Weather Interrupts Citrus's Second Half of Feature Card
by Larry MacMillan
(Inverness, Fl. 8/26/08) The rain gods worked overtime Saturday for Citrus County Speedway’s scheduled 6 local division race card. Practice was interrupted with a 45 minute deluge that put the sweep crew to work early pumping out the intersection to the Figure 8 track and the racers helped dry out the oval for over and hour which got things started just a little bit late.
When the show finally got underway 120 racers were ready for a green race track with all divisions getting their heats in. The largest field of 4 Cylinder Bombers put together 3 heats qualifying for a 25 car feature race. Rookie Jon Doucette, Justin Durbin and Jared Guy took the wins in the heat races which ran pretty smoothly. Then came feature time and when the green flag flew they were three and four deep all around the race track with Justin Durbin determined he was going to tuck away win #10. He made his way to the front in the early going and got caught up in a mishap that sent him to the pits for a tire change after burying himself in the wet infield off turn two.
Meanwhile Donald Guy made his way to the point and set the pace to the checkered flag while the rest of the field swapped positions behind him. Donald has only raced at Citrus twice this year and has won on both occasions. Chris spring worked his way through the crowd from 19th to second followed by 15th starter Chris Allen, 8th starter John Doucette and 17th starter Jared Guy to round out the top five. Needless to say there was plenty of action and lots of passing throughout the race.
Twenty one Mini Stocks qualified in two heats and it looked like five cars were going to end the night on the first lap of the first heat. A chain reaction in the race for turn one put George Neumann head on into the wall looking like he was done for the night, with Jonathan Camp right beside him. Camp was able to motor away from the wreck.
Meanwhile Jeff Pittsley and Todd Haught had David Mothershed sandwiched in between them in the entrance to turn two ending the night for Haught and Mothershed. With four of the ten starters gone pole sitter Jesse Henley motored to the winner’s circle in the first heat. Kevin Harrod launched his race car off the pole position and it was all over but the checkers waving in the second heat.
When they rolled out for the feature the crowd was amazed to see George Neumann back out to take on the 21 car field from the outside pole after a miraculous repair job on his racer. Not only did he make it back out he set the pace all the way to the checkered flag holding off Clint Foley in a side by side finish. Kevin Harrod, Mike Lawhorn and Rick Litka rounded out the top five.
The Hobby Stocks saw a new winner in Victory Lane as Frank Stromquist doubled up with a heat win and then came back to win his first feature of the season. Twenty seven cars started and numerous caution flags came out for what turned out to be a regular crash fest. Only 11 laps were run before time more than ran out on the 20 minute time limit and you might consider Stromquist the Lucky Dog if there was such a thing in short track racing. He was saved loosing his lead position on a couple of occasions by caution flags that rearranged the line up for the restart. This was happening one and two laps at a time. Curtis Flanagan again came from the back end of the pack to chase Stromquist to the flag followed by Larry Triana, Tony Trancucci, Pete Close, Bobby Taylor, Mike Ruff, Tim Quick, James Cross and Johnny Zuidema III driving his dad’s car. Other heat winners were Don Teague and Jason Murphree.
The Limited Sportsmen saw Maloy Kelly and Pat Hunt take the wins in their two heat races. Twenty one cars lined up to take the green for their 20 lap feature race when it started to sprinkle, delaying the start of the race. They took several test laps and the drivers gave thumbs up to try to race. Wrong answer! When the flag flew Glenn Flemming got into a wet patch and slid up the race track into outside pole sitter Chris Cross bringing out the caution and that’s when the bottom dropped out. Management waited a half hour before calling the race so the Sportsmen will have a make up race to be announced after their scheduled 50 laps special non points race next Saturday.
Late Models are in the same boat with only 12 racers showing up due to weather conditions all over the state. They did get the heat races in with Herb Neumann Jr. outrunning Gary Grubbs and Raymond Lovelady for the top three in the first heat. It was Danny Johnson taking the win in the second heat being chased by Mike Bresnahan, in his new ride, and Scott Grossenbacher locking into third. They too will have a make up feature race to be announced when it can be fit into the schedule when they are scheduled to run again.
About the only thing the fifteen Figure 8’s got to do was try out the intersection in hot laps after the water was pumped out from the earlier rain. They are scheduled back on September 9th and may have a makeup race scheduled for that weekend.
Next Saturday will feature the Limited Sportsmen in their annual 50 lap non-points special. The Central Florida Sprints will run the Jackie Gordon Memorial race plus the Open Wheel Modifieds, Mini Stocks, Thunder Stocks and 4 Cylinder Bombers will be on the race card.
