Tuesday, September 23, 2008 New Faces in the Winners Circle By Linda Jericka Charlotte County Motorsports Park saw some new faces in the winners circle this year. The night started out with the Fab 4 class for twenty five laps which saw the new kid on the block Kim Mabbitts jump out in front and seem to have the win in the bag. Jeremy Perkins who drives the 22, not to be mistaken for brother Jason who drives the 21 car, seemed to be trying everything he could to get past the 36 car. It was five laps to go when the 36 got loose and Jeremy got around him and went on for his first win in the Fab 4 class which moved him up to first in the points standing. Kim Mabbitts would come in second, not to bad for his second time out and John Pummell Jr of Arcadia would be third. Thunder Trucks started with five trucks and what a race it would be as the 69 of Tom Pryor jumped out to the lead and did everything he could to keep the 14 of Randy Kile to the outside . Pryor led seventeen of the twenty laps with Kile on the outside of him side by side until kile saw the two to go and jumped on the inside of pryor going into turn one and Pryor was not giving a n inch and Kile wanted it which sent both spinning with two laps to go. Head Flagman Greg Roeback sent both to the rear and it was green white and checker and the 2 of Lance Sober made it his first time in the winners circle, with the 69 of Tom Pryor second and Randy Kile would have to settle for third. Owner Bobby Diehl has the class returning to DOT tires to make it more affordable and hopes that will build the class back up. The Open Wheel Modifieds took the track for a 35 lap feature. The field was set by the finish of the heats which put the 2 of Scott Klieber on the pole and Wayne Jefferson outside. Port Charlottes Sean McLaughlin had a ringer in his car for the heat race as he was at a fishing tournament (which he came in second) Ander Jackson ran the heat so Mclaughlin would have to take up the rear in the feature. K;ieber would lead the first four laps when Lee Collins would make his move and move him ever so lightly to take over the first spot and finally go on to win the first feature this year after only four times back racing at CCMP. Lee Collins out of Felda in his 89 Open Wheel is known all over the state but has only returned to CCMP since may and had a few adjustment the last couple times but seemed to have it all worked out sat night with an easy win, and Scott Klieber out of Naples held on for second and Wayne Jefferson third. Checkered Flag Sprint Cars came out on the track for an autograph session when a transformer out front popped and sparked and all the power went out, it was just a good thing no one was racing at the time. After it took FPL nearly an hour and fourty five min. to get the right part to have the lights back on, the Sprints fired up the engines and off they went for thirty exciting laps. The winner was the 29 of Gary Gimmler second was his brother Mark Gimmler and third was Scott Adema. The pro 4 had a tough time to get the first lap in and when they finally got under way it was again the 36 car out in front driven by St uart Vandevender and again seven laps to go Logan Leonard got by him along with the 09 of Danny Daniels and those two battled back and forth and Logan Leonard in the 57 came out first Danny Daniels second and the 30 of Brandon Reichart of North Port third. Sportsman saw Ron Heard jump out to the lead and looked as if he would be able to keep Steve Gainey in the 79 from catching him. L.J. Grimm was on a mission and battled with Gainey and then set his site on Heard with five laps to go took over the lead and ended up with his first trip to the winners cicle and his last as a fourteen year old who turned fifteen on Sunday. Finishing second was Steve Gainey third the 100 of Ron Heard and fourth Ryan Pancoast, Mad Max Bennett was fifth. Outlaw Street Stock would be the last race of the night with the points leader holding on to the lead and coming in first the 09 of Donnie Ollie Jr, Shane Leonard second and Richie Shepard of St Pete third. Next week the Late Models return for 100 laps along with the Fastrucks Road Warriors, Thunder Trucks, Legends, T.Q. Midgets, pro 4 & Fab 4