For anyone who has visited the Citrus County Speedway over the past 3 years, the name Clint Foley is very familiar to fans and foes alike. Foley has all but dominated the Modified Mini Stock division at the speedway, winning the last 3 points championships. Saturday night, Foley would start in an all to familiar position, the last row of the field. Brad Blanton (14) and Chris Snow (29) would bring the field to the green flag. Their time at the front of the field would be short lived as 7th place starter Mark Powers (69) would power his way to the front of the pack. Behind him, 5th starter Rick Kuhn (47) and Foley (7) were making their way through the field. Foley would soon catch Powers, and the battle for the lead was on. Foley would prove to be fast enough to make the winning pass, and go on to take his 2nd feature win of 2012. Powers would run an uncontested 2nd ahead of Rick Kuhn in 3rd. Foley was also your heat race winner.
13 Street Stocks were led to the green by pole sitter Joey Bifaro (112) and Dora Thorne (48). Caution would quickly waive for contact between Thorne and 8th place starter James Peters (5). The cars would be realigned, and racing would quickly resume. Bifaro would lead the field on the restart with Craig Cuzzone (88) just behind. The red flag would come out on lap 6 for a fire on Pat Dents’ (6) racer. The fire would be quickly extinguished by the track safety crew, and Dent was uninjured. The short green flag run did shuffle the running order drastically, as 9th place starter Curtis Flanagan (3) would move from 4th at lap 1, to the lead by the time red flag came out at lap 6. Flanagan would lead the field to green with Cuzzone and Bubba Martone (98) close behind. Lap 15 would see the next caution as Martone would make contact with Cuzzone while racing for 2nd place. Martone would take blame for the incident, giving Cuzzone his spot back, and putting himself to the rear of the field. Flanagan would pull away on the restart, and go on to take his 3rd victory of 2012. Cuzzone would come home 2nd followed by Kenny May in 3rd. Flanagan and Peters were you heat race winners.
13 Pure Stocks rumbled to the green with Earl Frazier (4) on the pole position. Frazier is making his return to racing after several years off from competition. Outside pole sitter James Johnson (45) would get a great start, and move to the lead quickly. Carl Peters (39) would charge from his 8th starting position to challenge for , and take the lead on lap 5. Behind him it was the father and son team of Nicholas (17) and Eugene Malverty (23) slicing their way through the rest of the field. Nicholas would catch Johnson for 2nd, and make the pass, bringing father Eugene with him. A lap 12 caution for debris would close Nicholas right to Peters’ rear bumper for a restart. Peters would prove to have the best car on this night, driving away to an uncontested win on the restart. Nicholas Malverty would have to settle for 2nd ahead of his father Eugene in 3rd. Nicholas would extend his points lead to 5 over his father with the finish. Peters and Happy Florian (65) were the heat race winners.
13 Street Stock figure 8 cars provided the fans with some high speed intersection action to put them on the edge of their seats. David Ross (33) would jump out to an early lead at the green flag. Ross would lead till lap 5, when contact entering turn 3 between Ross and Thomas Peet (85) would bring out the caution. Both drivers would be sent to the rear for the restart. This would had over the lead to Ronnie Schrefiels (6) for the restart, which left the rest of the field with a very fast car up front. 2nd place runner Neil Herne (13) would give everything he had to try and get past Schrefiels, but could find the lane he needed to make the pass. Schrefiels would go on to take the 1st feature win of the year in the division. Neil Herne would come home 2nd just ahead of brother Charles Herne (03) in 3rd.
The Hornet division would see Daryl Veltman (55) get out to an early lead, but Mathew Street (151) would soon put the pressure on. Both drivers would battle hard for the top spot, both making contact and getting out of shape. Street would finally make the winning pass on lap 12, and go on to take the victory over Veltman. The Hornet division is a beginner class, but these two drivers have put on some great races over the first few weeks of the 2012 season. Clay Ranallo (6) would bring one of the tracks rental cars home in the 3rd position just ahead of Kane Dixon (15) in 4th.
This Saturday night will see a full schedule of events with the Open Wheel Modifieds, Sportsman, Pure Stock, Mini Stock, Hornets, and DWARF cars all in action. With only 2 weeks left until the fair break, all the drivers are trying to get their machines tuned up for the mid season run. Front gates open at 4pm and racing takes the green at 5:30 sharp. Be sure to check out Citrus County Speedways’ exclusive racing program, “Need for Speed”. This program gives comprehensive coverage of Citrus County Speedway, driver profiles, and also complete NASCAR coverage all in one great publication. “Need for Speed” is available at the Grandstand and Pit gates before each night of racing, pick up your copy and get inside the action! Please visit the track website at www.citruscountyspeedway.com or call the speedway office at 352-726-9339 for complete details.