|
|
 |
|
| |
|
|
| David Slawiak Blows 19 Car TBARA Sprint Car Field Away | By Larry MacMillan
(Inverness, Fl. 10/5/02) For the third time in his rookie season after graduating from Go-Karts to winged sprint cars, David Slawiak blew the nineteen-car TBARA field away at Citrus County Speedway. Slawiak made it two in a row after his win at New Smyrna Speedway and just about lapped the whole field in the 25 lap main event. The senior member of the TBARA, Sonny Hartley set the early pace from the green flag while Slawiak made short work of Bo Hartley in the first two laps. David had to make the move on Bo twice due to caution flags early in the race before being able to advance and over take Sonny for the point by lap 5. From there on out nobody could connect with the young rocket pilot who was turning 12.5s on the new 3/8th mile racecourse in heavy traffic. Sonny Hartley set the pace for the rest of the field until he blew an engine coming off turn two in lap 25 on his run for the checkers, being chased by his son Bo. Sport Allen started 12th and took advantage of the mishap on the final lap to move from fourth to second when the checkers flew. Bo Hartley salvaged third over Matt Mercer, Dude Teate and Shane Butler. Heat winners were Teate, Mercer and Wayne Reutimann Jr.
TBARA Sprint Car Feature 25 Laps 19 Cars
1. #79 David Slawiak
2. #88 Sport Allen
3. #3x Bo Hartley
4. #10 Matt Mercer
5. #0 Dude Teate
6. #18 Shane Butler
1st Heat Winner #0 Dude Teate
2nd Heat Winner #10 Matt Mercer
3rd Heat Winner #00 Wayne Reutimann Jr.
Management also announced that there will be five (5) Sprint Car races added to the 2003 schedule next season with the TBARA running three times and the Florida Sprint Car Association taking on Citrus twice. The crowd certainly welcomed that news, as these are the fastest things on wheels at this short track, with a lot of room to work. It should make for some interesting programs.
In other action Mike Veltman continued to show the way to his fourth Sportsman crown in consecutive years. Terry Cater had the early lead before Veltman put him away leaving Terry to battle with Chris Cross before Rex Struble and Mark Dominique (who was trying to celebrate a birthday with a win) put him away and went on to battle in the race for second. Cater held them off at the checkered flag with rookie Chris Cross held off the rest of the thirteen car field for a fifth place finish. Heat wins went to Dominique and Veltman.
Sportsman Feature 20 Laps 13 Cars
1. #55 Mike Veltman
2. # 1 Terry Cater
3. #69 Rex Struble
4. #7 Mark Dominique
5. # 3 Chris Cross
1st Heat Winner - #7 Mark Dominique
2nd Heat Winner - #55 Mike Veltman
Another fan pleaser was watching Kathy Ray hold off the Street Stock points leaders on her way to her second feature win of the season. The mother of two knows she is under a lot of pressure being the only female driver in the division but with husband Robert putting together the car for her she has the ability to put it into Victory Lane and rides in sixth in the point race for 2002. Mike Bell moved to within six points of leader Travis Nichols with his second place finish. Danny Cretty remains in third with a third place finish while James Green remains in fifth place in the closest points race ever in the division. Kathy also added a heat win to her resume while Ernie Reed locked on to the second heat.
Street Stock Feature 20 Laps 12 Cars
1. #63 Kathy Ray
2. #17 Mike Bell
3. #01 Danny Cretty
4. #53 James Green
5. # 2 Travis Nichols
1st Heat Winner - #63 Kathy Ray
2nd Heat Winner - #55 Ernie Reed
Rookie Lance Taylor finely got the bad luck monkey off his back which he has battling for the past five weeks and used his outside pole starting position to set the pace from flag to flag for his first win of the season in Mini Stocks. Here is another young teenager that came up from Go Karts to try his hand at the big cars and has definitely found his niche can is currently running 11th in his first full year of racing. Ray Miller, a more recent arrival at Citrus County Speedway in the past several weeks battled with Jay McKenzie in a seesaw war for a second place finish. Rob Wheatley picked up some points on point leader Robbie Yoakam who had motor problems again and had to pull out after just a few laps into the race. Another young gun flexed his horsepower and came from the back end of the pack to pick up a fifth place finish. Taylor and Joyner picked up the heat wins.
Mini Stock Feature 20 Laps 18 Cars
1. #29 Lance Taylor
2. #63 Ray Miller
3. #1x Jay McKenzie
4. #88 Rob Wheatley
5. #86 Phillip Joyner Jr.
1st Heat Winner - #29 Lance Taylor
2nd Heat Winner - #86 Phillip Joyner JR.
Dean Lawyer came into Saturday nights races with a new set up provided by Reed Racing and out ran point leader Richie Smith logging his second win of the season. Smith who has no problem with locking up the crown for 2002 outran rookie Daniel Webster in the race for second while early leader Jimmy Nocella held off the rest of the 23 car pack for a fourth place finish over Glen Colyer Sr. Lawyer and Smith logged heat wins.
Hobby Stock Feature 20 Laps 23 Cars
1. #19 Dean Lawyer
2. #42 Richie Smith
3. # 1 Daniel Webster
4. #36 Jimmy Nocella
5. #44 Glen Colyer
1st Heat Winner - #19 Dean Lawyer
2nd Heat Winner - #42 Richie Smith
Bobby Taylor bought his racecar four weeks ago and entered it in the beginner Thunder Stock division with no previous racing experience. He waited 11 years to fulfill his dream of racing beyond video games and found his niche at Citrus County Speedway. He entered the race Saturday night with two wins and a third place finish in his first three races. He added his third win in his fourth race and survived a track tear down coming up legal. Robert Jordan had to settle for second after briefing leading in the final laps of the 20 lap first feature. Lee Keller won out in the battle with Stuart Madison with point leader Josh Teague holding out in fifth.
Thunder Stock Feature #1 20 Laps 15 Cars
1. #66 Bobby Taylor
2. #28 Robert Jordon
3. #21 Lee Keller
4. # 2 Stuart Madison
5. #20 Josh Teague
Thunder Stock #2 saw Tim Wilson come from the back end of the 15 car field to take his fifth win of the season in a tight battle with Robin Bauer who was looking for her third of the season. Rex Mullis finished his Thunder Stock career with a third place finish and will move up to Hobby Stocks next week. Todd Downs and Shawn Conner locked horns in the race for fourth and finished in that order. Heat wins went to John Donahue, Tim Wilson and Stuart Madison.
Thunder Stock Feature #2 20 Laps 15 Cars
1. #85 Tim Wilson
2. #97 Robin Bauer
3. #13 Rex Mullis
4. #27 Todd Downs
5. #44 Shawn Conner
1st Heat Winner - #26 John Donahue
2nd Heat Winner - #85 Tim Wilson
3rd Heat Winner - # 2 Stuart Madison
Next week the Late Models are back for the Citrus Show Down 75 with a win purse of $2,500. This will also be a point race in hopes that the local racers will build the field. Sportsman, Street Stocks, Mini Stocks and Thunder Stocks will also spice up the Saturday night racing fever.
Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board!
news@karnac.orgor send a letter to the editor!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
