VON DOHREN SURPRISES FIELD WITH FLAG-TO-FLAG VOLUSIA VICTORY
BARBERVILLE, FL.....For the third straight year the Florida Tour opener was a runaway with the eventual winner leading every lap to score the decisive victory.
But unlike the past two Februarys when Brett Hearn ---the all-time DIRT Modified winner in the Sunshine State--- surpassed no one's expectations with his own 30-lap triumphs, the 2003 lid-lifter surprised everyone but the driver when Craig VonDohren parked himself in the winner's circle following his first-ever Winter Nationals win.
"It's been a great deal so far with Sal, the track surface was very unique and it was just our night," downplayed VonDohren, after scoring his first feature win for car owner Sal DeBruno. The duo teamed up for just three races late last year with the no. 0 South Jersey Overhead Door/Speed Palace machine finishing a third-place best at Delaware.
VonDohren collected $2,000 after becoming the 28th different driver to earn a Florida Tour win in 83 main events staged since 1978. It was his eighth career DIRT sanctioned big-block victory with previous firsts registered at Bridgeport (6) and Delaware Int'l speedways.
"I knew I had to take Alan high at the drop of the first green and I was confident I could stay up there and out front the rest of the way if I got ahead," said VonDohren, whose only other Florida races were run nearly 15 years ago at Putnam County and Jacksonville where he posted a win. "I'm told this track usually slicks up and there's never a lip like tonight. The conditions seemed to work in our favour and I had the advantage of picking my spots being so far ahead."
With the final 14 laps run straight through under green, VonDohren's victory margin was not measured in car-lengths but rather pure distance as the Barto, Pa. open-wheel veteran built up nearly a half-track cushion ahead of runner-up Alan Johnson when the final checkered flag waved.
Johnson and VonDohren shared the front row after winning their respective qualifying heat races that sorted out the 24 DIRT Modifieds making the grid. The heads-up feature format put preliminary round winners, Delaware driver Jamie Mills and Ohioan Jim Rasey, directly behind in the second row.
Action was three-wide in the early going with brief caution periods incurred by Mike Perrotte (lap 2) looping between turns three and four on the second lap and Pat Ward (lap 10) slowing in turn four following contact with Danny Johnson the previous circuit. When Rick Laubach slowed in turn three to force another yellow flag, the ensuing lap 12 restart began with VonDohren leading A.J. Slideways, Rasey, Hearn, Bobby Varin and first consolation race winner Danny Johnson, who had already hunted down the top-five after starting 17th in the field.
But that order was short-lived when Hearn and Varin locked together in the path of Danny Johnson in turn two when the green lights reappeared. The chain-reaction incident created a rare red flag situation when Jamie Mills, 2002 Mr. DIRT Sportsman champion Randy Chrysler and Perrotte piled in to temporarily block the track.
The fourth caution came out when New York small-blocker Justin Haers stopped on the front straightaway to bunch the field for the final time. Back under green, VonDohren wasted little time regaining a commanding lead over Alan, 2002 Volusia opener winner Tim Fuller, Varin and never-say-die Danny.
The top-five remained intact with 10 laps still left while sixth-place runner Tim McCreadie was putting on a classic driving display in the aftermath of an early race pit stop. But a broken front shock tower suddenly slowed his TEO mount although he still managed to hang on to a top-10 finish at the wire.
Back out front it was VonDohren coasting to his first victory of the 2003 DIRT racing season ahead of reigning Mr. DIRT points king Alan Johnson. In a bold effort to slip under eventual third-place finisher Fuller on the last lap, Fuller checked up momentarily in between the final turns with Varin sliding up the track untouched to ride the outside retaining wall where he balanced as the rest of the field sped by.
Danny Johnson replaced Varin in fourth while 20th starter Jimmy Horton rallied to figure in the final top-five. Laubach, big-block rookie Mike Adderley, Rasey, McCreadie and three-time defending Florida Tour champion Hearn rounded out the top-10 with 13 of the 20 cars that crossed the line finishing completing the entire 15-mile distance.
The DIRT Modifieds are off on Wednesday before returning to Volusia for two more regular programs on Thursday and Friday. The big-blocks battle in the fourth and final round on Saturday as a $5,000-to-win 50-lap championship event is saved for the finale under the lights.