Steele dominates Sprint Car feature
Tampa resident Dave Steele won his fourth Southern Sprint Car Series race at Desoto Speedway this year on Saturday, the last appearance at the track by the series this year.
Steele dominated his heat race and the 30-lap, caution-free final to earn his 12th victory of the season and 98th of his career. While Steele dominated, Mickey Kempgens and Scott Adema jockeyed for position and held off challengers to finish second and third, respectively.
In other features Saturday, Donnie Ollie Jr. won the 30-lap Sportsman feature, holding off Brooke Storer and Tom Zimmerman. Storer and fourth-place finisher Roger Welch are tied for the season points lead with the season finale, a double-points, 50-lap feature, scheduled for Dec. 3. Venice’s Kenny Gibson picked up his third win of the season in the Street Stocks feature. Gibson held off Danny Caylor and Jeff Firestine.
Points leader Blaine Baer extended his points lead and claimed another checkered flag in the Pure Stocks. Logan Leonard finished second but was failed the postrace inspection handing second to Darrin Ellis and third to J.R. Fitch. Darrin Ellis captured another checkered flag in the Modified Minis, finishing ahead of Fred Paravicini and Dave Davis, both from Bradenton. Carl Thompson Jr. won the Bomber's feature over Stuart Vandevender and Doug Radley. Jimmy Wilkins captured another checkered flag for the T.Q. Midgets and Ren Wright Jr. won the final Mini Stock feature of the season. Cape Coral's Johnny Marra won his second consecutive Championship for the Mini Stock division.
Herald Staff Report
Desoto Speedway
Saturday’s results
Mini Stock: 1. Ren Wright; 2. Todd Wozniak; 3. Kyle Larsh; 4. Laura Mammina; 5. Adam Larsh; 6. Johnny Marra; 7. Krista Milthaler.
Modified Mini: 1. Darrin Ellis; 2. Fred Paravicini; 3. Dave Davis; 4. Rachelle Rudolph; 5. Brad Blanton; 6. Jimmy Frazier; 7. Scott Bumgarner; 8. Derek Lucas; 9. Jimmie Wood; 10. Ray Miller.
T.Q.Midgets: 1. Jimmy Wilkins; 2. Mike Nelson; 3. Stew Chamberlin; 4. Al Seitz
Pure Stock: 1. Blaine Baer; 2. Darrin Ellis; 3. JR Fitch; 4. Gerald Fossa; 5. Aaron Holmes; 6. Terry Price; 7. Sherry Best; 8. Roger Dufrense; 9. Brandon Dushscher.
Sprint Cars: 1. David Steele; 2. Mickey Kempkins; 3. Scott Adema; 4. Dude Teat; 5. John Inman; 6. Shane Butler; 7. Jason Kimball; 8. Sport Allen; 9. Johnny Gilbertson; 10. Clayton Donaldson; 11. Timmy Nichols; 12. Carlie Yent; 13. Rex Hollinger; 14. Mike Tharp; 15. Troy Thompson; 16. Gary Wiggins; 17. Travis Bliemeister; 18. Joey Auguilar
Street Stock: 1. Kenny Gibson; 2. Danny Caylor; 3. Jeff Firestine; 4. Bobby Huffstutler; 5. Dan Scott; 6. Jason Bartrum; 7. Donnie Powers; 8. Garrett Thompson; 9. Travis Barfield; 10. Kyle Best; 11. Mark Pickelsimer.
Bombers: 1. Carl Thompson; 2. Stuart Vandevender; 3. Doug Radley; 4. Randy Spicer; 5. Scott Castleberry; 6. Kenny Gibson.
Sportsnan: 1. Donnie Ollie Jr.; 2. Brooke Storer; 3. Tom Zimmerman; 4. Roger Welch; 5. Chad Allman; 6. Rick Reed.
This story was originally published November 6, 2016 at 11:09 PM with the headline "Steele dominates Sprint Car feature."