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Local racing: Immokalee Regional coming off hectic session
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Talk about a busy weekend of drag racing. A prior rainout resulted in nine classes taking to the 1/8-mile Immokalee Regional Raceway in its most recent competition.
The real crowd-pleaser was the final round of the Outlaw 10.5 race. Local favorite and No. 1 qualifier Bill Futch beat out No. 2 qualifier Mike Stavrinos from the east coast of Florida. Futch ran a 4.47 ET at 167 miles per hour. Stavrinos posted a 4.56 ET at 161.
In the final round of the Stock Suspension class, Charlie Manchester took the honors over Wayne Smith by running a 5.38 ET at 135 mile per hour. Smith had a 5.95 ET at 92.
Tom Brown emerged the winner in the Real Street Heads Up final. He ran a 5.50 ET at 129 while Don Moore had a 6.89 ET at 93.
In the Outlaw 5.50 final, Mick Rice beat John Taylor. Rice was dead- on with a .416 RT. Taylor also ran dead-on, but had a slower .456 RT.
Honors in the Hot Rod final went to Vinny Laudicina because Danny James had mechanical problems and left the starting line before the tree activated, turning on the red light.
In the 6.50 Pure Street finale, Bill Lee came out on top with a 6.55 ET and a .462 RT. Second-place Brandon Spires posted 6.56 ET with a .472 RT.
Combo class kudos went to Nicole Shaw, who took her second win in as many weeks. She ran dead-on (4.72) with a .519 RT while Dale Buchanan ran a 4.85 ET on a 4.83 dial with a .509 RT.
Niki Thomas claimed Sportsman honors by running a 6.87 ET on a 6.85 dial with a .606 RT. Opponent Gary Neis ran a 6.61 ET on a 6.56 dial with a .607 RT.
In the Junior Dragster final, Sammy Richard won by running an 8.09 ET on an 8.03 dial with a .572 RT. Runner-up Bradley Snowball ran a 8.36 ET on a 8.17 dial with a .592 RT.
For more IRR racing information, the schedule and updates points standings, check the track’s Web site at www.immrace.com or call 800-826-1947 or 239-657-5954.
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Look for the Sportsman machines to steal the spotlight Saturday at the Charlotte County Motorsports Park in Punta Gorda. They will headline the 6 p.m. show with a 50-lapper.
Also running will be the FasTrucks (35 laps), Outlaw Street Stocks (50 laps), Road Warriors, Pro 4, Fab 4 and Thunder Trucks.
The pit gates will open at 9 a.m. Saturday for open practice. The grandstand gates will open at 4 p.m. There will be no practice tonight at CCMP due to the go-kart racing that is to begin at 5.
The top finishers in last week’s feature races follow:
* Fast Trucks — 1. Ross Chastain, Alva; 2. Sean Bass, Tampa; 3. Stephen Hasse, Pinellas Park.
* Late Models — 1. Wayne Morris, Mulberry; 2. Blake Koch, West Palm Beach; 3. Joe Winchell, Dade City.
* * *
Germain Racing’s commitment to Chrissy Wallace goes to another stage on Saturday when the daughter of longtime racer Mike Wallace runs in the ARCA/REMAX Series event at the Pocono Raceway.
The 20-year-old Wallace will make her series debut by driving the No. 01 Toyota Camry campaigned by Hattori Racing Enterprises/Germain Toyota. Wallace has run three NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series events this year (Martinsville, Milwaukee, Kentucky) for Germain Racing.
Team manager Mike Hillman Sr. said he thinks Pocono is the ideal place for Wallace to make her ARCA debut. He wants to get Wallace as much seat time as possible in order to get her ready to run for NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Rookie of the Year honors next year.
“We took Chrissy to Pocono to test in a Tundra and she did well there,” Hillman said. “The track offers three unique corners that challenge a driver to develop her technique. With the performances that the HRE No. 1 Camry has had, we’re confident that Chrissy will have a great race car. The ARCA race at Pocono should be a good opportunity for Chrissy to learn a lot.”
Meanwhile, Mike Wallace will be back at the wheel of the No. 7 Geico Camry this weekend in Canada after finishing 17th last week in the Nationwide Series Kroger 200 event at O’Reilly Raceway Park near Indianapolis.
The Nationwide teams Saturday will be on the road course at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal. It will be the second road race for Wallace this year. He was 12th in Mexico City.
Germain Racing’s Craftsman Truck Series teams have the weekend off. In the Built Ford Tough 200 last Friday at O’Reilly Raceway Park, Todd Bodine was running in the top five late in the race until a crash relegated him to a 22nd-place finish. Bodine is sixth in the NCTS standings.
Teammate Justin Marks ran into trouble as well at O’Reilly Raceway Park last week. He qualified 18th but ended up 30th.
Tom Rife's local racing column appears Fridays.
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