No Rain, Russell Reigns

New Smyrna Beach, Fla. — If you live in Florida, you know it’s been raining.  Raining a lot.  The events at New Smyrna Speedway, just south of Daytona Beach, have been affected by rain six of the last eight weeks.  Not last night.  Beautiful weather greeted 19 Super Late Models for the annual Marion Edwards Jr. Memorial 100.

(10) George Gorham qualified 8th, started on the pole after the invert and leads the field to green with (27) Bobby Good, (28) TJ Duke, (36) Tim Russell, (9) Brad May.(photo by Rodney Meyering)

With two races remaining in the 2015 Bright House Challenge Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competitor Chris Fontaine led in points over Michael Atwell, 179 to 175.  Atwell set fast time, setting himself up for a good night over Fontaine who could do no better than 18^th of the 19 cars who took time.  Atwell starts 8^th after the invert and makes his way up to third by lap 40 when an oil line breaks which cause him to spin in his own oil, smashing the turn 4 wall with the rear of the car.  He is done for the night.  Fontaine is up to 11^th at this point and will eventually finish 9^th.  One race to go in the series, The Brian Wescott Memorial, to be held October 17 at Pinellas Park’s Showtime Speedway.

Fast time Michael Atwell (51) races George Gorham (10) (photo by Rodney Meyering)

http://showtimespeedway.us/events/10-17-2015-sportsman-street-stock-mini-stock-kids-fast-4-mini-figure-8-enduros-powder-puff-4/

Last time we were at New Smyrna we had mechanical failure with the Nikon and we watched  from the stands as second generation driver Tim Russell dominated.  Tonight, with a brand new D7200 strapped around my neck, we watched Russell dominate again.  Russell would waste no time getting to the lead.  He starts outside the second row and quickly passes pole sitter George Gorham and outside front row starter Bobby Good.  He drives away from those two as Atwell and K and N Pro series regular Kaz Grala move into 3^rd and 4^th  respectivly.  Grala looks great moving from 10^th to 4^th in 20 laps. Gorham settles in 5^th, followed by Scofield, TJ Duke, Brad May, and a fast Daniel Keene.  Joey Padgett was supposed to race in a PASS race at Southern National tonight, but in-climate weather cancelled that race.    So Padgett made the trip to New Smyrna and rounds out the top 10 at one quarter distance.  Keene passes May and Duke as New Smyrna points leader Anthony Sergi gets loose of off turn 4 and Dylan Martin cannot avoid him.  Sergi is hard into the inside front stretch wall, Martin is able to continue.

Bobby Good 27, finishes third, battling here with Gorham, who would finish 2nd (photo by Rodney Meyering)

On the restart Russell easily pulls away from the field.  Good has pressure from both Grala and Scofield, each of them get by Good.  Keene is up to sixth as the field goes three wide coming out of turn 2, and Keene drops to 8^th  with damage to his left front.  He would continue, but no longer be competitive, finishing 11^th, the last car on the lead lap.  Another caution for Atwell’s spin and Russell survives another restart as we reach half way.  Grala hangs in second with a great battle for third between Good and Scofield.  Scofield’s car seems better on shorter runs and looks loose after a few green flag laps.  On lap 63 and we see another caution as Padgett slows down the backstretch.

A pair of 9’s. White 9 Brad May finishes 5th, black 9 Derek Thorn gets 7th (photo by Rodney Meyering)

Grala’s night is over (photo by Rodney Meyering)

The next restart would prove to be the most interesting part of the race.  Russell pulls away but Grala and is able to stay with Russell in second.  Scofield would restart outside the second row and charge past Good and up to Grala.  Great two wide racing here at the high banks of New Smyrna, and the outside lane being a bit quicker.  Grala charges hard into turn 1, under the 2006 Governor’s Cup winner Jeff Scofield.  Grala pushes high into Scofield’s door, just hard racing.  Half a lap later, coming out of turn 4, they’re still two wide,  Scofield makes contact with Grala. Grala loses control and slams the inside wall hard.  The front end of the car is destroyed.  Grala would later say it was just tight racing, “Maybe he was annoyed with me running high in turn 1 earlier in the lap, I don’t even know who is driving that car.”  Officials don’t see it that way and Scofield is sent to the rear of the field.  Russell easily pulls away again as Scofield is really making time passing cars left and right.  Another quick caution on lap 77 and the green flies for the final quarter of the race.  Scofield gets boxed in behind Good and Thorn, who run side by side for a number of laps. As May makes it two rows of two for places third through fifth.  Russell pulls Gorham by an entire straightaway as a torrid battle continues for third.  With 10 to go, Good finally clears Thorn, Scofield quickly does the same, but there is no time for Scofield to move up any further.

Brighthouse Challenge series point leader Chris Fontaine (47) races hard with Brad May (9) and Jeff Scofield, he would finish 8th (photo by Rodney Meyering)

Dylan Martin races Fontaine. Fontaine would finish one spot ahead of Martin (photo by Rodney Meyering)

Tim Russell (36) – George Gorham (10) – Derek Thorn (9) (photo by Rodney Meyering)

Tim Russell in victory lane with the Edwards family (photo by Rodney Meyering)

Drew Brannon (77) races Dustin Dunn (59) (photo by Rodney Meyering)

Tyler Scofield (07), qualified 2nd and finished 4th after being penalized and sent to the rear of the field after contact with Kaz Grala (3) (photo by Rodney Meyering)

Unofficial Results

1          Tim Russell                  36

2          George Gorham Jr      10

3          Bobby Good                 27

4          Jeff Scofield                 07

5          Brad May                    9m

6          TJ Duke                        28

7          Derek Thorn                9

8          Dylan Martin               7

9          Chris Fontaine             47

10        Drew Brannon             77

11        Daniel Keene Jr           5

12        Noah Corman              30

13        Joey Padgett                83

14        Dustin Dunn                59

15        Kaz Grala                     3

16        Tyler Scofield              07

17        Travis Wilson              75

18        Michael Atwell            51

19        Anthony Sergi              20