Congrats to Chase Fitzgerald - First Late Model Win last night at OSW!

[Racefan99]

I'd like to give a HUGE shout out to Chase Fitzgerald of Lutz, FL, and the entire PBS Sales and Service (Tampa) team.

Chase has been one of Florida's leading karters, and last year began racing champ karts with the SouthEast Champ Kart Series (formerly known as the Desoto Champ Kart Series). Chase won the 2008 Desoto Champ Kart Series Triple Crown title. During the season, Chase met fellow champ kart racer Danny Scopano, who also owned a late model. Danny offered to have Chase try a few races in his late model in 2009.

After a tough debut at Desoto Super Speedway a month ago (dropped out on lap 10 with a mechanical issue), Chase and the PBS Team towed over to OSW last night for their second start. Despite never having ran any laps at OSW prior to last night in any division, Chase managed to win his first career late model feature.

Congrats to Chase, Tara, Danny, Tina, Ron, Roberta and Darryl!

[Jane]

He also was very lucky since he was the only one of the five Late Models last night at Orlando not to wreck. His car was fine but can't say that about Chris, Bobby, Todd or Alan. Alan did pit and come back out but by then they had called the race since only the one car was running. But a first win is a first win so congrats. At least they finally figured out who did win since they announced that Chris Gillispie had won it last night after the wreck.

[tararizzer4]

avoiding wrecks is part of racing...

[FLQuacker]

avoiding wrecks is part of racing...

That's what I always thought too.....

What an inconsiderate (stupid) way to respond. (Jane)

I thought you considered yourself a promoter of the sport?

Cool way to treat a team that put in the effort to visit Orlando!

Congrats Chase and the rest of Team PBS.

(the #9 falcon)

NO DISRESPECT was given to Chase, his crew, or his parents. Only a true statement of the facts was made and yes, Chase was LUCKY since he has no repairs to make on his car avoiding the wreck. Sometimes even the BEST OF THE BEST wreck and whether it was skill or whatever, Chase was LUCKY Friday night not to have been involved in the crash. No DISRESPECT was given to him. And if you think it was, YOU ARE DEAD WRONG THIS TIME.

[Cara]

Congrats!

Congratulations on your first win!!!

[backdoorbob]

Jane. Donnie was not sharing what was in his cup with you was he?

Never saw Donnie so NO, I did not share any of whatever he had in the cup which I am guessing was some pretty good moonshine knowing Mr. Donnie.

[BEI]

Good job Chase.

[Jane]

I never intended to take away from his win and I really don't think it was inconsiderate at all. He was the only car running after the wreck of the other four cars until Alan Bruns brought his Late Model back out. And it was announced at the track that Chris had won the race and even Dave Westerman admitted last night that he thought that too until he got the results. I wasn't putting anything or anyone down, just telling what happened.

Like I said, a first win is a first win and I congratulated the winner. I WAS NOT taking anything away from him at all but saying he was also luckly that he did not get caught up in the wreck of the other four cars. Smart racing or not, his car was fine and that is always good for any racer. But being the only car left after a mess like that is probably NOT exactly how he wanted to win his first Late Model race. It was the "luck of the draw" that he was in the rear and away from the wreck and had time to get around everyone and avoid it all. The other four were close together as in a pack and that is how they all got caught up together. Chase was just lucky not to be in that pack or he too would have seen damage to his car.

But NO ONE took away anything from his first win so get over whatever is up your panties and get over it. All I did was say he was lucky not to have been in that mess and avoid it. He did very well for being his first time at Orlando. He stayed in the rear learning the track and it paid off for him by winning the race after the wreck. Fifth place was a good place to be Friday night and turned into the win for Chase.

So C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S Chase on your FIRST FEATURE WIN in a Late Model.

[tararizzer4]

Actually he was in 2nd on the final restart....

he started in the back at the beginning of the race because they told him he had too... he had avoided 3 wrecks in that race passed a car on the outside and was settled in 2nd on the final restart... idk how much closer you can get to 1st then right there.

idk what race you were watching but he was just as much in the pack as the rest of the cars... maybe you should break out some video and check it out....

you are getting on here and downgrading his win whether you say so or not all that needed to be said was congratulations.. not you got lucky.....
chase and the whole pbs team are awesome people and worked just as hard on that car as any of the other teams out there and yes chase would have liked to finish out the race the right way, anyone that rele paid attention knew he had a chance at a top 3 finish

idk who you are jane but maybe you should walk down to the pit one time and introduce yourself get to know the whole team a little better b4 you start knocking there finishes....

Next time I see Chase at a track and in the pits, I would love to stop and say hello and meet this young man and his crew. Always like getting to know new racers and their crews.

[BEI]

Good job Chase.

[Jimmy McKinley]

"tararizzer4" wrote:

idk who you are jane

Jane is a very well-respected member not just on the boards here, but in the central Florida racing community, from Orlando and New Smyrna, and now I believe she is working with Volusia.

All she did was state that the guy won the race basically because the other four cars fell out, and he was the only one running. *I* would say he got lucky, because if Bruns was out in front, I don't think he could've gotten past Alan (knowing Alan's a veteran racer, and this was this kid's first time in a full-size race car).

[Racefan99]

Jane is a very well-respected member not just on the boards here, but in the central Florida racing community, from Orlando and New Smyrna, and now I believe she is working with Volusia.

If Jane works for a track, in a professional capacity, then she should know better than to call a guy "lucky", for getting his first win.

Four "veteran" late model drivers, who wreck in a five car feature... don't deserve to win anything that night. Congrats to Chase and the whole PBS Sales and Service team, on their first victory.

He is LUCKY because he has no work to do on his car this week because he was not in the wreck. Not a BAD STATEMENT but a true statement. Someone is way too sensitive and just ready to pounce on a statement that had nothing to do with his first win. I am very happy for Chase but I am sure he would have much rather his first win be because he ran hard and out ran the field, not that he was the only car left running in the field.

[FLQuacker]

If Jane works for a track, in a professional capacity, then she should know better than to call a guy "lucky", for getting his first win.

Agreed......

The more she types...the less I'm impressed!

[Jane]

Don't know what you are sniffing but no one has downgraded Chase or his win. And saying he was lucky not to have been in that four car pile-up, well, is not a sin. He does not have to do any work on his car like the other four so that is LUCKY. Whether he was second on the backstretch incident, I have no idea as it was a mess. Todd Allen was leading, Chris was running second then Alan, Bobby and Chase. That is what I saw but again, when there is a wreck like that, you don't worry about where someone was but are they okay.

And I was on the pit side and next time I come to Orlando and the Limited Lates are there and Chase is one of them, I would love to meet him and his crew.

But I am sure that Chase much rather have won by racing for the win Friday night and not by being the only car running. There is a difference. No one has taken away anything from Chase and whether you like it or not, he is LUCKY because he has no work to do to his car unlike Todd, Chris, Bobby and Alan. But I am done with this and no one is trying to impress anyone least of all me.

[tararizzer4]

He does not have to do any work on his car like the other four so that is LUCKY. Whether he was second on the backstretch incident, I have no idea as it was a mess. Todd Allen was leading, Chris was running second then Alan, Bobby and Chase.

guess i must be huffing paint.... luck? i figure it was skill to avoid 3 wrecks running with the pack the whole time having to start in the rear i saw one car jump the start twice got sent to the back one car looked like he just spun another right on the backstretch... as racefan99 said 4 veteran racers all wreck on a restart....and the rookie avoids it running 2ND i would figure they would be so amazing that wouldnt happen.... sorry if this offends them but i would say to give the credit where credit is due... plenty of people came up to him and congratulated him at the end of the night suprised how he missed that wreck.. so he must have done something right... or is everyone else blind too...