The Saturday night racing featured two “Topless” divisions as the competitors in the Gagel’s Open Wheel Modifieds and Late Model Sportsman took off the roofs for a night’s action. In each division, it was a repeat winner and, since it was the last night of the season for those two classes, it was the 2019 champion parked in Victory Lane.
In the Modifieds, Bryan Bernhardt captured the lead from Drew Jackson on the fourth lap to motor on to his seventh feature win of the year. The win gave Bernhardt a repeat class championship and he announced in Victory Lane that everything was for sale for anyone interested in pursuing a racing career. Heat race wins were claimed by Dale Kelley and Austin Sanders.
Forrest Gough took home his sixth feature, racing past Megan Meyer on the third lap. Gough, who also won an earlier heat race, backed up the 2018 division title. Bruce Harvey won an earlier preliminary.
It was a repeat winner parked in Victory Lane for the Street Stock class. Tim Gay started in the second row, not a preferred starting spot, but it all worked out. Paul Davis took the early lead, only to have Gay make his way to the front on the second lap. The outcome was far from decided as two-time feature winner Thomas Pratt asserted himself as a strong challenger. Gay refused to budge, keeping the top position to the end to park in Victory Lane for the sixth time. Gay and Pratt were heat winners to start the night.
The V-8 Warrior class also had a repeat winner with Collin Kruse taking advantage of Raymond Rogers Jr.’s misfortune. Rogers looked well in command until a lap 9 caution forced a slowdown and Rogers exited the track, losing a big lead in the process. Gary Lucas inherited the lead, but it did not take long for Kruse to take command. Kruse held the top spot for the remaining three laps, scoring his second feature win. Lucas and Wayne Kissam started their night with heat wins.
Robby Hoffmann kept his perfect record intact, winning his 11th feature of the year. Hoffmann had to hunt down early race leader Jamie Tinkham to get into position for the victory. The win in the caution-free main backed up Hoffman’s heat race win at the beginning of the night.
Kyle Bowman backed up the win of last week in the Studio Red Salon Gladiators, coming from the rear of the 14-car field to steal away the top spot on the outside pass. Tracy Maynard had the early lead, only to see Ricky Rutledge grab it away on lap 2. Rutledge would have his hands full with Daniel Bowman and while that was taking place, Kyle Bowman moved steadily through the pack. Kyle Bowman took the lead at the race’s midway point, en route to his sixth win.
The Daytona Antique Auto Racing Association brought a field of 12 cars with Cush Revette Jr. claiming the Modifieds, Jimmy Miltner in the Sprints and Ted Filides in the Midgets.
The racing action continues next Saturday night with the running of the Dalton Myers Memorial, a 54-lap main event for the Pro Late Models. The program will also feature V-8 Warriors, Studio Red Salon Gladiators, Outlaw 4s, Q Auto & Injury Medical Malpractice Attorneys Micro Sprints and Florida Old Time Modifieds.
GAGEL’S OPEN WHEEL MODIFIEDS
Feature: Bryan Bernhardt (B69), Drew Jackson (08), Eric Moon (18), Austin Sanders (64), Dale Kelley (22), Paul Rivall (15R), Randy Shields (49), Billy Howard (47), David Pollen Jr. (88), Don Crandall (9c), Wesley Duboise (12). DNS – Scott Bane (23S)
LATE MODEL SPORTSMAN
Feature: Forrest Gough (21), Bruce Harvey (27), Megan Rae Meyer (11M), Tim Dowling (12), Cole Crawford (4), Jesse Brown (7), Thomas Burnside (13B), Buck Woodhouse (55), T.J. LaFlamboy (4×4). DQ – Steve Mathis (95)
STREET STOCKS
Feature: Tim Gay (90), Thomas Pratt (22), Nick Hebrank (24), John Bradley (57), Paul Davis (10), Billy Barstow (56), Matt Bozeman (58), Mike Wilson (89), Mark Roadarmel Jr. (66), PeeWee Dowling (55), Henry Burnside (31), Raymond Folwell (3), Derek Gray (B75), Cody Gibson (189)
V-8 WARRIORS
Feature: Collin Kruse (92), Wayne Kissam (07), Gary Lucas (23), Kayla Handy (18), Billy Smith (00), J.D. Gillette (64), Macy Bozeman (58), Bo Anderson (95), B.J. Feiden (115), Juston Meeks (10), Raymond Rogers Jr. (48), Jason Burnside (12J), Raymond Vann (1), George Handy (105)
Q AUTO & INJURY MEDICAL MALPRACTICE ATTORNEYS MINI-SPRINTS
Feature: Robby Hoffmann (66), Jamie Tinkham (51), Zack Amundsen (12), Bruce Comer (21), Dennis Sanchez (9s), Brad Sutton (9), JoJo Davis (7J), Mike Meyers (7)
STUDIO RED SALON GLADIATORS
Feature: Kyle Bowman (46k), Daniel Bowman (46), Rodney Martin (21), Ricky Rutledge Jr. (124), Logan Casteel (7), Tracy Maynard (62), Thomas Adams (T2), Tyler Davis (1), Robert Kissam (911), Nick McAllister (97M), Davey Martin (55), Terry Burke (16), Patrick Tabb (03), Alyssa Grant (36g). DNS – Derrick Edwards (17), Bailey Purcell (14B)