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ERIC GOODALE
WINS THE JB III 76 MEMORIAL RACE AT NEW SMYRNA
Goodale Captures Second JBIII Memorial Race in a Row
by
Denise DuPont |
In
August 2007, John Blewett, III succumbed to race
injuries while competing in the NASCAR Modified
Touring division at Thompson Speedway Motorsports
Park. For many years Blewett competed and winning
races at New Smyrna Speedway. This year is the ninth
memorial race run in honor of Blewett.
When the green flag flew, Ryan Preece from Berlin,
CT quickly took the Eddie Partridge #6 modified from
second to the front of the pack. But on lap 4 Eric
Goodale of Riverhead, NY, in the Edgar Goodale owned
#58 modified took the lead. Goodale and Preece
continued to swap the lead for about 15 laps until
the two dropped back a few positions settled in and
just raced around to conserve equipment. Jimmy
Zacharias, Etienne Cliché, and Austin Pickens all
took their turn at leading as the 76 lap race
continued.
On
lap 51, Goodale made his moved and passed modified
rookie Austin Pickens from Daytona Beach, to take
the lead in his Goodie Motorsports modified. On that
same lap the caution was brought out when Preece
spun to avoid making contact with Pickens who had
drifted up the track in front of him. After the
incident Goodale went forward to dominate the end of
the race. He crossed the finish line first to take
down the win followed by Preece, Bonsignore,
Zacharias and Hossfeld for the top five.
This was back to back JBIII Memorial victories for
car owner Edgar Goodale and the Goodie Motorsports/
YA YA’s Beachside Bar/Riverhead Building Supply
sponsored team.” When we first went modified racing
we were racing against John Blewett,” stated Edgar
Goodale. “We were also there, unfortunately, during
the time of his tragic death. We really cut our
teeth racing modifieds with my son Kevin racing
against John. Now John’s spotter is our spotter.
This race means an awful lot to him and we do like
to win it for him. He is an important part of our
team and we know this race is important to him. So
it is really good to win the race for our spotter,
now making it two years in a row.”
On the first night of modified competition at New
Smyrna Speedway Goodale pulled his car behind the
wall very early in the feature event. His car had
clutch issues that impacted his racing. “It felt
extra good tonight to win especially after last
night’s debacle with our clutch and not even getting
to race. More than anything to win the race in honor
of John (Blewett) is always uplifting. It makes you
feel so good. We have guys on my team that were
really close to him and I know that it is extra
special for them. This one is always on the list to
get down under our belt when we come down here.”
Goodale
started the race sixth and wasted no time getting to
the lead position. With 76 laps to race he knew that
he had to save something for race end so he dropped
back and drove at a steady pace once he reached the
top five. He hung out there until it was time to
race for the win. “I know that Justin and Ryan are
very smart racers, I knew I was conserving and I
knew they were too.” So Goodale was concerned when
the caution flag flew on lap 66 knowing that
Bonsignore and Preece were right behind him.
“Obviously I did not want to see that caution there
with ten to go.”
“At the end of the day I thought that we had a
better car. We showed all through practice and then
qualifying that we had a really fast car,” confessed
Goodale. “I think that I was just able to conserve
more and to have a little bit left there for the
closing laps. A repeat win sure feels good and if
there is any race that I want a repeat win on it is
this one.” So with one win for the Goodie machine in
the books the team will do their homework and see if
they can also bring home the “Richie Evans 100
Memorial win on this Friday night.
Preece completed the second night of competition
second – making it two runner up finishes in a row.
Preece was right there at the race start and there
at the end but again just one notch short of what
was needed for the win. “When we were racing green
laps that car was going really good, as a matter of
fact it was too good so that I was afraid that it
was neutral. Then with about 35 laps to go the car
just really tightened up. I was really surprised.
Now we have found our happy medium. Yesterday we
were tight and now we know what we need for tomorrow
night. I gave it all I had at the end and I knew
Eric was too. We will just fine tune it a little bit
and we are getting closer and closer. So tomorrow
night we have a good 35 lap setup we are going to
put in and we have a pretty good idea of what we
need for the 100 lapper. We have plenty of nights to
go here.” So we will see what the #6 team will bring
to the track for the short 35 lap shoot out on
Thursday.
Once
again the #51 3M sponsored race team had a front
running car. Bonsignore finished with a solid third
place finish as the team continues to dial in the
car and test their setups. “With all the changes
that we have made, we are continuing to learn here.”
Expressed Bonsignore after the race. “It was good
testing tonight but we were just a little off to
beat Eric to the line. We tried to get him on that
last restart but he did everything that he had to do
to hold me off. I think that our setup is just a
little off for contending with these guys. But I
think that we can get one before the week is over
because we are so close. I just want to win that
Blewett race yet because for two years in a row we
have been so close. “
After passing inspection the top three teams secured
their race finishes. Now the tour type modified
teams will prepare for a short 35 lap sprint for
tomorrow as they continue to take notes and prepare
for the 100 lap feature event that will wind up
their race week.
Last night’s Joe Brady Memorial winner Ron Silk’s
chances for victory ended in a lap eight spin. Silk
ended up in the first turn wall with several other
cars.
So join us back Thursday night for more modified
racing and great racing action from New Smyrna
Speedway!
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Source:
Denise DuPont / TheChromeHorn.com
Posted:
February 18, 2016 |
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