Longwood's Tim Russell won the final battle while Palm Bay's Rich Clouser won the war as the FASCAR Goodyear Challenge Series concluded the 2005 campaign Friday night at Orlando Speedworld.

A.J. Currelli opened up the evening by setting quick time of 13.870 seconds, just a bit faster than Jason Boyd's 13.985. There was no inversion and the field started the 100 lap finale straight-up.
Currelli led the opening lap but Boyd kept his car glued to the outside lane and had a fender in front at the end of lap two, eventually pulling out to a healthy lead as Sam Watts passed Currelli for second on lap nine.

The race continued to run under green as Watts and Tim Russell began to reel in the leader. Their momentum would be halted on lap 40 as the pair spun trying to avoid Amanda Gogel's spinning car in turn three. Both Watts and Russell were given their spots back for the restart.

Boyd, Watts and Russell continued to run in that order as caution was out again on lap 46 for a tangle between Alabama driver Cliff White and Jerry Artuso. The field re-took the green at the half-way mark with Boyd leading Watts, Russell, Currelli, Rich Clouser, Chuck Burkhalter, Kevin Ingram, White, Gogel and Artuso at the completion of fifty laps. Russell zipped past Watts for second on lap 54 as Ingram was black-flagged for his smoking car on the same lap.
Russell began to hound Boyd for the front spot but Boyd was fending off every move. The drivers had a chance to catch their breath on lap 79 as Don'l Burkhalter, Jr. slid into the turn three wall to bring out the caution.

Russell began to put heavy pressure on Boyd following the restart and finally dove underneath for the lead going into turn one on lap 88. Boyd tried to pinch Russell low in the corner but got sideways and spun with Sam Watts also getting involved. Gogel and Artuso also tangled trying to avoid the wreck in front of them.

Once the track was cleared, Russell set sail and took a relatively easy win.

Rich Clouser had been driving a heads-up race as the Series points leader coming into the event and took advantage of the other driver's mistakes to net a solid second place finish. That earned the young driver the 2005 Goodyear Challenge Series title for himself and car owner Bobby Sears.

Currelli held on for a good third place finish while Boyd raced from the back to take fourth on the final lap from Chuck Burkhalter. Rounding out the finishers were White, Gogel, Joey Strehle, Watts, Artuso, Steve Smith, Don'l Burkhalter, Jr., Ingram and Dean Ferri.


GOODYEAR CHALLENGE LATE MODEL 100 CHAMPIONSHIP

1. #36 Tim Russell, Longwood
2. #9 Rich Clouser, Palm Bay 2005 GOODYEAR CHALLENGE CHAMPIO
3. #2 AJ Curreli, Daytona Beach, Fla.
4. #01 Jason Boyd, Orlando, FL
5. #1x Chuck Burkhalter, Clermont, FL.
6. #32 Cliff White, Huntsville, AL
7. #4k Amanda Gogel, New Smyrna
8. #83 Joe Strehle, Deland
9. #73 Sam Watts, Winter Springs
10. #5 Jerry Artuso, Ontario
11. #2x Steve Smith, Lakeland
12. #62 Danny Giles, Avon Park
13. #54 Kevin Ingram, Auburndale
14. #99 Dean Ferri, Pompano Beach