IT'S TIME TO RACE!!

June 12, 2005 FSCR Citrus Challenges Arlene and Wins by Larry MacMillan (Inverness, Fl. 6/11/05) With tropical storm Arlene in the Gulf of Mexico threatening extremely heavy rain throughout Florida every track in the state from Hialeah to Lake City decided not to tempt fate and called off their racing program Saturday. Promoter Billy Hooker and General Manager Don Cretty decided to take the gamble at 2:30 pm and made the decision to try and get the program in. The Open Wheel Lites called about noon and cancelled their scheduled appearance due to the distance most drivers would have to travel to make the show. Unfortunately the rain threat kept the fans away but being the only game in town brought in quite a few visiting racers to Citrus despite the threatening weather. 112 cars showed up to race in the six division race card. Two 4 Cylinder Bomber heats and 2 of 3 Hobby Stock heats ran the before bottom fell out that looked like it would be a short night. Thirty minutes later the sun broke through and with the help of 25 race cars the track was dried enough go back to racing at 8 pm. Heats were cancelled and 5 laps were added to what turned out to be an all feature program. Eighteen of 19 registered Modifieds took the green flag for their 35 lap main event. Point leader Billy Bechtelheimer charged from his sixth starting position through heavy hitters Kyle Bookmiller, Harold Cannon, Mike Hinegardner and Ralph Bowman to take the lead after 10 laps. Bechtelheimer set the pace under a whole lot of pressure from 8th starter Tommy Schnader, pole sitter Harold Cannon, 6th starter Jimmy Wagner, 9th starter Mason Love and 10th starter Robert Ray who finished in that order when the checkers flew. Rounding out the top ten were Doug Cleckner, Ralph Bowman, Kyle Bookmiller and Mike Hinegardner. Nineteen Sportsmen comprised the largest field in the division in 2005 with six first timers when the green flag flew for their 25 lap main event. Mike Veltman launched from tenth to the front of the pack in five laps and logged his second feature win of the season. Point leader Rick Kase held out for 2nd over early leader Kyle Maynard, Robbie Cooper and Bob Masciarelli. Rounding out the top ten were Frank Buchanan, Chris Cross, Bobby Taylor, John Smith and Wayne Lewis. The Mini Stock Challenge was scheduled to run at rained out Columbia Motor Sports Park so they came to Citrus and started 17 cars. They put on quite a show with Robbie Yoakam coming from the back of the field and finding his way through traffic on the track he grew up on to take the win away from defending 2004 champion Jim Curry. Ronnie Larson out dueled three time champion George Neumann in the race for 3rd, while Justin Larson was right on Neumann’s rear bumper at the checkers. Pole sitter Mike Lawhorn slipped back to sixth at the finish line followed by Raymond Folwell, Rick Litka, Jay McKenzie and Don Faunce. Curtis Flanagan made short work of the front 14 cars in the 28 car Hobby Stock starting field setting the pace to the checkers after taking the lead away from Tony Trancucci in their 25 lap feature event. Meanwhile six cars were in a see saw race for second well behind the leader that ended on the final lap with a bump and go between Herb Hoefler and Corky Miley that rearranged the official finish from second on back. Officially Tony Trancucci wound up second followed by Bill Ryan, Johnny Zuidema and Tim Whitehead. Rounding out the top ten were David Chastain, Bobby Becker, Mike Wedlick, George Webb and Artie Hewitt. Only 16 of 17 Thunder Stocks were able to take the green flag in their 25 lap feature with point leader Steven Steindurf working his way through traffic from 8th to his first win of the season. Glen Collier followed him through traffic to outrun D.J. Macklin in the race for second. Gary Johnson won the match race over Wayne Heater in the run for fifth. Rounding out the top ten were Victor Shahid, Fred Henick, Kyle Dubbs, Mike Dubbs and Jason VanOchten. Justin Durbin marched from 7th to the point and the win taking the lead away from Marlon Durbin and James Pate who were all in a three way battle for the lead. Roger Blevins out ran Harold Barup in the race for fifth. Locking in the balance of the top ten were Tim Harrington, Kevin Stone, Will Curry, Jesse Mullis and Jon Layerd. Saturday night will see the Gulfcoast Modifieds back for their second appearance of the season. Joining them will be Figure 8’s, the Sportsmen, Mini Stocks, Hobby Stocks, Thunder Stocks and 4 Cylinder Bombers. Citrus County Speedway Results 6/11/05 (* Season Feature) Modified Feature – 35 Laps – 19 Cars 1. # 6 Billy Bechtelheimer – 2nd Feature Win* 2. #19 Tommy Schnader 3. # 3 Harold Cannon 4. #17 Jimmy Wagner 5. # 0 Mason Love 6. # 9 Robert Ray 7. #67 Doug Cleckner 8. # 2 Ralph Bowman 9. #03 Kyle Bookmiller 10.# 1 Mike Hinegardner Sportsmen Feature – 25 Laps – 19 Cars 1. #55 Mike Veltman – 2nd Feature Win* 2. #35 Rick Kase 3. #27x Kyle Maynard 4. #98x Robbie Cooper 5. #72 Bob Masciarelli 6. #07 Frank Buchanan 7. # 3 Chris Cross 8. #66 Bobby Taylor 9. #31 John Smith 10.#28 Wayne Lewis Mini Stock Feature – 25 Laps – 17 Cars 1. # 8 Robbie Yoakam – 1st Feature Win* 2. # 9 Jim Curry 3. #89 Ronnie Larson 4. # 1 George Neumann 5. #88 Justin Larson 6. #44 Mike Lawhorn 7. #03 Raymond Folwell 8. #82 Rick Litka 9. #5x Jay McKenzie 10.# 2 Don Faunce Hobby Stock Feature – 25 Laps – 28 Cars 1. #3x Curtis Flanagan – 3rd Feature Win* 2. #05 Tony Trancucci 3. #33 Bill Ryan 4. #47 John Zuidema 5. #35 Tim Whitehead 6. #17c David Chastain 7. #17 Bobby Becker 8. #96 Mike Wedlick 9. #40 George Webb 10.# 9 Artie Hewitt Thunder Stock Feature – 25 laps – 17 Cars 1. #0x Steve Stinedurf – 1st Feature Win* 2. #44 Glen Colyer 3. #14 D.J. Macklin 4. #40 Gary Johnson 5. #71 Wayne Heater 6. # 8 Victor Shahid 7. #60 Fred Henick 8. #32 Kyle Dubbs 9. #36 Mike Dubbs 10.#97 Jason VanOchten 4 Cylinder Bomber Feature – 20 Laps – 12 Cars 1. #55x Justin Durbin – 1st Feature Win* 2. #72 Marlon Durbin 3. #55 James Pate 4. # 1 Roger Blevins 5. #3x 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!