IT'S TIME TO RACE!!

October 3, 2004 FSCR Lee Collins tops UPM Modified 100 Field at Citrus by Larry MacMillan (Inverness, Fl. 10/02/04) Eight stock car divisions stormed Citrus County Speedway Saturday night and left it in better shape than Hurricane Jeanne did. One hundred sixty racers showed up for the all feature night. Lee Collins made it a banner night in the UPM Modified 100, qualifying with a 13.700 second run on the 3/8th mile asphalt for fast time followed by Jeremy Gerstner and John Gerstner. Twenty three cars took the green flag with John Gerstner on the pole shooting to the early lead only to fall to his brother Jeremy in the early going. Lee Collins chased the brothers for about 30 laps before he made the move on John. Lee let Jeremy set the pace to lap 45 when he was able to take advantage of an inside run for the clean pass for the lead. From that point on it was all over but the trip to Victory Lane for Collins. When the checkered flag dropped it was Collins, Jeremy Gerstner and John Gerstner taking the top three spots. Teddy Nelson picked up the hard charger award moving from 11th to 4th followed by Alan McCafferty who started sixth. Rounding out the top ten were Kyle Bookmiller, Ronnie Campbell, Kevin Durden, Robert Ray and Mickey Kempgens. Richie Smith taking fast qualifying honors for the Sportsman 40 again with a 14.847 second run. Mike Veltman Mike Bell and Johnny Sanders all clocked in 14 second bracket. Twenty cars took the green for the 40 lap slug fest that saw six cautions before the race was cut to 30 laps. Only 8 starters finished the race with Richie Smith moving from 8th to log his fourth win of the season in the abbreviated Sportsman schedule for 2004. Mike Bell managed to pull off a second place finish over Frank Buchanan, Johnny Sanders and John Smith. Sanders came into the race leading the division point race by two but Richie regained the spot with this win. Sportsman will be back in two weeks for a hurricaned out make up race. Ron Towles made it two in a row in the 25 lap, 10 car, Open Wheel Lite main. Rick Lundeen put the pressure on all the way to the checkers followed by Mike Belusar, Harvey Johnson and Erik Powell. The top three picked up the Driver Appreciation awards with the presentation of etched racing theme mirrors from Twisted Frog Images and the winner took home a case of oil from Advanced Auto Parts. Defending Mini Stock champion Chris Hooker finally was able to finish a race and took his fifth win of the season. It has been one problem after another over the past three races for Hooker who has seen nothing but DNF’s lately. Jay McKenzie provided plenty of heat for Hooker right to the checkers. Lee Davis held out for third over point leader Jim Curry and Dan Smith. The top three also were honored for Driver Appreciation night. Qualifying for the 25 lap, 24 car Hobby Stock feature required a consi race due to 31 cars registering. The top 18 in the two week average points automatically earned starting spots. The top six were taken out of the 13 car, 15 lap consi race with Don Teague taking the win. Thirteenth starter Bobby Taylor was top shoe in the 25 lap main over Alvin Williamson, Tommy Smith, Cody Moore and John Hughes. Fred Henick logged his first Thunder Stock feature of the season moving from sixth to Victory Lane over the 26 car staring field. Andy Taylor ran a tight race for second over a five car knot for the spot. Point leader Jerry Hoover finished third followed by Steven Stinedurf, Wayne Heater and Ted Taylor who fell from 3rd to sixth in the final lap. Fifteen 4 Cylinder Bombers made the show interesting running a pair of features within one race for two separate purses. Eight modified and 7 regular Bombers took the green for their 15 lap run with Shane Guy the overall and modified winner. He was followed by Donnie Guy, James Williams, Eddie Simmons and Dwayne Guy. Harold Barup was the regular Bomber winner with Dan Sanderson, Clark Pittsley, Festus Barup and Tim Herrington locking in the top five spots. Fifteen Figure 8’s chased Mark Wilkins for the entire 25 lap main. Point leader Ron Schreifels gave him all the heat he could handle but had to settle for second over Robert Aaron, Seth Nistok and Eddie Davis. The top three were also awarded Driver Appreciation plaques and the winner a case of oil. Next Saturday night the hurricaned out Late Model Triple 50 will highlight a full night of action at Citrus County Speedway. Three 50 lap Late Model features will run back to back with escalating winner purses. They will qualify in time trials for the first race prior to regular race time and restart the second and third race in the order they finished the previous race. Supporting this card will be the Super Stocks, Mini Stocks, Hobby Stocks, Thunder Stocks and 4 Cylinder Bombers. Citrus County Speedway Results 10/02/04 UPM Modified 100 – 23 Cars 1. #89 Lee Collins – Fast Qualifier – 13.700 secs. 2. #70 Jeremy Gerstner 3. #77 John Gerstner 4. #34 Teddy Nelson 5. #32m Alan McCafferty 6. #03 Kyle Bookmiller 7. #112 Ronnie Campbell 8. #0 Kevin Durden 9. #96 Robert Ray 10.#2 Mickey Kempgens Sportsman Feature – 30 Laps – 20 Cars 1. #3 Richie Smith – 4th Feature win – Fast Qualifier 14.847 Sec. 2. #17 Mike Bell 3. #07 Frank Buchanan 4. #36 Johnny Sanders 5. #31 John Smith Open Wheel Lite Feature – 25 Laps – 10 Cars 1. #01 Ron Towles 2. #04 Rick Lundeen 3. #82 Mike Belusar 4. #7J Harvey Johnson 5. #28 Erik Powell Mini Stock Feature – 25 Laps – 20 Cars 1. #1X Chris Hooker – 5th Feature Win 2. #5X Jay McKenzie 3. #9X Lee Davis 4. #20 Jim Curry 5. #72 Dan Smith Hobby Stock Feature – 25 Laps – 24 Cars 1. #66 Bobby Taylor – 2nd Feature Win 2. #09 Alvin Williamson 3. #42 Tommy Smith 4. #12 Cody Moore 5. #28 John Hughes Hobby Stock Consi – 15 Laps – 13 Cars 1. #2x Don Teague 2. #9 Artie Hewitt 3. #57 Frank Stromquist 4. #22 Charles Herne 5. #60 Richard Henick Thunder Stock Feature – 25 Laps – 26 Cars 1. #60 Fred Henick – 1st Feature 2. #36 Andy Taylor 3. #30 Jerry Hoover 4. #0X Steven Stinedurf 5. #71 Wayne Heater Figure 8 Feature – 25 Laps – 15 Cars 1. # 1 Mark Wilkins – 1st Feature 2. #64 Ron Schreifels 3. # 6 Robbie Aaron 4. #27 Seth Nistok 5. #87 Eddie Davis 4 Cylinder Bomber Feature – 15 Laps – 15 Cars 1. #32 Shane Guy – Overall Winner and Modified Winner 2. #33 Donnie Guy – Modified 3. # 2 James Williams - Modified 4. #42 Eddie Simmons - Modified 5. #96 Dwayne Guy – Modified 4 Cylinder Bomber Regulars 1. # 3 Harold Barup – 3rd Feature Win 2. #7 Dan Sanderson 3. #64 Clark Pittsley 4. #69 Festus Barup 5. #82 Tim Herrington Have an opinion on this story? 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