Ray Sand, Jr. Wins 100th at New Smyrna Florida Speedweeks Event
New Smyrna Beach, FL – February 10, 2016…Ray Sand, Jr. of Rochester, NY made Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series, (SUPRS), history on Wednesday night when he won his 100th SUPRS feature on night three of Florida Speedweeks at New Smyrna Speedway Wednesday. Bob Gangwer and Rob Warren congratulated the history making Sand, Jr. from the podium, finishing second and third.
When the checkered flag dropped on the Rochester, NY racer, he won by over four seconds on the rest of the field and seemed surprised about his amazing accomplishment. “That’s awesome. 100 wins? Wow,” he stammered.
“I’ve done this 20o6 and I think I’m on the same computer even,” Sand, Jr. joked. He then elaborated, “At the end of the day it doesn’t matter how many wins I have because I am here to support the cause. I wear the SUPRS badge proudly on my racecars and I’m just glad to be a part of this whole deal.” Then Sand, Jr. added, “100 wins. Man that’s just awesome.”
Starting from outside row one, Sand, Jr. took off at the drop of the green and quickly put last year’s winner, Dave Brigandi, behind him. From that point on, the yellow and white number 18 SandmanRacing.com roadster was a blur between the New Smyrna walls and he became the third different Speedweeks winner in three races so far.
“The Sandman” was never worried about not winning. “We were hooked up I wasn’t in fear of losing the lead. I had a great start on Dave and I was ready to hit the hammer. I had no distractions from kids tonight and was just focused and now where we wanna be-victory lane.”
TAKE A LOOK AT SPEEDWEEKS POINTS
Last night’s winner at Black Creek Raceway, Bob Gangwer, finished second and said, “More than anything I want to say how happy I am for Ray to win his 100th. It’s simply incredible.”
“I had a really good car tonight, but man this joint is so fast and tough. There were some pretty scary moments with Dave and Rob and Steve and me all running together, but not scary bad, just crazy three-wide, white-knuckle scary fun,” said Gangwer.
Rob Warren hasn’t been off the podium yet during Speedweeks and had another very good run in the 1st to Finish Docks & Hoists machine. “That was a pretty crazy race. Congrats to Ray on his 100th win. That’s just astounding, just unheard of,” he stated.
“Rocket” Rob was once again in the middle of a dogfight with Steve Callahan and Dave Brigandi. “My race was exciting and not at all dull. At one point second through fifth were all nose to tail then a big shake up happened and I got through, but then Dave got back by, then Steve, then Bob and I was right back where I started. But it was a really fun night,” he said.
2014 New Smyrna winner Steve Callahan came home fourth and had a good time. “First off, big congrats to Ray on the win and his 100th checkered. That’s just an awesome job that’s why he’s the best,” he began.
“I had a lot of fun racing tonight. We were all in a big pack and it seemed like every time I tried to make a move or throw the car in there, something would happen and I’d lose momentum but I really had a great time racing with everyone out there. I wish I could make the rest of the shows,” Callahan explained.
While he had hoped to keep at least his streak of fourth place Speedweeks finishes going for 2016, Dave Brigandi, was not the least bit upset with his fifth place finish.
“I’m not disappointed at all. I had a good car, we had great racing out there tonight. Steve and I went at pretty hard again and everything was clean. Congratulations to Ray on his 100th win,” Brigandi said.
Jeff Bivens of Indian Land, SC made his SUPRS debut driving the Weber “Deuce”
NASCAR HeatFinder.net regular Jeff “Grumpy” Bivens of South Carolina made his first SUPRS start at a track that is notoriously tough and although he struggled with his wing supermodified début, he had fun nonetheless.
“Thank you all for letting me come in and get going on short notice,” expressed Bivens. “This was a fun mod to race and I’m going to come back and I’m going to bring my friend Rick next time.”
With very little track time prior to time trials, Bivens drove the Jeff Weber “Deuce” and found himself learning the supermodified ropes in a “trial by fire” thrash and said “I want to apologize to everyone that I caused to have accidents or scared them to death. If you look at all the black marks on the wall that was me.”
Even so all the SUPRS regulars were glad to have him onboard.
“Welcome to Jeff, I hope you can keep racing with us,” stated Dave Brigandi. Steve Callahan said, “I hope Jeff had a good time tonight, he did a great job out there.”
Ray Sand, Jr., who lapped Bivens several times on his way to winning declared, “Jeff did a great job tonight on a real tough track to lose your SUPRS virginity at.”
Bivens, Sand, Jr. and the rest of the SUPRS crew continue their quest for the 2016 Florida Speedweeks crown tomorrow evening at Sunrise Raceway where the racers will vie for first place in a 50 lap feature race at the slick egg-shaped track.
SUPRS has been to this track six times in the past for Speedweeks and each time there has been a different winner. In 2007 Adam Roper won his first SUPRS feature. In 2014, Kevin Timmins picked up his first ever SUPRS win on this wide 4/10 mile speedway. Rob Warren is the defending winner of the race.
Fans of supermodified racing and online sim racers alike can learn more about the Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series by visiting www.SUPRS.net, “Liking” SUPRS on Facebook, Circling SUPRS on Google+, Following @SUPRSOnline on Twitter, and Viewing SUPRS videos on YouTube.
SUPRS RACE RESULTS:
- Florida Speedweeks
- Race 3
- February 10, 2016
New Smyrna Speedway
Time Trials (showing car number, driver name, hometown, sponsors, lap 1, lap 2-best lap underlined)
- 18-Ray Sand, Jr.; Rochester, NY; SandmanRacing.com, The Tint Shop: 14.114, 14.094
- 35-Rob Warren; Pulaski, NY; 1st to Finish Docks & Hoists, Designs of Elegance: 14.108, 14.128
- 55-Steve Callahan; Cuyahoga Falls, OH; Exide Battery, CPR Motorsports: 14.194, 14.125
- 25-Bob Gangwer; Goshen, IN; Wing Side Up Enterprises, RW Woodworking 14.143, 14.126
- 52-Dave Brigandi; Syracuse, NY; Buffalo Bio-Diesel, Terry: 14.271, 14.254
- 07-Jeff Bivens; Indian Land, SC; Dunkin Donuts, Baskin Robins: 15.351, 15.046
Feature – 50 Laps (showing car number, driver, name, bonus, fastest lap, distance behind winner)
- 18-Ray Sand, Jr.; * ** | ! | 14.041
- 25-Bob Gangwer; 14.057 | +4.131
- 35-Rob Warren; 14.092 | +5.441
- 55-Steve Callahan; 14.121 | +9.023
- 52-Dave Brigandi; 14.099 | +9.382
- 07-Jeff Bivens; 14.137 | +10 Laps
Time of Race: 12:51.346
- * Denotes Lap Led
- ** Denotes Most Laps Led
- ! Denotes Fastest Lap of Race
