Saturday night Citrus County Speedway hosted the season finale of the Florida United Promoters late model series. This 12 race series visited each of the states top asphalt tracks twice during the 2011 season. Saturday night marked the end to a successful first season for the new series, and showed promise for the season to come.
The night got started with time trial qualifying for the late models, each driver would get two timed laps, trying to take the top qualifying honors. When the dust settled, it was Brooksville native Daniel Webster (33), who proved to know the fastest way to get around the ¼ bullring. Webster turned in a fast lap of 13.685 seconds to top the 24 car field. The top 8 qualifiers draw for their starting positions within the top 8, Webster would draw a 7, putting him inside the 4th row, to start the 100 lap feature. Anthony Sergi (20) would have the luck of the draw on his side after a strong qualifying effort. Sergi would draw the pole position for the start of the race, but would see a familiar orange car on the outside of the front row. 2011 late model track champion, Herb Neumann Jr. (98), would draw the outside front row, which meant Sergi would have his work cut out for himself right from the drop of the green.
Sergi would get a great start to the 100 lap feature, battling side by side with Neumann for the 1st lap of the race, before taking control of the top spot. Sergi had a fast hot rod, and put 8 car lengths between himself and Neumann. 4th starter Scott Grossenbacher (09) would move to the 3rd position early on, and set his sights on the two front runners. The 1st caution would come out on lap 20, when Bruce Bennett (24) would make heavy contact with the turn 4 wall in a single car incident, Bennett would be out for the rest of the event. Sergi would lead the field to the restart with Neumann and Grossenbacher in his tracks. Neumann would put the pressure on Sergi around lap 30, and make the pass for the lead at lap 37. Fast Qualifier Daniel Webster had been carefully working his way to the front from his 7th starting spot, and had made his way to the 4th spot before lap 40. Webster would make his way by Grossenbacher, to crack the top 3 on lap 46, and continued his march to the front. Webster then set his sights on Sergi for the 2nd position, and would make that pass at lap 52. Meanwhile out front, Neumann had been on cruise control since taking the lead, patiently working the lapped traffic, and saving his tires for late in the race. Lap 63 saw a tough night for front runner Wayne Anderson end with a sick power plant, as Anderson retired to the pits under green. Lap 74 saw the races 2nd caution of the night when Keith Lilley (87) and Brian Dorer (97) would make contact and go for a spin. This caution would now close Webster right to Neumann’s rear bumper for the restart with only 25 laps remaining. Over the next 20 laps, Webster would look high and low on Neumann trying to find a way by the leader. Webster clearly had the faster car, but Neumann proved why he is the track champion, never making the mistake that would give Webster and opening. As the two leaders got the 5 laps to go signal, Webster turned up the heat, but a caution for the spinning Talon Craft (10) would slow the field for the last time. This would set up the race up for a 5 lap shootout to end the race, all the fans were fixed on the two leaders for the restart. Neumann lead the field to the restart, with Webster practically pushing him down the front straight after getting a tremendous restart. The top two drivers broke away from 3rd place Grossenbacher to settle the race between themselves. Webster once again looked high and low for a passing lane to no avail. As the two leaders took the 2 lap to go signal, Webster made his last ditch effort entering turn 1. Webster launched his 33 machine to the outside of Neumann entering turn one, getting his nose almost half way beside Neumann at mid corner. Webster couldn’t find the traction he needed, and Neumann rocketed back by his challenger off of turn 2. Neumann would go on to take the hard fought victory, taking his 1st victory of the year in the Florida United Promoters series. Webster was clearly the class of the field, but had to settle for 2nd after marching his way through the field. Grossenbacher would hold on to the 3rd spot over Sergi in 4th, and Daryl Shelnut in 5th. In victory lane, Neumann credited saving his tires in the early part of the race as the key to victory. That enabled him to have enough to hold off Webster over the final 25 laps. 19 cars finished the race, with only 1 car receiving damage on lap 20.
2011 Street Stock champion Curtis Flanagan made quick work of the 11 car Street Stock feature. Flanagan moved from his 3rd starting spot to the lead on lap 2, and never looked back in the caution free event. Jesse Veltman (55) ran a strong 2nd over Bubba Martone (98) in 3rd. Flanagan and James Peters (5) were your heat race winners.
Clint Foley topped of his 2011 season with a feature win over the 7 car Modified Mini Stock feature. Foley locked up the 2011 division championship with the victory for his 3 championship in a row. Mike Lawhorn (44) battled it out with Phil Edwards (24) over the closing laps for the 2nd position, just edging out Edwards at the line. Lawhorn was your heat race winner.
Once again it was the Jeremy Sharrone (32) and Jeff Eberly (01) show in the Sheldon Palmes Insurance Mini Stock division. Sharrone showed that the last race was no fluke, as he once again had the field covered to take his 6th feature win of the year, and take one step closer to the 2011 championship. Eberly came home a very strong 2nd with Rick Kuhn (47) in 3rd. Sharrone holds a 66 point lead over Kevin Stone (98) heading into the final event this weekend. Sharrone will just need to take the green to secure the 2011 championship this Saturday night. Jeff Eberly was your heat race winner.
7 Inter-County Recycling Hornets took the green for their season ending 15 lap feature. Kane Dixon (15) would move to the lead early on, as the rest of the drivers diced for position. Matthew Street (151) made his way from the rear of the field to take the lead on lap 10, after Dixons’ machine started to slow. The last lap of the race saw a 3 way battle for the 2nd spot between Dixon, Matthew Jenkins (777), and Cameron Calderon (6). Calderon would make the right move coming off of turn 2, and pass both of his competitors to come home in the 2nd position in his very first race. Jenkins would also get by Dixons sick machine to finish 3rd.
The night was capped off with the Street Stock “Dare to Win” race, which saw young Austin Hughes (68) take his first ever feature win over a 6 car field.
This Saturday night will be the final event of the 2011 racing season. The Open Wheel Modifieds will settle their hotly contested point battle between Doug Miller (53), Bobby Ervien (88), and Richie Smith (42) in a 40 lap feature. Also on the schedule are the Sportsman, Taylor Made Homes Pure Stocks, Sheldon Palmes Insurance Mini Stocks, Pro Figure 8’s, and the Outlaw Modfied Mini’s. Please visit the track website at www.citruscountyspeedway.com or call the track office at 352-726-9339 for complete details. See you at the races!