Double points put Mongold on move to victory

By BOB BOYLE

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 19, 2000

Largo's Macky Mongold, the 1998 Mini Stock champion, isn't really running for points this year at Sunshine Speedway, but the opportunity and the challenge of picking up double points Saturday night was just too much to resist.

"No, I'm not running for the points (championship)," Mongold confirmed. "But tonight, with double points on the line, everybody wanted to win, so I just wanted to win and get the double points, but I'm not running for points."

Instead of being behind the wheel of his usual No. 22, Mongold drove his daughter Michelle's No. 00 again just to make sure the car was properly dialed in before he turned it back over to her. It was.

Mongold started seventh in the field of 24. By Lap 11, he had moved into third, and took the lead two laps later. But it wasn't over.

From the time Mongold began his move to the front, the No. 70 of Marty Neikens of St. Petersburg, who started two spots back in ninth, must have been clearly visible in his rearview mirror -- one car back most of the time.

After a restart on Lap 17, Neikens started to make his move. Coming out of Turn 2, he said he was bumped from the back, which caused him to do the same to Mongold. To avoid turning Mongold around, Neikens hesitated briefly before firing again. By that time he had lost his momentum and any chance of passing Mongold. He settled for second, and No. 40 Dennis Valdez of Tampa collected third.

"It was fun," Neikens said after his strong showing in a car purchased from James Glover. "It was more fun than the old days (when he wasn't as competitive). It's more fun when you're more competitive."

Mongold said he has gained a new perspective on life and racing since the death of his mother Wanda on Jan. 9.

"I was spending a lot of time going back and forth to Ohio to visit my mother before she died," Mongold explained. "I wouldn't trade anything for that time. You really don't talk about important stuff with your parents until you know there's not much time."

Points are not the No. 1 priority in life.

NOTES: Late Models are Sunshine's top and fastest class, but their numbers are dwindling and that's disappointing. Saturday, only nine were on hand for the feature.

Despite what he says, No. 22 Sammy "I'm not running for points this year" Coghill of Largo, who has won the Late Model championship the past three seasons, continues to build his points lead and still has not missed a feature race in 2000. With double points on the line Saturday, Coghill started third in the field of nine and won. Billy "The Kid" Mowery, No. 73 of Clearwater, was second and No. 82 Den Neighbor Jr. of Clearwater picked up third.

The honors for the most dramatic wreck Saturday night belonged to No. 88 Open Wheel Modified driver Chris Robbins of Indian Rocks Beach. Coming out of Turn 4 on Lap 7, Robbins was running door-to-door with No. 30 Tom White of Tampa with White on the outside. It appeared they were a little too close and locked together. When they separated, Robbins went airborne and up against the front grandstand wall, flipped and slid on his hood toward the wall at Turn 1. Fortunately, he was not seriously injured.

In the Modified feature, No. 99 Roger Stull of St. Petersburg had little competition until Lap 15, when former class champion No. 41 Luke Hill of Safety Harbor began to close the gap. After a restart on Lap 17, Stull was successful in holding off the No. 41 for the win while No. 5 Ron Campbell of St. Petersburg finished third.

Donnie Thomas, No. 31 of Pinellas Park, opened a huge lead during the first four laps of the Figure 8 race. However, the red flag came out and stopped the race on Lap 4 after officials spotted a muffler on the track, which I believe fell off Thomas' car.

It made no difference. When the green flag flew again, Thomas put about a third of a track's distance between himself and the field, then seemed to take it easy as he maintained that space until the checkered flag. No. 17 Bobby Moctezuma of Largo was closest and No. 8 Ron Campbell was next.

In the Street Stock feature, No. 00 Pat Grimes of Seminole and No. 4 Jason Graham of Pinellas Park deserted the group and went off to race on their own -- in front. Grimes was successful in holding off Graham until a restart on Lap 18. By the next lap, Graham grabbed the inside and edged Grimes for the win. No. 98 Roger Welch of St. Petersburg was third.

Harold Ashley, No. 27, won the first of two Enduro features and No. 28 Pete Cracolici prevailed in the second.

Sunshine will soon have a new racing class. Promoters Bonnie and Frank Hill announced the first race for the Hornet class will be June 24. The number of cars that sign up will determine how often it is scheduled thereafter.

Drivers must be between 16 and 19 years old and will earn no points or money, but will get a nice big trophy. Cars can be any four-cylinder, completely stock model with a wheelbase of 103 inches. One rule that should appeal to teenage drivers is that the car radio and speakers must remain intact and in working condition. For a complete set of rules, contact the speedway at (727) 573-4598.

Frank Hill has another strange idea: a bathtub race on Sept. 30. The plan is to take a steel or cast iron tub, build something like a car around it, add the wheels, and power it with a 5-horsepower engine so it's sort of like a strange-looking go-kart. Call the track for a full set of rules.

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