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| Jim Smith Gets Late Model Win At Citrus | By Larry MacMillan
Rookie Jim Smith became the 7th Late Model winner at Citrus County Speedways new 3/8th mile race course. Smith has spent most of his first full year in his new Late Model ride, dialing it in for his first win in the division and it comes at the midseason break.
Taking the outside pole starting position at the green flag he went to the point and left the rest of the 19 car field well behind and cruised to his very first Late Model win.
With double points being awarded in all classes and new daddy Mike Bresnahan not making the show, Smith moved from fourth to third in the point race and to within 58 points of leader Rex Struble who had to borrow Tim Sharrone's car to make the show after a wreck in his heat race.
Billy Bechtelheimer moved from his 8th starting spot to take a second place finish away from Raymond Lovelady in the final lap of their 30-lap main. Despite the third place finish, Lovelady gained some ground on Struble and is just 30 points out of regaining the top spot that he has held twice before this year.
Raymonds dad Perry finished a solid fourth over Jeff Sloan to round out the top five.
Promoters Billy Hooker and Jimmy Wear announced that Citrus will take the week off next week in deference to the Pepsi 400 but will come back with a Late Model Driver appreciation night on July 13th with NO ENTRY FEE for the Citrus Show Down 125 for $5000 to win.
This race and no entry fee is in appreciation for the drivers allegiance to Citrus during the first half of 2002. There will be a Friday night Late Model practice only, in preparation for the fourth 125 lap special for 2002.
Next up will be the second leg of the Sunbelt Governors Cup 125 for $5000 to win on August 3rd and all contenders for this prestigious cup are expected to be there to make this one of the most interesting contests ever at Citrus County Speedway.
Mark Dominique logged his third Sportsman feature win of the year launching from the outside pole and he finished their 20 lap main event in a side-by-side finish with 11th starter Mike Veltman.
Bill Oestreicher held out for third over pole sitter J.D. Goff who led the first 5 laps. Johnny Sanders held out for a fifth place finish. Veltman and Goff took the heat wins.
The Sportsman will have a special Citrus Truck Accessories 40 coming up on July 20th for $700 to win. Eighteen cars took the green in Street Stock action and the whole field spent the entire 20 laps chasing Scott Hendrickson to the checkers for his second win of the season.
Danny Cretty gave it all he had to overcome Hendricksons horsepower and battling with Mike Bell, Harley Wilson and Mike Veltman to round out the top five in that order. Heat wins went to Dwayne Fults and Mike Bell.
Steve Griffin launched his sleek Mini Stock from his eighth starting spot and took over the lead in lap 12 of their 20-lap main. A final 5-lap drag race wound up in a side-by-side finish with point leader Robbie Yoakam.
Griffin took his first win of the season and with the double points night it lifted him from ninth to fourth in the race for the points crown. Rob Wheatley took a third place finish away from Phillip Joyner, Jr. who held the lead for several laps. Pole sitter Ron Bartley finished fifth after taking the win in his heat. Steve Griffin won the second heat.
Tommy Smith looked like he was going to become the first 8 time winner at Citrus County Speedway for 2002 but going for the lead, he and Curtis Youmans got together, sending Tommy to the rear for the restart.
That left the door open for brother Richie Smith to move from fourth on the restart and pick up his eighth win. Whitehead ran a solid second over Brandon Johnson, Dustin Aaron and Joe Rauner. Tommy managed to come back and finished sixth and holds a slim 10-point lead over defending champion Richie Smith for the lead in the race for the crown. Curtis Youmans and Tommy Smith won their respective heats.
Todd Downs parlayed his start from the 12th position and the outside third groove to take the lead away from Victor Shahid in lap 10 of the Thunder Stock 20 lap main to take his3rd win of the season. Dale Shelton coming from his 18th starting spot was in hot pursuit when the checkers flew.
Robert Jordon was also on a mission from his 15th starting spot and had to settle third over Lee Keller and Victor Shahid. Heat wins went to Ron Stone and Josh Teague.
Late Model Feature 30 Laps 19 Cars
1. # 9 Jim Smith Inverness
2. # 6 Billy Bechtelheimer Dover
3. #17 Raymond Lovelady Lakeland
4. #68 Perry Lovelady Lakeland
5. #31 Jeff Sloan Beverly Hills
1st Heat Winner - #22 Herb Hoefler Floral City
2nd Heat Winner - #96 Danny Johnson Crystal River
3rd Heat Winner - #32 Tim Sharrone Floral City
Sportsman Feature 20 Laps 11 Cars
1. # 7 Mark Dominique Lecanto
2. #55 Mike Veltman Crystal River
3. # 0 Bill Oestreicher Webster
4. #14 J.D. Goff Brooksville
5. #36 Johnny Sanders Homosassa
1st Heat Winner - #14 J.D. Goff
2nd Heat Winner - #55 Mike Veltman
Street Stock Feature 20 Laps 18 Cars
1. #21 Scott Hendrickson Inverness
2. #01 Danny Cretty Dunnellon
3. #17 Michael Bell Brooksville
4. #20 Harley Wilson Floral City
5. # 7 Mike Veltman Crystal River
1st Heat Winner - #00 Dwayne Fults Hernando
2nd Heat Winner - #17 Michael Bell
Mini Stock Feature 20 Laps 16 Cars
1. # 3 Steve Griffin Inverness
2. #8x Robbie Yoakam Hernando
3. #88 Rob Wheatley Inverness
4. #86 Phillip Joyner Jr. Inverness
5. #6x Ron Bartley Bushnell
1st Heat Winner - #6x Ron Bartley
2nd Heat Winner - # 3 Steve Griffin
Hobby Stock Feature 20 Laps 23 Cars
1. #42 Richie Smith Hernando
2. #35 Tim Whitehead Floral City
3. #88 Brandon Johnson Inverness
4. #98 Dustin Aaron Brooksville
5. #14 Joe Rauner Inverness
1st Heat Winner - #27 Curtis Youmans - Floral City
2nd Heat Winner - #21 Tommy Smith Floral City
Thunder Stock Feature 20 Laps 25 Cars
1. #27 Todd Downs
2. #51 Dale Shelton
3. #28 Robert Jordon
4. #21 Lee Keller
5. #8x Victor Shahid
1st Heat Winner - #16 Ron Stone
2nd Heat Winner - #20 Josh Teague
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