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| Regular Program Features L.M. 75 Lap $3,000 to Win at Citrus Speedway | by Larry MacMillan
(Inverness, Fl. 9/24/03) With just six weeks left in the race for the Championship Crowns, Late Models have had a limited schedule this season and it’s getting down to the nitty gritty this weekend. Mike Bresnahan had Danny Johnson substitute for him in his absence last week and Ricky Carlton put together a win over a fourth place finish by Johnson to close to within 12 points on Bresnahan’s lead for the crown. Jim Smith slipped to third and Herb Neumann picked up six points on the leader as the top four pull within shooting distance of the championship. Saturday night’s 75 lap race will be for points for the locals and the $3,000 win purse will probably bring in some visitors to try for the big money. Dale Sanders has a pretty solid hold on fifth but stuff happens as proven last week in several divisions so nothing is cut in stone.
Mike Bell put some cushion in his Sportsman lead while Bill Oesterreicher is beginning to think Lady Luck has turned her back on him. A freshened up motor and a new body and paint job didn’t even make it for a heat race before he ended his night due to water in the oil. Running short on funds Billy “O” may have to hang it up for the balance of the season. Bill Ryan continues to run strong and the door is open for him to move up to second. Johnny Sanders is being chased by last week’s winner Mike Veltman who technically lost five weeks in his slip from the top spot after having a DNF on his return to racing and holds out in fifth with just six weeks left in the season.
Chris Hooker picked up a few points on Chris Thornton but the race for the Mini Stock crown is far from over. Phillip Joyner is closing on the top two. George Neumann slipped around Mike Lawhorn in the race for fourth after his 4th win last week and shares the top of the win column with Robbie Yoakam who is currently running 13th. Robbie has been on a limited schedule at Citrus focusing on the Mini Stock Challenge Championship this season and is at the top of the heap in the traveling Mini Stock series.
Ernie Reed had mechanical problems early last week and lost his Street Stock point lead to Danny Cretty who bounced right back to the top by two points. This race is far from over and you can expect these two to duke it out right to the final checkered flag on October 25th. Joe Viverito has Daniel Webster, Mickey Burns and Travis Nichols trying to chase him down for the third spot.
Hobby Stock leader Richie Smith had Robert Ray as a substitute driver in his absence last week and lost some ground to Curtis Neumann. Dean Lawyer had a tough night losing ground in his quest for the top spot but still holds a comfortable lead over Roy Perkins who finished third last week. Sport Wilson returned with a vengeance after taking a couple of weeks off and picked up his heat and his 10th feature win for a lock on fifth in the running.
Rounding out the point’s contenders, it was the Pat Quick show in Thunder Stock action again last week as she chalked up her 11th win of the season. She holds a 192 point lead over runner up Lee Keller. Louie Cioe trails Keller by 505 points and will spend the rest of the season holding off Larry Triana, John Donahue, Tim Wilson and Derek DeSomma in the race for third.
It should be quite a night as the point’s season draws to a close. Grandstand gates open at 4 and the first heat will take the green at 6 p.m. Make it a Saturday night date at the Action Attraction, Citrus County Speedway.
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