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The first leg of the Holeshot Engineering Last Chance Championship, a short winner-take-all points series at Sunshine Speedway, started Oct.9.
The four-week event will give drivers a final shot at bragging rights at the storied track, which is expected to close in November.
This year's points winners will not be eligible to capture the Championship title, said Sunshine co-promoter Frank Hill , but they are welcome to compete.
"They can win every (race) if they want to, but they can't be the final champion," Hill said.
"That's why we did it, for drivers that may not have raced much during the season or raced somewhere else, so they could come here for four weeks," he said.
One racer seeking to capitalize on the newly-leveled field is Rick Haugh , driver of the silver No.77 Outlaw Late Model.
After assuming second place in the season standings on the final night of competition, Haugh won the opening installation of the Championship by handily dispatching champ Robert Crisp (No.2) in a 20-lap feature.
With points champion Brian Lowe out of contention after one week, Haugh, 25, has a good chance of making a run for the Last Chance crown. Crisp, however, may prove his biggest obstacle.
"Before, Robert would kind of intimidate me because he was so much faster," Haugh said, "but not anymore.
"I'm a lot more confident now" than at the beginning of the year.
Figure 8 driver Darryl Hage also will make a push for points redemption. The driver of the Web Offset Printing No.8 machine narrowly lost the regular-season points battle to Wayne Calkins (No.14).
After placing third in his division feature, Hage had a plan.
"I'm going to give it all I got," Hage said, "pull some decent pills and just try to be consistent, try to finish in the top 5 - that's all I can do.
"I gave it everything I had for that championship last week," he said, "but I'm going to try to make it better for this championship - the last one at Sunshine."
James Poole , driver of the No.5 car, leads the Figure 8 standings.
Ralph Bowman , the 2003 Open Wheel Modified title winner, started strong in the Championship by taking second in a borrowed No.82 machine.
"The other car we sold," Bowman said. "Got short on money, and Tony Bennett was kind enough to loan us his car. We can't thank him enough."
Bowman plans to finish the Championship in the No.82. Consistency is the key to victory, he said.
"That's how we won the championship here last year, all top-5 finishes," Bowman said.
"You know, I only won two races last year. Maybe that'll be what it takes to win this."
The operator of the No.4 auto, Bobby Baldwin , heads the Modified class after one race.
OCT.9 NOTES: Haugh grabbed the victory in Outlaws. Crisp followed, and Pete Coon (No.27) was third.
Poole took the top spot in Figure 8s. Trailing were Jack Boswell (No.59) and Hage.
Baldwin finished first in Modifieds. Bowman and Chris Robbins (No.88) completed the top three.
Ron Davis II , pilot of the No.89 car, claimed victory in Street Stocks. Tom Emerson (No.73) and Robbie Hage (No.83) were second and third, respectively.
Past Mini Stock champ Macky Mongold posted the victory in the division's feature, driving No.17. Eric Cuchta (No.12) rolled across the line before third-place finisher Tom Zimmerman (No.0).
Brian Lawrance (No.01) took top honors in the Enduro class. Following were Peter Barr (No.81) and John Stewart (No.02).