Tweet
REYNOLDS AND SYMONS POST 50-LAP VICTORIES AT NEW SMYRNA SPEEDWAY
It was Fan Appreciation Night at New Smyrna Speedway Saturday and a nice crowd
was treated to some great racing plus a large number of kids and their parents
took part in a fun "Tire Race" at intermission that produced two of the worst
"crashes" of the night. All the kids were OK (especially after an ice cream
treat) and got a chance to head home with a real race car tire in their
possession.
Both the Super Stock and Open-Competition Modifieds ran 50-lap events while
the Mini Stocks hit the track for a 25-lap feature.
The Super Stock drivers came out in force with 23 cars signing in although
Warren Schurr's Ford Torino broke in warm-ups and he was unable to start the
big race. Garrett Hill of Orlando established himself as the early favorite
by blistering the track in qualifying with a lap of 20.753 seconds easily
outdistancing the second-fast qualifier, Merritt Island's Justin Reynolds who
turned a lap at 21.170 seconds. Hill pulled a five pill placing him fifth on
the starting grid while it would be David Gould and Danny Frye on the front
row for the start.
Gould led the opening lap only to see the caution flag quickly out for Michael
Bedient who spun in turn four. Frye snared the lead on the restart and was
out front when Michael Held bit off a chunk of the turn four wall to bring out
the yellow on lap seven. On the restart a multi-car melee took place in turn
one involving the cars of Brandon Christian, Charles King, Butch Herdegen,
Bedient and Joe Gerard. Both Christian and Bedient were done for the night
while all others continued with just "cosmetic" damage.
Frye set the pace for a few laps after the restart but Reynolds was on the
charge in his "Mellow Yellow" Chevrolet and he took the lead, proceeding to
draw away from the field, lapping cars well into the top ten before a caution
flag appeared with five laps to go as Joe Bandur spun on the front stretch.
Hill was now up to second and everyone though Reynolds would now get a real
challenge but is was not to be as he pulled away easily from Hill to claim a
big victory made even sweeter because his grandfather was in attendance from
Niagra Falls, NY to watch him race.
Defending 2013 Super Stock champion Shannon Kelly was strong all night but had
to settle for third place ahead of Mike Amato and Gould. Frye faded to sixth
at the finish and was the last car on the lead lap. Seventh through tenth, a
lap down, were Herdegen, J. T. Tippins, Preston Hunt and Gerard.
The Modified 50-lapper saw just two caution flags, both for Shain Held who was
battling an ill-handling car all night. Held's second spin came on lap 19
with Tank Tucker leading the event at the time as he had done from the drop of
the green. Following the restart, Jerry "The Hammer" Symons, who was fast
qualifier earlier, turned up the wick and passed Tucker on lap 23 leading
until the drop of the checker. With the race running the remaining distance
under green, Symons won by nearly a full straight ahead of Tucker at the end
while Alan Bruns made a late charge to get by Ricky Moxley for third spot.
Moxley was fourth with Matt Wheeler fifth. Rounding out the finishers were
Robert Deal, Robert Glover, Mike Dahm and Held.
The Mini Stock division continues see a different winner each week as this
night belonged to Brooksville's James Ellis as he won in his first start this
year here. Ellis, always a threat at his home track at Citrus County Speedway
and everywhere else he shows up, did "the Impossible" in actually outrunning
"Mr. Mini Stock" Ted Vulpius following a lap 13 restart.
This was a pretty wild affair although Ellis stayed out front from the second
lap on. Action started early as Jason Reynolds tagged the wall after an
altercation with Pat Wells and was forced out on the second lap. Lap seven
saw a multi-Mini Stock mess in turn two involving Levi Hammond, Jeff White,
Wells and Tyler Simpson. All were able to continue with the exception of
Hammond. On the restart, David Russell moved around Jamie Dixson for second
bringing Vulpius with him. Daniel Brown spun coming off turn four on lap 12,
tapping the inside wall to bring out the caution but he was able to continue.
Mark Broat had a second straight week of bad luck, hitting the turn two wall
to bring out the yellow flag one lap later, then, just as the field took the
green for the restart, Reid Christiensen slowed to a stop to keep the caution
light on. Everyone expected Vulpius to now give Ellis a run for the money but
Ellis was just too strong on this night as he held off Vulpius to the checker.
Russell claimed the show position ahead of Wells and White with Dixson, Brad
Blanton, Brown, Christiensen and Broat completing the top ten finishers.
Next week, it's the Mini Stock division's turn at running a 50-lap special.
Also in action with be the Pro Late Models, Sportsman cars, E-Modifieds and
Strictly Stocks. New Smyrna Speedway will also host an open practice night
this Thursday, May 1 from 6-10 pm.
OFFICIAL RESULTS - NEW SMYRNA SPEEDWAY - 4/26/14:
SUPER STOCKS (50 LAPS):
1) Justin Reynolds, Merritt Island #20
2) Garrett Hill, Orlando #95
3) Shannon Kelly, Sanford #23
4) Mike Amato, Edgewater #2X
5) David Gould, Melbourne #16
6) Danny Frye, New Smyrna Beach #13
7) Butch Herdegen, St. Cloud #43
8) J. T. Tippins, Hew Smyrna Beach #31
9) Preston Hunt, Deland #6
10) Joe Gerard, Eustis #51
11) Charles King, Geneva #37
12) Becca Samsoe, Deland #80
13) Joe Bandur, Kissimmee #11
14) Gino Tumminello, Deland #35
15) Bobby Holley, Deltona #56
16) Mike Dahm, Enterprise #21D
17) Robert Pence, Deltona #88
18) Zachary Curtis, Palm Bay #63
19) Brandon Christian, Orlando #28
20) George Dahm, Enterprise #21X
21) Michael Bedient, Sanford #18
22) Michael Held, Orlando #33
DNS - Warren Schurr, Gotha #77
MODIFIEDS (50 LAPS):
1) Jerry Symons, New Smyrna Beach #66
2) Tank Tucker, New Smyrna Beach #15
3) Alan Bruns, Clermont #4B
4) Ricky Moxley, Hobe Sound #38
5) Matt Wheeler, New Smyrna Beach #96
6) Robert Deal, Titusville #15X
7) Robert Glover, Ft. Pierce #38Special
8) Mike Dahm, Enterprise #21
9) Shain Held, Orlando #55
DNS - Kurt Jett, Orange Park #9
MINI STOCKS (25 LAPS):
1) James Ellis, Brooksville #98
2) Ted Vulpius, Mims #71
3) David Russell, Melbourne #31
4) Pat Wells, Altoona #23
5) Jeff White, Eustis #15
6) Jamie Dixson, Titusville #8
7) Brad Blanton, Tavares #14
8) Daniel Brown, Port Orange #33
9) Reid Christiensen, Daytona Beach #30
10) Mark Broat, Daytona Beach #6
11) Tyler Simpson, New Smyrna Beach #115
12) Levi Hammond, Titusville #4
13) Jason Reynolds, New Smyrna Beach #78
It was Fan Appreciation Night at New Smyrna Speedway Saturday and a nice crowd
was treated to some great racing plus a large number of kids and their parents
took part in a fun "Tire Race" at intermission that produced two of the worst
"crashes" of the night. All the kids were OK (especially after an ice cream
treat) and got a chance to head home with a real race car tire in their
possession.
Both the Super Stock and Open-Competition Modifieds ran 50-lap events while
the Mini Stocks hit the track for a 25-lap feature.
The Super Stock drivers came out in force with 23 cars signing in although
Warren Schurr's Ford Torino broke in warm-ups and he was unable to start the
big race. Garrett Hill of Orlando established himself as the early favorite
by blistering the track in qualifying with a lap of 20.753 seconds easily
outdistancing the second-fast qualifier, Merritt Island's Justin Reynolds who
turned a lap at 21.170 seconds. Hill pulled a five pill placing him fifth on
the starting grid while it would be David Gould and Danny Frye on the front
row for the start.
Gould led the opening lap only to see the caution flag quickly out for Michael
Bedient who spun in turn four. Frye snared the lead on the restart and was
out front when Michael Held bit off a chunk of the turn four wall to bring out
the yellow on lap seven. On the restart a multi-car melee took place in turn
one involving the cars of Brandon Christian, Charles King, Butch Herdegen,
Bedient and Joe Gerard. Both Christian and Bedient were done for the night
while all others continued with just "cosmetic" damage.
Frye set the pace for a few laps after the restart but Reynolds was on the
charge in his "Mellow Yellow" Chevrolet and he took the lead, proceeding to
draw away from the field, lapping cars well into the top ten before a caution
flag appeared with five laps to go as Joe Bandur spun on the front stretch.
Hill was now up to second and everyone though Reynolds would now get a real
challenge but is was not to be as he pulled away easily from Hill to claim a
big victory made even sweeter because his grandfather was in attendance from
Niagra Falls, NY to watch him race.
Defending 2013 Super Stock champion Shannon Kelly was strong all night but had
to settle for third place ahead of Mike Amato and Gould. Frye faded to sixth
at the finish and was the last car on the lead lap. Seventh through tenth, a
lap down, were Herdegen, J. T. Tippins, Preston Hunt and Gerard.
The Modified 50-lapper saw just two caution flags, both for Shain Held who was
battling an ill-handling car all night. Held's second spin came on lap 19
with Tank Tucker leading the event at the time as he had done from the drop of
the green. Following the restart, Jerry "The Hammer" Symons, who was fast
qualifier earlier, turned up the wick and passed Tucker on lap 23 leading
until the drop of the checker. With the race running the remaining distance
under green, Symons won by nearly a full straight ahead of Tucker at the end
while Alan Bruns made a late charge to get by Ricky Moxley for third spot.
Moxley was fourth with Matt Wheeler fifth. Rounding out the finishers were
Robert Deal, Robert Glover, Mike Dahm and Held.
The Mini Stock division continues see a different winner each week as this
night belonged to Brooksville's James Ellis as he won in his first start this
year here. Ellis, always a threat at his home track at Citrus County Speedway
and everywhere else he shows up, did "the Impossible" in actually outrunning
"Mr. Mini Stock" Ted Vulpius following a lap 13 restart.
This was a pretty wild affair although Ellis stayed out front from the second
lap on. Action started early as Jason Reynolds tagged the wall after an
altercation with Pat Wells and was forced out on the second lap. Lap seven
saw a multi-Mini Stock mess in turn two involving Levi Hammond, Jeff White,
Wells and Tyler Simpson. All were able to continue with the exception of
Hammond. On the restart, David Russell moved around Jamie Dixson for second
bringing Vulpius with him. Daniel Brown spun coming off turn four on lap 12,
tapping the inside wall to bring out the caution but he was able to continue.
Mark Broat had a second straight week of bad luck, hitting the turn two wall
to bring out the yellow flag one lap later, then, just as the field took the
green for the restart, Reid Christiensen slowed to a stop to keep the caution
light on. Everyone expected Vulpius to now give Ellis a run for the money but
Ellis was just too strong on this night as he held off Vulpius to the checker.
Russell claimed the show position ahead of Wells and White with Dixson, Brad
Blanton, Brown, Christiensen and Broat completing the top ten finishers.
Next week, it's the Mini Stock division's turn at running a 50-lap special.
Also in action with be the Pro Late Models, Sportsman cars, E-Modifieds and
Strictly Stocks. New Smyrna Speedway will also host an open practice night
this Thursday, May 1 from 6-10 pm.
OFFICIAL RESULTS - NEW SMYRNA SPEEDWAY - 4/26/14:
SUPER STOCKS (50 LAPS):
1) Justin Reynolds, Merritt Island #20
2) Garrett Hill, Orlando #95
3) Shannon Kelly, Sanford #23
4) Mike Amato, Edgewater #2X
5) David Gould, Melbourne #16
6) Danny Frye, New Smyrna Beach #13
7) Butch Herdegen, St. Cloud #43
8) J. T. Tippins, Hew Smyrna Beach #31
9) Preston Hunt, Deland #6
10) Joe Gerard, Eustis #51
11) Charles King, Geneva #37
12) Becca Samsoe, Deland #80
13) Joe Bandur, Kissimmee #11
14) Gino Tumminello, Deland #35
15) Bobby Holley, Deltona #56
16) Mike Dahm, Enterprise #21D
17) Robert Pence, Deltona #88
18) Zachary Curtis, Palm Bay #63
19) Brandon Christian, Orlando #28
20) George Dahm, Enterprise #21X
21) Michael Bedient, Sanford #18
22) Michael Held, Orlando #33
DNS - Warren Schurr, Gotha #77
MODIFIEDS (50 LAPS):
1) Jerry Symons, New Smyrna Beach #66
2) Tank Tucker, New Smyrna Beach #15
3) Alan Bruns, Clermont #4B
4) Ricky Moxley, Hobe Sound #38
5) Matt Wheeler, New Smyrna Beach #96
6) Robert Deal, Titusville #15X
7) Robert Glover, Ft. Pierce #38Special
8) Mike Dahm, Enterprise #21
9) Shain Held, Orlando #55
DNS - Kurt Jett, Orange Park #9
MINI STOCKS (25 LAPS):
1) James Ellis, Brooksville #98
2) Ted Vulpius, Mims #71
3) David Russell, Melbourne #31
4) Pat Wells, Altoona #23
5) Jeff White, Eustis #15
6) Jamie Dixson, Titusville #8
7) Brad Blanton, Tavares #14
8) Daniel Brown, Port Orange #33
9) Reid Christiensen, Daytona Beach #30
10) Mark Broat, Daytona Beach #6
11) Tyler Simpson, New Smyrna Beach #115
12) Levi Hammond, Titusville #4
13) Jason Reynolds, New Smyrna Beach #78