Citrus wins over Mother Nature Saturday in 6 Division Race Card
by Larry MacMillan
(Inverness, Fl. 8/19/06) Practice for the 135 race cars was scheduled to begin at 3 P.M. Saturday and just as the first division was lining up to go on the track the bottom fell out over Citrus County Speedway and lasted for an hour before moving on to parts unknown. Some very patient drivers stuck it out with every intention of getting this one in and assisted in drying out the track.
The race scheduled was delayed in getting started and restructured the race card to allow for the TBARA Sprints and Open Wheel Modified divisions to get their heats in for qualifying and the rest of the divisions added 5 laps to their scheduled feature races. The change in the schedule allowed for all the divisions to get some practice time in before going racing and to get the complete show in before the 11 o’clock curfew.
Twenty five TBARA Winged Sprint cars towed in from all over the state and ran three heats won by Ray Bragg, Shane Butler and Gary Gimmler. When the green flew for their 30 lap main all 25 made the field and put on a great show with Ben Fritz coming off the pole and leading the pack for the first 15 laps. Caution came out at lap 15 and on the restart Gary Gimmler made the pass on the outside lane to take the lead for the balance of the race, taking his first win of the season on a motor that blew as he crossed the finish line.
Dude Teate managed to move from his 12th starting spot to finish second over early leader Ben Fritz. Balancing out the top ten were rookie point leader Michael Smith, winner of the last two races Keith Butler, John Anderson, Bo Hartley, Wayne Reutimann Sr., Wendy Mathis and Troy DeCaire. TBARA Sprints will close out the Citrus County Speedway Season on November 11th.
Modified heat winners were Kyle Bookmiller, Billy Bechtelheimer and Tommy Schnader. Twenty four racers lined up for the 30 lap main and Curtis Neumann won two drag races to the #1 turn after the first one was negated by an 8 car pile up caution flag. On the second restart Neumann took the point and spent the entire race outmaneuvering Teddy Nelson’s attempts to make the pass. Several more caution flags prevented Nelson from making the pass stick. Neumann went on to win his second feature of the season with Nelson right on his rear bumper. Adam May moved from fifth to finish third just behind Nelson. Harold Cannon finished fourth just ahead of Kyle Bookmiller, John Gerstner, Tommy Schnader, Mike Wilson, David Davis and David Debelius in a 7 car traffic jam fighting for the same real estate to round out the top ten.
Another heavy field of 24 Limited Sportsman took the green flag for their 25 lap feature event with D.J. Macklin taking the point and setting the early pace. Glen Flemming, Maloy Kelly and A.J. Isbister went to war battling to make the move to the front for the first half of the race. Several caution laps slowed the race down and when the smoke cleared A.J. Isbister took his fifth checkered flag of the season. Macklin settled for a solid second place run with 6th starter Edward Allen moving into third when it was all over. Maloy Kelly, Jim Altobelli, Patrick Menninga, Ernie Reed, Tom Posavec, Dustin Aaron and Bob Masciarelli locked in the top ten spots.
Hobby Stocks had 26 cars go to war in their 25 lap shoot out with Mike Wilson proving that Citrus County Speedway is a three groove track moving from 15th to Victory Lane. Curtis Flanagan came from 21st to finish second right on Wilson’s heels. Richie Smith moved to the front of the pack from his 12 starting spot and then slipped back to third when the checkers flew followed by last week’s winner Jason Murphree. Rounding out the top ten were Alvin Williamson, James Batson, Steve Anderson and Frank Stromquist.
Twenty one Thunder Stocks turned on their talents in another 25 lap main that saw several caution flags that weren’t kind to some and opened the door to the front for others. Seventeenth starter Tim Wilson again used the second and third groove through traffic for his second win in a row and fifth of the season. The ladies are fairing well with Megan Spicer finishing a solid second followed by Mike Dubbs, Rick Shahid and Kristine Henick locking in fifth. Jason VanOchten picked up a sixth place finish, while Robin Bauer, who wore her Cub Scout Troop #443 to celebrate Scout night at the track, returned to racing after a long time out finishing seventh. Josh Long, Joe Pallitto and Cassie Selvage rounded out the top ten.
The largest 4 Cylinder Bomber field of the season chose to ignore the weather situation and put on a great race with 17 racers running in their 25 lap feature. Different race, but same outcome with Justin Durbin out running Marlon Durbin in the run for the checkers and capturing his 9th win of the point’s season. This was his 10th win of the season after winning in their special last week. Justin started 15th and Marlon 14th and the final 6 laps turned out to be a match race to Victory Lane. Kenny Taylor started dead last and joined the top two in the final run for the flag settling for third over early leader James Williams and another early leader Jon Doucette rounding out the top five.
Next Saturday night will feature an all local race card with the return of the Late Models, Figure 8’s, Limited Sportsmen, Mini Stocks Hobby Stocks and 4 Cylinder Bombers.
