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2001
NEWS ARCHIVE
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| It's Powell Memorial Time In Florida! | $39,400 PURSE TO DRAW ALL-STAR FIELD
By Jack Bacon
In it's first six years of existence, the Powell Memorial Late Model Special has become Florida racing's "All-Star" event.
Just check out the list of previous winners: Jeff Purvis, Freddie Query, David Reutimann, Wayne Anderson and Mike Franklin, Jr. Every one of the previous races has boasted a big field of top quality Super Late Models piloted by some of the best in the business.
This year should be no exception. Every previous winner except Jeff Purvis (who has a NASCAR Busch race at Charlotte) is expected to enter the 2002 edition. To that list add the "King of the Florida Short Tracks" Dick Anderson, 2000 Florida Pro Series champion Glenn Whitney, past NASCAR Winston Racing Series champion David Rogers, 2000 NASCAR All Pro Series champion Billy Bigley, Jr., four-time Florida Governor's Cup winner Jimmy "Mr. Excitement" Cope, David Pletcher, Daniel Keene and Travis Kittleson.
And don't overlook James Powell III when you are looking for the winner. James has finished second in three of the six previous races.
He badly wants to win the race named for his family members lost in a 1995 airplane crash and will be one of the favorites when the green flag falls.
Citrus County Speedway is hosting the 2002 version of the "Powell". The 1/3 mile Citrus County Speedway layout is a tough track to master and boasts its own strong group of Super Late Models.
The "out-of-town" contingent will have to be at their best to capture one of the 24 starting positions.
Citrus County Speedway promoters Billy Hooker and Jimmy Ware have boosted the purse significantly. This year's winner will pocket $10,000 out of the nearly $40,000 purse.
The fast qualifier takes $1,000 and the winner of the "B-Main" will also take home $1,000.
A huge field of cars is expected and only the best of the group will take the green flag on Saturday night (5/25/02) and try to add their name to the prestigious list of Powell Memorial winners.
If you like Saturday night full contact short-track racing, you don't want to miss the 2002 Powell Memorial race.
History of the Powell Memorial
2002 will mark the 7th running of the Powell Memorial 125 Super Late Model race. Begun in 1996, the race honors the members of racer James Powell III’s family who were lost in a Gainesville, FL airplane crash in June of 1995. Tragically, James lost six members of his immediate family: his twin daughters, his mother and father, and his Aunt and Uncle.
James and his father J.H. (Buddy) Powell owned and operated Ocala Speedway where James began his career racing on the then dirt 3/8-mile oval. Racing had been such a big part of Buddy Powell’s life that James decided to create a special event race for Super Late Model stock cars to honor his lost family members.
The “Powell Memorial 125” was born in 1996 at Ocala Speedway with a large field of cars showing up for the inaugural event. Current NASCAR Busch Series star Jeff Purvis took the checkers in that first race with James Powell III finishing second.
In 1997 it was NASCAR All Pro Series standout Freddie Query that took home the trophy with James Powell III again in second place. In 1998’s event, NASCAR’s 1997 All Pro Series Rookie of the Year David Reutimann was the first across the finish line as he held off a hard charging Freddie Query who had just wrapped up the 1998 All Pro Series championship.
1999’s race went to Wildwood, Florida’s Wayne Anderson who went on to win the 1999 NASCAR All Pro championship. The string of NASCAR drivers winning the race was finally broken in 2000 when two-time Florida Pro Series champion Mike Franklin, Jr. took the win.
Last year’s Powell Memorial again went to Wayne Anderson as he came off another NASCAR All Pro Series championship season to become the only two-time winner of the “Powell.”
The “Powell Memorial” is steeped in the tradition of big name drivers taking the checkers. The list of winners is impressive.
What big name late model hot shoe will add his name to that winner’s list in 2002?
Four-time Florida Governor’s Cup winner “Mr. Excitement” Jimmy Cope? How about “King of the Florida Short Tracks” Dick Anderson, winner of over 1000 feature events?
Or will 2001 Florida Governor’s Cup Champion James Powell III finally win his own race after three-second place finishes? One thing’s for sure, the 2002 Powell Memorial is sure to draw a strong field of contenders to Citrus County Speedway to help James Powell honor his fallen family members.
PAST POWELL MEMORIAL WINNERS
1996: Jeff Purvis--Current NASCAR Busch Series driver & winner of 4/07/02 Texas Busch race.
1997: Freddie Query--1998 NASCAR All Pro Series Champion & former Busch Series driver.
1998: David Reutimann--1997 NASCAR All Pro Series Rookie of the Year & current All Pro points leader.
1999: Wayne Anderson--1997 NASCAR All Pro Champion, 1996 & 1999 All American 400 winner, 1999 Florida Governor’s Cup winner.
2000: Mike Franklin--Two-time Florida Pro Series Champion
2001: Wayne Anderson--1999 & 2001 NASCAR All Pro Champion, 1999 Florida Governor’s Cup winner, 2001 Snowball Derby winner, 1996 & 1999 All American 400 winner.
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