MANATEE COUNTY -- Going into Saturday Night's Joey Coulter Fellows Truck Brokers Pro Truck Series feature event at Desoto Speedway, Chad Chastain was looking for his fifth straight win at the 3/8-mile Bradenton track. But when the dust settled from a rash of caution flags, it was Venice driver Steve Darvalics parking in the winners circle and ending Chastain's stranglehold on the speedway.
Chastain started second and jumped into the lead immediately when the green flag flew for the 50-lap main event. Darvalics, who was the night's fast qualifier that started third after a three-truck inversion, quickly moved to second after the start of the race and wasted no time getting to Chastain's rear bumper.
Darvalics takes lead from Chastain at the end of ninth lap. Chastain would stalk Darvalics for the next several laps before a mechanical problem ended his race - and hopes for a fifth straight victory at Desoto - just prior to the halfway point of the race.
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Over the final half of the race, Darvalics went unchallenged up front on his way to the finish.
"It's great to finally get back into victory lane here at Desoto Speedway," Darvalics said.
On the final lap second-place runner Brent Huber suddenly slowed, allowing Cody McDuffie and series points leader Becca Monopoli to finish second and third.Gerald Campbell and Dylan Martin rounded out the top five.
In the 40-lap J.D. Byrider Open Wheel Modified feature, polesitter Bobby Blake led the first nine laps with a swarm of cars directly on his tail. At the end of lap 10, D.J. Hoelzle would briefly take the lead.
Two laps later, Bradenton's Nick Hernandez found his was past Hoelzle and into the lead. Josh Todd followed him past and would stay on Hernandez's tail for the next five laps. Todd slowed with five laps to go, allowing Hernandez to cruise to the win.
"I knew Josh Todd was coming, but I just tried to keep my line straight and keep my right rear tire on the car," Hernandez said. "It worked and we came out on top."
Cody Stickler would finish in second, while Hoelzle nursed his smoking car to a third place finish.
In other action Saturday night, Jordan Miller won the Rookie 4 feature event; Sarasota's Mark Peterson won the 25-lap Take Aim Gun Range Late Model Sportsman feature; Jessica Ostrovskis won the 20-lap Pro 4 feature; Chris Larson won the Mini Stock feature; and Cameron Ray won the 25-lap Pure Stock feature.
Thank you Dalton Nelson and L.J Grimm for being our Jr. Fan Club drivers
Next week, Desoto Speedway will host the Turner Tree and Landscape Super Late Models, a non-wing sprint car feature and a full card of racing.
DESOTO SPEEDWAY RACE RESULTS: 6-07-2014
Pro Trucks
1. 41 Steve Durvalics Venice
2. 25 CodyMcDuffie Lakeland
3. 59 Becca Moropoli Lakeland
4. 2x Gerald Campbell Sebring
5. 7 Dylan Martin Lakeland
6. 7G John Garrett Port Charlotte
7. 28 Corey Bigley Naples
8. 09 Tommy Caveney Mulberry
9. 64 Bret Huber Venice
10. 75 Cody Martell Arcadia
11. 50 Danny Anderson Bradenton
12. 14 Sam Scott Naples
13. 8 Dylan Bigley Naples
14. 74 Dave Pletcher Webster
15. 12 Scott Hogan Naples
16. 78 Rick Palmer Sarasota
17. 21 Randy Leonard Lake Placid
18. 36 Chad Chastain Alva
19. 5 Richard Griffis West Palm
20. 31 Rodney Haddock Hilliard
21. 37 Michael Goddard Naples
22. 1 Tyler Lav Bradenton
23. 51 Phil Ellis Port Charlotte
24. 42 Eric Borges Naples
Sportsman
1. 73 Mark Peterson Sarasota
2. 25 Brooke Storer Zeypherhill
3. 56 Brandon Morris Mulberry
4. 13 Aaron Williamson Lakeland
5. 51 Roger Blevins Eagle Lake
6. 12 David Williamson Lakeland
7. 6 Greg Gorniak Homestead
8. 80 Richard Nelson Port Charlotte
9. 4R Rick Reed Punta Gorda
10. 98 Danny Brown Lehigh
11. 40W J.R. Welden Sarasota
12. 75 John Heidenthal Myakka City D.N.S.
Open Wheel Modified
1. 37 Nick Hernandez Palmetto
2. 99 Cody Stickler Pineallas Park
3. 8 D.J. Hoelzle Clearwater
4. 25 L.J. Grimm Sefner
5. 9 Camron Ray Homosassa
6. 94 Dalton Nelson Pineallas Park
7. 75 Bobby Blake Grand Isle
8. 45 Joey Logan Bradenton
9. 0 Josh Todd Polk City
10. 4 Bobby Baldwin Olsmar
11. 98x Kyle Cooper Mulberry D.N.S.
12. 51 Eric Purcell St. Cloud D.N.S
Pure Stock
1. 9 Carman Ray Homosassa
2. 97 Chris Scott Nokomis
3. 11 Billy Carlbert Palmetto
4. 80x Chad Cummings Palmetto
5. 63 Kyle Best Parrish
6. 5 Cody Carlbert Zeyherhills
7 30 Jacob Berkev ich Lakeland
8. 44 Rick Hess Englewood
9. 3 Duane Best Parrish
10. 67 Jimmie Best Sarasota
11. 8 Shane Leonard Cape Coral
12. 40w J.R. Welden Sarasota
13. 1 Justine Carlbert Zeyherhills D.N.S.
Mini Stock
1. 98 Chris Larson Zephyrhills
2. 91 Jessica Ostrovskis St. Pete
3. 05 Ronnie Robinson Bradenton
4. 85 Amy Gamache Tarpon Springs
5. 84 Ron Sorenson Pinellas Park
6. 31 James Prochaska St. Pete
7. 99 Johnny Marra Port Charlotte
8. 1 Billy Carlbert Palmetto
9. 11 Justine Amspaugh Bradenton
Pro 4
1.91 Jessica Ostrovskis St. Pete
2. 99 Johnny Marra Cape Coral
3. 05 Ronald Robinson Bradenton
4. 3 Sherry Best Sarasota
5. 98 Chris Larson Zephyrhills
6. 84 Ron Sorenson Pineallas Park
7. 1 Justine Carlbert Palmetto
8. 11 Justin Amspaugh Bradenton
Rookie 4
1. 11 Jorden Miller Bradenton
2. 1 Dodge Carlbert Palmetto
3. 67 Jimmie Best Sarasota
Mini Stock Figure 8
1. 85 Mike Gamache
2. 98 Chris Larson
3. 11 Billy Carlbert