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DARVILACS FASTEST IN PRO TRUCKS - HALL, ADAMS, NARRAMORE & WILKINS TAKE COULTER CHARITY WEEKEND WINS AT AUBURNDALE SPEEDWAY
The 12th and Final Joey Coulter Charity Race Weekend got off to a wet start at Auburndale Speedway Saturday as teams were forced to wait out a morning and early afternoon of cloudy (sometimes foggy) and drizzly weather. Practice was scheduled to begin at 12:30 pm but it was just after 4 pm before trucks and cars were finally able to get on the track to get it dried out.
As a small crowd filed in just after 5 pm, temperatures began to drop and the wind was no fun either, but, alas, the show went on starting with qualifying for Sundays 212-lap Pro Truck event.
Twenty-seven Pro Truck teams were on hand and it was three-time Charity Pro Truck winner Steve Darvalics of Venice who zipped around the icy cold surface at 14.474 seconds to set quick time. Sunshine State Challenge Series champion Tommy Kelly of Myakka City was second fastest at 14.483. The 14.530 lap of two-time winner (and race namesake) Joey Coulter of Concord, NC stood up for third on the charts with Dylan Bigley of Naples and Lakeland's Cody McDuffie fourth and fifth quick. Last years winner Brent Huber of Venice had a disappointing qualifying effort as he turned a lap at 14.855, good only for 15th starting spot.
Palmetto driver Jason Lester was not the fastest but said his team placed little emphasis on time trials. "We worked on the race setup more that qualifying and we qualified 11th out of 27 trucks", said Lester. "I don’t really care about qualifying due to it being a 212 lap race. There will be caution flags and tires will be the real key in the race," he said.
Four classes then ran their feature races. The Autotech Collision Center Three-Quarter Midget 25-lap headliner saw veteran Jimmy Wilkins III of Ft. Pierce grab the lead from Mike Nelson on lap seven then speed off to a comfortable half-lap win over Nelson, Todd Morey and Al Seitz as the race ran green to checker with no cautions.
The 25-lap Legend Car feature got off to a rocky start when Dave Fusco, Jim Smith and Mike Verhaagh got tangled up coming off turn two. All were able to continue as Seth Adams grabbed the lead as the field finally took the green. Caution was out on lap four as Kyle Pitts spun coming off turn four. After the restart the remainder of the event ran to the checker as Adams was clearly the class of the field. Pitts stormed back through the field to put pressure on Bobby Diestler for second but the trio finished in that order. Gavin Sexton grabbed fourth with Smith rebounding for fifth ahead of Mitch Verhaagh, Mike Verhaagh, Fusco, Christian Baker and Cale Nolen.
Brandon Duchscherer led the first three laps of the 25-lap CLL Global Research Foundation Mini Stock feature but it was 2017 track champion Chris Narramore, Sr. taking over and, despite a nagging miss in the engine, driving away to an easy win as this race ran green to checker. Duchscherer took home the runner-up spot with John Cummins, Jr. just holding off Freddy Martin for third. T. J. Tanner made his class debut with a solid fifth place effort ahead of Chris Spring and Robert "Boogs" Fellows. Donald Gatlin was unable to start.
The night ended with a 30-lap contest for the Street Stocks that run at both Citrus County Speedway and Showtime Speedway and they were joined by a few of the Auburndale Speedway V-8 Bombers.
It took two tries to get this one going as Paul Schloss slid into the turn one wall on the initial start but was able to continue. The second attempt to get things going was aborted when Bubba Healey lost a wheel in turn four and needed a tow from the speedway.
Casey Hall of Zephyrhills started from the pole and grabbed the early lead but caution was out quickly on the second lap for a Marty Niekens spin in turn one. From that point the race ran the rest of the way under green although Brandon Duchscherer and Dodge Carlbert tangled during lap 18 while fighting for third. No caution was thrown and both drivers lost valuable ground.
Chuck Mathias tried his best but could never unseat Hall from the front position and settled for second. Young Brey Holmes did an outstanding job with his "local" V-8 Bomber in taking the final spot on the podium. Fourth went to a resurgent Niekens while fifth place Thomas Meyer was the last car on the lead lap at the finish. Carlbert was sixth, a lap down, followed by Duchscherer, Schloss, Ryan Tower, Ricky Norman, David Purvis, Justin Amspaugh and Healey.
With it being so cold, fans were happy that the entire program was completed before 8:30 pm and were looking forward to a sunny day on Sunday, although again it will be on the chilly side.
OFFICIAL QUALIFYING RESULTS - PRO TRUCKS:
1) Steve Darvilacs, Venice #41 - 14.474
2) Tommy Kelly, Myakka City #15 - 14.483
3) Joey Coulter, Concord, NC #16 - 14.530
4) Dylan Bigley, Naples #128 - 14.539
5) Cody McDuffie, Lakeland #25 - 14.572
6) Becca Monopoli, Lakeland #59X - 14.622
7) Michael Goddard, Oviedo #37 - 14.626
8) Mike Kohut, Lehigh Acres #11K - 14.629
9) Cody Martell, Arcadia #40 - 14.685
10) Jessica Murphy, Groveland #26 - 14.701
11) Jason Lester, Palmetto #7 - 14.714
12) J. R. Garcia, Wimauma #13 - 14.750
13) Adam Briggs, Lakeland #14 - 14.786
14) John Pettit, Palmetto Bay #2 - 14.819
15) Brent Huber, Venice #64 - 14.855
16) Blaise Hetznecker, Holly Hill #47 - 14.893
17) Colt Cecil, Auburndale #19 - 14.933
18) Jett Noland, Groveland #50 - 15.037
19) Tyler Davis, Lakeland #4 - 15.038
20) Jamie Sullivan, Christmas #05 - 15.064
21) Carter Brown, Lakeland #11jr - 15.098
22) Aaron Holmes, Auburndale #57 - 15.138
23) Billy Bigley, Jr., Naples #14B - 15.184
24) Robert Strader, Jr, Orlando #11 - 15.540
25) Johnny Marra, Punta Gorda #99 - 16.375
26) Kristen Clements, Lakeland #5K - No Time
27) Corey Bigley, Naples #28 - No Time
The 12th and Final Joey Coulter Charity Race Weekend got off to a wet start at Auburndale Speedway Saturday as teams were forced to wait out a morning and early afternoon of cloudy (sometimes foggy) and drizzly weather. Practice was scheduled to begin at 12:30 pm but it was just after 4 pm before trucks and cars were finally able to get on the track to get it dried out.
As a small crowd filed in just after 5 pm, temperatures began to drop and the wind was no fun either, but, alas, the show went on starting with qualifying for Sundays 212-lap Pro Truck event.
Twenty-seven Pro Truck teams were on hand and it was three-time Charity Pro Truck winner Steve Darvalics of Venice who zipped around the icy cold surface at 14.474 seconds to set quick time. Sunshine State Challenge Series champion Tommy Kelly of Myakka City was second fastest at 14.483. The 14.530 lap of two-time winner (and race namesake) Joey Coulter of Concord, NC stood up for third on the charts with Dylan Bigley of Naples and Lakeland's Cody McDuffie fourth and fifth quick. Last years winner Brent Huber of Venice had a disappointing qualifying effort as he turned a lap at 14.855, good only for 15th starting spot.
Palmetto driver Jason Lester was not the fastest but said his team placed little emphasis on time trials. "We worked on the race setup more that qualifying and we qualified 11th out of 27 trucks", said Lester. "I don’t really care about qualifying due to it being a 212 lap race. There will be caution flags and tires will be the real key in the race," he said.
Four classes then ran their feature races. The Autotech Collision Center Three-Quarter Midget 25-lap headliner saw veteran Jimmy Wilkins III of Ft. Pierce grab the lead from Mike Nelson on lap seven then speed off to a comfortable half-lap win over Nelson, Todd Morey and Al Seitz as the race ran green to checker with no cautions.
The 25-lap Legend Car feature got off to a rocky start when Dave Fusco, Jim Smith and Mike Verhaagh got tangled up coming off turn two. All were able to continue as Seth Adams grabbed the lead as the field finally took the green. Caution was out on lap four as Kyle Pitts spun coming off turn four. After the restart the remainder of the event ran to the checker as Adams was clearly the class of the field. Pitts stormed back through the field to put pressure on Bobby Diestler for second but the trio finished in that order. Gavin Sexton grabbed fourth with Smith rebounding for fifth ahead of Mitch Verhaagh, Mike Verhaagh, Fusco, Christian Baker and Cale Nolen.
Brandon Duchscherer led the first three laps of the 25-lap CLL Global Research Foundation Mini Stock feature but it was 2017 track champion Chris Narramore, Sr. taking over and, despite a nagging miss in the engine, driving away to an easy win as this race ran green to checker. Duchscherer took home the runner-up spot with John Cummins, Jr. just holding off Freddy Martin for third. T. J. Tanner made his class debut with a solid fifth place effort ahead of Chris Spring and Robert "Boogs" Fellows. Donald Gatlin was unable to start.
The night ended with a 30-lap contest for the Street Stocks that run at both Citrus County Speedway and Showtime Speedway and they were joined by a few of the Auburndale Speedway V-8 Bombers.
It took two tries to get this one going as Paul Schloss slid into the turn one wall on the initial start but was able to continue. The second attempt to get things going was aborted when Bubba Healey lost a wheel in turn four and needed a tow from the speedway.
Casey Hall of Zephyrhills started from the pole and grabbed the early lead but caution was out quickly on the second lap for a Marty Niekens spin in turn one. From that point the race ran the rest of the way under green although Brandon Duchscherer and Dodge Carlbert tangled during lap 18 while fighting for third. No caution was thrown and both drivers lost valuable ground.
Chuck Mathias tried his best but could never unseat Hall from the front position and settled for second. Young Brey Holmes did an outstanding job with his "local" V-8 Bomber in taking the final spot on the podium. Fourth went to a resurgent Niekens while fifth place Thomas Meyer was the last car on the lead lap at the finish. Carlbert was sixth, a lap down, followed by Duchscherer, Schloss, Ryan Tower, Ricky Norman, David Purvis, Justin Amspaugh and Healey.
With it being so cold, fans were happy that the entire program was completed before 8:30 pm and were looking forward to a sunny day on Sunday, although again it will be on the chilly side.
OFFICIAL QUALIFYING RESULTS - PRO TRUCKS:
1) Steve Darvilacs, Venice #41 - 14.474
2) Tommy Kelly, Myakka City #15 - 14.483
3) Joey Coulter, Concord, NC #16 - 14.530
4) Dylan Bigley, Naples #128 - 14.539
5) Cody McDuffie, Lakeland #25 - 14.572
6) Becca Monopoli, Lakeland #59X - 14.622
7) Michael Goddard, Oviedo #37 - 14.626
8) Mike Kohut, Lehigh Acres #11K - 14.629
9) Cody Martell, Arcadia #40 - 14.685
10) Jessica Murphy, Groveland #26 - 14.701
11) Jason Lester, Palmetto #7 - 14.714
12) J. R. Garcia, Wimauma #13 - 14.750
13) Adam Briggs, Lakeland #14 - 14.786
14) John Pettit, Palmetto Bay #2 - 14.819
15) Brent Huber, Venice #64 - 14.855
16) Blaise Hetznecker, Holly Hill #47 - 14.893
17) Colt Cecil, Auburndale #19 - 14.933
18) Jett Noland, Groveland #50 - 15.037
19) Tyler Davis, Lakeland #4 - 15.038
20) Jamie Sullivan, Christmas #05 - 15.064
21) Carter Brown, Lakeland #11jr - 15.098
22) Aaron Holmes, Auburndale #57 - 15.138
23) Billy Bigley, Jr., Naples #14B - 15.184
24) Robert Strader, Jr, Orlando #11 - 15.540
25) Johnny Marra, Punta Gorda #99 - 16.375
26) Kristen Clements, Lakeland #5K - No Time
27) Corey Bigley, Naples #28 - No Time
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