BACK

April 28, 2002
Doug Wilson Takes Race #3 of EROC Series, Kittleson, Campbell, Boyd and Bontrager Also Big Winners At USA  

by Jane Smith Lakeland, FL - The sun was hot, the crowd was warm, and the action was hot and heavy. Rain dampened the open practice the night before but no rain on race day.    

Seven drivers entered the third race of the EROC Series at USA International. They were #11 Aaron Dreher from Palm Harbor, Fl, #88 Doug Wilson from Cape Coral, Fl, #18 Terry Skipper from New Smyrna, Fl (pinch hitting for his cousin), #98 Phil Little from Hanover, PA, #23 Kris Deckard from Greenwood, IN, #19 Keith Perry from Pinebrook Pines, Fl and #20 Bubba "The Love Sponge" Clem from Tampa, Fl.

Doug Wilson #88 set fast time with a 22.858 followed by #11 Aaron Dreher with a 22.863. Doug Wilson was the big winner in race no. one and Bob Skipper (his cousin raced for him) won race number two. In the field for his very first race was Bubba "The Love Sponge" in car number 20.

The thirty five lap event saw #88 Doug Wilson on the pole and winning from the pole. The #23 of Kris Deckard, the youngest driver of the bunch, quickly moved his machine from his sixth starting place to fifth putting the #20 of Bubba into the sixth position. Then Deckard set aim for the fourth position as he went side by side with #98 Phil Little taking fourth and putting Deckard fifth.

Doug Wilson #88 put a 10 car length between himself and the second place car of #11 Aaron Dreher . But Dreher had his own problems with the #19 of Keith Perry who finally got under Dreher on the front stretch and took the second position. Perry proceeded to build a good 8 car length lead over Dreher .

The #23 of young Kris Deckard moved up on the tail of Dreher , looked high and low but could not make the pass. The only caution for the 35 lap event came out as the leader, #88 Doug Wilson, spun on the front stretch as he slightly got into the grass avoiding the lap car of #18 Terry Skipper. Wilson was given back his lead position and the race was green once again.

On the restart Wilson took the lead although his car seemed a little slower from the mishap in the grass. On lap 16, #23 Deckard was right on the rear bumper of #19 Perry and was able to make the pass for third. Coming off of two, Wilson wiggles but was able to correct and hold his lead. Then it was Wilson, Perry and Deckard nose to tail but Deckard was not able to make a pass on Perry for the second place position.

Perry inched towards Wilson on lap 25, looked high, looked low but could not pass Wilson. Deckard moved on Perry's back bumper but could not make the pass. The white flag came out for one lap to go and the sixth place car of #20 Bubba "The Love Sponge" spun going to the checkers and lost his sixth place position to #18 Terry Skipper.

Taking the checkers and winner of race number 3 was #88 Doug Wilson followed by #19 Keith Perry, #23 Kris Deckard, #11 Aaron Dreher , #98 Phil Little, #18 Terry Skipper, and #20 Bubba Clem.