Ocala Speedway
Whitener holds off Smith for $5,000 win at Ocala
Mark Whitener (58) held off Shan Smith (99) for a $5,000 victory at Ocala. (rewingphotos.com)
OCALA, Fla. (June 2) — Mark Whitener of Middleburg, Fla., overtook Tyler Ivey on a lap-31 restart in Saturday’s inaugural Florida State Late Model Championship and outdueled Shan Smith late in the 70-lap race to score a $5,000 victory at Bubba Racway Park.
Whitener controlled much of the second half of the United Dirt Late Model Challenge Series feature, but had to work hard to score the victory when Smith of Dade City, Fla., made a late charge. | Slideshow
The two drivers battled side-by-side most of the final 11 laps after a debris caution set up the race’s final restart. Smith edged ahead led three of those final 11 laps, but could never clear Whitener to secure the lead.
Whitener and Smith continued to battle side by side on the race’s final lap with Whitener pulling ahead by half a car at the finish line.
Smith’s teammate Randy Weaver, the Crossville, Tenn., driver who currently leads the Southern All Star Series championship chase, finished third with Jeff Mathews of Tampa, Fla., fourth.
Ivey of Tallahassee, Fla., who led laps 13 through 31 after early leader Jack Nosbisch Jr. of Riverview, Fla., suffered mechanical woes, faded after losing the lead to Whitener and ended up fifth.
Notes: Whitener’s Big Frog Motorsports Barry Wright Race Car is powered by a Koury Engine with sponsorship from Dave’s Towing, Antis Roadside Service and Towing and Hi-Way Automotive. ... The event was part of a doubleheader weekend for the UDLMCS tour at Ocala. Keith Nosbisch of Valrico, Fla., earned $5,000 for his Powell Memorial victory. ... The victory is Whitener’s second special-event win of the the season. He earned $3,800 on April 28 for winning the Scott Thompson Memorial at nearby East Bay Raceway Park in Gibsonton, Fla. ... The UDLMCS tour returns to action July 21 with a $3,000-to-win event at North Florida Speedway in Lake City.
Florida State Championship: (1) Mark Whitener, (2) Shan Smith, (3) Randy Weaver, (4) Jeff Mathews, (5) Tyler Ivey, (6) Devin Dixon, (7) Ryan Van Sickle, (8) Keith Nosbisch, (9) Barry Sheffield, (10) Jim Manka, (11) Christian Augspurger, (12) Kyle Van Sickle, (13) Andy Cobb, (14) Bo Allen, (15) Darrell Padgett, (16) Brett Carlton, (17) Brandon Cameron, (18) Chuck Chitty, (19) Win Ingersoll, (20) Brandon DeWitt, (21) Jason Fitzgerald, (22) Doug Watson, (23) Jason Burke, (24) Bubba Clem, (25) Jack Nosbisch, (26) Larry Anderson. Did not start: Justin McRee, Bryan Bernhardt. Fast qualifier: Dixon, 15.122 seconds.
