RCThunder
07-17-2007, 01:24 PM
Thought this was worth posting. We have a local racer that writes for some big time magazines and he did a nice report for last Sunday's racing here at home. Enjoy!
LOTSA WINNERS AT M.T.R.
Southern Motorsports Report
By: Kevin Fox
Bradenton, FL (07-15-07) A big crowd of dedicated racers packed the pits of Manatee Thunder Raceway on Sunday. The new race schedule format of every-other-week racing action helps in the time of severe Florida heat, but makes a racer itch more to get back racing. Mother Nature spared us of the wet stuff but definitely packed on the heat with canopy covered areas hovering around 100 degrees and track temps pushing 130 degrees plus. Ice cold H2O or Rehydrating "ade" drinks were a premium around the facility. Veteran broadcaster and race official Kenny Holmes was on the grounds and ready to go, the first of three qualifying heats started promptly at ten thirty and went throughout the morning and early afternoon. Top qualifiers for the mains were Erik Crosby in Arca, Jim Cukla in Iroc, Darrell Taylor in Hooters, and Rich Baran in Nextel Cup. The field was set, the batteries were peaked, and the bodies were bolted down.
Five minutes after two in the afternoon the six car Arca field made their way to the grid for the inverted start. D ic K Noel took the lead early but had some issues which handed the lead over to Douglas Dobbs who held the lead until lap 25 when Tyler Noel got the car hooked up and headed to the point. Tyler, fighting off a challenge from TQ Erik Crosby, kept the top spot all the way until the final buzzer. Tyler Noel, Crosby and Dobbs round out the Top Three.
The number two race called for Iroc to the grid. A low count in Iroc this week had four cars on the line-up and only three taking the green as Mike Haney decided to park the Bad #8 for the afternoon. Top qualifier Jim Cukla had his black #8 dialed in all afternoon as he was going for four in a row. He still had to hold off Frank Pondillo and Robert Trask to take the top honors but he was up for the challenge. Unfortunately for Trask, an issue with his Bad #7 kept him from finishing the main. That left Cukla and Pondillo to battle the heat and each other to the finish. Cukla still had the car dialed for the main and brought home the win ahead of Pondillo.
Fours drivers took to the stand for the Hooters B-Main. Rockin Ron took his #5 to the top spot for the first couple of circuits before being overtaken by the top qualifier Kenzo Bartuccio. Jesse McAllister got his car hooked up and was able to get around Ron and slide into the runner-up spot. With Rick Smith having troubles early and often, that left three cars at the finish. Bartuccio, McAllister and Rockin Ron round out the Top Three.
The rest of the Hooters drivers lined up for the A-Main. Jeff Wilkes left at the tone to lead the first three laps before he was passed by Jeff Maturo. Maturo picked up a bonus point for leading at halfway before the pipe in turn three caught his attention and took away his lead. It was then that TQ Darrell Taylor grabbed the lead, with Greg Walsh on his tail, never looked back and picked up the victory. Greg Walsh and Jeff Maturo rounded out the Top 3.
The call was sent out for the Nextel B-Main and four cars responded. Mike Dispenza led lap one, with Ross Bartuccio on his rear. Rossman was able to take over the top spot for two laps before being overtaken by Dom Mauro. Dispenza and John Houser both had issues and dropped out which left Mauro and Bartuccio to battle to the finish. Mauro kept Bartuccio in his 1/10th scale mirror and went on to pick up the win.
Seven cars took to the grid for final Main of the afternoon, the Nextel A-Main. Doug Miller led the first two laps after the tone. David Preston grabbed the lead from Miller on lap 3. TQ Rich Baran's camo #8 was on rails all afternoon and after fighting through lap traffic Lap 20 was when he was able to sneak by Preston and pick up the top spot. After that point, literally the lapped cars were the only things that were able to touch Baran. Preston, Bill Floyd and Tin Man battled for second through fourth spots. Baran took the top spot on the podium, Preston came home second and Floyd rounded out the Top Three.
A afternoon of great racing with great racers had come to an end. We all appreciate Mike Boylan and Thunder Racing for what they do for the great sport of r/c racing. Stayed tuned to www.rcthunder.net (http://www.rcthunder.net/) for continuing news and updates. Coming soon, Look for a new 'MySpace page' for the "Southern Motorsports Report" that will include more r/c racing recaps as well as other full scale racing recaps, news, archives and updates. Get out and Support your local race track - big or small!
ARCA
1.Tyler Noel 51 4:02.79
2.Erik Crosby 50 4:01.78
3.Douglas Dobbs 50 4:04.29
4.Kevin Fox 42 4:00.50
5.Brandon Haney 33 4:03.67
6.D ic K Noel 13 1:10.16
IROC 4300
1.Jim Cukla 58 4:03.10
2.Frank Pondillo 56 4:02.90
3.Robert Trask 9 2:04.78
4.Mike Haney -DNS-
Hooters B-Main
1.Kenzo Bartuccio 53 4:04.68
2.Jesse McAllister 52 4:02.42
3.Rockin Ron 49 4:02.76
4.Rick Smith 18 3:55.81
Hooters A-Main
1.Darrell Taylor 57 4:02.60
2.Greg Walsh 57 4:03.64
3.Jeff Maturo 56 4:00.73
4.Tony Borruso 55 4:01.11
5.Jeff Wilkes 54 4:00.95
6.Tyler Noel 53 4:04.48
7.Bill Fay 25 1:52.56
Nextel Cup B-Main
1.Dom Mauro 58 4:01.00
2.Ross Bartuccio 58 4:03.98
3.Mike Dispenza 29 2:22.41
4.John Houser 16 1:35.53
5.Mike Haney -DNS-
Nextel Cup A-Main
1.Rich Baran 61 4:01.92
2.David Preston 60 4:02.40
3.Bill Floyd 58 4:03.08
4.Tin Man 57 4:01.70
5.Mike Boylan 56 4:00.50
6.Doug Miller 56 4:03.36
7.Scott LaFoe 54 4:00.67
LOTSA WINNERS AT M.T.R.
Southern Motorsports Report
By: Kevin Fox
Bradenton, FL (07-15-07) A big crowd of dedicated racers packed the pits of Manatee Thunder Raceway on Sunday. The new race schedule format of every-other-week racing action helps in the time of severe Florida heat, but makes a racer itch more to get back racing. Mother Nature spared us of the wet stuff but definitely packed on the heat with canopy covered areas hovering around 100 degrees and track temps pushing 130 degrees plus. Ice cold H2O or Rehydrating "ade" drinks were a premium around the facility. Veteran broadcaster and race official Kenny Holmes was on the grounds and ready to go, the first of three qualifying heats started promptly at ten thirty and went throughout the morning and early afternoon. Top qualifiers for the mains were Erik Crosby in Arca, Jim Cukla in Iroc, Darrell Taylor in Hooters, and Rich Baran in Nextel Cup. The field was set, the batteries were peaked, and the bodies were bolted down.
Five minutes after two in the afternoon the six car Arca field made their way to the grid for the inverted start. D ic K Noel took the lead early but had some issues which handed the lead over to Douglas Dobbs who held the lead until lap 25 when Tyler Noel got the car hooked up and headed to the point. Tyler, fighting off a challenge from TQ Erik Crosby, kept the top spot all the way until the final buzzer. Tyler Noel, Crosby and Dobbs round out the Top Three.
The number two race called for Iroc to the grid. A low count in Iroc this week had four cars on the line-up and only three taking the green as Mike Haney decided to park the Bad #8 for the afternoon. Top qualifier Jim Cukla had his black #8 dialed in all afternoon as he was going for four in a row. He still had to hold off Frank Pondillo and Robert Trask to take the top honors but he was up for the challenge. Unfortunately for Trask, an issue with his Bad #7 kept him from finishing the main. That left Cukla and Pondillo to battle the heat and each other to the finish. Cukla still had the car dialed for the main and brought home the win ahead of Pondillo.
Fours drivers took to the stand for the Hooters B-Main. Rockin Ron took his #5 to the top spot for the first couple of circuits before being overtaken by the top qualifier Kenzo Bartuccio. Jesse McAllister got his car hooked up and was able to get around Ron and slide into the runner-up spot. With Rick Smith having troubles early and often, that left three cars at the finish. Bartuccio, McAllister and Rockin Ron round out the Top Three.
The rest of the Hooters drivers lined up for the A-Main. Jeff Wilkes left at the tone to lead the first three laps before he was passed by Jeff Maturo. Maturo picked up a bonus point for leading at halfway before the pipe in turn three caught his attention and took away his lead. It was then that TQ Darrell Taylor grabbed the lead, with Greg Walsh on his tail, never looked back and picked up the victory. Greg Walsh and Jeff Maturo rounded out the Top 3.
The call was sent out for the Nextel B-Main and four cars responded. Mike Dispenza led lap one, with Ross Bartuccio on his rear. Rossman was able to take over the top spot for two laps before being overtaken by Dom Mauro. Dispenza and John Houser both had issues and dropped out which left Mauro and Bartuccio to battle to the finish. Mauro kept Bartuccio in his 1/10th scale mirror and went on to pick up the win.
Seven cars took to the grid for final Main of the afternoon, the Nextel A-Main. Doug Miller led the first two laps after the tone. David Preston grabbed the lead from Miller on lap 3. TQ Rich Baran's camo #8 was on rails all afternoon and after fighting through lap traffic Lap 20 was when he was able to sneak by Preston and pick up the top spot. After that point, literally the lapped cars were the only things that were able to touch Baran. Preston, Bill Floyd and Tin Man battled for second through fourth spots. Baran took the top spot on the podium, Preston came home second and Floyd rounded out the Top Three.
A afternoon of great racing with great racers had come to an end. We all appreciate Mike Boylan and Thunder Racing for what they do for the great sport of r/c racing. Stayed tuned to www.rcthunder.net (http://www.rcthunder.net/) for continuing news and updates. Coming soon, Look for a new 'MySpace page' for the "Southern Motorsports Report" that will include more r/c racing recaps as well as other full scale racing recaps, news, archives and updates. Get out and Support your local race track - big or small!
ARCA
1.Tyler Noel 51 4:02.79
2.Erik Crosby 50 4:01.78
3.Douglas Dobbs 50 4:04.29
4.Kevin Fox 42 4:00.50
5.Brandon Haney 33 4:03.67
6.D ic K Noel 13 1:10.16
IROC 4300
1.Jim Cukla 58 4:03.10
2.Frank Pondillo 56 4:02.90
3.Robert Trask 9 2:04.78
4.Mike Haney -DNS-
Hooters B-Main
1.Kenzo Bartuccio 53 4:04.68
2.Jesse McAllister 52 4:02.42
3.Rockin Ron 49 4:02.76
4.Rick Smith 18 3:55.81
Hooters A-Main
1.Darrell Taylor 57 4:02.60
2.Greg Walsh 57 4:03.64
3.Jeff Maturo 56 4:00.73
4.Tony Borruso 55 4:01.11
5.Jeff Wilkes 54 4:00.95
6.Tyler Noel 53 4:04.48
7.Bill Fay 25 1:52.56
Nextel Cup B-Main
1.Dom Mauro 58 4:01.00
2.Ross Bartuccio 58 4:03.98
3.Mike Dispenza 29 2:22.41
4.John Houser 16 1:35.53
5.Mike Haney -DNS-
Nextel Cup A-Main
1.Rich Baran 61 4:01.92
2.David Preston 60 4:02.40
3.Bill Floyd 58 4:03.08
4.Tin Man 57 4:01.70
5.Mike Boylan 56 4:00.50
6.Doug Miller 56 4:03.36
7.Scott LaFoe 54 4:00.67