HORTON DOMINATES DIRT OPENER IN VOLUSIA FLORIDA TOUR '99 OPENER
BARBERVILLE,FL...While DIRT Motorsports' 24th season of open-wheel competition kicked off in the Sunshine State, it was Garden State veteran Jimmy Horton scoring a decisive victory in the FLORIDA TOUR '99 opener on Tuesday at Volusia Speedway Park.
Horton's fourth career Florida Tour triumph was worth $2,000 and improved his DIRT big-block Modified win total to 71.
"The car really handled well all night, there's just a little more fine tuning left," said Horton, who posted his initial wins at Volusia during the 1986-87 southern trips. "I hooked up bumpers once in lapped traffic but in the end everything worked out. I have to thank Bob(Faust,owner) and Doug(Olsen,builder), they worked hard all winter getting the car ready and its already paying off."
The night was one of near perfection for Horton as he led every lap contested throughout the 28th Winternationals lid-lifter. He started inside the front row to begin the 30-lap modified main after winning the first of three qualifying heats. The 'heads-up' feature race start placed him on the pole and he easily survived three early caution flags to pull away from the field.
The Whitehouse Station, New Jersey star quickly opened up a comfortable advantage over heat winners Mike Perrotte and Keith Hoffman with the Troyer cars of Kenny Tremont and Danny Johnson staying within reach through the initial three circuits. Only a yellow flag for the spun mount of Danny Perrett slowed Horton as he blistered the slick half-mile clay oval.
Pennsylvanian Ray Swinehart looped his own mount on the ensuing restart and Bob McCreadie and all-time Florida winner Kenny Brightbill tangled one lap later in the same turn one-two spot to force the final caution period. And that was the last time any frontrunner could get close to Horton as his black no. M1 B&F General Machine/Olsen ride dominated the 28-car field for the remaining 25 green flag laps.
Horton reached traffic at the halfway mark while top chasers Johnson and Tremont settled in ahead of Perrotte and Brett Hearn. Despite the leaders weaving their way through the pack, the order remained intact for the duration. Hoffman, Jamie Mills, Brightbill, Tim McCreadie and Jeff Strunk rounded out the top-ten in the 20-minute dash.
The DIRT Modifieds return to Volusia on Wednesday to battle in round two, with a 50-lap championship event closing out the four-day swing on Friday.
SKIDMARKS:
Popular DIRT public address announcer Gary Montgomery became a grandfather for the second time Tuesday morning as his daughter Kristen gave birth to an 8-lbs. baby girl in Cleveland, Ohio. After carrying out afternoon P.A. duties for the Busch Grand National time trials at Daytona, Montgomery arrived at Volusia in time to man the mike for the evening DIRT Modified program. He continues weekly announcing assignments at both tracks, with Goody's 200 Dash Series and IROC events on Thursday closing out his asphalt agenda.
DIRT Modified Feature (30L)
FIN
CAR#
DRIVER
TEAM (Sponsor / Chassis / Engine)
1
m1
Jimmy Horton/Whitehouse Station,NJ
B&F General Machine/Olsen/Enders
2
27j
Danny Johnson/Rochester,NY
Sweeteners Plus/Troyer/C.C.
3
115
Kenny Tremont/West Sand Lake,NY
Fane Concrete-S&S Asphalt-Emerick Asc/Troyer/Tremont
4
35
Mike Perrotte/Morrisonville,NY
Adirondack Auto/Troyer/Enders
5
3
Brett Hearn/Sussex,NJ
Budweiser Racing-WLR Construction-Pennzoil/TEO/Feil
6
5k
Keith Hoffman/Whitehall,PA
Bashore Trucking-Week's Auction/Troyer/Morrison
7
30
Jamie Mills/Milford,DE
Mills Bros. Markets/Troyer/Myers
8
19b
Kenny Brightbill/Sinking Spring,PA
Tabloid Graphics-Int'l Masonry Inst./Brightbill/HG Assoc.
9
fx1
Tim McCreadie/Watertown,NY
F.X. Caprara Car Co.-Auto Value/Troyer/Morrison
10
w9
Jeff Strunk/Bechtelsville,PA
Kenworth Truck Equip-Cummins Power Sys/Olsen/Enders
11
19
Tim Fuller/Edwards,NY
Harriman Trailer Sales/Olsen/Morrison
12
32c
Vic Coffey/Leicester,NY
Sweeteners Plus/Troyer/C.C.
13
74
J.R. Heffner/Averill Park,NY
A.Colarusso & Son/TEO/Raspuzzi
14
5
Doug Hoffman/Allentown,PA
Lincoln Auto Body/Troyer/Morrison
15
47
Jerry Higbie,Jr./Middletown,NY
Misner Ins. Agency-Superior Bldg. Supply/TEO/Precision
16
Z
Butch Tittle/Saylorsburg,PA
R.B. Chapman/Troyer/Fiehls
17
296
Deron Rust/Georgetown,DE
Bodie's Dairy Markets-Delmarva-Dirt-Blasters/TEO/B&G
18
m1x
Bart Hartman/Zanesville,OH
B&F General Machine/Olsen/Enders
19
33
Ray Swinehart/Bechtelsville,PA
J.L. Speed Supplies/Bicknell/CMS Racing Engines
20
2
Craig Mullins/Bridgeville,DE
Gene's Auto Sales/Troyer/Feil
21
57
Donnie Corellis/Averill Park,NY
Rifenburg Construction/TEO/Feil
22
1
Frankie Caprara/Watertown,NY
F.X. Caprara Car Co.-Auto Value/Olsen/Morrison
23
49
Danny Perrett/Oil City,PA
Five Forks Restaurant/Tobias/HRE
24
4
Mike Hughes/Riegelsville,PA
Hughes Racing/Troyer/Coffey
25
9t
Tom Moore/Westchester,PA
ACE Hardware-Quaker State/Tobias/Bock
26
5h
Don Hallowell/Kennett Square,PA
NuCar Chevrolet/Troyer/Meyers-Hallowell
27
3p
Rich Polenz/Flemington,NJ
Art's Radiator & Welding/TEO/Morrison
28
9
Bob McCreadie/Watertown,NY
Kinney Drugs-Syracuse Frame/Troyer
DNQ
45
Chuck Hebing/Ontario,NY
Cobra Racing-Crown Electric-Webster Auto/Troyer/Stevens
DNQ
00
Bobby Varin/Sharon Springs,NY
Dover Brakes/Troyer/Enders
EVENT SUMMARY:
LAP LEADER: Horton (1-30).
CAUTION: 3.
HEAT WINNERS: Horton, Perrotte, K.Hoffman.
CONSI WINNER: Coffey.
TOTAL PURSE: $10,250.
CARS ENTERED: 30.