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PARTELO & CHASTAIN TAKE SOUTHERN PRO-AM TRUCK WINS AT SEBRING
The Southern Pro-Am Truck Series took to the road course at Sebring International Raceway last Saturday and Sunday for some very exciting racing. The pair of races were part of the Formula & Automobile Racing Association's (FARA) event. The trucks ran a modified circuit around the pit structure.
Although just seven race teams chose to tackle the road course layout, the racing was much closer than first expected. After pulling numbers to determine Saturday’s starting positions, young Cole Partelo of St. Petersburg bolted into the lead. Randy Leonard of Lake Placid then started to duke it out with both Venice driver Dean Butrum and Alva's Chad Chastain as the trio put on a show lap after lap before Butrum was forced out near mid-race with mechanical problems. Chastain got around Leonard on the ninth lap to nail down the second spot. From that point, Partelo, who is just 14 years of age, ran away from the field in his No. 9 Autoshopper.com Chevy Silverado for his first career win with the Southern Pro-Am Truck Series. Leonard held on for a podium finish in third trailed by Taylor Hosford of Madison, K. Hendricks, Butrum and Cody Martell.
Leonard thought he may be done for the weekend, though, as the transmission in his No. 77R lost third and fourth gear during the last few laps, but the tranny held together just long enough to get to the finish. Fortunately the problem turned out to just be a broken shifting rod that was repaired in time for Sunday’s finale.
Sunday's race was not quite as clean as the Saturday affair producing two full-course caution flags. One was for Saturday winner Partelo who was working his way up from seventh on the grid before he lost control and hit the tires in Turn 17. Partelo was done for the day but his dad Rob Partelo stated that the damage to the truck actually looked much worse than it really was.
This race was all Chad Chastain as he dominated, especially in the second half. That left Leonard and his teammate Cody Martell to duke it out for second spot before Leonard, the elder statesman of the Series, claimed the runner-up spot ahead of Martell. Hendricks took fourth on Sunday with Hosford fifth while Butrum again suffered problems and was sixth while Partelo was seventh.
With point leader Becca Monopoli choosing not to compete, Partelo now owns a slim two point lead over lady driver Hosford in the Southern Pro-Am Series standings after four races. Leonard is now third in points, 14 markers behind Partelo. Chastain and Butrum round out the top five in the standings while Monopoli fell to seventh.
MORE GOOD NEWS FOR THE SERIES! - The Southern Pro-Am Trucks have inked their next race at the newly refurbished Citrus County Speedway in Inverness. That event is scheduled for Saturday night, August 13th followed by racing at Orlando SpeedWorld on Sunday, September 11th.
Photos:
1) The Pro Trucks lined up and ready to go...
2) Close racing between Randy Leonard #77R and Chad Chastain #36...
3) Saturday race winner Cole Partelo...
4) Saturday podium - Winner Cole Partelo (C), 2nd place Chad Chastain (R) and 3rd place Randy Leonard (L) (Matthew Butcosk Photo)
5) Sunday race winner Chad Chastain...
The Southern Pro-Am Truck Series took to the road course at Sebring International Raceway last Saturday and Sunday for some very exciting racing. The pair of races were part of the Formula & Automobile Racing Association's (FARA) event. The trucks ran a modified circuit around the pit structure.
Although just seven race teams chose to tackle the road course layout, the racing was much closer than first expected. After pulling numbers to determine Saturday’s starting positions, young Cole Partelo of St. Petersburg bolted into the lead. Randy Leonard of Lake Placid then started to duke it out with both Venice driver Dean Butrum and Alva's Chad Chastain as the trio put on a show lap after lap before Butrum was forced out near mid-race with mechanical problems. Chastain got around Leonard on the ninth lap to nail down the second spot. From that point, Partelo, who is just 14 years of age, ran away from the field in his No. 9 Autoshopper.com Chevy Silverado for his first career win with the Southern Pro-Am Truck Series. Leonard held on for a podium finish in third trailed by Taylor Hosford of Madison, K. Hendricks, Butrum and Cody Martell.
Leonard thought he may be done for the weekend, though, as the transmission in his No. 77R lost third and fourth gear during the last few laps, but the tranny held together just long enough to get to the finish. Fortunately the problem turned out to just be a broken shifting rod that was repaired in time for Sunday’s finale.
Sunday's race was not quite as clean as the Saturday affair producing two full-course caution flags. One was for Saturday winner Partelo who was working his way up from seventh on the grid before he lost control and hit the tires in Turn 17. Partelo was done for the day but his dad Rob Partelo stated that the damage to the truck actually looked much worse than it really was.
This race was all Chad Chastain as he dominated, especially in the second half. That left Leonard and his teammate Cody Martell to duke it out for second spot before Leonard, the elder statesman of the Series, claimed the runner-up spot ahead of Martell. Hendricks took fourth on Sunday with Hosford fifth while Butrum again suffered problems and was sixth while Partelo was seventh.
With point leader Becca Monopoli choosing not to compete, Partelo now owns a slim two point lead over lady driver Hosford in the Southern Pro-Am Series standings after four races. Leonard is now third in points, 14 markers behind Partelo. Chastain and Butrum round out the top five in the standings while Monopoli fell to seventh.
MORE GOOD NEWS FOR THE SERIES! - The Southern Pro-Am Trucks have inked their next race at the newly refurbished Citrus County Speedway in Inverness. That event is scheduled for Saturday night, August 13th followed by racing at Orlando SpeedWorld on Sunday, September 11th.
Photos:
1) The Pro Trucks lined up and ready to go...
2) Close racing between Randy Leonard #77R and Chad Chastain #36...
3) Saturday race winner Cole Partelo...
4) Saturday podium - Winner Cole Partelo (C), 2nd place Chad Chastain (R) and 3rd place Randy Leonard (L) (Matthew Butcosk Photo)
5) Sunday race winner Chad Chastain...
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