Even a heavy rainshower at race time couldn’t dampen the spirits of racers and fans alike Sunday afternoon at Ocala Speedway as Frank Buchanan and David Baxley topped 50-lap events for the Street Stocks and Super Late Models.

With 98 cars in the pits, fans were ready for some excitement and the rain actually cooled things off a bit making it a bit more comfortable for them, although the humidity would make it tough on drivers throughout the late afternoon and evening.

The Street Stock field was 32 strong with three heats and a consy needed to set the starting line-up for the half-century grind.

Moose Alderman, Augie Bertram, and Mike Wilson topped the heats with John Betts leading Paul Fletcher and Brody Giddens across the stripe in the 12-lap consolation race to set the back of the field.

This race would be a dogfight between Alderman and Frank Buchanan from the drop of the green to the checker.

Buchanan grabbed the top spot from his outside pole starting position as Alderman made a big move at the start to slip into second while the rest of the field began to dice it out behind them.

Heat winner Augie Bertram would bring out the first caution on lap 7 as he stalled in turn two.

As the green flew, Alderman began to put the pressure on Buchanan and finally slipped past for the lead on lap 14 just before the second yellow flew for a tangle between Chuck Stewart and Arthur Conquest.

After the restart, Alderman seemed to have a good rythm going as the fans were treated to some great racing behind him involving Buchanan, Doug Webster, Paul Gladin, Mark Mitchell and Mike Wilson.

Gladin and Mitchell tangled on lap 28 while battling for fourth spot to bring out caution number three with both taking a trip to the rear of the field.

When the green reappeared, Buchanan seemed to have things back together as he hounded Alderman and slipped past to reclaim the lead on lap 33 just before the fourth caution came out for Harold Edwards who took a wild slide into the extremely wet infield.

On the restart it was Mike Wilson on the charge as he got around Webster and began to put the pressure on Alderman but action was slowed one final time on lap 42 as Paul Fletcher pounded the turn four wall and was out of the event.

Buchanan was not to be denied over the final charge to the checkered flag as the Belleview driver put his Southside Builders Camaro into victory lane with Alderman holding off a determined Mike Wilson for the runner-up spot. Webster held on for fourth while Mitchell drove back through the field like a madman
to get fifth.

After winning the consy, John Betts drove a smooth, calculated race to get sixth spot with Darren Dukes, Rick Hart, Dean Lawyer, and Chuck Stewart rounding out the top ten.

The Super Late Model 50-lapper saw a first-time winner although the driver has visited the winners circle many times before at Ocala.

David Baxley let the drivers in front of him make the mistakes and he took advantage to score a big and very popular win. Baxley, the 2002 Modified champion at Ocala, broke a string of five consecutive second place finishes with his Modified and new Super Late Model.

Super Late Model qualifying was paced by Mike Bresnehan’s 15.40 clocking with Herb Neumann and 14-year-old Brock Oglesby a tick of the watch behind at 15.44.

The re-draw saw Neumann on the pole and he quickly jumped out to the lead but could never build up any good momentum as this would be a caution flag-plagued race starting on lap two for fluid on the track.

Oglesby spun off turn four on lap six and slid into the infield losing three laps under caution before a push trom “Tiny’s” wrecker could get him out of the mud.

Neumann had the lead, but it was E.J. Wise in his Armstrong Homes/Petty Quarterhorses special applying the pressure along with Bresnehan and Rich Pratt. Their battle was interrupted again on lap 18 when Liquid Lee McCullough stalled in turn four after tangling with Brad Atkins. Four laps after the restart, Pratt dropped out with mechanical troubles.

Neumann continued to hold the others at bay through two more caution periods for spins by Roger Shinholser and George Receveur, Jr., but Wise made the move on lap 35 to take the top spot bringing Bresnehan and Baxley with him dropping Neumann all the way to fourth.

Lap 39 would prove the leaders’ undoing as Bresnehan tried to dive under Wise in turn one and they tangled. Both cars were sent to the rear with Bresnehan opting to drop from the event.

Baxley, who had been biding his time, now found himself in the lead with Neumann back up to second.

Baxley seemed to be dialed in as he easily pulled away from Neumann, but action was slowed once again as Robbie Smith and Mac McCullough tangled in turn four with Mike Wieczoreck having nowhere to go as he hit McCullough’s car. A lengthy cleanup was needed and the red flag was displayed. At this time most of the drivers exited their cars as the high humidity had several feeling a bit woozy.

As the green came back out, Bob Hughes zipped under Neumann to nab second spot, but even a final yellow on lap 47 for a Brad Atkins spin wouldn’t slow Baxley as he sped to his first win in a Super Late Model.

Hughes drove maybe the best race of anybody to take second despite the right-side bodywork of his car flapping in the breeze. Neumann held on for third in front of Kevin Bryant while Wise worked his way back up to fifth at the finish.

Robbie Smith, Brad Atkins, Roger Shinholser and Brock Oglesby rounded out the cars still running with Bresnehan credited with tenth.

Belleview’s Patrick Mennenga may have surprised even himself with an easy wire to wire win over a strong Sportsman field.

Mennenga took the lead at the drop of the green and never looked back as this 15-lapper went all the way under green. Kenny Abney held off a late charge by Pete Close, Jr. to get second while William Edwards and Tommy Roberts completed the top five. Sixth through tenth were Tommy Brakeman, Travis Nichols, Robbie Cooper, Bob Masciarelli, and Roger Damron.

Sportsman heats were won by Mennenga, Edwards and Tom Posavec.

Williston’s Larry Goolsby celebrated his birthday leading all the way to win the Modified Mini Stock feature. Turning around a season of terrible luck, Goolsby’s car wasn’t good on restarts, but was a rocket after the tires heated up as he held off the charge of Jeff Stalnaker, Sr. and last weeks winner Tater Stalnaker to claim the win.

Clint Foley was fourth over Jeff Stalnaker, Jr. while Morris Richardson, Will Bill Stalnaker, Jake Garver, Karla Phipps and Glen Ervin rounded out the top ten.

Goolsby and Jeff Stalnaker, Sr. won the heats.

Steve Gallagher’s “Flying Tomato” Volkswagen was untouchable in the Four Cylinder Stock main event as he went green to checker with no real challenges.

This race was brought to a halt on lap five when Dan Sanderson and Justin Durbin tangled on the backstretch sending Sanderson’s Toyota Pick-up hard into the wall backwards with Durbin’s Mustang climbing the wall and landing drivers-side down. Neither driver was hurt but their racers were pretty well trashed.

Gallagher dominated the rest of the way finishing well ahead of Robert Oxendine. Tom Ellis had a great run for third in front of Ric Fort and Rick Kuhn. The second five consisted of Kurtis Mitchell, Wayne Penny, Doug Auriemma, Joey Durbin and Harold Barup.

Heat wins went to Gallagher and Fort.

Ocala Speedway is back in action this Friday night with all six regular divisions in action including Super Late Model, Open wheel Modified, Sportsman, Modified Mini Stocks, Street Stocks and Four Cylinder Stocks.

OFFICIAL RESULTS FOR 9/15/02:

SUPER LATE MODEL (50 Laps):

1) David Baxley #64
2) Bob Hughes #13
3) Herb Neumann #98
4) Kevin Bryant #54
5) E.J. Wise #57
6) Robbie Smith #01
7) Brad Atkins #25
8) Roger Shinholser #26
9) Brock Oglesby #88
10) Mike Bresnehan #3
11) Mike Wieczoreck #19
12) Mac McCullough #86
13) George Receveur, Jr. #9
14) Rich Pratt #0
15) Lee McCullough #H20
16) James Cook #21
17) Gayle Haines #04 (DNS)
18) Brad Heath #28 (DNS)

STREET STOCKS (50 Laps):

1) Frank Buchanan #07
2) Moose Alderman #7
3) Mike Wilson #79
4) Doug Webster #72
5) Mark Mitchell #71
6) John Betts #08
7) Darren Dukes #4
8) Rick Hart #13
9) Dean Lawyer #19
10) Chuck Stewart #8Ball
11) Brody Giddens #17X
12) William O’Quinn #88
13) Arthur Conquest #78
14) James Morgan #7X
15) Rick Bass #21
16) Paul Gladin #9
17) Roger Brass #81
18) Jason Holbrook #17
19) Michael Rosa #76
20) Paul Fletcher #28
21) Chauna Johnston #43
22) Harold Edwards #65
23) Larry Welter, Jr. #58
24) Augie Bertram #56
25) Curtis Yeomans #70
26) Kenny Fischer #00
27) Jack Pate #69
28) Gary Hotalen #02
29) Donnie Pitts #0
30) David Knutson #8
31) Floyd Martin #1
32) Estle Morrow #X

SPORTSMAN (15 Laps):

1) Patrick Mennenga #69
2) Kenny Abney #6X
3) Pete Close, Jr. #86
4) William Edwards #39
5) Tommy Roberts #44
6) Tommy Brakeman #20
7) Travis Nichols #2
8) Robbie Cooper #98
9) Bob Masciarelli #72
10) Roger Damron #76D
11) Tom Posavec #01
12) Joe Rankin #8X
13) Doug Levesque #27
14) Jeremy Finnegan #22
15) Ernie Reed #55
16) Carl Carr #09
17) David White #6
18) Wally Schneider #8
19) Jim Higginbotham #76
20) Leroy Donaldson #82 (DNS)

MODIFIED MINI STOCK (15 Laps):

1) Larry Goolsby #27
2) Jeff Stalnaker, Sr. #77
3) Tater Stalnaker #14
4) Clint Foley #7
5) Jeff Stalnaker, Jr. #10
6) Morris Richardson #81
7) Bill Stalnaker #59
8) Jake Garver #10R
9) Karla Phipps #54
10) Glen Ervin #0
11) Jacob Antis #9

FOUR CYLINDER STOCKS (15 Laps):

1) Steve Gallagher #39
2) Robert Oxendine #24
3) Tom Ellis #31
4) Ric Fort #2
5) Rick Kuhn #47
6) Kurtis Mitchell #00
7) Wayne Penny #4
8) Doug Auriemma #27
9) Joey Durbin #38
10) Harold Barup #3
11) Neal Durbin #33
12) Chris Antis #01
13) Joel Byall #40
14) Dennis Harden #17
15) Greg Helt #M
16) Dan Sanderson #7
17) Justin Durbin #1