By Smash The Loud Pedal
After the domination last year by Don O'Neal and his C.J. Rayburn
Chassis, the Mark Richards ROCKET Race Cars camp has come on full force for the 2003 FLORIDA Speedweeks after extensive testing in previous weeks here at the East Bay Raceway. And by all accounts, the testing has thus far payed off as ROCKET rallied to their second consecutive win in the "03 rendition of Speedweeks.
Rick Eckert, defending UDTRA Champion started his new season off in the Xtreme Dirt Car Series by taking his RAYE VEST #24 to the checkered flag from his outside front row starting position and outdueling Earl Pearson, Jr. in a hard fought battle. Following the duo at the stripe amid foggy and misting conditions were Rob Blair, Jimmy Mars, Brian Birkhoffer, R.J. Conley, Donnie Moran, Davey Johnson, Tim Dohm and Don O'Neal.
The first heat was won by O'Neal over Birkhoffer and Delmas Conley.
The second heat was won by R.J. Conley over a basically unknown Jeff Choquette from West Palm Beach and Jimmy Mars. The young and very impressive Choquette fought a hard battle to earn the transfer spot to the A-Main and impressed all on hand, assuring that those on hand won't forget his name anytime soon, however, after the heat the team became aware that they had
lost their motor in the heat race and was forced to scratch from the A-Main, relegating fourth place finisher Ray Cook into the A-Main.
The third heat was won by Eckert over Steve Francis and Dan Schlieper.
The fourth heat was topped by Pearson, Jr. over Donnie Moran and Chub Frank.
The fifth heat was topped by yet another new face to the Florida
Speedweeks scene in the form of Jeremy Miller in impressive fashion over Tim Dohm and Mike Balzano.
The sixth and final heat was captured by Rob Blair over Rick Aukland and open wheel standout Jimmy Owens.
There were three consi races with the top 2 from each transferring to the A-Main. The first consi would transfer Davey Johnson and Matt Miller with Steve Shaver, Jackie Boggs, Wendel Wallace, Billy Moyer and Scott Bloomquist among those not earning transfer positions.
The second consi was topped by Randall Chupp in impressive fashion over local hotshoe Keith Nosbich. Non transfer finalists were Thomas Ware, Kelly Boen, Shannon Babb, Scott James and Steve Smith.
The third and final consi would see Steve Lucas take the checkered flag ahead of Terry English. Notable non transfers were John Mason, Bart Hartman, Freddie Smith and Vic Coffey.
Earl Pearson topped the dash followed by Eckert, Blair, Conley, O'Neal and Miller.
The final race of the evening was the Strawberry Dash and it was
claimed by Kelly Boen.
More action will be sure to follow as the late models will once again invade the East Bay Raceway tomorrow night under the direction of the Renegade Dirt Car Series for a 50 lap $7,000.00 to win event.
Heat 1: 1. Don O'Neal, 2.Brian Birkhoffer, 3.Delmas Conley, 4. Jackie Boggs, 5. Steve Shaver
Heat 2: 1.R.J. Conley, 2.Jeff Choquette, 3.Jimmy Mars, 4.Ray Cook, 5.Matt Miller
Heat 3: 1.Rick Eckert, 2.Steve Francis, 3.Dan Schlieper, 4.Thomas Ware, 5.Dale McDowell
Heat 4: 1.Earl Pearson, Jr., 2.Donnie Moran, 3.Chub Frank, 4.Scott
James, 5.Randall Chupp
Heat 5: 1.Jeremy Miller, 2.Tim Dohm, 3.Mike Balzano, 4.Terry English, 5.John Mason
Heat 6: 1.Rob Blair, 2.Rick Aukland, 3.Jimmy Owens, 4.Steve Lucas, 5.Dennis Erb
Dash: 1.Pearson, 2.Eckert, 3.Blair, 4.Conley, 5.O'Neal, 6.Miller
Feature:
1. Eckert
2. Pearson
3. Blair
4. Mars
5. Birkhoffer
6. R.J. Conley
7. Moran
8. Johnson
9. Dohm
10. O'Neal
11. Balzano
12. Schlieper
13. Cook
14. Frank
15. Chupp
After the domination last year by Don O'Neal and his C.J. Rayburn
Chassis, the Mark Richards ROCKET Race Cars camp has come on full force for the 2003 FLORIDA Speedweeks after extensive testing in previous weeks here at the East Bay Raceway. And by all accounts, the testing has thus far payed off as ROCKET rallied to their second consecutive win in the "03 rendition of Speedweeks.
Rick Eckert, defending UDTRA Champion started his new season off in the Xtreme Dirt Car Series by taking his RAYE VEST #24 to the checkered flag from his outside front row starting position and outdueling Earl Pearson, Jr. in a hard fought battle. Following the duo at the stripe amid foggy and misting conditions were Rob Blair, Jimmy Mars, Brian Birkhoffer, R.J. Conley, Donnie Moran, Davey Johnson, Tim Dohm and Don O'Neal.
The first heat was won by O'Neal over Birkhoffer and Delmas Conley.
The second heat was won by R.J. Conley over a basically unknown Jeff Choquette from West Palm Beach and Jimmy Mars. The young and very impressive Choquette fought a hard battle to earn the transfer spot to the A-Main and impressed all on hand, assuring that those on hand won't forget his name anytime soon, however, after the heat the team became aware that they had
lost their motor in the heat race and was forced to scratch from the A-Main, relegating fourth place finisher Ray Cook into the A-Main.
The third heat was won by Eckert over Steve Francis and Dan Schlieper.
The fourth heat was topped by Pearson, Jr. over Donnie Moran and Chub Frank.
The fifth heat was topped by yet another new face to the Florida
Speedweeks scene in the form of Jeremy Miller in impressive fashion over Tim Dohm and Mike Balzano.
The sixth and final heat was captured by Rob Blair over Rick Aukland and open wheel standout Jimmy Owens.
There were three consi races with the top 2 from each transferring to the A-Main. The first consi would transfer Davey Johnson and Matt Miller with Steve Shaver, Jackie Boggs, Wendel Wallace, Billy Moyer and Scott Bloomquist among those not earning transfer positions.
The second consi was topped by Randall Chupp in impressive fashion over local hotshoe Keith Nosbich. Non transfer finalists were Thomas Ware, Kelly Boen, Shannon Babb, Scott James and Steve Smith.
The third and final consi would see Steve Lucas take the checkered flag ahead of Terry English. Notable non transfers were John Mason, Bart Hartman, Freddie Smith and Vic Coffey.
Earl Pearson topped the dash followed by Eckert, Blair, Conley, O'Neal and Miller.
The final race of the evening was the Strawberry Dash and it was
claimed by Kelly Boen.
More action will be sure to follow as the late models will once again invade the East Bay Raceway tomorrow night under the direction of the Renegade Dirt Car Series for a 50 lap $7,000.00 to win event.
Heat 1: 1. Don O'Neal, 2.Brian Birkhoffer, 3.Delmas Conley, 4. Jackie Boggs, 5. Steve Shaver
Heat 2: 1.R.J. Conley, 2.Jeff Choquette, 3.Jimmy Mars, 4.Ray Cook, 5.Matt Miller
Heat 3: 1.Rick Eckert, 2.Steve Francis, 3.Dan Schlieper, 4.Thomas Ware, 5.Dale McDowell
Heat 4: 1.Earl Pearson, Jr., 2.Donnie Moran, 3.Chub Frank, 4.Scott
James, 5.Randall Chupp
Heat 5: 1.Jeremy Miller, 2.Tim Dohm, 3.Mike Balzano, 4.Terry English, 5.John Mason
Heat 6: 1.Rob Blair, 2.Rick Aukland, 3.Jimmy Owens, 4.Steve Lucas, 5.Dennis Erb
Dash: 1.Pearson, 2.Eckert, 3.Blair, 4.Conley, 5.O'Neal, 6.Miller
Feature:
1. Eckert
2. Pearson
3. Blair
4. Mars
5. Birkhoffer
6. R.J. Conley
7. Moran
8. Johnson
9. Dohm
10. O'Neal
11. Balzano
12. Schlieper
13. Cook
14. Frank
15. Chupp
