Mods or Late Models that have to do the wheel packing and since they always start the night with a very wet, slimy and muddy track, both here and East Bay require the crew members to do more mud scrapping on the race tracks than at perhaps any other track in the country. I'm sure they don't like it but it is a part of life racing here.
Late Models were up first tonight on the rotation so they qualified first, ran their heats first etc. and the first race hit the track within mere minutes of their advertised starting time. Actually most of the night was relatively calm by Speedweeks standards with the biggest excitement being an outside pass by Kody Evans for position that put Scott Bloomquist in a provisional status.
However, the Late Model feature was very exciting and more than made up for a rather bland program to that point. Thirty cars started the main event with Ivedent Lloyd, Blake Spencer, Matt Cosner and Brent Larson all taking emergency provisional starts which meant they were racing for points but no cash. And the race turned into a wild affair with some great action and a stunning result.
Dennis Erb took the early lead but he was overtaken by Brandon Overton. The driver on the move was Florida racer Mark Whitener who used a high side move to take over the top spot. However Overton and Erb refused to go away as they put heavy pressure on for the lead and were soon joined by Brandon Sheppard as the top four cars were running in close order. Darrel Lanigan joined them before too long and suddenly there were five cars battling for the lead.
Erb made a charge and then fell back slightly and then Overton did the same. Past the halfway point and the top four were still close together with Lanigan trying hard to stay with the group. Overton got into the lead once again but then Whitener retook him with a bold high side pass in turn three. They just didn't seem able to break away from each other and that was great for those of us in the stands watching.
Less than ten laps were left and they were still going at it. Overton made a hard dive into turn one to try and get under Whitener and they made heavy contact with Overton driving into the lead. However, Whitener came charging back at him down the back chute and with a flat left rear tire he still had enough speed to run Overton up the track and into the wall in what he admitted later was pure retaliation. Both cars were damaged and slowed and the yellow waved. In the scramble to race back to the line, Erb, who was running fourth, would get past Sheppard and would restart the race from the point with only seven laps to go.
Dennis got a great start and put some distance between himself and Sheppard but then Brandon started to reel him in. Erb got very low in turn one and banged off the inside wall which didn't help his momentum at all. Sheppard made one last final dive for the lead but Erb wisely used the track to make it tough to pass and he flashed across the line the winner by .09 seconds.
Erb, who I always considered to be a short track specialist has shown great speed and consistency here all week and his win was one of those "feel good" stories that happen from time to time. While he races an outlaw tour schedule, he doesn't seem to have the sponsors and resources of some of the teams and while he has good equipment, money doesn't seem to drip from his operation like some of the others do. He doesn't win that often but is a consistent finisher and most were happy to see him take the win.
However, the shocking news that he had been disqualified from the race for not reporting to the tech area for inspection immediately after the race was stunning. In fact, we roamed the pits for a considerable time after the race and no one was even talking about it as I believe that none in the pits even knew what had happened. For Erb it must have been heart breaking as I'm sure his group certainly could have used that ten grand winner's check. Everyone was elevated up one spot with Sheppard getting the win over Lanigan and Josh Richards with the three of Erb, Whitener and Overton all left to consider what could have been. Wow, you just never know and I guess that's what keeps up coming back.
It appeared that for the first time on Wednesday that Donny Schatz was going to provide the other Late Model drivers with a challenge as he finally got himself a strong qualifying lap which half the game in these races but in doing so, he damaged a lifter in his engine and with no spare parts to make the fix, they had to be ordered and Schatz became a spectator for the night with Andy Durham expected to provide a fix for Thursday night's show.
The Big Block Modified feature was much more tame. After a side by side battle for the first couple of laps, Larry Wight edged ahead of Brett Hearn for the lead and would lead the rest of the race to take the win. Stewart Friesen, who has shown much speed so far this week, would eventually move into second and the battle was on.
However, every time Wight was challenged he seemed to be able to turn his car up a notch and put distance on the field. Key was the lap twelve restart when he would pull away once again from the field.
In the late going the leaders would hit lapped traffic and the track seemed to be starting to lock down and the inside was the fast way around the track. Wight was following a lapped car but couldn't get by and the second and third place cars started to catch him. Fortunately for Wight, the laps ran down and he maintained his position and didn't try a bold and perhaps dangerous outside pass. He rode behind the back marker the last couple of laps and Friesen didn't have enough speed to catch him or try an outside pass of his own.
Wight and Friesen were followed by opening night winner Matt Williamson, Hearn and Billy Dunn. The race had only three yellows in the thirty laps with the most serious when Michael Maresca slammed the first turn wall and became only one of three cars not to finish the distance.
There was a gigantic crowd on hand for the Wednesday night show as the throngs have continued to build as the week has progressed. Much of the same is expected for Thursday night as the weather is predicted to be sunny and hot until overnight showers on Thursday bring a little more reality back to the situation.
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