IT'S TIME TO RACE!!

May 23, 2004 FSCR Citrus Fan Appreciation Night Loaded with Action by Larry MacMillan Race fans were treated to a “Fan Appreciation Night” at Citrus County Speedway Saturday night and they definitely got their $5 worth with tons of action in the 6 feature race night for 200 laps of action. Super Street and Mini Stocks took on the 3/8ths mile bull ring in 50 lap feature races after qualifying in time trials. Thirty two Hobby Stocks were split into two feature races for 25 laps apiece while Thunder Stocks went to battle in a 30 lap feature and the 4 Cylinder Bombers went for 20 laps. Mike Bell was one of the early qualifiers and turned a 15:152 fast qualifying time followed by Jo Jo Viverito, Scott Holly who had a troubled night with an illegal sway bar and then a night ending crash in the feature. The pill draw inverted the whole field putting Mike Bell in 13th starting position with two cars electing to go to the rear. Fifteen cars took the green flag and Bell proceeded from the rear to the front after three caution flags rearranged the field on restarts. Steve Anderson got sent to the rear of the lead lap cars late in the race and worked his way back to a second place finish behind Bell when the checkers flew. After post race inspection and a look into Bell’s motor found illegal engine parts Anderson inherited the $750 win purse. John Makula and Richie Smith picked up second and third on the D.Q. Joe Viverito salvaged a fourth place finish after surviving a bad front chute wreck that sent him to the pits for repairs during the caution flag. Travis Nichols drove his first race of the season to a fifth place finish. Mini Stock Challenge Champion Robbie Yoakam again proved he is the king of the Mini Stock division at his home track with a fast qualifying time of 14:817 which was faster than the entire Super Street Stock division. Nineteen cars took the green flag for their 50 lap event with Yoakam coming out of his 14th starting spot, taking his time going to the front by lap 26. Young Chris Thornton and Chris Hooker put on a final 15 lap, side by side, match race for second with Thornton winning out in that run. Hooker had to settle for third followed by George Neumann finishing, where he started, in fourth. Brian Dorer rounded out the top five with eleven of fourteen cars finishing in the lead lap. Hobby Stocks went in twin 25’s with 16 cars in each feature. In feature #1 “Doc” James Batson started 15th and made short work of the entire field before he took the point. A caution came out during the lap that he did take the lead and had to make the move all over again on the restart. From their on, the race was for second with Curtis Neumann coming out of the scratch row and holding off Dean Lawyer, Roy Perkins and Todd Downs in the nose to tail four car run for second. Tommy Smith launched his #42 race car out of eleventh and rocketed to the front by the mid point in the race for his third win of the season. Bobby Taylor moved from fifteenth to second at the checkers followed by a very aggressive Patrick Lewis who outran Bill Ryan and Don Teague in the race for third. Ryan and Teague both recovered from early encounters that sent them to the rear on the restarts. Hard Charger Jerry Hoover moved into second in the point’s race with his second win of the season from the middle of the 23 car field in the Thunder Stock 30 lap main event. Rookie Gary Budek is beginning to find his way around the race track and performing well under pressure. He led the first 10 laps before falling back to fifth when he got hung out to dry. He recovered to salvage a third place finish behind 17th starter Steven Stinedurf. Lee Keller continued to show strength from his 22nd starting spot to hold out over John Sullivan for fourth when the checkers flew. Four Cylinder Bombers saw Clark Pittsley maintain his point lead with his third win of the season and second under unusual circumstances. Michael Spencer took over the ride that John DeGeorge moved out of to move up to Mini Stocks, losing it in a race with Harold Barup taking both cars into the turn three-four wall and out of the race in lap 17 of their 20 lap feature. Barup was going for his third win in a row. The Memorial Day weekend special will feature 8 divisions. Open Wheel Modified Lites return plus a Hobby Stock 50 lap main, Modified 30, Sportsman 40, Super Streets, Mini Stocks, Thunders Stocks and 4 Cylinder Bombers. The Powell Memorial Sunbelt Series 150 is scheduled for Friday night June the 4th featuring Florida’s best Super Late Model Pilots. Practice will be held on Thursday night June 3rd. This is a change in the original schedule. Citrus County Speedway Results 5/22/04 Super Street Stock Feature – 50 Laps – 16 Cars 1. #48 Steven Anderson 2. #27 John Makula 3. #77 Richie Smith 4. #72 Joe Viverito 5. # 2 Travis Nichols 6. #43 Brad Lyon 7. #59 Bret Flagg 8. #29 J.T. Renau 9. #X3 James Hendrickson 10.# 1 Scott Holly Fast Qualifier - #17 Mike Bell – 15:152 Sec. D.Q. In Feature Mini Stock Feature – 50 Laps – 19 Cars 1. # 8 Robbie Yoakam 2. #24 Chris Thornton 3. #1x Chris Hooker 4. # 1 George Neumann 5. #97 Brian Dorer 6. #94 Lee Davis 7. #96 Jay Zolciak 8. #44 Mike Lawhorn 9. #20X Jeff Pittsley 10.# 4 Jason Reynolds Fast Qualifier - #8 Robbie Yoakam 14:817 Hobby Stock Feature #1 – 25 Laps - 16 Cars 1. #77 James “Doc” Batson 2. #01 Curtis Neumann 3. #19 Dean Lawyer 4. #07 Roy Perkins 5. #00 Todd Downs 6. #09 Alvin Williamson 7. #44 Shawn Conner 8. #13 Neil Herne 9.#10 Butch Patz 10.#37 Rick Selvage Hobby Stock Feature #2 – 25 Laps – 16 Cars 1. #42 Tommy Smith 2. #66 Bobby Taylor 3. #46 Patrick Lewis 4. #33 Bill Ryan 5. #2X Don Teague 6. #4E James Teague 7. #21 Jim Nocella 8. # 1 Larry Triana 9. #47 John Zuidema 10.#60 Richard Henick Thunder Stock Feature – 30 Laps – 23 Cars 1. #30 Jerry Hoover 2. #0X Steven Stinedurf 3. #05 Gary Budek 4. #21 Lee Keller 5. #33 John Sullivan 6. #60 Fred Henick 7. #32 Mike Dubbs 8. #4 Larry Iovannisci 9. #45 Benny Benton 10.#15 Ray White 4 Cylinder Bomber Feature – 20 Laps – 3 Cars 1. #64 Clark Pittsley 2. # 7 Michael Spencer 3. # 3 Harold Barup Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board! news@karnac.org or send a letter to the editor!