“STORMIN” NORMAN SHORT STORMS TO WIN IN MODIFIEDS - May 3
By Charlie Brown, Delmar, DE (5/3/03) – Over the winter months “Stormin” Norman Short of Georgetown, Del. purchased a former Brett Hearn Teo to replace the chassis he had built himself and had run for the past five seasons. Sporting a Dale Earnhardt, Jr. looking paint scheme, Short came out with a new look, a new outlook, and on Saturday night translated that to a convincing win the 25-lap Big Block Modified feature. Mike Vammino of Lincoln, Del. used the high groove to take the lead late in the 15-lap Modified Lite feature from Mike Stratton and drove to the win.
The Modified feature got off to a rough start. At the drop of the green, former two-time champion Craig Mullins rolled to a stop off the top of turn one to bring out the yellow. On the restart, Beau Wilkins got out of shape in some three-wide racing and got around triggering a 14 car tangle in the second turn. Done for the night were Larry Crouse, Mike Covey, H.J. Bunting, and Cliff Foskey.
Glen Reed set the pace on the first lap but the caution was out for a third time for a tangle involving Wilkins and Doug Beach. On the restart, Short moved by Rick Bishop into second and charged by Reed one lap later for the lead. Bishop got by Reed for second and Gary Simpson shot into third after starting in 13th.
By the halfway sign the top five were Short, Bishop, Simpson, Doug Rose and Ricky Johnson. The race stayed green and the order unchanged until lap 21 when newcomer, Jim McCallion came to a stop bringing out the final yellow. Bishop had just pulled along side of Short when the yellow came out but on the restart could not mount a second challenge as Short, in the Collier’s Trim Shop/Hair with a Flair/Teo took the checkered by a margin of just .766 seconds. Rose got by Simpson with one to go to finish in third with Simpson and Johnson rounding out the top five.
Sixth through tenth were Deron Rust who started the race as an alternate in the rear of the field, Wilkins, Ted Taylor, Adam Jarrell, and Don Hallowell. Johnson, Bishop, and Rose won the heats with Hallowell winning the consolation.
The Modified Lite feature went non-stop with Dale Hawkins leading lap one before Mike Stratton moved on top. Mike Vammino used the outside line to get by George Richardson for third then on lap five he moved by Hawkins for second. At the halfway sign the top five were Stratton, Vammino, Hawkins, Glen Richards, and Bobby Walls, III.
Walls moved into the third spot with Jon Callaway following into fourth. Vaminno took the lead coming off the fourth turn for lap 11. Stratton stayed in the battle pulling even on the final lap but it was Vaminno, in The Exchange/Pro Chassis by .112 seconds at the wire. Walls, Callaway and Hawkins rounded out the top five. Sixth through tenth were Tom Curtis, Richards, Herb Tunis, Richardson, and John Curtis. Stratton and Vaminno won the heats. The Delmar Elementary School was the guest of the speedway on Saturday night with the Delmar Elementary Band doing a great job in performing The National Anthem. This Saturday night will be Laurel Elementary School Night with action in the Big Block Modifieds, Late Models, Street Modifieds, and Modified Lites. Gates open at 5 p.m. with warm-ups at 7 p.m.;
RESULTS: 25-Lap Modified Feature: 1. NORMAN SHORT; 2. Rick Bishop; 3. Doug Rose; 4. Gary Simpson; 5. Ricky Johnson; 6. Deron Rust; 7. Beau Wilkins; 8. Ted Taylor; 9. Adam Jarrell; 10. Don Hallowell; 11. Tim Millman; 12. Dana Walker; 13. Steve Downs; 14. Doug Beach; 15. Jim McCallion; 16. Glen Reed; 17. Nick Anderson; 18. Craig Mullins; 19. H.J. Bunting; 20. Cliff Foskey; 21. Mike Covey; 22. Larry Crouse; DNS: Robert Dutton, Bobby Watkins.
15-Lap Modified Lite: 1. MIKE VAMMINO; 2. Mike Stratton; 3. Bobby Walls, III; 4. Jon Callaway; 5. Dale Hawkins; 6. Tom Curtis; 7. Glen Richards; 8. Herb Tunis; 9. George Richardson; 10. John Curtis; 11. Andy Hammond; 12. Brian Gladden; 13. Mike Hovatter; 14. Erik McKinney.