Volusia summary 2005-02-13

Joey Kramer takes third win in Volusia UMP Modified finale!

BARBERVILLE, FL - Joey Kramer topped off a superb by winning his third United Midwestern Promoters Open Wheel Modified event in four nights at Volusia Speedway Park. The Hanover, Indiana ace dominated the thirty lap main event as he led wire-to-wire.

The top eight drivers in points accumulated over the previous five nights were locked into an eight car dash. A random pill draw determined the line up for the dash and Kramer's good fortunes had him starting on the front row of the dash. Kramer powered his way to victory in the dash which earned him a front row pole starting spot in the feature.

As the green flag dropped on the start of the feature event, Kramer pulled ahead and opened up a ten car length lead within the first five laps. However, Steve Arpin worked his way up from his third row starting spot to take over the second spot in just two laps and began to chase down Kramer. Brad Waits settled into the third spot and he began to pressure Arpin for the second position. Arpin and Waits battled side-by-side all the way around the track on laps six through eight. On the ninth lap, Chad Ohnstad joined in the battle for the second spot. The caution flew on the tenth lap when Rick Hensley and Todd Gilpin each spun.

On the restart, Arpin moved to the high side and pulled along side Kramer for the lead. The two battled side-by-side for two laps before Kramer pulled ahead. Kramer had opened up another ten car length lead on lap eighteen when the caution flew again as the driveshaft came out of Gilpin's car and it came to rest on the racing surface.

Kramer reassumed the lead on the next restart, but the green was only out for three laps when Brad Miller found trouble as a broken wheel on his mount forced him to come to a stop on the racing surface.

The final nine laps went without a caution and Kramer showed his dominance as he pulled away to a big lead. The battle for the second position raged on as Waits, Arpin and Ohnstad all traded the second, third and fourth positions lap after lap. As they took the checkered flag, it was Waits following Kramer across the line to take the second position. Arpin edged out Ohnstad to take the third spot and Greg Baumberger completed the top five.

Craig Thatcher (320) claimed the Florida Tour Title and was followed in the standings by Kramer (280), Arpin (244), Ohnstad (206) and female sensation Julie McDermid (178) rounds out the top five.

RACE SUMMARY

FEATURE: 77k-JOEY KRAMER, 24-Brad Waits, 00a-Steve Arpin, 1a-Chad Ohnstad, t3-Greg Baumberger, 00m-Jason Miller, 91-Craig Thatcher, 2c-David Cain, 1m- Julie McDermid, 1s-Brian Shaw, 01k-Don Kiger, 33z-Zack VanDerBoer, q-Joey Jensen, 54p-Dick Peterson, 17d-Scott Duval, 85-Ron Corbitt, 1h-Chuck Haga, 03b-Rick Hensley, 2f-Todd Ferber, 75-Eric Scribler, 13m-Brad Miller, 19- Todd Gilpin, 1b-Jason Barnhill, 2j-Corky Thomas

DASH: (Top 8 in points locked into dash) 77k-Joey Kramer, t3-Greg Baumberger, 24-Brad Waits, 1a-Chad Ohnstad

HEAT 1: 00m-Jason Miller, q-Joey Jensen, 54p-Dick Peterson, 2f-Todd Ferber

HEAT 2: 2c-David Cain, 03b-Rick Hensley, 75-Eric Scribler, 85-Ryan Corbitt

HEAT 3: 2t-Corky Thomas, 1b-Jason Barnhill, 17d-Scott Duval, 13m-Brad Miller

SEMI #1: 19-Todd Gilpin, 1h-Chuck Haga, 11g-Matt Goulden, 111-J.R. Nolan

SEMI #2: 33z-Zack VanDerBoer, 01k-Don Kiger, 2j-Blake Jetgvig, 4g-Gary Clark

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