IT'S TIME TO RACE!!

October 24, 2004 FSCR Neumann Jr. Doubles up with Citrus Twin 50 Wins & Late Model Championship Neumann Jr. Doubles up With Citrus Twin 50 Wins & Late Model Championship (Inverness, Fl. 10/23/04) Herb Neumann Jr. doesn’t own Citrus County Speedway but he certainly has a heavy interest in making it work for him when it comes to dominating the big money Late Model Races at the 3/8th mile bull ring. Young Daniel Webster was the fast qualifier followed by team mate Jim Smith, Mike Bresnahan, Danny Johnson and Neumann. Dale Sanders had to borrow his brother Johnny’s Sportsman to get into the Twin 50’s and took the pole for the start of race #1, inverting the top ten. It was apparent from the get go that Dale didn’t have the motor he needed to be a contender. Billy Bechtelheimer took the lead away from Sanders before the heavy hitters made their way through traffic and wound up chasing Neumann for the final 25 laps for his fourth win of the season and the $1,000 win purse. When the checkers flew Raymond Lovelady held off Webster, Smith and Bechtelheimer to round out the top five. After a ten minute rest stop in the infield the top 7 were inverted for the start of the second 50 lap run with Danny Johnson and Mike Bresnahan on the front row. Bechtelheimer, Smith, Webster, Lovelady and Neumann taking the green in the front 7 spots for the $1,500 win purse. Johnson lost the race for the point into turn 1 to Bresnahan who held on to the lead before he had to give way to Raymond Lovelady and Herb Neumann who took advantage of Bresnahan drifting to the high side of the race track off turn two. Lovelady looked like he may be able to hold on for the win until he drifted high off the one-two turn, opening the door for Neumann to take over the lead and his second checkered flag for the night, a total of $2,500 for his night’s work and the Late Model Championship for 2004. Lovelady again had to settle for second followed by Bresnahan, Webster and Darren Jackson. Nineteen Super Stocks took the green for their 25 lap feature race with only one more race for the crown. Jo Jo Viverito continued his winless season but managed to chase Ernie Reed to the checkers for his 12th top five finish which assures him of the division Championship unless he doesn’t show up next week. Reed locked down his fourth win of the season and moved into second in the point’s race. It took Viverito quite a few laps to move from his 18th starting spot to hold out over Frank Buchanan in the race for second who followed him from the scratch starting spot to the checkers. Nineteenth starter Bob Masciarelli had his work cut out for him to pull off a fourth place over John Makula. As expected, the Hobby Stock division crown will go right down to the final race next week before a winner is decided. Seventh finisher Bobby Taylor maintained the lead over Tommy Smith who finished third and moved to within 15 points of recapturing the point lead. Richie Smith logged his first Hobby Stock win of the season in a breeze over Curtis Flanagan who exploded his motor in practice on Thursday night and supposedly came into the race with an ailing backup that was definitely missing during warm up laps. They apparently fixed the miss and Curtis managed to hold off a late charge by Tommy Smith in the race for second. Jeff Tillman got caught up in a checkered flag crash that sent him across the finish line in fourth, doing a 180 degree forced turn that wound up hitting track photographer Bob Ellison in the infield. Fortunately Ellison was able to walk away from incident. Early race leader Bob Becker held out for a fifth place finish. Despite a sixth place finish rookie Jim Curry looks to be a shoe in for the Mini Stock Championship Crown after Jay McKenzie cleaned everyone’s plow Saturday in their 16 car, 25 lap main. Chris Hooker was denied his 6th win of the season with a second place finish and maintains a solid third in the point’s race. Robbie Yoakam who has run a limited schedule kept last week’s winner Lee Davis off his rear bumper in the race for third. Wendell Guy rounded out the top five. Wayne Heater turned a 13th starting spot into his 4th Thunder Stock feature win of the year. D.J. Macklin held the lead for the first 18 laps of the race before giving way to Heater in the race for the flag. Jerry Hoover put some more cushion in his point lead and may have a lock on that championship with a decent finish next week. Big Dave Ross out dueled Fred Henick in the race for fourth. Wrapping up the next to the final night of point racing at Citrus County Speedway for 2004 the Auburndale gang dominated the 4 Cylinder Bomber race within a race with Michael Henderson taking his first win at the 3/8ths mile over their six car contingency. Justin Durbin returned after taking a couple of months off and won his 7th race of the season over 8 of the regulars that have raced in the division. Next Saturday night will feature the “Trick or Treat” ENDURO 150 for $5,000 to win. Mini Cup Cars will run their final race of the year and the Modifieds go for their final 30 lap special. The Super Stocks run their final point race in a 50 lap special. Wrapping up the championship runs for the year will be the tight Hobby Stock race plus the Mini Stocks, Thunder Stocks and the 4 Cylinder Bombers. The drivers will have Trick or Treat Candy for the kids on the front straight at intermission. Citrus County Speedway Results 10/23/04 1st Late Model Feature – 50 Laps - 17 Cars 1. #98 Herb Neumann Jr. 2. #17 Raymond Lovelady 3. #1X Daniel Webster 4. # 3 Jim Smith 5. # 6 Billy Bechtelheimer 2nd Late Model Feature – 50 Laps – 15 Cars 1. #98 Herb Neumann Jr. 2. #17 Raymond Lovelady 3. #61 Mike Bresnahan 4. #1X Daniel Webster 5. # 9 Darren Jackson\ Fast Qualifier - #1X Daniel Webster – 13.695 Secs. Super Stock Feature – 25 Laps – 19 Cars 1. #55 Ernie Reed 2. #72 Joe Viverito 3. #07 Frank Buchanan 4. #72X Bob Masciarelli 5. #27 John Makula Hobby Stock Feature – 25 Laps 27 Cars 1. #142 Richie Smith 2. #3X Curtis Flanagan 3. #42 Tommy Smith 4. #95 Jeff Tillman 5. #17 Bob Becker Mini Stock Feature – 25 Laps – 16 Cars 1. #5X Jay McKenzie 2. #1X Chris Hooker 3. # 8 Robbie Yoakam 4. #9X Lee Davis 5. #31 Wendell Guy Thunder Stock Feature – 25 Laps – 22 Cars 1. #71 Wayne Heater 2. #14 D.J. Macklin 3. #30 Jerry Hoover 4. #33 Dave Ross 5. #60 Fred Henick 4 Cylinder Bomber Regular Division Feature – 15 Laps – 8 Cars 1. #79 Justin Durbin 2. #64 Clark Pittsley 3. #3 Harold Barup 4. #9 Mike Curry 5. #7 Dan Sanderson 4 Cylinder Bomber Modified Feature – 15 Laps – 6 Cars 1. #94 Michael Henderson 2. #32 Shane Guy 3. #33 Donnie Guy 4. #42 Jarrod Guy 5. #98 Kevin Stone Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board! news@karnac.org or send a letter to the editor!