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| Citrus Announces New Management Team Member | by Larry MacMillan
(Inverness, Fl. 7/29/01) About the only things that were accomplished at Citrus County Speedway Saturday were warm-ups for all six regular divisions and the Super Mini Cup Cars before the drivers meeting and an announcement that peaked up the management team at the Speedway. Thats when everyone was looking to the southeast and watched a brutal storm move in on the quarter mile. For the second week in a row, the weather took care of the race schedule. Billy Hooker announced at the Drivers Meeting that Jimmy Ware, Late Model and Mini Stock racer at the track for the past several years, has joined the management team at the Speedway as Vice President in charge of Operations. Ware was introduced to the drivers and had a few words with them in regards to his role with the organization. Jimmy's management experience stems from three very successful businesses he operates out of Ocala and his feelings about his new position are that he has something to add that will benefit the drivers for the second half of the season. For the past couple of years, Jimmy moved out of Mini Stocks and tried his hand at Late Models with reasonable success. He recently sold his Late Model to Jim Smith and went back to Mini Stocks but the urge to get involved in the operation of one of the most successful short tracks in the state just got the best of him. After negotiations with Promoters Billy Hooker and Steve Ziebarth the position was created. Jimmy feels his management and racing experience can only mean a plus for the track.
With the second rain out in as many weeks, the racers are certainly getting the itch to get back up to speed. It has been a couple of frustrating weeks, getting in warm-ups and then having to wait out heavy rain. With an 11:00 P.M. curfew it is next to impossible to wait more than an hour to get the track dried out and run a full program. The rain continued for two hours after the races were called and for the second week in a row it was Well get em next week. (Weather permitting of course.) The rained out Mike Scott Plumbing Figure 8 30 lap special will make another attempt at taking on the intersection for what is expected to be a 20-car race for $400 to win. All money put up by the sponsor goes to the increased payoff so most of the finishers will benefit with the increased purse. This will be week 19 of the season and unfortunately, there is no way to make up for the rainouts. Every missed opportunity will have some effect on the end results in the point races. Another racer who will benefit because of the rainout is Jim Smith who popped his Late Model Motor in warm-ups. Rex Struble had his Sportsman ready to go Saturday after losing his motor two weeks ago in warm-ups before the rain washed out that program. The Super Mini Cup Cars appear to have a full schedule for the balance of the racing season and it remains to be seen if there will be a make up for the missed race. They are scheduled for a third appearance at Citrus on Oct. 6th. It will be a seven-division race night next Saturday featuring the Late Models, Sportsman, Street Stocks, Mini Stocks, Hobby Stocks, Thunder Stocks and Figure 8s.
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