Ironic in the home city of NASCAR and ISC, that the top racing story in today's Daytona Beach News-Journal focuses on this weekend's activities at New Smyrna, not Homestead. Interesting.
Strong entry list for Saturday's Governor's Cup at New Smyrna Speedway
Ben Kennedy celebrates winning the Euro Racecar Series event at Tours, France in July. Kennedy, a great grandson of NASCAR founder William H.G. France, is listed to compete in Saturday's Governor's Cup 200 at New Smyrna Speedway.
NASCAR Media / Sylvain Deshaies
By Godwin Kelly
MOTORSPORTS EDITOR
Friday, November 16, 2012
SAMSULA, Fla Other than the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing during Speedweeks, Saturday's Governor's Cup 200 is the BIG one at New Smyrna Speedway.
The 200-lap Super Late Model race has attracted 29 pre-entries and the possibility of unexpected competitors showing up at the pit gate Saturday morning to get their name in the hat.
Among those listed on the entries are 1994 NASCAR Short Track National champion David Rogers, a two-time GovCup winner, and Ben Kennedy, a great grandson of NASCAR founder William H.G. France.
Other driver notables include Rich Clouser, who led the Bright House Late Model Series in victories this season (Rogers won the title), Travis Cope and Tim Russell.
The race has a perpetual trophy with the names of past winners engraved into the base. It is one of the most sough-after short-track awards in the country as evidenced by the 2011 winner Erik Jones Byron, who ventured from Michigan to earn the victory.
The GovCup was started in the Tampa Bay area in the 1960s and migrated to Florida's East Coast in the late 1980s.
The Florida Governor's Cup was commissioned by former Gov. Haydon Burns. The Cup was created to pay tribute to Al Keller, long time promoter of Florida short-track racing.
NSS began hosting the Governor's Cup in 1988 at the request of track owner Clyde Hart.
With two other races on Saturday night's program, New Smyrna Speedway is offering up 325 racing laps to end its 2012 season.
Facts
Governor's Cup 200
WHERE: New Smyrna Speedway, Samsula
COURSE: Half-mile, high-banked, asphalt oval
LAPS: 200 laps, 100 miles
TICKETS: $30 adults; children 11 and under, no charge
MORE INFO: Call NSS at 386-427-4129
Saturday's schedule
4 p.m.: Grandstands open
4:30 p.m.:Modifieds / Super Late Models qualifying
6 p.m.: Driver autograph session
6:45 p.m.: Pre-race ceremonies
7:15 p.m.: Opening ceremonies
7:30 p.m.: Start of 47th running of Florida Governor's Cup 200, followed by Super Stocks (25 laps), Modifieds (100 laps)
Governor's Cup 200 Past Winners
1963: Dave McInnis
1964: Freddy Fryar
1965: Wayne Reutimann
1966: Bobby Brack
1967: Dumont Smith
1968: Gary Balough
1969: Robert Hamke
1970: Don Gregory
1971: Jack Arnold
1972: Ed Howe
1973: Wayne Reutimann
1974: Ed Howe
1975: Ed Howe
1976: Ed Howe
1977: Robert Hamke
1978: Dick Trickle
1979: Jim Fenton
1980: No race
1981: Mike Eddy
1982: Jimmy Cope
1983: LeRoy Porter
1984: No race
1985: No race
1986: No race
1987: No race
1988: Dick Anderson
1989: Dick Anderson
1990: Bobby Gill
1991: Bobby Gill
1992: Bobby Gill
1993: Pete Orr
1994: Pete Orr
1995: David Russell
1996: Jack Cook
1997: David Rogers
1998: Bill Bigley Jr
1999: Wayne Anderson
2000: Jimmy Cope
2001: James Powell III
2002: Mike Fritts
2003: Wayne Anderson
2004: Jeff Choquette
2005: Mike Fritts
2006: Jeff Scofield
2007: Jeff Choquette
2008: Wayne Anderson
2009: Tim Russell
2010: David Rogers
2011: Erik Jones Byron
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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"
updated by @dave-fulton: 08/06/18 08:37:11AM
