By Myles Maxon 02/07/08, Oswego, NY -- With just over half the season in the record books, the stars of Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series (SUPRS) head to warm and sunny Florida for a week of close wheel to wheel excitement at five tough race tracks. The idea of Florida Speedweeks is an emulation of Supermodified racing in Florida during Speedweeks in past Februarys, a tradition in which SUPRS tries to carry out through it’s online racing platform. SUPRS is proud to welcome Heveron Group Inc. (HGI) back for the second year in a row for sponsorship of Florida Speedweeks. HGI is the corporate arm of Beachland Cleaning Service, Beachland Building Maintenance and owner of the Cleaning for a Reason Chapter for Vero Beach, Florida. HGI is a Florida Corporation that provides a wide range of Commercial Building and Home Maintenance Programs. Current customers of HGI and their services include: The University of Florida, Florida Atlantic University, City of Vero Beach, City of Fort Pierce, and Indian River County. CLICK "READ MORE"
In addition to title sponsorship of Florida Speedweeks from HGI, Cleaning for a Reason and Showplace Landscaping are back on board and will be race sponsors throughout the week. Cleaning for a Reason will sponsor races Monday night at Sunrise Raceway, Wednesday at Budville Speedway, and Friday nights finale at Rebel Raceway. Cleaning for a Reason contributes free cleanings to women cancer patients in over 45 states and Canada, with over 250 partners to date. The partners are committed to four free home cleanings to women while undergoing cancer treatment. For more information, please visit cleaningforareason.org. Joining HGI and Cleaning for a Reason on the slate is Showplace Landscaping, which will be the headline sponsor for Tuesday’s event at Black Creek Raceway and Thursday’s event at USA International Speedway. Showplace Landscaping provides a variety of yard and landscape programs along the treasure coast of Florida. Showplace Landscaping is owned by Doug Heveron, and currently provides services to over 300 homes.
Florida Speedweeks is the second of three swings in the season, with the Cleaning for a Reason Keystone Nationals which took place in November, and the 4th Annual North Carolina swing coming up in early March. Defending Florida Speedweeks Champion and current point leader Ray Sand Jr. hopes to not only secure another Speedweeks crown, but to also be able to increase his points lead over Myles Maxon and Kris Heveron. A slight change from last years Speedweeks schedule will be Monday’s track, as Sunrise Raceway moves from Wednesday night and replaces Orlando Speedworld as the kickoff to Speedweeks. Moving into the Wednesday night slot of Florida Speedweeks this year is Budville Speedway, a new track on the SUPRS schedule this season. In last years opener at Orlando, J.P. Curry swept the show, time trialing in with a new track record, and then going on to work his way through the field in the feature en route to a win. The second night of Speedweeks takes SUPRS competitors to the big and fast Black Creek Raceway. Ray Sand Jr. was able to master the three-quarter mile track and hold off Alabaster, Alabama’s Adam Roper and track record holder J.P. Curry of Ottsville, Pennsylvania for the win. This was Curry’s second new track record of the week, and chalked up his third in a row the next evening at Sunrise Raceway. However, mechanical problems in the feature relegated Curry to a disappointing fourteenth place finish. In last years event at the fast 4/10th of a mile track, Adam Roper reversed roles with Ray Sand Jr. from the night before and came home victorious, with Oswego, New York’s Jim Crannell rounding out the top three.
The fourth leg of Speedweeks took drivers to Lakeland, Florida to compete at the famous three-quarter of a mile USA International Speedway. Myles Maxon of Oswego, New York was able to break Curry’s string of track records, but was not able to follow it up into the feature. Moody, Missouri competitor Larry Russell picked up his first career victory at the tight track, with J.P. Curry and Leroy, New York’s Mike Jackson following teammate Russell across the line. The fifth and final leg of Speedweeks brought competitors to Rebel Raceway for a 50-lap feature to conclude the weeks festivities. Once again, J.P. Curry led all time trial runs, taking his fourth pole of the five race swing. Curry also ended the week where he started the week, piloting the #33 machine to victory lane at Rebel Raceway over Mike Jackson and Ray Sand Jr. Despite winning two shows, consistency was the key for Ray Sand Jr., as he was able to pull out a close Florida Speedweeks Championship over Curry. Sand Jr. joined Hannibal, New York’s A.J. ‘Slideways’ Truax and Oswego, New York’s Sean O’Kane as Speedweeks Champions.
With Sand Jr. being the current point leader of the Winged Season, being the defending Florida Speedweeks Champion may add to the pressure building. With a streak of eight straight top-five finishes, including two wins, dating back to the start of 2008, Sand Jr. appears to be handling the pressure pretty well thus far. Recent feature winners Tom Heveron, Doug Heveron and Kris Heveron of Florida-based Team HGR hope to have a strong showing in their home state for their sponsors. Californian John Davidson hopes to find some of the magic that propelled him to the Billy Vukovich III Classic victory just a few short weeks ago. Ohio competitors Steve Callahan of Cuyahoga Falls and Chris Meyers of Amherst are both coming off strong runs heading into Florida Speedweeks presented by HGI. At Camden Speedway this past Tuesday night, Callahan scored his second win of the season with Meyers falling just short coming home in second place. Both drivers are looking to have strong weeks based on their most recent performance.
Tom Heveron, CEO of Beachland Cleaning Service, and brother of Doug, has announced special prizes to honor Doug’s retirement. Heveron stated, “Doug Heveron is retiring from professional racing this year. To commemorate Doug’s retirement, we will be providing winners of each race and autographed photo of Doug. Doug has driven virtually everything you can race. We have chosen five different pictures of five different cars for the prizes. The cars represent each of the following series: Supermodifieds, Modifieds, Winged Sprint Car, Winston Cup, and Indy Car.” In addition to these very special and one of a kind prizes, additional prizes will be awarded in celebration of Doug’s Retirement. Heveron continues, “We are also giving away a Doug Heveron retirement tee shirt for each race. The eighth place finisher of each race will receive a tee shirt.” There is, however, a stipulation to this prize. “There will be no repeat winners of this prize,” Heveron added. “If the same person finishes eighth twice we will drop down to the next finisher who has not won one yet.”
In addition to these awards, long-time supporter and sponsor of SUPRS WAG’s Custom and Cool Awards of Goshen, Indiana will be giving trophies to the winner of each night of competition, as well as another trophy to the overall Speedweeks Champion. In addition to the trophy presented by WAG’s, the Champion of the 4th Annual Florida Speedweeks presented by HGI will also receive a five-pound bag of fresh Florida Oranges, as well as an Autographed copy of The 2007 Little 500 Yearbook which is autographed by ‘The Young One,’ Doug Heveron.
In conclusion, HGI, Showplace Landscaping, and Cleaning for a reason wish all the competitors the best of luck during Florida Speedweeks. For more news, information and upcoming events regarding SUPRS, visit our website at www.suprs.net, where “We Race Online to Give Back Real Time!”.
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