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| David Reutimann Romps at Citrus | (Inverness, Fl. 11/03/01) As the racing season comes to a close, interest in the fastest sport on wheels seems to peak and car counts continue to rise.. With seven divisions on the race card, 132 racers either came out just to get in their last licks or to improve their positions in the top ten race for points. There is money at the end of that rainbow.
Late Models came out twenty-five strong going after the $1,500 win purse and trying Citrus on for size for the upcoming Winter Spectacular races scheduled for December 15th 2001 and January 19th 2002. What ever their reason, David Reutimann liked what he saw and ran away with the win in their 30-lap feature run. Tuffy Hester survived two spins to hold out for a second place run over Rex Struble, Danny Johnson and Tate Pierce. Struble, Brad Atkins and Dale Sanders picked up the heat wins. Mark Dominique had his way with the Sportsman contenders in a flag to flag win over Chris Hooker, Alan Struble, Mike Veltman and Steve Ellis. Heat winners were Dominique and Steve Ellis.
Scott Hendrickson took the point when the green flag flew and had a rear view mirror full of six of twenty Street Stock starters that kept him busy just holding on the lead for all 20 laps. Three caution flags slowed things down a bit but when it was all over Hendrickson logged his first win of the season over Ernie Reed, Danny Cretty, Kathy Ray and Don Teague. Money protests took the second place finish away from Ernie Reed for running an illegal manifold and point leader Travis Nichols got caught for setting his motor back out of limits. Victor Stanley moved from his seventh place finish to fifth after the protests D.Q.d Reed and Nichols. Heat winners were Hendrickson and Dean Lawyer.
Multiple caution flags and blown motors that caused extensive cleanups cut the Mini Stock feature from 20 to seven laps. It took an hour to run the 7 laps that were run. Phillip Joyner led for all seven laps followed by Harry Futch, Don Faunce, Ron Bartley and Rick Coleman when the checkered flag finally flew. Only 10 out of 18 starters finished. It was anything but pretty. Joyner and Mark Sowell took the heat wins.
Tommy Smith launched his Hobby Stock from the middle of the 19-car starting field to take his fourth win of the season. J.D. Goff had an early encounter that brought out a caution but managed to come back to protect his second position in the points race with a second place finish. Brandon Johnson took advantage of a last lap miscue that moved him from fifth to third at the finish line. Glen Colyer held out for fourth over Roy Perkins. Heat winners were Eric Sharrone and point champion Richie Smith who had a D.Q. in the feature.
Fourteen Figure 8s took the green flag and Peanut Higgenbotham picked up his first win of the season in a flag to flag win that saw only one caution flag with thirteen cars finishing. Dwayne Fults held out for second over Mike Veltman who raced wheel to wheel with him through all 20 laps. Ken Crews had his hands full of Robbie Hage right to the checkered flag to round out the top five.
Twenty three Thunder stocks went non-stop for all 15 laps to wrap up the evening and Josh Teague locked on to the point in lap 13 to take his fourth win of the season. John Donahue held off Jeff Teague in the run for second. Melvin Farmer and Allen Turner locked in the balance of the top five positions.
Just one more week before the 2001-point season goes into the history books. Drivers will reap the benefits of their hard work at the Womens Racing Club Awards Banquet on December 8th. The banquet will be held at the Citrus County Fairgrounds Auditorium and tickets will be on sale from the Womens Racing Club members until Wednesday December 5th. No tickets will be available at the door.
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