They say variety is the spice of life and the Citrus County Speedway “Fall Fiasco” proved that variety definitely is what the fans are looking for in Saturday night racing entertainment.
The race card was loaded with action packed competition featuring an Enduro 150, a 50 lap Figure 8 race, Pro and Rookie Figure 8 School Bus races, a Boat Trailer race, the second half of the rained out Open Wheel Modified Twin 35 and wrapping up the edge of your seat race night with a 25 minute Demo Derby closing out the race night.
The standing room only crowd stayed right to the last checkered flag and left overwhelmed, knowing that they got their monies worth despite a rather chilly wind blowing right at them all evening long.
Kicking off the very competitive night of racing the Open Wheel Modifieds picked up with 13 of the original 25 car field that lost out on their second half of their 35 lap special in September.
They went at it like it was the final race of the season in one of the most exciting races of the year. Doug Miller locked onto the lead from the green flag followed by John Godwin, Buddy Kessler, Butch Bassett, Robbie Cooper and Teddy Nelson setting up the early single file front runners.
Buddy Kessler tangled with John Godwin bringing out the first caution flag in the tight run for the front. On the restart Robbie Cooper developed engine problems and fell out of the running. Meanwhile Teddy Nelson used the outside groove working his way from his 6th starting spot to the point and set the pace for the final 15 laps with 10th starter Curtis Neumann right on his rear bumper.
In the final 8 laps it was side by side racing for the two front runners with Nelson able to hold the inside line all the way to the checkers with Neumann having to settle for second followed by Doug Miller, John Godwin and Kyle Bookmiller rounding out the top five. Neumann took the $100 Hard Charger bonus. Kyle Bookmiller holds the point lead by 17 points over Teddy Nelson going into their final shootout on November 11th.
In the wildest Figure 8 action of the season Bobby Towe took the green flag from the pole position with outside pole sitter Robbie Hage falling in behind him with a 24 car field in tow.
Towe led the Figure 8 50 for the first 40 laps with perfect timing through a very busy intersection that had the crowd on their feet on every pass before his motor gave out on him on one of several restarts. Robbie Hage moved into the lead with 10th starter Wayne Calkins in hot pursuit.
When the checkers flew Hage took the win over Calkins, 5th starter Clifford Rousseau third, 19th starter Curtis Youmans 4th and 12th starter John Thomas locking into the top five. Seth Nistok spent the whole night threading the needle in the intersection and finished seventh from his 14th starting spot for his show stopping run. Only half the field finished the 50 lapper.
Thirty five racers took the green flag for the Enduro 150 in hopes of taking home the $5,000 win purse. Herb Neumann Jr. picked up the lead after passing pole sitter Philip Kessler early in the race. Robert Ray worked his way from 21st to third when Ricky Heath took out leader Neumann putting both cars over the turn one wall ending the night for both of them.
On the restart Robert Ray picked up the point threaded his way through traffic putting the entire field down 2 laps before lap 98 when the red flag came out for a restart that had the drivers using the chicane for the next 20 laps. Ray missed the chicane on the 99th lap and that put him back one lap.
The red flag came out again in lap 120 and the racers reversed their direction in the run for the flag for the final 30 laps. Robert weaved his way through slower traffic to take the $5,000 check to the bank and lapping the entire field 3 times just like his dad predicted before the race in the ride Rick Ray said his son took away from him.
Mr. Enduro, Robert Ray has almost made a living running and winning Enduro races all over the state of Florida. Top five had Mike Gamache in 2nd followed by Kathy Ray, Carmine Castoria and Stacy Wright.
Superintendent of Citrus County Schools, Sandra Sam Himmel gave the 8 Pro Figure 8 School Bus racers the green flag for their 20 lap adventure through the intersection and the fans just loved all the action.
Chris Hooker led from start to finish collecting the $1,000 win purse. He was followed by a controversial second place finish between Dino Swing and Brent Fults. After all was said and done it was declared a dead heat for second and the two drivers shared second and third money. Danny Cretty and Larry Triana picked up 4th and 5th respectively.
Dave Ross took the flag to flag win in the 15 lap Rookie Figure 8 School Bus race followed by Jason Ayers who put on several runs at the leader but had to settle for second. Mike “Chopper” Nadeau took third over Dora Thorne and Tom Carroll.
Seven Boat Trailer racers took on the chicane route in what turned out to be a wild one. They went for 15 laps and it didn’t take long for many to lose their boats and then the trailers with just one car still towing his trailer upside down when the checkers flew and it was Larry Triana outlasting Curtis Youmans for the $500 dollar win.
Larry Welter Sr. finished third over Victor Stanley and Chad Fairbanks in a race that had the crowd laughing and yelling all the way.
Wrapping up the evening was a 14 car Demo Derby with Jason White being the most aggressive driver of the bunch and truly earning his $500 win purse taking out car after car in the 25 minute malay.
It took him 5 minutes to get in the blows on Roy Bare who picked up the $200 for second and Stephen Riblett holding on for the $100 third place money. Jason was the only car able to drive his rig back to the pits.
Only two weeks left in the regular point’s season and next Saturday night will see Herb Neumann Jr. and Scott Grossenbacher in the final Late Model shootout with only 4 points separating them in the race for the 2006 crown.
Jim Altobelli and Edward Allen are tied for the Limited Sportsmen lead with Tom Posavec just six points off the pace and Ernie Reed still in the hunt with their final two races on the schedule. Next week will be the final run for the 4 Cylinder Bombers with Justin Durbin sporting 14 wins on the season and a lock on the crown.
The Mini Stocks, Hobby Stocks and Thunder Stocks still have two more races to wrap up their season and decide the top ten. November 11th will close out the regular season with the TBARA Winged Sprints and the final Open Wheel Modified shootout with Kyle Bookmiller, Teddy Nelson and Billy Bechtelheimer in the mix for the crown.
Citrus County Speedway Results “Fall Fiasco” 10/28/06 Open Wheel Modified 35 – Postponed from Sept. 16th – 13 Cars
1. #34 Teddy Nelson – 5th Season Win
2. #01 Curtis Neumann
3. 353 Doug Miller
4. #22 John Godwin
5. #03 Kyle Bookmiller
Figure 8 Feature – 50 Laps – 24 Cars
1. #74 Robbie Hage – 2nd Season Win
2. #14 Wayne Calkins
3. # 3 Clifford Rousseau
4. #37 Curtis Youmans
5. #77 John Thomas
Enduro 150 – 150 Laps – 35 Cars
1. # 9 Robert Ray - $5,000
2. #85 Mike Gamache - $2,000
3. #63 Kathy Ray - $800
4. #24 Carmine Castoria - $500
5. # 8 Stacy Wright - $300
6. #85w Larry Welter Sr. - $200
7. #34 Bill Ryan – $150
8. #23 John Kahl - $130
9. #58 Larry Welter Jr. - $120
10.#81 Ken Crews - $100
Pro Figure 8 School Bus Race – 20 Laps – 8 Buses
1. # 6 Chris Hooker
2. #22 Dino Swing – Tie
2. #01x Brent Fults – Tie
4. #U812 – Danny Cretty
5. # 0 Larry Triana
6. #29 Glenn Flemming
7. #49 Dustin Aaron
8. # 1 Robert Aaron
Rookie Figure 8 School Bus Race – 15 Laps – 7 Buses
