Daytona 2006
Story: "Bosco" Logsdon
The weather was hot and the competition even hotter at Daytona August fifth and sixth as the V8 StockCar Series brought nearly thirty competitors to test the high banks at Daytona. Running 
with the Central Florida Region SCCA, racers towed their tube framed beasts from as far away as
On Saturday V8 GT-1 hot shoe Jeff Emery led from the pole to take the overall win, rocketing around the 3.54 mile road course as fast as one minute 54 seconds. This was Emery's second Daytona victory of the year as he also took the May SCCA national. Dan Goldburg brought his "TWEAKED" Panoz GT home second, followed by Bill Ridell (ex Tommy Riggins IMSA Buick), Jeff Bailey C4 Vette, and Robert Borders in fifth (C6 Vette) after starting shotgun on the field after not making qualifying.
Matt Griffin managed a sixth overall and a fast 1.56 lap despite having to rebuild the front end of his
Sunday dawned and we soon knew that Emery's year long win streak was to end, as his potent mill developed an upper respiratory problem.
With Emery sidelined, "Wild Bill" Smith sat on the pole with firefighter Jeff Bailey next to him in his C4 Vette, which in another life was the "almost Famous" Mo Carter Camaro that ran in IMSA, Lemans, and Daytona 24 hour.
When the Green waved, Smith motored away in his SB2 powered Chevy tube framed rocket that he calls a "55 Chevy Bel Air. Bailey and Ridell battled for second, swapping positions until Ridell crashed. Smith took the overall win by almost ten seconds followed by Bailey and Borders.
For the weekend eight of the V8Gt-1 or V8 StockCar racers clocked a 2.00 lap or better with several others not far off. This is believed to be the fastest SCCA regional GT field ever at Daytona.
Next up for the group is the Sebring 12 hour course September 2nd and 3rd. Another big field of competitors is expected.