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Keith Butler Batting 1000 in Wingless Sprint Action
by Larry MacMillan
(Inverness, Fl. 4/25/09) With four local divisions and two traveling series making up the race card Saturday night Citrus County Speedway had the smoothest running show of the year. No major accidents and a couple of races with no caution flags of any consequence it proved to be the fastest running race night in the history of the track.
Eighteen Checkered Flag Wingless Sprints made the show and put on a flag to flag non stop, no caution flag 30 lap feature that saw Keith Butler win the clean sweep award with his heat win and remained unbeatable after 4 races in the series.
This was their first appearance at Citrus County Speedway this season and Keith locked it down early after a 7th place start winning out in a three car battle with Dustin Henderson and Scott Adema for several laps before going after the leader Jason Bradford. Bradford held the lead for 9 laps before he slowed coming off turn three and four like he may have lost power to allow Butler to make the pass.
It was all over but the shouting as the rest of the packed race for position for the final 20 laps. When the checkers flew Keith celebrated on the front straight making it four for four followed by Scott Adema, David Slawiak, Mark Gimmler, Stan Butler (Keiths Dad), Dustin Henderson, Gary Gimmler, Jim Alvis, Brian Maddox and Frankie Hurst rounding out the top 10. Heat wins went to Keith Butler, Dustin Henderson, and David Slawiak.
It was another short field in the Sportsman division with Joey Catterelli coming in with the points lead sporting three 2nd place finishes, one fourth place finish and still looking to get to the winners circle. Saturday night was his night to howl as he launched off the pole position to lead the 7 car field for the entire 25 laps. Bobby Ervien made his way through traffic from his fourth starting spot and seemed to be the only car that may have had anything for Catterelli but had to settle for a second place finish. T.J. Chambers locked down 3rd over Tom Posavec and Mike Veltman rounding out the top five. No heats were run with the short field.
Another short field due to a competing race at another race track took some of the heavy hitters out of an important points race for the Street Stocks. Point leader Mark Fallows started in the rear of the 7 car field and was looking to make it two in a row but outside pole sitter Mike Ruff had other ideas. He charged to the front and went on to win his first win of the season, making that two first time winners on Saturday night.
Frank Stromquist managed to come off the pole and hold out for second in their 25 lap main event. Mark Fallows planed his work and worked his plan as he was intent in staying on top of the point race in the division and have a whole race car to put on the trailer settling for third at the finish line and holding a 70 point lead early in the season. Rick Shahid locked down a 4th place finish over Kenny May when the checkers flew. Again no heat races were run.
Seventeen of the 52 registered Mini Stocks made for an exciting 20 lap feature race. Clint Foley made short work of the front four before he took the lead and it was catch me if you can from the early going and nobody could. Clint logged his second feature of the year and maintains the early season point lead by 25 points over 2nd place finisher Robbie Yoakam who came from his 16th starting spot to climb to the front of the pack in the final laps. Mark Powers continues to run well winning his heat race and a 3rd place finish in the feature over pole sitter Marty Neikens and Chris Hooker. Kevin Harrod was strong in winning the first heat but ran into mechanical problems early in the feature ending his night.
The Four Cylinder Bombers came in with a strong 19 car field and the Rockin Rabbit Mike Ogren locked down his second feature of the year from his 8th starting position. It took him a few laps to make it through traffic but when he made it to the point he hopped away from the rest of the field. Defending champion Richard Kuhn started in front of Ogren but just couldnt find the horse power to make it around him and had to settle for second. Point leader who won his first feature last week rolled from 18th to 3rd when the checkers flew. Chris Snow was an early contender and held out for a 4th place finish over Tim Scalise who also won the 2nd heat. It was certainly a Mike Ogren night with his win in the first heat followed by the feature win.
Wrapping up the Saturday night action live program were the Bass Champions Challenge Series with 10 cars going in 1 heat and a 30 lap feature. Jarrett Snowden took a wire to wire win in their 8 lap heat run and wound up at the tail end of the field for the start of the 30 lap feature.
The starting order for their feature run was inverted from the finish of their heat race putting Sene Capps on the pole. The heavy hitters moved through the front end of the field at the half way point and a caution came out to tighten up the field in lap 15.
On the restart 8th starter Paul White put his racer up front and locked down the win ahead of Harvey Johnson, Bruce Gibson and FSTR Rookie of the Year Daniel Miller taking home 4th. Rounding out the top 5 was Gig Smith.
Next Saturday night the Action Attraction brings back the Super Late Models for their 3rd race of the year. Added to the show will be the Mini Stocks, Street Stocks, Pure Stocks, V8 Thunder Stocks, Mini Cup Car, and the Florida Legends Touring Series. Citrus County Speedway will be racing every Saturday night through November 14th except July 4th in deference to the Daytona 400 that weekend.
Citrus County Speedway Results 4/25/09
Checkered Flag Sprint Series Feature 30 Laps 18 Cars
