Trackside Now: 2008 Speedfest at Lakeland's USA Int'l Speedway - Friday (part one)
The Action Heats up at Lakeland for the Super Late Models and Crate Late Models
Speedfest
Super Late Models
Crate Late Models
Jan 24th - Jan 26th
USA International Speedway
Lakeland, Florida
Click Here for Thursday's Tracskide Now Coverage
It's Qualifying Race Time! Check out all the action on Trackside Now. Continued on to the next live update page by clicking here
Friday, 7:22pm ET – Tonight's two 25-lappers for the Crate Late Models will kick off at 8pm
Friday, 7:22pm ET – Eddie Hoffman has had plenty to smile about so far this weekend and was grinning ear to ear after taking fast-time in Crate Late Model qualifying for the Northern cars. 1) Eddie Hoffman 2) Sean Murphy 3) Kris Stump 4) Jimmy Lang 5) Beau Slocumb (one lap)
Friday, 7:15pm ET – Travis Cope turned in the quickest lap during Southern Crate Late Model time trials. 1) Travis Cope 2) Wayne Morris 3) Chris Fontaine 4) Travis Wilson 5) Michael Pilla
Friday, 6:55pm ET – Drama on pit road. A large crowd has gathered just behind the pit wall. The NOS Energy Drink #51 team is thrashing to change the engine in the Kyle Busch ride. It's quite a scene from up here and our Steven Neely is down in the middle of the action.
Friday, 6:25pm ET – Drew Brannon, who has been one of the fastest Crate Late Model drivers so far during Speedfest, has hit the wall and has some extensive damage on his #108. Brannon lost it when he got in the gas coming to the green flag for the first of his two qualifying laps. He slid and slammed the inside pit wall coming to a rest in turn number-one.
Friday, 6:30pm ET – Six cars will move to the rear of the field for tonight's Northern Super Late Model 100 lap qualifying race. Mike Rowe, David Stremme, Shane Sawyer, Jason Shively, Kyle Busch and Hunter Robbins have all decided to work on their racecars after time-trials. Because of that they will have to start tonight's 100-lapper from the rear.
Friday, 6:25pm ET – ASA Crate Late Model time trials are underway at Lakeland.
Friday, 6:18pm ET – Augie Grill kept the momentum rolling after his big Snowball Derby win at then end of 2007, by grabbing the top-spot in Northern Super Late Model qualifying. Northern qualifying consisted of all non-Florida competitors.
1) Augie Grill 2) Eddie Hoffman 3) Stanley Smith 4) Ben Rowe 5) Corey Williams
Friday, 5:40pm ET – Jeff Choquette topped the Southern Super Late Model qualifying, which consisted of all the Florida drivers of Speedfest.
1) Choquette 2) Justin Drawdy 3) Travis Cope 4) Wayne Anderson 5) Scotty Crockett
Friday, 4:30pm ET – Time Trial qualifying is up next for the Super Late Models. Southern cars go first and then the northern group. Speed51.com will be down in the trenches for the qual sessions but will return after they are complete to bring you the speeds that will line-up tonight's qualifying races.
Friday, 4:20pm ET – Some quick Driver Notes.... Kyle Busch is not very happy with his NOS Energy Drink #51. Although the NASCAR star has been up in the top-five in speeds consistently throughout practice, he tells Speed51.com that where the car is good in speed, it's not handling up to par.
Hunter Robbins is satisfied with his car although he admitted it was a little tight in the center of the corner. They are going to make small adjustments in fear of freeing the car up too much.
Jeremy Colangelo is just trying to get himself used to driving a Super Late Model. He has been fast so far, but it is only his first time behind the wheel of a Super.
Tim Russell and Wayne Anderson are extremely happy with their racecars.
Friday, 4:10pm ET – Beau Slocumb was the fastest in ASA Crate Late Model final practice. Sean Murphy, who had replaced a bunch of stuff including fuel lines on his #32 was second. 1) Beau Slocumb 2) Sean Murphy 3) Kris Stump 4) Travis Wilson 5) Drew Brannon
Friday, 4:00pm ET – All practices are complete for the day. Next up is qualifying at 5pm. Speed51 is talking to a some drivers in the pit area and will give a report soon as well as posting speeds for final Crate Late Model practice.
Friday, 3:55pm ET – Travis Cope is fast in both his Crate Late Model and Super Late Model. He bested Crate practice #2 and followed that up with quick time in Super Late Model practice #3. Justin Larson had that brake rotor come off but was still up on the charts as well. 1) Travis Cope 2) Justin Larson 3) Ryan Seig 4) John Wes Townley 5) Ben Rowe
Friday, 3:50pm ET – Jeff Scofield told Speed51.com's Steven Neely that it was indeed an engine blown on his #07 Super Late Model. Instead of racing the backup they decided to swich engines.
Friday, 3:45pm ET – Kyle Maynard made slight contact with the wall on the frontstretch bringing out a caution in Crate Late Model practice.
Friday, 3:40pm ET – Super Lates are done with round-three and the Crate Late Models are hitting the track again.
Friday, 3:30pm ET – Justin Larson, who was fastest in the second round of practice was just pushed in by the tow truck. The yellow came out when a brake rotor came off of the #88 Skinner Nurseries car.
Friday, 3:28pm ET – Florida driver Scotty Crockett has been fast today. So fast, he almost couldn't slow down, literally. Actually the brakes went out on his #28 car and he had to sail the car up the banking and save it. The problemm is fixed and Crockett is back on track.
Friday, 3:25pm ET – Travis Cope topped the ASA Crate Late Model field in the second practice of the day. 1) Travis Cope 2) Beau Slocumb 3) Kris Stump 4) Drew Brannon 5) Jimmy Lang
Friday, 3:20pm ET – The second round of practice is over for the Crate Late Models. The Super Late Models are now on the track.
Friday, 3:10pm ET – Justin Larson led the way in Super Late Model practice number two. 1) Justin Larson 2) Kyle Busch 3) Jeremy Colangelo 4) Scotty Crockett 5) Ryan Lawler
Friday, 2:40pm ET – Patrick Staropoli is on track right now. Staropoli had carbeurator issues all day on Thursday and now has the problem figured out and are playing catch-up on getting vaulable track time today in his Crate Late Model #97.
Friday, 2:35pm ET – It's the ASA Crate Late Model's turn to hit the track as the Super Late Models pull in to the pits. Jimmy Lang, Wayne Morris, Travis Wilson, Kevin Macy and Austin Siebert are the first five cars on the track.
Friday, 2:30pm ET – Jeff Scofield's #07 is not on the track but up on jackstands on pit road. Speed51.com will try and find out more on the issue. The team has rolled out the backup and are using it apparently as a parts car to fix the primary.
Friday, 2:20pm ET – NASCAR star David Stremme has spun on the backstretch with no damage. Stremme has pulled his #35 on pit road. Stremme's crew have gone to work to make adjustments. (Editors Note: We originally had it that Richie Wauters and the crew were working on the car. Wauters is not working on Stremme's car, but was over there helping out. Thanks Kyle!)
Friday, 2:15pm ET – Eddie Hoffman was the quickest of the Crate Late Models in the first practice. 1) Eddie Hoffman 2) Beau Slocumb 3) DJ Shaw 4) Travis Wilson 5) Chris Fontaine
Friday, 2:10pm ET – Florida Super Late Model driver Robert Yoho, who was a new arrival at Speedfest this morning, has stopped on the backstretch to bring out the yellow.
Friday, 2:05pm ET – Super Late Models return to the track for their second practice session. John Wes Townley, Scotty Crockett, Jason Shively, Jeff Fultz and Joe Boyd hit the track first.
Friday, 2:00pm ET – Speeds are in and Jeff Choquette leads the way so far on Friday in Super Late Model practice. 1) Jeff Choquette 2) Scotty Crockett 3) Augie Grill 4) Kyle Busch 5) Travis Cope
Friday, 1:55pm ET – After a brief debris caution, Michael Pilla has brought out another caution in the first Crate Late Model session by spinning his #24 in nearly the same spot as Cope spun his racecar.
Friday, 1:45pm ET – First spin of the weekend, it's double-duty driver Travis Cope who loops it coming out of turn-four on the frontstretch. Luckily for Cope, he didn't hit anything.
Friday, 1:42pm ET – Short Track Legend Butch Miller is at Lakeland helping out Sean Murphy and the SS Racing Crate Late Model effort. Deon Deneau, fresh off being named ASA Crew Chief of the Year, says their driver has been shaking off the off-season rust but improved during the limited amount of practice during yesterday's rain-shortended day.
Friday, 1:40pm ET – Crate Late Model practice hits the track for their first 30-minute session. Chris Fontaine, Beau Slocumb, Wayne Morris, Drew Brannon, and Travis Wilson are the first five cars to roll out.
Friday, 1:25pm ET – Yellow Flag. David Stremme is smoking and the crew is going under the hood. Officials threw the yellow but have now been informed by the team that it was just a big tire rub.
Friday, 1:15pm ET – A few drivers are pulling double-duty running both the Super Late Model and Crate Late Model races at Speedfest. Florida driver Travis Cope's Super Late Model has a white and black two-tone scheme, while his Crate-car is all black. Meanwhile, DJ Shaw, son of New England racer Dale Shaw, is doing the double-dip at Speedfest in two identical looking green and black #60 cars. Illinois driver Eddie Hoffman is the third driver runnig both events and should be a favorite for the win in both races.
Two cars but not both races... Jeremy Colangelo, Tim Russell and Perry Brown have two Super Late Models unloaded from their trailers and through tech.
Friday, 1:00pm ET – New England veteran Mike Rowe was seen putting a cool box in his car before practice. When Speed51.com asked him why he needed that on such a cool day, he replied "I guy my age needs everything I can get!" Rowe also joked that the cooler-like box had snacks and sandwiches in case he got hungry during practice.
Friday, 1:00pm ET – Super Late Models are on-track for todays first practice. Corey Williams, Jeff Fultz, Brian Finney, Justin Drawdy and Jeff Scofield are the first five cars that pulled out onto the racing surface for the session
Friday, 11:20am ET – Speed51.com is going to hit the pits and the drivers' meeting. We'll be back for practice with all the scoop.
Friday, 11:00am ET – Today Super Late Models and Crate Late Models will practice and qualify. They will then run qualifying races, one designated for "North" cars and one for "South" cars. In both divisions, the designation will be that South cars are all cars from Florida. North cars are all the rest.
Friday, 10:50am ET – It's a beautiful day with a clear blue sky at USA International Speedway for Speedfest 2008. The temperature is considerably cooler than yesterday with the high today only supposed to be reacing 60-degrees.
FRIDAY'S TRACK SCHEDULE
9:00 AM Registration and Pit Sign-In
9:30 AM Pit Gate Opens – Hauler Parking – Mandatory Tech Inspection for Crate Late Models
12:00 Noon Drivers Meeting
12:30 PM Safety Meeting
1:00 PM Grandstands Open
Practice by Divisions (Rotation 35 min. SLM / 25 min. LM)
4:00 PM Practice Ends
5:00 PM Qualify Super Late Models - (South then North - all cars held in impound)
6:15 PM Qualify Crate Late Models – (South then North - all cars held in impound)
7:30 PM Pre-Race Ceremonies
8:00 PM South ASA Crate Late Model 25
North ASA Crate Late Model 25
South Super Late Model 100
North Super Late Model 100
Last night's rain brought in cool weather, but that's ok. The blue-sky setting has everyone in Lakeland in a good mood. (51Photo)
Corey Williams was the first car out on the track for Friday Super Late Model practice. (51Photo)
David Stremme's team gets the #35 back out on track after apparently running a pretty soft-sefup. The tire smoke caught the officials attention, who thought the smoke was more. (51Photo)
Eddie Hoffman's #8 (51/Jamie Williams Photo)
#47 Corey Williams races #70 Jeff Choquette. (51/Jamie Williams Photo)
Travis Cope spun in Crate Late Model practice but has been super fast all day in both cars. (51/Jamie Williams Photo)
Robert Yoho has to woe down his #00 and makes a spectacular save. (51/Jamie Williams Photo)
The fans at Lakeland get around in style. (51/Jamie Williams Photo)
Justin Larson has been one of the strongest Super Late Models this weekend. (51/Jamie Williams Photo)
Travis Cope may be young but he's been whoopin' up on some Super Late Models. (51/Jamie Williams Photo)
Kyle Busch's #51 side by side with SLM first-timer Jeremy Colangelo. (51/Jamie Williams Photo)
Off-season? The off-season didn't stop Augie Grill's momentum. (51/Jamie Williams Photo)
Hunter Robbins is one of several drivers that chose to work in their cars and start in the rear for Friday night's 100-lap qualifier (51Photo)
Jeff Choquette hasn't been flashy at Speedfest but he has sure been fast! (51/Jamie Williams Photo)
David Stremme (left) helps out while Kyle Busch, standing inside the fender well, work to change an engine on the #51. (51/Jamie Williams Photo)
