BARBERVILLE, FL-  This Saturday night will mark the return of the Daytona Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram Late Models to Volusia Speedway Park, as six divisions will challenge the World's Fastest Half Mile.  Fans will also see hot action from the Budweiser Modifieds, the Daytona Machine Shop Sportsman Division, the Daytona Sportswear Street Stocks, the Amsoil Thunder Stocks, and the Sparkle N Shine Car Wash Challengers. 

It has been since April 16th when the Daytona Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram Late Models last hit the clay in Barberville as Donnie Chappell earned himself a big celebration in the Destination Daytona Victory Lane.  Chappell is the current points leader, carrying a mere 16 point lead over Matt Hartley into this Saturday's racing schedule.  Hartley was right behind Chappelle in their last race as well, and will be gunning for the top spot on the points ladder this weekend.  Bobby Richardson is also still in the hunt, just 28 points shy of Hartley and with David Clegg needing only 10 points to bump Richardson down a notch.  So with things tight at the top, this is still anyone's game and no one is safe.

With another win this past Saturday, Jeff Mathews is poised to put a boot on the throat of the rest of the Budweiser Modifieds this week.  But if last week's action was any indication, there is plenty of fight left in those who are currently down but not out, and Mathews has by no means taken complete control.  Larry Burkins has managed to beat Mathews once this season, and "The Big Show" made "The Repo Man" work for his win last week, has managed to bring his game up a few notches, and has Mathews looking over his shoulder.  And then there is defending Modified Champion Jamie Carter, who may not be in the thick of the points race right now but has found a way to make his machine run with the front pack.  Carter could become a factor in the points race in a few week's time if he remains consistent.

The Daytona Machine Shop Sportsman Division gets bigger and stronger every week, with new racers stepping up their game and rising to the occasion on a regular basis.  After winning two in a row, Danny Vogel was forced to watch Scott Lagasse celebrate in the Destination Daytona Victory Lane this past Saturday.  But Vogel is not out of the running, and neither is Corey Holley, Kyle Chappell, or Blaise Hetznecker.  The division now sports two cars with racers who share duties, including the Scott Lagasse/Aaron Barsness duo in the 11 machine, and the Stanton Mills/Ronnie Ponce combo in the 57P.  And as Lagasse demonstrated last Saturday night with a win, these racing duos are pretty potent competitors.  Chances are that someone else will step up this time around, and the only question will be who it is.

They say that no one knows what goes on behind closed doors, but when the doors to the tech barn off of turn 4 opened in the wee hours of this past Sunday morning, things had changed dramatically in the world of the Daytona Sportswear Street Stocks.  Joe Belkey had won all but one Street Stock race this season until Saturday night's protest resulting in a teardown, and with the disqualification that followed Mike Tovet earned his second victory of 2011.  So now the stage is set for Tovet and some others to step up and seize the moment, including Bubba Christian and Phil Brown. And with Bubba's uncle Grady now sporting a brand new ride, there is a lot of motivation for a lot of racers to be gunning for the top spot this weekend.

Tom Hughes had used consistency to build a 78 point lead over the rest of the Amsoil Thunder Stock field when the green flag waved last Saturday night, but by the time the checkers waved Alan Peacock had made it clear that no one was giving up just because Hughes had opened up a lead in the season points totals.  Chad Scranton has been Hughes' chief competition thus far, but Scranton has missed a few races and therefore doesn't have the points totals that Hughes does, and lately Sammy Dale has upped his game and has also been running in the front pack.  But despite all of that, Ron Adams has used consistent performances to earn his second place spot so far in the season points totals, and while he may not be running with the leaders most of the time, he certainly is in position to be a leader by the time the season ending banquet is held.

RJ Glaser has only one question in his mind after last Saturday's Sparkle N Shine Car Wash Challenger feature, and that is simply, what does he have to do in order to win one of these things?  Glaser has repeatedly turned in outstanding performances each week, only to be thwarted by circumstances and just plain old bad luck, and he is fed up with being Casey Feaster's bridesmaid every weekend.  But even with all of that, Glaser still holds the points lead going into this weekend's race, and if he gets his way this time he will be the bride instead of the bridesmaid.  Meanwhile Denica Hetznecker and her team are frantically trying to piece her car back together after it went home with a very bloody nose on Saturday, and that, coupled with a dead battery the previous weekend, has opened the door for Casey Feaster to reach up and pull her out of second place in the points race.  As tough as "Rowdy D" has been this season so far, she still is in danger of slipping backwards if she can't get out of her bad luck streak.

Anyway you slice it, there is a lot to be settled this Saturday night at Volusia Speedway Park, and race fans will certainly not be lacking for entertainment value as the racers figure it all out the hard way.  The gates will open for spectators at 5:30PM with heats to begin at 7PM, and racers can enter the pits beginning at 4PM.  For more information about the World's Fastest Half Mile or to see the complete season schedule, please visit www.TheVolusiaSpeedway.com.