| Citrus Gearing Up For Winter Spectacular II | by Larry MacMillan
Just four more work days before the new playing field at Citrus County Speedway has to be ready for the two day practice, tuning and testing session, and then the big six feature event as Winter Spectacular II takes off on Saturday, January l9th, 2002. Promoters Billy Hooker and Jimmy Wear were in the center of activity, heading up the work crew Saturday putting the final touches on the new back stretch expansion.
The back straight has been expanded from 41 ft. to 63 ft. wide, turning the outside groove into a 3/8th mile racetrack. The tuning and testing session from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday and Friday nights will give all the drivers, in all divisions, the opportunity to answer a lot of unanswered questions. What is it going to take to master the new pavement? How are the Goodyear tires going to work on the new playing field? What is the right tire pressure, and answer the big questions of what gear to use and how to change the stager and set up. It's a whole new ball game on a very different playing field. It would appear no one will have an advantage in pursuit of the $5,000 win purse in the all green racing. 100 lap Late Model Special.
 Not only has the racetrack been expanded in size but new bleachers are being set up in the pits. A new exit road allows for departure from the track off turn two. There has been new lighting installed on the back chute which really makes a difference. The access road to the track from the pits has also been restructured to allow for safer entrance to the racetrack from the pits.
Late Model time trials get underway at 4 p.m. Saturday. Approximately 30 of Florida's best are expected to attempt to qualify for the 24 starting spots in the 100 lap special. Seventeen cars will qualify in time trials, with a fifteen lap consolation race setting up the next seven starting positions with the final two positions being a promoters choice.
Balancing out the program will be the Sportsman, Street Stocks, Mini Stocks, Hobby Stocks, and Thunder Stocks running in 30 lap features. Citrus County Speedway's 2002 regular season opens up February 9th and continues through March 2nd when the track will be shut down for three weeks for the Citrus County Fair activities. Racing resumes on March 30th with the Sunbelt Series plus a full race card and continues on a weekly program through November 16th, 2002. All regular divisions will run at least 5 specials during the year for bigger purses. Regular race cards will feature Late Models, Sportsman, Street Stocks, Mini Stocks, Hobby Stocks and Thunder Stocks running in heat and features. Figure 8's are also on the schedule for the year plus several other specials to be announced at a later date.
Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board!
<news@karnac.org>or send a letter to the editor!
|
