LAKE CITY, Fla. — Report by Race Chaser Online Managing Editor Jacob Seelman — Chris Seelman photo —
Jacksonville, Florida’s Matt Kurtz made a three-wide pass for the lead — in traffic — hold up for the victory in Sunday night’s Eagle Jet Top Gun Sprint Series race at All-Tech Raceway, marking his second straight victory to open the 2016 series season.
Kurtz started from the fifth position but quickly worked his way forward, after a slow start for polesitter Aileen Collins-Love saw Dover, Fla. veteran Johnny Gilbertson slide through to lead the opening lap. A quick caution for lap two for oil from the No. 38 of Fort Myers’ Tony Agin slowed the field and set up an early race restart.
Off the return of the green flag, Kurtz shot to third and did battle for the next nine laps with Gilbertson and fellow Jacksonville native Shawn Murray before making his move. Gilbertson and Kurtz came up on the slow car of Collins-Love, and Kurtz was unfazed, as he split both Gilbertson and Collins-Love to assume the point at lap 13.
From there, it was all Kurtz as he led the rest of the way, taking the checkered flag in front of Murray and Gilbertson, who rounded out the podium.
Dennis Misuraca and Collins-Love rounded out the top five at the finish.
The only major incident of the evening occurred in hot laps, when the No. 3K of Guy Bos flipped over before coming to rest. While he was uninjured, Bos was out for the night after the crash.
Prior to feature racing, Gilbertson won the Rod End Supply First Heat and Kurtz took the Saldana Racing Products Second Heat victory.
The next race for the Eagle Jet Top Gun Sprint Series will be on March 5 at Hendry County Motorsports Park in Clewiston, Fla.
For more information on the Eagle Jet Top Gun Sprints, visit them on the web at www.topgunsprints.com.
RESULTS: Eagle Jet Top Gun Sprint Series; All-Tech Raceway; Lake City, Fla.; Feb. 7, 2016
Rod End Supply First Heat (8 laps): 1. Johnny Gilbertson, 2. Tony Agin, 3. Aileen Collins-Love, 4. Dennis Misuraca, 5. Mark Ruel Jr. (DNS), 6. Kurt Taylor (DNS).
Saldana Racing Products Second Heat (8 laps): 1. Matt Kurtz, 2. Shawn Murray, 3. Frank Carlson, 4. Gene Lasker, 5. Keith Butler, 6. Andrew Griffen (DNS)
Eagle Jet A-Main (25 laps):
- #82 – Matt Kurtz, Jacksonville, FL
- #22S – Shawn Murray, Jacksonville, FL
- #22 – Johnny Gilbertson, Dover, FL
- #3 – Dennis Misuraca, Sanford, FL
- #17C – Aileen Collins-Love, Land O Lakes, FL
- #20 – Frank Carlson, Oxford, FL
- #38 – Tony Agin, Fort Myers, FL
- #19 – Keith Butler, Riverview, FL
- #02 – Gene Lasker, Tampa, FL (DNS)
- #3K – Guy Bos, Largo, FL (DNS)
- #31 – Andrew Griffen, Hometown Unknown (DNS)
- #55 – Kurt Taylor, Hometown Unknown (DNS)
- #83 – Mark Ruel Jr., Jacksonville, FL (DNS)
About the Writer
Jacob Seelman is the Managing Editor of Race Chaser Online and creator of the Motorsports Madness radio show, airing at 7 p.m. Eastern every Monday on the Performance Motorsports Network. Seelman grew up in the sport, watching his grandparents co-own the RaDiUs Motorsports NASCAR Cup Series team in the 1990s.
The 21-year-old is currently studying Broadcast Journalism at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., and is also serving as the full-time tour announcer for both the United Sprint Car Series and the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series.
Email Jacob at: speed77radio@gmail.com
Follow on Twitter: @Speed77Radio or @JacobSeelman77
Email Race Chaser Online: news@racechaseronline.com
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