IT'S TIME TO RACE!!

February 23, 2004 FSCR Southern Sportsman Series Inaugural Claimed by Aaron Williamson by Debbie Hutto Over 20 cars showed up for the Inaugural Race with 20 taking to the track for qualifying on Saturday night at Citrus County Speedway. It was #13 Aaron Williamson setting fast time with a 14.932. Williamson would start 11th on the grid, as the Southern Sportsman Series have the top 12 in qualifying do a pill draw to determine their starting position. Westley Bass in the #63 would be the lucky one and draw the number one pill that gave him the pole position. Outside of Bass would be the #18 of Frank Buchanan. At the drop of the green, it would be Bass out front followed by Buchanan. Lap 2 would see the first of only two yellows in the 50-lap event. The lap 2 yellow involved #46 Arthur Conquet, #8X Robbie Yoakam, #1 Scott Holly, and #17 Mike Bell, with Yoakam the only driver to retire for the evening. Bass would lead till lap 10 when #13 Williamson would drive on the outside of #12 Dad David Williamson, #18 Buchanan and Bass to take the lead. Bass fell out of the race soon after with rearend problems. The second and final caution would be for #07 Travis Roland and #2 Paul Gibbs, with Gibbs losing an axle from the rear of his machine. The lap 19 restart would keep Williamson out front, working his way through lapped traffic and keeping a 3 car length advantage over 2nd place runner Buchanan till he would see the checkered flag. The next event for the Southern Sportsman Series will be April 24, 2004 at Bronson Motor Speedway. With a little over two months until the next race, the series should see an increase in cars at the next event. Southern Sportsman Series Results-Top 10-Citrus County Speedway #13 Aaron Williamson #18 Frank Buchanan #12 David Williamson #1 Scott Holley #86 Pete Close, Jr. #46 Arthur Conquet #16 R.J. Williams, Jr. #8 Donald Gatlin #71 James Conley #17 Mike Bell Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board! news@karnac.org or send a letter to the editor!