| Sunday, September 1, 2002 | |
| Kittleson Wins "Little Trees Road to Charlotte" at New Smyrna Speedway | by Jane Smith
 If nothing else, "The Little Trees Road to Charlotte" was exciting. With 17 cars in the field, at times you would have thought there were 43 and we were at a Winston Cup race.
Mike Fritts set fast time with a blistering 17.997 lap. No other driver even broke the 17.000's. Michael Williams, who is always one of the top qualifiers, did not qualify due to a broken rear-end which he was able to repair for the race. Also Tommy King had problems and did not qualify but was able to make the race field.
Drivers were introduced to the crowd and had their pictures taken with State Senator Bill Posey and Head of the State Agricultural Department Charles Bronson. Bronson, attending his first race at New Smyrna Speedway, was the Grand Marshall for the 125 lap Sunbelt race.
Mike Fritts sat on the pole with James Powell III on the outside. Bronson threw the green and it was Powell who took the point followed by Fritts, Kittleson, Rogers and Willoughby.
Only 5 laps in the book and #11 David Rogers began to slow. By lap 6, Rogers was in the pits and done for the night.
Fritts had just taken the lead over Powell when the first of fourteen cautions came out. Derrick Strong #5 spun coming out of turn 4.
On the restart, Fritts had the point with Powell in second. Kittleson in third but looking forward to second. Kittleson looks high then low but Powell holds strong and kept his second place spot.
By lap 19, Michael Williams #40 had made his way from the rear of the field to the 6th place position.
Caution 2 and 3 are both thrown for #5 Strong who spun in the same spot coming out of turn 4. Strong took the #5 into the pits and his night was done.
On the restart, lap 29, Jacob Warren #51 and Williams #40 do some serious side-by-side action for the crowd. Warren holds off Williams and maintains his fifth place position setting his eyes on 4th place #74 Willoughby. Warren has the muscle and moves to 4th with Williams to 5th and Willougby being shuffled to 6th.
On lap 46, Kittleson passed Powell for the 2nd place spot. From lap 46 to 63, Kittleson chased leader Fritts but could not make the move to take the lead.
George Murphy #42 gave the crowd a moment of stress when his car climbed the backstretch wall and came to rest at the bottom of turn 3. The race was red flagged for clean-up and removal of the #42. Murphy was not hurt but his car was done for the night.
On the restart, Fritts and Kittleson build up a good lead over the 3rd, 4th, and 5th place cars of Powell, Warren and Williams. Bruce Lawrence #16 spun on the backstretch and caution 6 was thrown.
David Froelich #22 gets alittle spin from Ronnie Roach #14 who is sent to the rear for caution 7. The race is restarted on lap 85 with Fritts, Kittleson, Powell, Warren, Williams, Willoughby, Lawrence, #72 Chad Pierce, #57 Jim "Hoot" Flynn, Froelich, #16K Tommy King and Ronnie Roach.
Warren and Powell go side-by-side, door-to-door over the 3rd position. Powell holds off Warren until lap 96 when Warren took 3rd, Williams went to 4th and Powell settled in 5th.
Tommy King #16K brought out caution 8 when he spun in turn 4 on lap 98. On the restart at lap 102, Kittleson and Fritts touch but Fritts holds the point and saved the car. By this time, Powell has glowing red brakes and on lap 109, Powell caused caution 9 for the brakeless car. Powell goes into the pits, done for the night.
On the restart, Warren spun on the frontstretch bringing out caution 10. Warren ducks into the pits for a quick "once over" and returned to the racing surface. Now it is Fritts, Kittleson, Williams, Willoughby and Pierce in the top five.
Barry Willoughby #74 brought out caution 12 when he spun on the frontstretch and hit the inside pit wall. Willoughby had been fighting an ill-handling car for a number of laps. Willoughby was fine but his car was also done for the night.
Lap 122, the longest lap in a Sunbelt race this year, not only saw the caution for Willoughby but also Tommy King and Jim Flynn who spun and touched slightly in turn 1 on the restart.
On the second restart of lap 122, Fritts and Kittleson go door-to-door, tire-to-tire down the backstretch with smoke everywhere. They break apart only to touch again. Fritts is on the outside, Kittleson on the inside. Coming off turn 3 going into 4, Fritts started to wiggle. Looking like he had caught the car and corrected, he shot down the inside pit entrance, hit the grass, spun on the frontstretch and goes into the inside pit wall.
Needless to say, Fritts was not happy and as Kittleson came by, he tried to go after him. The safety crew then got between Fritts and Kittleson's car. Fritts walked away, up the track to his pit, and his night was done after a very good race.
Kittleson went on to lead the last 3 laps taking home the win to "The Little Trees Road to Charlotte". Michael Williams took second with Bruce Lawrence third, Chad Pierce fourth and Ronnie Roach fifth followed by the two remaining cars of David Froelich and Jacob Warren.
Kittleson surrounded by his crew and family thanked the fans for coming and thanked his crew for a good job.
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