| Mike Fritts gains FASCAR Sunbelt Series win in a runaway at USA International Speedway | By John Berti
Lakeland, FL - April 29, 2006 - It was a beautiful day for racing Saturday with partly cloudy skies, a cooling breeze, low humidity and comfortable temperatures. That was the setting for the “Bright House Networks 125” FASCAR Sunbelt Series Super Late Model race at USA International Speedway.
Twenty six drivers representing some of the finest Super Late Model competitors in the country were on hand to race at the track that many refer to as Daytona for this particular type of race car.
If there was a heavy favorite going into the day it had to be Mike Fritts and why not as he was the defending champion of the race and the winner of the CRA-FASCAR Sunbelt Series Super Late Model “Speedfest 200 North-South Shootout” back in late January at USA International Speedway.
Fritts sent out a message that once again he would be a force to reckoned with turning in the fastest qualifying time of 20.60 seconds around the ¾ mile oval. Jason Boyd (20.707), Jeff Scofield (20.710), Jeff Choquette (20.848) and Wayne Jefferson (20.899) completed the top five qualifiers.
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Lady Luck joined Fritts when it was time to draw the pill for the field inversion. Fritts drew the zero pill which meant no inversion and he would start on the pole.
Fritts and Jason Boyd led the field to the starting green flag with Fritts shooting into the lead followed by Scofield, Jason Boyd, Choquette and Wayne Anderson. By lap 10 Fritts had already built up a five car lead over Scofield.
The first yellow came out on lap 21 when Wayne Jefferson spun coming out of turn four. On the restart the top ten were Fritts, Scofield, Jason Boyd, Choquette, Joe Boyd, B.J. McLeod, Mike Bresnahan, Tim Russell and Preston Pelletier.
Russell was the man on the move getting by Bresnahan and Joe Boyd into fourth by lap 25.
Bresnahan and Pelletier got crossed up on the backstretch while battling for eighth. Contact was made sending both cars into a spin bringing out another yellow. Pelletier was able to continue in the race, but Bresnahan's car was towed back to the infield pit area.
The next yellow was displayed on lap 40 when Sean Murphy spun coming off turn four. On the restart Choquette took to the outside of Jason Boyd passing him for third. Russell got by as well dropping Jason Boyd back to fifth. Before the lap was completed Russell put a move on Choquette to take away third.
Scott Millar looped his car around between turns three and four to bring out a caution on lap 45. Jason Boyd seized the opportunity to head for pit road to give his crew a chance to tweak the car a little more.
At the 50 lap mark Fritts was still the leader followed by Scofield, Russell, Choquette, McLeod, Anderson, Joe Boyd, Mac Johnson, Brian Finney and David Rogers.
Jason Boyd and Mike Good spun between turns one and two on lap 57. Both rejoined the field. At the halfway point it was still Fritts with a comfortable lead over Scofield with Russell, McLeod, Choquette, Anderson, Johnson, Joe Boyd, Finney, and Rogers in tow.
By lap 75 Fritts had a ½ straightaway lead on second place runner Scofield and was building on it. Scofield was beginning to get pressure from Russell for his spot. Russell made an outside run on Scofield but Scofield held him off.
Mac Johnson went up in the marbles in turns three and four on lap 80 to lose several positions. The top five at that point were Fritts, Scofield, Russell, McLeod and Choquette.
Russell made another high side run at Scofield on lap 85. This time he made it stick taking away second coming out of turn four.
Scofield's brakes began to fail forcing him to slow his pace costing him numerous positions on the track. By lap 100 he was well out of the top five.
With 25 laps to go Fritts had a straightaway lead on Russell with Choquette, Rogers and Joe Boyd riding in the top five.
Scofield went behind the wall on lap 109. Jason Boyd was making a great run through the field and was now running in the top five. Rogers picked off Russell and Choquette to move up into second.
With five laps to go Fritts had a ¾ lap lead on Rogers with Choquette third, Jason Boyd fourth and Tim Russell fifth. There was no change in the running order the remainder of the way to the checkers.
In victory lane Fritts said, “I apologize to the fans for putting on a show like that”, in reference to the runaway. “Everything was perfect on the car. It was a pleasure to drive and it handled so well".
The post race comment that summed it up best came from second place finisher David Rogers who said: “It would have been nice if I could have stayed in the same zip code, but Mike was so good.”
Official FASCAR Sunbelt Series Super Late Model Finish
“Bright House Network 125”
USA International Speedway, Lakeland, Florida
April 29, 2006
Fin., Start, Car #, Driver, Hometown
1. 1 #127 Mike Fritts, Debary
2. 14 #11 David Rogers, Orlando
3. 4 #70 Jeff Choquette, Loxatchee
4. 2 #15 Jason Boyd, Orlando
5. 11 #36 Tim Russell, Longwood
6. 6 #51 Joe Boyd, Riverview
7. 7 #5x Preston Pelletier, Concord, NC
8. 22 #5 Jerry Artuso, Sault Saint Marie,Ont. Canada
9. 13 #80 Brian Finney, Merritt Island
10. 18 #2 Patrick Conrad, Clermont
11. 17 #47 Chris Fontaine, Auburndale
12. 24 #20 Scott Millar, Ocala
13. 12 #27 Mike Good, Lake Mary
14. 15 #0 Rich Pratt, Anthony
15. 16 #84 Wayne Anderson, Wildwood
16. 9 #6 Mac Johnson, Newberry
17. 25 #07x Troy McNabb, Naples
18. 3 #07 Jeff Scofield, Plant City
19. 8 #78 B.J. McLeod, Watchula
20. 19 #32 Sean Murphy, Ft. Lauderdale
21. 5 #94 Wayne Jefferson, St. Petesburg
22. 26 #08 Bobby Owens, Orlando
23. 10 #3 Mike Bresnahan, Lecanto
24. 23 #18 Jared Allison, Cocoa Beach
25. 20 #70x James Glover, Pinellas Park
26. 21 #1 Fain Skinner, Live Oak
FAST QUALIFIER: #127 Mike Fritts, 20.60 seconds
TOP ROOKIE: #36 Tim Russell, 5th
HARD CHARGER: #5 Jerry Artuso, 22nd to 8th
The next event for the stars and cars of the FASCAR Sunbelt Series Super Late Models is the “City Beverage-Budweiser Sunbelt 125” scheduled for May 19th at Orlando SpeedWorld.
For any of your information needs about the FASCAR Sunbelt Series Super Late Models check out www.fascar.org.
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