JRL: Oliver And Ramsden Kick Off The Season In Style At Daytona
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- JustRacin League
The JustRacin League got off to its now traditional rough start this week at the Daytona International Speedway with big wrecks and wild finishes all around. The off season saw an overhaul of the rules system, as well as a new format for both the Stock fixed setup division and the Modified open setup division. Both divisions now employ an incident fine system similar to that used in the VRW, including a review committee made up of the JRL administrators as well as 3 guest reviewers each week.
Also new this year is a qualifying system to insure that no more then 32 drivers will start any race. The system includes provisionals if necessary to insure that those who race with us each week will have a spot in the field.
With the new rules set in place the 16 race schedule kicked off with the Stock division tackling the Daytona high banks first on Tuesday. Kevin King took the first pole of the season in a typically tight field of 32 starters. This race saw 10 caution flags fly and 27 of the 80 laps where run under the yellow. At least two major wrecks damaged large portions of the field, no doubt testing the bank accounts of many drivers when the fines are handed out.
After the smoke had cleared the field was set for a 3 lap shoot out to determine the winner just like the big boys last week. Tom Oliver held of a hard late race charge by Erick Thomas to win the inaugural event for the JRL 2002 season by 1/100th of a second followed closely to the line by Tracy Dean, David Brown, and Bob Fellenbaum.
The Modified division set off in style for the 2002 season as CW Webster took the pole in the 100 lap event. Considerably calmer then the Stock boys, only 7 caution flags flew for 18 laps in this one. Nobody is immune at the plate tracks though, and this race saw a few major incidents and a lot of crumpled sheet metal at the end of the day.
In another breath-taking finish Mike Ramsden got by Jeff Shell late in the race to take the checkers and win the JRL Daytona 250. Jeff Weltz, Chad Rogers, and Tom Robbio rounded out the top 5, all happy to have made it through the race no doubt.
So the season is off and running for the JustRacin League in 2002, and everybody made it out of Daytona safe and sound. Now we look forward to throwing the plates off and heading for "the Rock" with an extra 300 horses under the hood. The Stock and Modified division will hit the one mile track next week for the North Carolina 160 and 200 respectively. So wish us luck!