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| Dick Anderson Rules In Sunbelt Series 125 | by Larry MacMillan
(Inverness, Fl. 4/7/01) Returning to the track he calls home, Dickie Anderson showed he still knows his way around Citrus County Speedway despite the new configuration on the turns. The former promoter at this quarter mile took his second win of the early season in the Crystal Motor Car Co./Race Car Engineering Sunbelt Super Series for the 2001 season. Anderson has won every race he has entered in the early going for the new racing season. James Powell III led the 26 car qualifying, turning a 14.005 lap, with Jeff Emery locking in a 14.009 lap for second fast time. Powell drew the #10 pill to set up the inverted order and Dick Anderson thanked him profusely for putting him on the poll after qualifying tenth. Despite being offered a $2,500 bonus to start 10th Anderson went for his win and a look at the long-range plan of a possible points crown and the winners share of the big series points money. It was Andersons race from the green flag with Jeff Scofield locking onto outside pole sitter Travis Kittleson. The heated track caused some early caution laps but tightened up towards the mid point of the 125 lap run. Kittleson looped it early in the race that put Scofield within reach of Anderson but when the checkers flew he had to settle for a solid second place finish in his very first Super Late Model race, moving up from modifieds. Fast qualifier, James Powell III moved from his tenth starting spot to third late in the race followed by Mike Fritts. Local track champion in 2000, Mike Bresnahan finished fifth with his right front fender and front cowl flapping in the breeze followed by another former local champion, Danny Johnson. This was Johnsons first Sunbelt Series race.
Harley Wilson Sr. moved up to fourth in the Street Stock point race, logging his first heat and feature win of the season. He is a man on a mission after supporting his sons, his wife and his daughter-in-law in past years, he is out to make this the year of Harley Wilson and is in search of his own championship crown. Travis Nichols maintained his point lead with a second place run in their 25 lap main. Ernie Reed, Wes Wilson and Kathy Ray round out the top five. Skip Moor won the first heat.
Hobby Stocks saw Richie Smith continue to dominate the division, using the outside groove to his advantage, launching his quick racing Camaro from the 16th starting position to pick up the point in the 17th lap for his fourth win in a row. For the first time this season he failed to add the heat win to his win streak. Erica Wilson was the early leader but couldnt hold off Smiths charge and had to settle for second over J.D. Goff, Roy Perkins and Art Bruengingsen. Heat winners were Wilson, Goff and Tommy Smith.
Gary Johnson had a good night in a pair of Street Legal Junker features, taking his first win ever in the first 15 lap run and coming up fourth in the second race. Jerry Hoover celebrated his 30th birthday with a second place run in the first and a third in the second race. Millie Miller held out for third in the makeup race followed by Stuart Madison and point leader John Donahue. Allen Turner had a solid second place run in feature #2 and Stuart Madison locked on to the fifth place finish.
Next week, all seven divisions, to include the figure 8s, are featured in a full night of stock car action for week five of the 2001 season. Late Models will be racing for a $1,300 win purse in the Goff Racing Late Model 30. Bring the kids early for the 4 P.M. Easter egg hunt put on by the Womens Racing Club. Get ready to enter the 50 keys to a Kia Rio provided by Johnsons Kia in Crystal River and to be given away at the speedway on April 28th.
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