TREMONT FIRST IN FLORIDA FINALE; HORTON SECURES TOUR TITLE

BARBERVILLE,FL...Speed Week '99 at Volusia Speedway Park concluded Friday with West Sand Lake, N.Y. veteran Kenny Tremont winning the fourth and final leg of the popular DIRT Modified winter series.

Tremont's second career Florida Tour feature victory left him just six points shy of the coveted title as fourth-place finisher Jimmy Horton from Whitehouse Station, N.J. wrapped up his second overall championship in the Sunshine State.

"We had a great start and everything just went our way tonight," said 10-time Lebanon Valley(NY) Speedway points champion Tremont, after steering the legendary no. 115 Fane Concrete-S&S Asphalt-Emerick Associates/Troyer machine to a decisive flag-to-flag victory. It was his first win down south since capturing one of three invitational races staged at Volusia in 1993.

After drawing for heat race assignments, Tremont showed his strength early by winning the first of three qualifiers from the point. The 'heads-up' start format again placed him on the pole and he out-dragged front row partner Jamie Mills to take charge around the slippery half-miler in the 50-lap modified main.

Tremont opened up a half-straightaway advantage with five laps complete, leaving Mills, Brett Hearn, Rich Polenz and Horton to battle among themselves. Less than 10 laps later Tremont reached the back of the original 24-car starting field as he increased further the distance between himself and any apparent challenger.

Pennsylvanian Doug Hoffman initiated the first of two caution periods on lap 21 as his open-wheel mount came to a halt in turns three and four. The ensuing restart hardly affected Tremont's strategy and by the midway mark he was once again more than a dozen car-lengths ahead of new runner-up Hearn.

The final yellow flag flew on lap 34 when Rich Polenz spun out exiting turn three. Back under green flag conditions Hearn made a final attempt to stay close to the leader but 15 laps later Tremont emerged $5,000 richer after posting his 93rd career DIRT big-block victory, becoming the fourth different winner in as many events. Mills, Horton and 17th-place starter Bob McCreadie rounded out the top-five.

After finishing second to Tremont in the qualifying round, Horton settled for a third top-five tally to secure his first Florida Tour points championship since 1986.

"We're still sorting out this experimental car and I'm sure we'll continue to make a few more adjustments back up north," said Horton, after posting his second-straight fourth-place finish aboard the potent black no. m1 Enders-powered B&F General Machine/Olsen ride. "We ran a different set-up tonight from the one used on Tuesday. But I still have to thank Bart(Hartman,LM driver) for all the help he gave trying to dial us in throughout the week." Top-five finishers in the final point standings were Horton(198), Tremont(192), Delaware standout Jamie Mills(186), Hearn(184) and Bob McCreadie(178), with Keith Hoffman(176), Danny Johnson(174), Jeff Strunk(168) and Mike Perrotte topping the overall chart. Horton, Mills, Hoffman and Strunk were the lone drivers placing among the top-ten in each of the four events.

FLORIDA TOUR '99 RACE RESULTS @ Volusia Speedway Park - Fri., Feb. 12

DIRT Modified Feature (50L)

FIN

CAR#

DRIVER

TEAM (Sponsor / Chassis / Engine)

1

115

Kenny Tremont/West Sand Lake,NY

Fane Concrete-S&S Asphalt-Emerick Asc/Troyer/Tremont

2

3

Brett Hearn/Sussex,NJ

Budweiser Racing-WLR Construction-Pennzoil/TEO/Feil

3

30

Jamie Mills/Milford,DE

Mills Bros. Markets/Troyer/Myers

4

m1

Jimmy Horton/Whitehouse Station,NJ

B&F General Machine/Olsen/Enders

5

9

Bob McCreadie/Watertown,NY

Kinney Drugs-Syracuse Frame/Troyer/Morrison

6

27j

Danny Johnson/Rochester,NY

Sweeteners Plus/Troyer/C.C.

7

w9

Jeff Strunk/Bechtelsville,PA

Kenworth Truck Equip-Cummins Power Sys/Olsen/Enders

8

35

Mike Perrotte/Morrisonville,NY

Adirondack Auto/Troyer/Enders

9

5k

Keith Hoffman/Whitehall,PA

Bashore Trucking-Week's Auction/Troyer/Morrison

10

00

Bobby Varin/Sharon Springs,NY

Dover Brakes/Troyer/Enders

11

fx1

Tim McCreadie/Watertown,NY

F.X. Caprara Car Co.-Auto Value/Troyer/Morrison

12

45

Chuck Hebing/Ontario,NY

Cobra Racing-Crown Electric-Webster Auto/Troyer/Stevens

13

74

J.R. Heffner/Averill Park,NY

A.Colarusso & Son/TEO/Raspuzzi

14

33

Ray Swinehart/Bechtelsville,PA

J.L. Speed Supplies/Bicknell/CMS Racing Engines

15

32c

Vic Coffey/Leicester,NY

Sweeteners Plus/Troyer/C.C.

16

Z

Butch Tittle/Saylorsburg,PA

R.B. Chapman/Troyer/Fiehls

17

57

Donnie Corellis/Averill Park,NY

Rifenburg Construction/TEO/Feil

18

4

Mike Hughes/Riegelsville,PA

Hughes Racing/Troyer/Coffey

19

3p

Rich Polenz/Flemington,NJ

Art's Radiator & Welding/TEO/Morrison

20

9t

Tom Moore/Westchester,PA

ACE Hardware-Quaker State/Tobias/Bock

21

19

Tim Fuller/Edwards,NY

Harriman Trailer Sales/Olsen/Morrison

22

5h

Don Hallowell/Kennett Square,PA

NuCar Chevrolet/Troyer/Meyers-Hallowell

23

5

Doug Hoffman/Allentown,PA

Lincoln Auto Body/Troyer/Morrison

24

296

Deron Rust/Georgetown,DE

Bodie's Dairy Markets-Delmarva-Dirt-Blasters/TEO/B&G

DNS

47

Jerry Higbie,Jr./Middletown,NY

Misner Ins. Agency-Superior Bldg. Supply/TEO/Precision

EVENT SUMMARY:

LAP LEADER: Tremont (1-50).

CAUTIONS: 2.

HEAT WINNERS: Tremont, Mills, Polenz.

TOTAL PURSE: $16,250.

CARS ENTERED: 25.