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| Citrus Season Finale Washed Out | by Larry MacMillan
Inverness, Fla - With three divisions still undecided
and many top ten positions still up for grabs, Citrus
County Speedway drivers and fans were looking forward
to a wild finale to the 2002 racing season. With a
ninety percent chance of rain for the entire day in
the forecast Billy Hooker and Jimmy Wear called the
race program off early in the day for the 7th rain
out of the season. With so many things still up in
the air they are going to make every effort to find
a new date to reschedule the final race of the year.
A number of ladies were making preparations to run
in the Powder Puff race and were vying for sponsor-
ships to help build up the point fund that will be
distributed to the top ten in the six regular
divisions. The Women's Racing Club Awards Banquet is
set for December 6th at the Crystal River National
Guard Armory. This is another reason that this final
race was so important to the drivers with the outcome
putting them a little further up the point ladder in
a position to collect a few extra dollars when the
funds are passed out at the banquet and whose names
should go on what trophy.
Saturday November 23rd is out for a makeup due to the
Citrus Stampede Rodeo that will be in progress that
weekend. The following weekend will be Thanksgiving
weekend and then the following weekend will be the
2002 banquet. The following weekend December 14th
will be dedicated to the first of two off-season
races for the Winter Spectacular II featuring the
Late Models in a 125-lap race for $5,000 to win. A
final decision will be made by Tuesday November 19th
as to whether the race season will end with the final
results being taken from the November 9th results.
If no make up can be arranged here is the way it all
pans out: Rex Struble will take the Late Model crown
over Jim Smith. The balance of the top ten will be
Raymond Lovelady, Billy Bechtelheimer, Herb Hoefler,
Mike Bresnahan, Dale Sanders, Perry Lovelady, Danny
Johnson and Herb Neumann, Jr.
Mike Veltman claims his fourth consecutive Sportsman
championship with Bill Oestreicher finishing second
over Mark Dominique. Terry Cater, George Neumann,
J.D. Goff, Buddy Kessler, David White, Johnny Sanders,
and Kyle Bookmiller round out the top ten.
Mike Bell moved into the Street Stock lead two weeks
ago and noses out defending champion Travis Nichols.
Ernie Reed squeaked out a third place finish over
Danny Cretty, Kathy Ray locked in fifth place over
James Green, Joe Viverito, Scott Hendrickson, and
rookie Melvin Farmer.
The Mini Stock championship was taken early by Robbie
Yoakam. Rob Wheatley defended his second place
finish with a borrowed car on the last race for his
7th win. Phillip Joyner and Dustin DesChamps finished
third and fourth over Jay McKenzie, Ron Bartley, Jake
Garver, Jimmy Bartley, Lance Taylor and Mike Lawhorn.
Richie Smith outlasted his brother Tommy in the race
for the Hobby Stock Championship. Fourteen wins gave
Richie his second consecutive crown. Roy Perkins
finished third holding off rookie Daniel Webster, Tim
Whitehead, Dean Lawyer, Dustin Aaron, Brandon Johnson
and Glen Colyer for their share of the top ten money.
Stuart Madison will wear his second consecutive Thunder
Stock crown in another tight race. Josh Teague
dropped out of the top spot in the last race run.
Robert Jordon, Lee Keller, Dale Shelton, Todd Downs,
Robin Bauer, Shawn Conner, Tim Wilson and Rick Badessa
round out the top ten.
If no make up race is scheduled, that's the way the
season will end with the final race being rained out
making it number seven for the season and the 13th
race of the year affected by rain before or during
the race.
Check www.citruscountyspeedway.com for any late changes
in the schedule.
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