Mike Bresnahan opens Citrus L.M. Season with Big Win
by Larry MacMillan
Week 2 of the restart of Citrus County Speedway’s 52nd racing season saw the return of the Super Late Models in their first point’s race of the year. Added to the race card was a 50 lap 4 Cylinder Bomber race, plus the Street Stocks, Pure Stocks, V8 Thunder Rookies and the return of the Limited Sportsman and Mini Stocks after a four week layoff. The Florida Open Wheel Lites made their first visit to the 3/8ths mile to round out a full race program.
Eighteen Late Models took the green flag for their 35 lap main with a caution flag coming out right off the get go that saw Scott Grossenbacher and Jim Smith getting together right at the flagger’s stand putting Smith into the wall and ending his night early. Pole sitter Daniel Webster set the pace on the restart while the rest of the pack jockeyed for a comfortable position for the first few laps. Webster set the pace for 33 laps taking a lot of heat from sixth starter Mike Bresnahan for most of the final 15 laps.
Bresnahan made the pass on the inside in lap 33 and then Webster came back taking Bresnahan out off turn two bringing out the final caution, putting Webster to the rear for the restart. At that point it was all over but the shouting as Bresnahan went on to take the win with Scott Grossenbacher, Herb Neumann Jr., Gary Grubbs and Keith Zavrel in the nose to tail finish. Bresnahan, Jim Smith and Gary Grubbs took the heat wins.
Nineteen Sportsmen went to war after their long layoff and spent 20 laps chasing Mike Veltman who is coming back with a vengeance in his new ride in hopes of earning another championship crown after taking most of last year off. Ernie Reed brought his new ride out for the first time, started 8th and locked on to a second place finish ahead of 10th starter Scott Hendrickson. Hendrickson was D.Q’d in tech moving Rusty Bremer into third ahead of Bobby Taylor and J.T. Rameau. Veltman and Phillip Rook took the heat wins.
Fifteen of 28 registered Mini Stocks returned to action after a five week layoff. Phillip Joyner showed some horsepower that put him in the Winner’s circle for the first time in 2007 and becoming the fourth different winner in the division this season. Chris Hooker made his first appearance of the season and came from 12th to 2nd when the checkers flew. Steve Griffin was right on Hooker’s rear bumper when they crossed the finish line.
Pole sitter Todd Haught held out for a fourth place finish followed by Mark Moniz. Mike Lawhorn took the win in his heat and lost power in the feature when he had the early lead. Joyner took the win in the second heat.
It was another full field for the Street Stocks with 24 of 27 registered for the night making the feature race. Richie Smith is definitely a man on a mission starting 12th powering his way through the field for his third win of the season and backing that up with his 2nd heat win of the year.
Tim Quick held off Todd Downs in the race for second while pole sitter Wayne Heater held out for fourth over Jason Murphree. Heater captured his first heat win of the year and Jay Witfoth came into the night tied for the points lead locked on for the win in the third heat.
The 4 Cylinder Bombers put on one heck of race in their 50 lap special going the entire distance with only one caution flag. Brandon Elwood was fast qualifier and definitely proved he was the man to beat in the big one. Starting 8th he moved to the point in 6 laps and despite quite a few caution flags managed to lap all but one of the cars that finished and that was his cousin Justin Elwood who finish a half lap behind in second. Jon Doucette held out in third and managed to stay in the lead lap until lap 48. John DeGeorge and Anthony LaPointe rounded out the top five, one lap down.
Pure Stock action turned into a demo derby in the round and it was survival of the fittest of the 31 cars that tried to qualify for the 24 starting positions. Bill Ryan and Bobby Taylor put on a great show battling each other for all 20 laps.
Taylor spent most of the race using the second groove until Ryan move out block him late in the race and Taylor went on to take his first Pure Stock win of the season. Ryan had to settle for second followed by James Erickson who moved from 10th to third at the checkers. Steve Steindurf held out for fourth over Rick Shahid. Victor Shahid, Erickson and Ryan took the heat wins while David Pate won the 10 Lap, 13 car, B Main to qualify for the feature.
Seventeen V8 Thunder Rookies were extremely physical in their 20 lap feature. They were supposed to be the first feature of the evening and after four attempts to get one lap in they were sent back to pits and if time allowed they would get to run the final race of the evening. Thirteen survivors made it for the green flag with Chad Markland moving from the back of the pack to Victory Lane followed by John Drye who seesawed with him for the lead in the final 8 laps. John Brown finished third but was D.Q.’d in tech moving Chad Fairbanks up followed by Ricky Shahid and Eddie Rosasco.
The Florida Open Wheel Lites brought 14 cars in from all over Florida and Phil Krauthoff out of Deltona out dueled Billy Geiss out of Edgewater for the win. Geiss tried to make a late pass on the low side off turn four, making contact with Krauthoff and breaking a tie rod, taking him out of the action. Krauthoff breezed to the win followed by Dennis Diehl from Kissimmee, Max Howe, Kissimmee, Alain Paridis, Palm Beach and Rick Lundeen, Jacksonville. Krauthoff and Geiss took the heat wins.
Citrus County Speedway Results 4/7/07
Super Late Model Feature – 35 Laps – 18 Cars
1. #66 Mike Bresnahan – 1st Season Win
2. #09 Scott Grossenbacher
3. #98 Herb Neumann Jr.
4. #10 Gary Grubbs
5. #47 Keith Zavrel
1st Heat Winner #66 Mike Bresnahan
2nd Heat Winner - #21 Jim Smith
3rd Heat Winner - #10 Gary Grubbs
Limited Sportsman Feature – 20 Laps – 19 Cars
1. #94 Mike Veltman – 1st Season win
2. #55 Ernie Reed
3. # 5 Rusty Bremer
4. #66 Bobby Taylor
5. #29 J.T. Reneau
1st Heat Winner - #94 Mike Veltman
2nd Heat Winner - #97 Phillip Rook
Mini Stock Feature – 20 Laps – 15 Cars
1. #86 Phillip Joyner
2. # 6 Chris Hooker
3. # 3 Steve Griffin
4. #09 Todd Haught
5. #441 Mark Moniz
1st Heat Winner - #44 Mike Lawhorn
2nd Heat Winner - #86 Phillip Joyner
Street Stock Feature – 20 Laps – 27 Cars
1. #142 Richie Smith – 3rd Season Win
2, #97 Tim Quick
3. #00 Todd Downs
4. #71 Wayne Heater
5. #95 Jason Murphree
1st Heat Winner - #71 Wayne Heater
2nd Heat Winner - #142 Richie Smith
3rd Heat Winner - #4 Jay Witfoth
4 Cylinder Bomber Feature – 50 Laps – 18 Cars
1. #28 Brandon Elwood
2. #17 Justin Elwood
3. #5 Jon Doucette
4. #122 John DeGeorge
5. #88 Anthony LaPoint
Fast Qualifier - #28 Brandon Elwood
Pure Stock Feature – 20 Laps – 24 Cars (31 Registered)
