Neumann Cushions L.M. Points Lead with Win #3 at Citrus
by Larry MacMillan
(Inverness, Fl. 6/24/06) Threatening weather didn’t deter the race cars from coming to Citrus County Speedway Saturday night. With six local divisions on the race card and the visiting Florida Pro Challenge cars, a total of 144 hot rods came through the pit gate and put on a terrific show for the fans. If it was high speed, plenty of passing, three and four wide racing and variety the fans were looking for, Citrus was the place to be.
Herb Neumann came into the weekend with a 17 point lead in the standings and had his work cut out for him moving from 10th to his 3rd trip to Victory Lane over the 20 car field. New comer Wayne Morris gave him a run for his money giving up the lead in lap 30 of their 35 lap main. Daniel Webster stayed in the top five all the way from green to the checkers scoring a 3rd place finish over Mike Bell who started 9th and pole sitter Herb Hoefler who led the early laps but went wide 10 laps into the race and slipped back to a fifth place finish. Heat winners were Webster and Dale Sanders scoring his first heat win of the season.
Five new Limited Sportsmen made up a 29 car field for their 20 lap main that saw Craig Robinson take his first win in his third week at Citrus. Point leader Jim Altobelli stayed in the top five throughout the race despite multiple caution flags and salvaged a second place finish over 9th starter Edward Allan who moved into second in the point’s race with his third place finish. Tom Posavec continued with his 6th top five finish just ahead of Rick Haugh. Heat wins went to D.J. Macklin, Edward Allen and Phillip Rook.
Twenty two Mini Stocks took the green flag in their 20 lap main and three time champion George Neumann launched his racer from 13th to take the lead in the final five laps for his first feature win of the season. Kevin Harrod made a long awaited return to his home track working the outside groove from 17th to second when the checkers flew. Johnny Siner started 16th and seemed to be the target for everyone on the track. The whole right side of his car was caved in but he kept on returning for the restarts and salvaged a third place finish ahead of early leader Rick Litka. Jesse Henley moved from 14th to fifth when the dust cleared. Heat winners were Litka and Johnathon Camp.
In was another heavy 27 car field taking the green flag for the Hobby Stock feature with John Makula moving from 10th to Victory Lane with his first feature win of the season and taking the point’s lead for the second time this season. After finishing third last week Curtis Flanagan worked his way from 17th to second being chased to the line by Richie Smith who was disqualified in post race inspection. Doc James Batson inherited a third place finish from his 14th starting spot. Point leader Bobby Taylor outran early leader Frank Stromquist in the race for fourth. Heat winners were Makula, Flanagan and Stromquist.
It was a wild 16 car chase through the intersection for the Figure 8’s that saw Robbie Aaron take a trip into the lake in the infield and a horrendous crash in the intersection that took out Clifford Rousseau who was running 4th at the time and Cody Moore who was returning from a short stop in the pits. Eighth starter Robbie Hage was chased to the checkered flag by his brother Darryl while Joie Catterelli moved from 9th to 3rd when the checkers flew. Early leader Stephen Anderson held off John Thomas in the race for fifth.
The Bomber division saw 6 new drivers in their 18 car starting field. Johnathon Guy was joined by 3 other family members for the first time this year. Johnathon had a message for six time winner Justin Durbin, taking the win followed by Chris Spring, Jarrod Guy and Justin settling for fourth. The top three were first timers for the season. Another first timer, Kenny Taylor locked onto the fifth spot at the start finish line. Heat wins went to Jon Doucette and Neal Durbin.
The Florida Pro Series brought in 8 drivers from around the state and Ft. Myers’ Brad Sanders breezed to a double with the heat and feature win. Rod Sanders hauled in from South Shore, KY to put on a chase for a second place finish over West Palm Beach driver David Hall. Ocala’s Mike Smith logged a fourth place finish ahead of Cape Coral’s Ken Ellefield.
Citrus County Speedway will take the night off next Saturday in deference to the Pepsi 400 at Daytona. The season will restart on July 8th with the TBARA Outlaw Winged Sprints making up the rained out season opener plus a full race card featuring Open Wheel Modifieds, Limited Sportsmen, Mini Stocks, Thunder Stocks and 4 Cylinder Bombers.
