Night of SUPRS Firsts Capped Off by First Career Win by Nelson Rodrigues
February 9, 2017 – Maitland, FL…On beautiful Florida evening, inside a small stadium, Nelson Rodrigues of Stoneham, MA solidly established himself as a winner when he ran a near perfect race to knock down his first Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series, (SUPRS), feature on Night 4 of SUPRS Florida Speedweeks 2017 Thursday at Dodge Raceway Stadium.
Nelson Rodrigues won his first career SUPRS feature at Dodge Raceway Stadium. (SUPRS Victory Lane art by BreezeGraphics.com)
Kevin Timmins came home with a solid second place and Bob Gangwer was third.
“First of all I have to thank all you for letting me run with you. I’ve asked for tips to help set me up and everyone has been really helpful,” said the soft-spoken winner.
When asked what it meant to win his first SUPRS feature, the driver of the Star Speedway sponsored ride said, “This is a big, big win for me. I do a lot of sim racing, but this is a big one. This is just awesome, this is really great. I’m speechless, I just don’t know what to say.”
Who, Me Worry?
Rodrigues survived multiple restarts on the tight confines of Dodge Raceway Stadium and wasn’t too proud to admit he was very concerned each time he had to bring the field down for the green flag.
“I was so nervous, my right foot was shaking so bad on the accelerator on the restarts i was hoping i wouldn’t goose it and cause a crash,” he said. “It was nerve-racking to the end.
But it wasn’t just he restarts that had him worried, with little margin for error, but plenty of room for mistakes, he planned carefully how to get through the constant traffic as quickly as he could.
“I knew I had to run and hide as fast as I could because I knew how tough these guys are in traffic,” stated Rodrigues. “So when I got a little room I tried to time the traffic to get through it and I have to say thank you to the lapped cars, they moved over for me just like I try to do when I’m getting lapped.”
Drive Like the Breeze
As always, Kevin Timmins was as calm as it gets for a guy that just had his best finish of the season. “First off, congratulations to Nelson on his win,” said Timmins. “I know how good that feels. He ran a great race tonight.”
Nerves were just as much of an issue for Timmins as they were for Rodrigues, but the BreezeGraphics.com owner kept on digging even when it looked like his night might be over.
“I was nervous starting on the pole but I got off to a good start until I got loose and had to gather it up so that dropped me back, but I kept going,” shared Timmins.
“Then that big deal happened and I picked up a few more spots. I just kept running strong and was able to get by Bob when he got squirrely, but I don’t think I would have had anything for him or Nelson.
“I thought I had a top 3 car and that’s where I ended up so yeah, I’m pretty happy this feels like a win and I feel like going to Nelson’s house and having a beer with him to celebrate.”
All About Them
Third place finisher, Bob Gangwer was standing on the podium for the third time during Speedweeks, but was more excited about the win by Rodrigues and the finish by Timmins than his own race.
“Wow, what a night,” he exclaimed. “How about that rookie? I’m so happy for him to win and for KT to come home second. That’s wicked cool to have different guys have good runs. For me, that’s a lot more important that having a top three.
“I’m happy to be standing on the same podium with those guys,” Gangwer said. “We need more like those two to join our family here at SUPRS. They epitomize what it means to be a SUPRS Member-humble in victory and gracious in defeat.”
First Time for Everything
While the win made Rodrigues the fourth different winner of the week, he became the 23rd different driver to win a Speedweeks feature. Doing so also made him the fourth, driver to win their first SUPRS feature at a Speedweeks race.
Rodrigues set his first SUPRS fast time when clicked off a 10.854lap, then led his first SUPRS feature laps on his way to victory.
The win marks the first time that the new Allegresso chassis for rFactor has won a race, to which Rodrigues said, “These Allegresso chassis’ are just awesome.”
Overall, it was the first time that SUPRS has ever raced at this venue, the first time SUPRS has run inside of a stadium, and naturally the first time Dodge Raceway has ever been on the Speedweeks schedule.
Speedweeks Championship Down to the Wire
An ultra competitive week has left the chase for the overall Florida Speedweeks Championship wide-open going into the fifth and last night on Friday.
Joe Achzet has dropped from the top to third after he did not finish at Dodge, but he is one of four drivers with a shot at the five-pound bag of oranges that goes to the Speedweeks Champion.
Tied with Achzet is Chad Phelps at 255 points, while Keith Powell is just five points in front of those two and new Speedweeks leader, Bob Gangwer is just 15 markers to the good with 270 points.
THE SPEEDWEEKS POINTS ARE CLOSE!
Final Night for Florida Fun
The last night of SUPRS Florida Speedweeks 2017 takes place at USA International Speedway tomorrow night February 10.
Ray Sand, Jr. has won the last three races at the track that has hosted a SUPRS Florida Speedweeks race every year the swing has run.
Even with SUPRS Florida Speedweeks 2017 winding to a close tomorrow night at USA International Speedway, fans can get one more Florida fix by following along with SUPRS LIVE! on race night. Keep up with your favorite SUPRS racer in an instant by visiting www.SUPRS.net/site/live.
Systems checks begin at 7:00pm, with Practice starting at 8:00pm. Time Trials are at 8:15pm followed by Racing at 9:00pm.
Learn more about supermodified racing and online supermodified sim racing 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:
- SUPRS Florida Speedweeks Night 4
- Race 24 of 42
- Thursday, February 9, 2017
- SUPRS rFactor W v7.1 mod
- Dodge Raceway Stadium
- 50 laps
Time Trials (showing car number, driver name, hometown, sponsors, lap 1, lap 2-best lap underlined)
- 7-Nelson Rodrigues; Stoneham, MA; Star Speedway: 11.072, 10.854
- 35-Rob Warren; Pulaski, NY; 1st to Finish Docks & Hoists, Designs of Elegance: 11.016, 11.145
- 14-Joe Achzet; Yorkville, NY; Cottontail Designs, GraphX: 11.157, 11.017
- 41-Keith Powell; Carrollton, OH; Icings on Top, CPR Motorsports: 11.150, 11.305
- 25-Bob Gangwer; Goshen, IN; Wing Side Up Enterprises, RW Woodworking 11.177, 11.276
- 77-Kevin Timmins; Baldwinsville, NY; BreezeGraphics.com, Wesley Motorsports: 11.471, 11.250
- 38-Kyle Clark; Mexico, NY; Coors’ Light, Disturbed Motorsports: 11.518, 11.401
- 9-Domenic Gioia; Oswego, NY; Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer, Team Domination Motorsports: 11.820, 11.403
- 52-Dave Brigandi; Syracuse, NY; Brigandi Carpet and Tile, Terry: 11.712, 11.504
- X-Chad Phelps; New Haven, NY; Haun Welding Supply, Disturbed Motorsports: 11.841, 11.578
- 42-Carl Becker; Lansing, MI; Wholesale Diamond Exchange, Michigan Hill Gang: 12.425, 12.281
Feature 50 Laps (showing car number, driver name, sponsors, bonus, starting position, fastest lap, distance behind winner)
- 7-Nelson Rodrigues: ! | * | ** | P3 | 10.865
- 77-Kevin Timmins: * | P1 | 11.176 | +1.622
- 25-Bob Gangwer: P5| 10.904 | +3.705
- X-Chad Phelps: P10 | 11.289 | +6.313
- 38-Kyle Clark: P2 | 11.162| +9.452
- 41-Keith Powell: * | P7 | 11.173 | +1 Lap
- 35-Rob Warren: * | P8 | 11.018 |+ 1 Lap
- 52-Dave Brigandi: P9 | 11.709 | +3 Laps
- 42-Carl Becker: P11 | 11.718 | +4 Laps
- 14-Joe Achzet: P7 | 11.314 | DNF (Black Flag-Spin Rule)
- 9-Domenic Gioia: P4 | 11.530 | DNF (Accident)
Time of Race: 22:17.422
- * Denotes Lap Led
- ** Denotes Most Laps Led
- ! Denotes Fastest Lap of Race
