St. Augustine Speedway Race Report 1999-10-23

ST. AUGUSTINE, FLA -Kenny Hall broke out of an extended winless slump Saturday night to capture his first Snap-On Sportsman main event since June 12 at St. Augustine Speedway. The St. Augustine native, came from his second row starting position to ease past early race leader Bo Allen of Baldwin, Fla. on lap 12 for the lead and then stretched his advantage in the closing laps to pick up the win. Allen was then forced to hold off a challenge from Jacksonville's Nick Pilinko near the midway point of the event but eventually did secure the second spot. This was Allen's 13th top five finish in his last 14 starts. Meanwhile, Starke, Fla.'s Jason Garver gave Pilinko all the pressure he wanted, coming from his ninth starting position to battle the young charger right down to the wire for the show position. Pilinko was able to hold on to the third spot and was followed across the stripe Garver and St. Augustine's David Hitchcock. The St. Augustine Late Model Division resumed it's familiar battle of the 22's as Clermont Fla.'s Larry Osteen and Scotty Lagasse battled bumper to bumper for the entire 35-lap feature. In the end it was Osteen picking up his sixth win of the season and clinching the 1999 divisional title. Chris Tedder of Gainesville finished third followed by Sanford's Nolan Wilson and George Ingole of Lakeland. Recently crowned NASCAR Goody's Dash Series Rookie of the Year, Jimmy Britts of Orange Park, Fla. pulled off a late race pass on Lawtey Fla.'s Tuffy Carrigg to claim the win in the Rick's Muffler Modified main. Josh Manning of Yulee, 1998 modified champion Marc Kinley of Osteen Fla., and Jacksonville's Robert Deal followed Britts and Carrigg across the line. The Thunder Truck division main event was a flag to flag affair for St. Augustine's Alan Moore. Moore was challenged early by Elkton, Fla.'s Ron Thomas but several truck lengths separated the two at the finish. Ricky Cooper, driving a relatively unfamiliar No. 22c truck came from his dead last starting spot to finish third, while Wade Lynn of Switzerland, Fla. and Callahan, Fla.'s Robert Gorman Jr. rounded out the top five. The 20-lap Mini Stock feature went to Jake Hartley of Jacksonville. Hartley took the lead from St. Augustine native Mike Ponce on lap ten. Ponce later retired from this event with mechanical problems finishing 11th. Mickey Leth got around fellow St. Augustine resident Jay Farris late in this event to pick up the second spot. Farris was able to hold on for third and was followed across the line by Vern Rozier and John Thigpen. Chris Manucy of St. Augustine won another flag to flag affair in the Hobby Stock feature. This was Manucy's third win in his last four starts. Rodney Norman, who has already clinched the Hobby division title, finished second, followed by Jody Stratton, Bart Heck and Scooter Hicks. Robert Bland of Green Cove Springs won the special Officials Race in a car provided by Rodney Norman. A special thank you goes out to 11-year-old Lydia Florentine for providing the fans with a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem to kick off the evening's activities and to Smokey Bear and the folks at the Florida Division of Forestry for their part in this event. Next week, in addition to the last night of weekly racing, it's Fright Night at the St. Augustine Speedway sponsored by Prosperity Bank. Fans are invited to wear their very best Halloween costume and take part in the costume contest.