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DeCaire Wins Race, TBARA Championship at New Smyrna
SCOTT LOCKWOOD
Florida Short Track Report
NEW SMYRNA BEACH - On a night that featured everything from weather delays to
closing lap drama to the crowning of a new series champion, the TBARA certainly
didn’t disappoint in their final visit to the lightning-fast New Smyrna Speedway for
the 2007 season.
After a rain shower during the opening ceremonies delayed the action for almost
an hour, the first of three heat races got underway, with Keith Butler taking the win
over a fast closing Dave Steele. 2006 series champion Bo Hartley came from the
back to finish third.
Shane Butler kept the heat races all in the family, taking the second race with Troy
DeCaire right on his tail. Matt Tiffany was third. Larry J. Brazil won the final heat
race, with Brian Gingras and Wayne Reutimann Sr. in tow.
Twenty-two cars would take the green flag for the 30 lap feature race, with Tiffany
and Brazil on the front row. However, all eyes would be on the cars of DeCaire and
Steele, who were starting in the seventh and eighth slots on the grid. Tiffany would
jump out to an early lead from the pole, and the youngster would go on to lead the
first eight laps of the race.
Encountering lapped traffic, Brazil was able to grab the lead on lap 9. Two laps
later, Tiffany slowed on the backstretch and pulled into the pits, prematurely
ending a strong run. Brazil would only last five laps at the point, only to suddenly
slow in turn two with what appeared to be a serious vibration. By this point, heavy
attrition was already becoming a factor with nearly half the field retiring with
mechanical issues.
DeCaire, who was already proving to be the fastest car on the track, inherited the
lead on lap 14. His ability to work through the traffic helped him open up nearly a
straightaway on Steele. DeCaire looked to be cruising to an easy win until the car
of Dude Teate came to a stop in turn two on lap 25, bringing out the only caution of
the night. This would put Steele and Keith Butler right on DeCaire’s tail, setting the
stage for a fight to the finish.
On the restart, it appeared the Steele might have had a run on DeCaire, only to
see Butler try to make a move on the inside to try to take second in the first
corner. Steele and Butler went wheel to wheel out of the corner, but Steele came
out ahead as the cars went down the backstretch. This allowed DeCaire to pull
away and go on to win at New Smyrna for the second time this season and sixth win
overall for the season.
“This win really feels great, especially when you’ve got Dave (Steele) lining up
behind you,” DeCaire said. “I wasn’t excited to see them on me there at the end,
but this car was so good that I was able to be wide open right at the center…that
car was basically driving itself. Dave pulled up next to me and gave me a little
wave during then caution, but I was definitely confident with the car we had.”
After DeCaire, Butler, new 2007 Rookie of the Year Brian Gingras, Gary Gimmler
and Mark Gimmler rounded out the top five. Steele was disqualified for failing to
report to technical inspection immediately after the race.
The win, coupled with Teate’s 11th place finish, clinched the title for the 2004
TBARA Rookie of the Year. It is DeCaire’s first major racing series championship,
and the third TBARA title for car owner Jay Rudolph.
“Any kid growing up at East Bay Raceway and watching the TBARA sprints (The
TBARA was, at one time, a series that ran on both pavement and dirt) knows what
this means,” DeCaire said. When I grew up, my heroes were Sam Rodrigues,
Taylor Andrews and Wayne Reutimann Sr. and Dave Steele, all TBARA
champions. Just to be put in a category with those guys…this is something I have
literally dreamed of my whole life.”
After a two week layoff, the TBARA returns to action at DeSoto Super Speedway in
Bradenton on Oct. 27.
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