Bob Gangwer Goes Wire to Wire to Win Night 2 of SUPRS Florida Speedweeks
Enterprise, FL – February 9, 2016… The Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series, (SUPRS), completed the second night of the Florida Speedweeks and Bob Gangwer of Goshen, IN led all 25 laps on his way to sitting in the Black Creek Raceway Victory Lane Tuesday night. Rob Warren and Steve Callahan stood on the podium with Gangwer.
Bob Gangwer picked up his third career win at Black Creek on night 2 of the SUPRS 2016 Florida Speedweeks.
“I think that’s one of the best cars I’ve ever had in the nine years we’ve run this track as part of Speedweeks,” said Gangwer after the win.
The winner then added, “I want to take a moment to just say I’m thinking about the Martel family. They just lost Barb and that family have all been friends to me through the years.”
Starting from the outside of the first row, Gangwer had a tremendous start and left pole sitter Dave Brigandi behind. Rob Warren quickly moved past Brigand as well and into second position.
“The start of the race was really cool,” Warren began. “The 25 got the jump on the outside and I was on the outside trying to follow him through but there wasn’t room, so I jumped to the inside in turn one under Dave and then had to whoa it up. I saw the 18 on the outside then all of a sudden I saw the 55. It was crazy.”
Warren eventually put Brigandi behind him exiting turn four on the next lap and set his sights on the leader. “I took off after Bob and I’d gain a tenth, then I’d lose a tenth. I could see that maybe I was better in turn one, but he was better in turn four,” he said.
Third place finisher Steve Callahan made his first appearance of the 2016 SUPRS Florida Speedweeks and was pleased with his race saying “Congrats to Bobby he just took off and hid. I made a little change before the feature, the car was awesome.”
SEE THE 2016 FLORIDA SPEEDWEEKS GALLERY
All Callahan needed was a little more room and the outcome of the race may have been a lot different for the driver that has always struggled at Black Creek. “For me, this is a track that I’ve never really done well at, but tonight I was lifting trying not to run people over the first couple laps.”
Callahan found that room on lap eight. “Dave and Ray were side by side and I guess they poked a hole in the air and I got a huge pull off of them so I threw it into turn one and they pushed up just a little and I got under them. Like I said, this was the best the car’s ever been for me tonight. I just had a blast out there tonight,” concluded Callahan.
Fourth place finisher Dave Brigandi may have had the most interesting race of the night. Swapping positions with Ray Sand, Jr. no less than five times over the course of the race, Brigandi stated, “That was exciting and scary when Steve pulled that move down in one. I closed my eyes. That battle back and forth with Ray was a blast.”
Last night’s winner Ray Sand, Jr. came back from a DNF at this race last year and battled with Brigandi most of the race ending up in fifth. He said, “I had some fun tonight with Dave and me running our tails off.”
Rob Warren set fast time with a very quick 17.159 second lap in Time Trials. He then ran a 17.112 during the race that took just over seven minutes to run.
Race three of the five night SUPRS Florida Speedweeks takes place tomorrow evening at the lightning quick New Smyrna Speedway with a 50 lap feature race on the 1/2 mile track.
For the last two years a new a track record has been set at this track. Currently, Myles Maxon’s lap of 14.042 is the mark to beat. Dave Brigandi picked up the first Gold Crest win of his career last year here.
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 2
- February 9, 2016
Black Creek Raceway
Time Trials (showing car number, driver name, hometown, sponsors, lap 1, lap 2-best lap underlined)
- 35-Rob Warren; Pulaski, NY; 1st to Finish Docks & Hoists, Designs of Elegance: 17.184, 17.159
- 25-Bob Gangwer; Goshen, IN; Wing Side Up Enterprises, RW Woodworking: 17.218, 17.176
- 55-Steve Callahan; Cuyahoga Falls, OH; Exide Battery, CPR Motorsports: 17.279, 17.207
- 18-Ray Sand, Jr.; Rochester, NY; SandmanRacing.com: 17.186, 17.386
- 52-Dave Brigandi; Syracuse, NY; Buffalo Bio-Diesel, Terry: 17.303, 17.518
Feature – 25 Laps (showing car number, driver, name, bonus, fastest lap, distance behind winner)
- 25-Bob Gangwer; * ** |17.153
- 35-Rob Warren; ! | 17.112 | +0.987
- 55-Steve Callahan; 17.125 | +3.814
- 52-Dave Brigandi; 17.259 | +8.372
- 18-Ray Sand, Jr.; 17.291 | +9.184
Time of Race: 07:49.153
- * Denotes Lap Led
- ** Denotes Most Laps Led
- ! Denotes Fastest Lap of Race
