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| Late Model "TRIPLE 50" Highlights Citrus Saturday Night | by Larry MacMillan
(Inverness, Fl. 10/6/04) With just six weeks left in the Citrus County Speedway 2004 season remaining there will be more action than the racing fans realize Saturday night. Six divisions will be competing over the next four weeks for their championships plus special races that have been added to the season that will go out with a bang.
Late Models will kick off this week’s race card with qualifying time trials for the hurricane delayed, first ever, “TRIPLE 50.” This will feature three, back to back, 50 lap races for three different payoffs and graduated winner’s purses. The Super Late Models are expected to draw not only the local regulars who will be chasing former champ Herb Neumann Jr. for the 2004 Championship Crown but also some of the state’s hot shoes that make the traveling series. Late Models have not been able to run since August 7th due to the hurricanes that have come through Central Florida. Thirty of the state’s best made that show which was a twin 50 that saw Neumann and Brock Oglesby sharing the top prizes. Not only is the money good but bragging rights are a bonus.
Added to this week’s race card will be the Super Stocks who are still after Jo Jo Viverito for the point championship. Richie Smith, Ernie Reed, Stephen Anderson and James Hendrickson need to do some work to catch the young driver who has 123 point lead over the runner up with just four weeks remaining before the final checkered flag falls on the championship run. The final race of the season will be a 50 lap special as part of the Halloween Trick or Treat Special.
Mini Stock rookie Jim Curry continues to lead 3 time champion George Neumann by 163 points after Neumann’s 2 DNF’s over the past two races. Defending Champion Chris Hooker got back into the Winner’s Circle last week after several nights of misfortune and trails Neumann by 33 points. He is being chased by Jason Reynolds who is having his best season of his career. Mike Lawhorn is on Reynolds heels trailing by just 33 points with only four races left to make up the deficit.
Tommy Smith is still the top shoe in the wild Hobby Stock action with Bobby Taylor coming off his second win last week to keep the heat on. Dean Lawyer is having a tight race for third while Alvin Williamson is trying to keep Bill Ryan at bay. Hobby Stocks have been the most populated division at Citrus this season with an average of 30 cars showing up each week and a total of 74 racers trying the division on for size.
The Thunder Stocks are also crowded with contenders and Jerry Hoover has been able hold off the 59 car division for the past couple of months. Rick Badessa trails Hoover by 126 points and has a very aggressive Steve Stinedurf just 76 points out of second. Louie Cioe has been dependent on borrowing race cars to maintain his hold on fourth while Victor Shahid is in his tire tracks for the spot. Mike Dubbs is just 1 point up on a very hot Wayne Heater in the race for 6th.
Wrapping up “Saturday Night at the Races” this week will be the 4 Cylinder Bombers that have been running a two division race in one feature. They drew a total of 15 cars last week with the regular Bomber division that has been running all season long with an average of 4 cars a week. Over the past couple of races a modified division has been added to the feature race, thus a race within a race for 15 laps for two different purses.
Citrus County speedway is located 2 miles south of Inverness, on U.S. 41 at the Fairgrounds. Pit gates open at 2 pm, grandstand gates open at 4 pm, time trials for the first Late Model feature start at 5:30 and the first regular race takes the green flag at 6 pm.
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