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Patrick Conrad has now put up a hat trick on the season in RE/MAX Legends Car racing at Orlando Speedworld and a familiar face was back in victory lane Saturday night in the special 50 lap race for the FASCAR Super Stocks.

Again, Patrick Conrad was on the front row of the RE/MAX Legends feature after winning his heat with second heat winner Sam Watts on the outside of the front row.

However, third starter Jeremy Colangelo got right on Conrad's tail at the start with Watts settling into third. At the beginning of lap two, Jarrad Cawley spun in turn one and was collected by Mike Verhaagh. Both cars were done for the night and it would be the only caution flag thrown in the 25 lap run.

Conrad led the entire distance but was hounded all the way by Colangelo who picked up second spot right on Conrad's bumper. Watts settled for third followed by Kory Abbott and A.J. Fulgenzi.

Bill Loomis and Rick Johns won the heat races for the Super Stocks with the top three finishers in each heat pulling their starting position from thermos jugs provided by Auto Parts of Taft.

Duane Freed ended up on the pole driving the car normally handled by Ron Edwards and he grabbed the early lead but held it for only three laps before Ron Whaley took over to lead laps four and five. Freed drove back to the point for laps six and seven until Whaley motored back out front on lap eight.

The first caution didn't come out until lap 16 when Loomis spun with some help from Corey Freed. Two laps after the restart, Brett Brown, who made the show thanks to Billy Cuddy loaning him the rear end from his race car, spun in turn four and was collected by Corey Freed who was trying to move up from the rear of the field. Brown continued but Freed pitted and lost several laps changing a flat tire.

Whaley continued to set the pace as the rest of the field jockeyed for position. James Adams stalled his new mount on lap 28 to bring out the caution and he was pushed to the infield. On the restart, the rear axle broke on Bob Beiler's car and he headed to the infield in a shower of sparks.

By this time, Whaley's car was smoking heavily under caution. His machine was checked and no leaks were found allowing him to stay at the point.

By lap 40, Rick Johns had moved the Andy Nichols Special into second place. Whaley's car began to slow with obvious problems and Johns scooted into the lead on lap 44. Brown spun with two laps to go to bring out the final caution flag giving Whaley one last shot at Johns.
However, Duane Freed zipped by Whaley for second place on the last lap as Johns cruised to the win.

Johns was very emotional in victory lane. The Orlando driver had taken the 2003 season off following the death of his son. "This one's for my son," said Johns. "Let everyone know that Rick Johns is back and ready to race in 2004," he said.

Duane Freed's second place finish was nullified in tech due to an illegal manifold. That moved Whaley up to second with Bill Loomis, Mike Hendrix and Brett Brown rounding out the top five.

The Bandelero Young Guns feature was a real crowd pleaser. Heat winner Scott Jarrett took the lead from the pole but was passed by Brandon Thomson on lap four.

Meanwhile, Chelsea Schillig had been working her way through the field and was running right behind Thomson when the chain broke on Thomson's car on lap nine. Schillig took over the lead and led the final three laps to claim her first Bandelero win. The 12 year old was all smiles in victory lane, and, of course, thanked her mom and dad for all their help. Derrick Wood came home second trailed by Scott Jarrett and his brother Matthew. Nik Wesenick took fifth.

The Bandelero Bandits also ran all the way under green with Gerald White, Jr. leading every lap for his second consecutive win. Chad Akins was second ahead of Josh Williams, Ryan Rust and Blake Eden.

The field of Hurricanes continues to grow and the four cylinder "grocery-getters" were a lot of fun to watch on this night.

"Raybo" has been racing at Speedworld for five years, and tonight he would collect his first ever win by leading the Hurricane feature all the way. Adam Soukup came home second followed by Michael Bass, Sly Cawley, and A.J.Flywheel who said he would have won had he not run out of cigarettes. Raybo also won the heat race.

Next week the Mod Lites and Pro Challenge cars join the RE/MAX Legends, Bandeleros and Hurricanes. Racing starts at 7PM and grandstand admission is just five dollars for adults with kid eleven and under free.

Legends Results -
Orlando Speedworld - 3/20/04

1. Patrick Conrad #2
2. Jeremy Colangelo #05
3. Sam Watts #73
4. Kory Abbott #5
5. A.J. Fulgenzi #33
6. Darin Coker #00
7. Jeff Deggeller #91
8. Bobby Byars #22A
9. Derrick Wood #33jr.
10. Mitch Verhaagh #9
11. Ricky Wood #21
12. Dion Hinsky #4
13. Bob Wilson #27W
14. Doug Hall #55
15. Jarrad Cawley #31
16. Mike Verhaagh #7

Reproduced with permission.