Ocala, FL, May 6, 2000 – Ocala Speedway fans afflicted with race fever got a good dose of medicine tonight.

The Junior Cup Cars started the evening features. Mariah Berry (24) sat on the pole for the first start. Connor Baxley (64) was off to a good start from the outside. Baxley pulled ahead and even though Berry was close behind through every lap, Baxley pulled off the win. Baxley sat on the inside for the second round. Berry tried very hard to take the point but Baxley was determined and strong. Connor Baxley took the checkered flag. Mariah Berry finished second.

The Coca Cola Four Cylinder Bombers filled the track. Joel Eck (5) started from the pole and Mike Hillary (9) sat on the outside. Marlon Durdin (72) was sitting in the second row and followed Eck out in front of the rest. Within the first lap, Durbin had taken the point. Eck stayed in second and Chauna Johnston (43) rode in third. A yellow flag slowed the field as two cars leaving the track stalled in the gateway. Durbin retained the point on the restart and Johnston quickly took over second position. Ric Fort (2) held third. Neal Durbin (33) was running well and he began to gain positions quickly. On lap eight, Neal Durbin took second from Johnston and started giving Marlon Durbin a run for his money. The last lap proved to be the most exciting as Neal and Marlon came through turn four with their door handles touching. They slid high into the wall and Marlon scraped sparks from his fenders. Marlon Durdin held tight and stayed forward just enough to keep the lead and take the checkered flag. With their cars still attached, Neal Durdin claimed second. Ric Fort finished third and Chauna Johnston came in fourth. Carl Thomas finished fifth.

The WTRS Pure Stocks were ready to rumble. Frank Buchanan (207) sat on the pole and Paul Gladin (9) sat on the outside. The first lap was not completed when a yellow flag flew and a double-up restart was called. Gladin chose to start in the rear this time so the outside rows moved up. Bobby Carter (99) took the lead but Richard McGlashan (113) was hooked up and took the point very quickly. A yellow flag flew for a car stuck on the backstretch, and on the restart, Moose Alderman (7) was able to jump well to gain second position. Alderman and McGlashan were in serious competition for the lead. On the last lap, the two leaders encountered a lapped car and all three tangled together. Moose Alderman was able to get free first and he came around to take the checkered flag. Mark Mitchell took second and Bobby Carter took third. Rick Hart finished fourth and Richard McGlashan recovered to take fifth.

The Dave’s Towing Street Stocks came out in force tonight. Rick Benschotter (57) sat on the pole and Charles Kopach (53) sat on the outside. Kopach jumped hard to take the lead and Glenn Baum (23) moved up to second. Eddie Kilbury (71) was running great and moving up with Baum. Baum took the point from Kopach on the fifth lap. Kilbury also passed Kopach that lap. A yellow flag following the sixth lap was the only slow down for this feature. On the restart, Kilbury got the jump and swept by Baum to take the lead. Baum never gave up though and as Mike Wilson (79) began to move up, the lead was being sought by three very worthy competitors. Eddie Kilbury held on the take the checkered flag. Glenn Baum came in second and Mike Wilson came in a close third. Bob Masciarelli and Rick Benschotter filled out the top five.

The Budweiser Modifieds were looking for blood tonight. Gary Southard (39) came to town and sat on the pole. Brent Jordan (04) sat on the outside. Southard jumped hard and gave David Baxley (64) a good shot at second position from the second row. A yellow flag crimped the start though and a double-up restart was called. With a second chance, Jordan jumped better and claimed that second position. Red Vann (32), the current points leader and man with a price on his head, had to start mid-pack. The feature was riddled with yellow flags as the seriousness of the play became apparent. None of the cautions affected the two frontrunners, but Vann was affected twice and several times, the incidences included three or more cars. On lap fourteen, Red Vann broke and pulled into the infield from turn four. Gary Southard’s only competition came from Brent Jordan and they both ran way out front. Gary Southard ran from pole to wire to take the checkered flag. Brent Jordan ran his season best to take second, and Scott Millar finished third. Raymond Vann scraped through entanglements and finished fourth with battle damage. Kelly Lawrence fought hard to finish fifth.

The Mini Cup Cars appeared tonight. Buddy Brown (2) sat on the pole and David Tullis (56) sat on the outside. Casey Smith (7) quickly got the power up in his machine and took the point by the end of the first lap. Smith was followed by Tullis, in second position. Tom Clark (20), Josh Guy (9) and Brown were scrapping for their positions behind the two frontrunners. For seven laps, the fight between Smith and Tullis went back and forth and on lap fifteen, with Smith only slightly in the lead, the two tangled on the frontstretch and locked fenders. As they went through turn one and slowed, a yellow flag was thrown. Tullis was sent rearward and Smith regained the lead as the protected man. Smith continued to be hounded and with two laps to go, Clark moved by him to take the point. Tom Clark raced home to take the checkered flag. Casey Smith finished second after a hard-fought race and Colt Smith finished third. Tommy Gray and Terry Tullis filled out the top five. The Future Stars were represented by Colt Smith, who won that division, and Dakota Smith, who finished second.

The Outlaw Winged Sprints were in town. Mike Love (7) sat on the pole and Shane Miller (11) sat on the outside. Love took the lead but he soon gave it up to Kevin Cahill (63). Cahill began to run away until a yellow flag flew after the thirteenth lap. On the restart, Wayne Reutimann charged hard and went under Cahill in turn one after the cone. There was one other caution but racing was hardly slowed. Wayne Reutimann took the checkered flag and Kevin Cahill charged in for second. Keith Butler, Jim Childers and Dude Teate filled out the top five finishers.

The Ocala Speedway 2000 season continues with weekly racing. May 13th, will feature a full regular program with the Dwarf Cars as guests and a Figure 8 Train Race. Come out every Saturday night during the regular season for the many exciting features. This is high-action racing fun for the whole family.