2/26/00 --Fans beat a path to Citrus County Speedway Saturday night to be a part of the 2000-racing season which promises a driver/fan friendly relationship at the Friendliest Track in the South. Fans were still searching for parking spaces at intermission and the show that they were promised more than gave them their money’s worth.

Southern Pro Trucks kicked off their 2000 season in the first of their 17-race season. Crystal River’s Jeff Sloan took his Roy Brown Lincoln-Mercury Ford F-150 to the outside pole with fast time, establishing a new Truck speed record with a 14.222 second run around the newly sealed quarter mile. When the green flag fell for the 75 lap main, last year’s runner up in the points chase, Scott Bramlett took his Chevy 1500 to the point and held off Sloan for the entire race. Defending champion, Butch Yoakam overcame a pre-race fire in his race truck, which definitely affected his handling, but he managed a third place finish over Inverness’ Bruce Gaskins. Another local driver, Richie Powers out of Citrus Springs, rounded out the top five.

A fifteen-car field of Limited Sportsman qualified for the 20 lap main event and David Dollar took a wire to win, to head up the first points race of the 2000 season. Defending champion Mike Veltman gave him a run for his money in the first 12 laps of the race but in a pass attempt on turn 2, they got together, sending Veltman to the rear of the field. On the restart, Veltman made a charge to the front and apparently the rear end gearing went away on him, opening his run for another crown with a DNF. Mike Holm managed a second place finish after a final caution re-arranged the field for the third time. Travis Nichols took his new ride to a third place finish, followed by Bill Oestricher and, newcomer, Mark Dominque. Heat winners were Dollar and Oestricher.

A photo finish in the Street Stock 25 lap main had everyone on their feet when Wes Wilson saved the best for last in a turn four run at the checkered flag. Jason Waller locked onto the point from the green and set the pace for the entire 25 laps until Wilson stood on it coming off turn four, snatching the win away from Waller by a bumper at the line. Ernie Reed held out for third after the top three tucked away heat wins. Sport Wilson came from the rear of the field to nail a fourth place finish over Robbie Yoakam.

Twenty-eight cars took the green flag in the crowd pleaser of the night. Rick Sirmons out of Pinellas Park showed the 16-car Mini Stock field the way to the checkered flag. George Neumann set the early pace but Sirmons made the pass on the two time champ, at the mid point, for the win. Frank Coleman had a little trouble dialing in his new ride but managed a third place finish over Kevin Harrod and Mark Sowell. Heat winners were Neumann and Sirmons.

Fifteen-year-old Chris Hooker came off his rookie season with 5 feature wins and launched his sophomore year with a feature win right off the bat. Hooker won the pole, taking his heat win, with defending champ Roy Perkins winning the outside pole with his heat win, and then the two went to war in the feature run. Perkins took Hooker out in an attempted pass in lap 8 of the 20-lap feature run. Perkins was sent to the rear on the restart and from that point on J.D. Goff chased Hooker to the checkers. Allen Jacobson outran the 22 starters for a third place finish over Richie Smith and Jimmy Peters. Shaun Kipp just about lapped the whole Street legal Junker starters inh is run away win to wrap up the season opener.
Next Saturday night will see the return of the Late Models and the Figure 8’s. Added to the program will be the Limited Sportsman, Street Stocks, Mini Stocks, Hobby Stocks and Street Legal Junkers.

Citrus County Speedway Results for 02/26/00
Southern Pro Truck Feature ­ 75 Laps ­ 13 Trucks
1. #12 Scott Bramlett Lakeland
2. #31 Jeff Sloan Crystal River
3. #47 Butch Yoakam New Port Richey
4. #37 Bruce Gaskins Inverness
5. #9X Richie Powers Citrus Springs
Fast Qualifier - #31 Jeff Sloan ­ 14.222 Secs. New Track Truck Record
Limited Sportsman ­ 20 Laps ­ 15 Cars
1. #04 David Dollar Hernando
2. # 3 Mike Holm Inverness
3. #2X Travis Nichols Inverness
4. # 5 Bill Ostreicher Webster
5. # 7 Mark Dominique Inverness
1st Heat Winner - #04 David Dollar ­ Hernando
2nd Heat Winner - # 5 Bill Oestricher ­ Webster
Street Stock Feature ­ 25 Laps ­ 28 Cars
1. #20 Wes Wilson Floral City
2. # 3 Jason Waller Floral City
3. #94 Sport Wilson Floral City
4. #55 Ernie Reed Lecanto
5. #15 Robbie Yoakam Hernando
1st Heat Winner - # 3 Jason Waller ­ Floral City
2nd Heat Winner - #20 Wes Wilson ­ Floral City
3rd Heat Winner - #55 Ernie Reed ­ Lecanto
Mini Stock Feature ­ 20 Laps ­ 16 Cars
1. #05 Rick Sirmons Pinellas Park
2. # 1 George Neumann Inverness
3. # 0 Frank Coleman Brooksville
4. #34 Kevin Harrod Bushnell
5. # 5 Mark Sowell Hernando
1st Heat Winner - # 1 George Neumann ­ Inverness
2nd Heat Winner ­ 05 Rick Sirmons ­ Pinellas Park
Hobby Stock Feature ­ 20 Laps ­ 22 Cars
1. #24 Chris Hooker Floral City
2. #14 J.D. Goff Ridge Manor
3. #93 Allen Jacobson Homosassa Springs
4. #42 Rickie Smith
5. #27 Jimmy Peters Floral City
1st Heat Winner - #24 Chris Hooker ­ Floral City
2nd Heat Winner - #07 Roy Perkins ­ Inverness
Street Legal Junkers Feature ­ 15 Laps ­ Shawn Kipp ­ Inverness

-Larry MacMillan




Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board!
or send a letter to the editor!