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| Seven Divisions & Seven New Winners At Citrus | by Larry MacMillan
Early season anxieties led to some major concessions on the part of many drivers as week number two of the 2002 season got under way at Citrus County Speedway. With new drivers in every division and a new layout to race on, some major adjustments and new respect for competitors is part of the formula to success for the early going at the fastest 3/8 mile racecourse in Florida.
Former Late Model Champion Mike Bresnahan took the win in the first Winter Spectacular on the old course and after a poor finish in the second race after the new changes were made, it took him two weeks to get back into the winner’s circle over a strong 16 car field Saturday night. Jim Smith took the early lead off the pole position and held the top five shoes at bay before Bresnahan started using the second groove in lap 10 of the 30 lap main. When he got by Smith it was all over but the shouting and the battle to hold on to his second place finish went right down to the wire with Raymond Lovelady, Johnny Kay and Billy Bechtelheimer finishing nose to tail when the checkers flew.
Mark Dominique got a good starting spot and made it pay off for his first win of the season over a 14 car Sportsman field. The tail end of the field had problems staying out of trouble and brought on 5 caution flags with spins that caused little damage except to the #2 car of Jimmy Thompson and #04 that was being driven by Richie Smith for David Dollar. Both cars were out for the night after the run in. George Neumann put the pressure on Dominique in the final lap but took his new ride to a second place finish over a determined Bill Oestreicher who held off Tate Pierce and Buddy Kessler who survived an early crash on the front straight.
Danny Cretty made his first trip to Victory Lane in several years over a 20 car Street Stock field that saw a six car run for the win in the final 5 laps of their 20 lap main event. Mike Bell overtook early leader Victor Stanley in the run for second with Stanley holding off Kathy Ray, Ernie Reed and David Kingsbury for the Street Stock top six finishers.
Kevin Harrod took a borrowed ride off the pole position and never looked back after the green flag flew for his first win of the year in the Mini Stock Division. Harry Futch Jr. had to make his way through traffic to nail down his best finish of his career over another new comer Jay McKenzie who held off Jake Garver for third. Robbie Yoakam came from 13th to finish fifth over last week’s winner Rob Wheatley.
It was the Smith brothers in the Hobby Stock battle for the second week in a row. Tommy Smith locked it in this week with Richie holding down second right on his brother’s rear bumper. Dustin Aaron came off from the pole and led for the first 7 laps before he fell back to third where he finished ahead of Glen Colyer Sr. and Chris Cross. Twenty-two cars took the green and fifteen finished.
Figure 8’s were back for their first of 12 races in 2002 and fourteen cars turned it on in the intersection. Darryl Hage took off from the pole and led for 19 laps before Robert Aaron got under him for the pass on turn four and crossed the finish line a half car length ahead for the win. Jeff Kramer held on to third from flag to flag. Charlie Meyer scored a fourth place finish over a very patient Dwayne Fults who started in the rear of the field and worked his way to the top five finish in the 14 car, 20 lap event.
Twenty seven Thunder Stocks took the green and for the first time this season they were able to run all 20 laps of their feature. Robert Jordan took his very first stock car win over an aggressive field that had Terry Sharrone, Tim Wilson, Stuart Madison and Shawn Conner rounding out the top five. Josh Teague and Lee Keller were battling for the win in lap 18 when they got together on turn one and two, bringing on the caution and rearranging the finish and ended their night.
Week three will see the Hobby Stocks in their first 40 lap main event with $500 to win along with the rest of the regular divisions. Hobby Stock time trials will start at 5:30 and races are schedule to take the green at 5 P.M..
Citrus County Speedway Results for 2/16/02
Late Model Feature – 30 Laps - 16 Cars
1. # 3 Mike Bresnahan Lecanto
2. # 9 Jim Smith Inverness
3. #17 Raymond Lovelady Lakeland
4. #77k Johnny Kay
5. # 6 Billy Bechtelheimer Dover
1st Heat Winner - #77 Perry Lovelady – Lakeland
2nd Heat Winner - #17 Raymond – Lakeland
Sportsman Feature – 20 Laps – 14 Cars
1. # 7 Mark Dominique Lecanto
2. #96 George Neumann Inverness
3. # 0 Bill Oestreicher Webster
4. #81 Tate Pierce
5. #40 Buddy Kessler Brooksville
1st Heat Winner #2 Jimmy Thompson – Pinellas Park
2nd Heat Winner #96 George Neumann – Inverness
Street Stock Feature – 20 Laps – 20 Cars
1. #01 Danny Cretty Dunnellon
2. #17 Mike Bell Brooksville
3. #35 Victor Stanley Brooksville
4. #63 Kathy Ray Floral City
5. #55 Ernie Reed Crystal River
1st Heat Winner - #3 Glenn Fleming – Inverness
2nd Heat Winner - #35 Victor Stanley – Brooksville
3rd Heat Winner - #2x Don Teague – Hernando
Mini Stock Feature – 20 Laps – 15 Cars
1. #6 Kevin Harrod Bushnell
2. # 8 Harry Futch Jr.
3. #1x Jay McKenzie Inverness
4. #10 Jake Garber Bellview
5. 8x Robbie Yoakam Hernando
1st Heat Winner - #6 Kevin Harrod – Bushnell
2nd Heat Winner - #8x Robbie Yoakam – Hernando
Hobby Stock Feature – 20 Laps – 22 Cars
1. #21 Tommy Smith Floral City
2. #42 Richie Smith Hernando
3. #98 Dustin Aaron Brooksville
4. #44 Glen Colyer Homosassa Springs
5. #66 Chris Cross Inverness
1st heat Winner - #98 Dustin Aaron – Brooksville
2nd Heat Winner - #14 Joe Rauner – Brooksville
3rd Heat Winner - #21 Tommy Smith – Floral City
Figure 8 Feature – 20 Laps – 14 Cars
1. # 6 Robert Aaron Brooksville
2. # 8 Darryl Hage St. Petersburg
3. #87 Jeff Kramer St. Petersburg
4. #94 Charlie Meyer Pinellas Park
5. #00 Dwayne Fults Hernando
Thunder Stock Feature – 20 Laps – 27 Cars
1. #28 Robert Jordan
2. #36 Terry Sharrone
3. #85 Tim Wilson
4. # 2 Stuart Madison
5. 44 Shawn Conner
1st Heat Winner - #21 Lee Keller
2nd Heat Winner – # 36 Terry Sharrone
3rd Heat Winner – #28 Robert Jordan
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