Bresnahan's Last Turn Powers to Win in Winter Spectacular II
January 12, 2003
by Larry MacMillan
Inverness, Fla - Cold temperatures and a hot race night at Citrus County Speedway as Winter Spectacular II drew 26 Super Late Models for the 125 lap chase to the $5,000 win purse on the 3/8th mile fast track.
Scott Grossenbacher picked up fast qualifier money with a 13.800 second run that earned him $300 and pill draw inverting the top ten. Dave Pletcher picked up $200 for second fast time at 13.873.
Jeff Scofield drew the pole and when the green dropped, outside pole sitter Wayne Bowman won the match race to turn one and held the point for 21 laps when he lost power and had to retire early.
Scofield picked up the point on the restart after the first caution while the rest of the hot shoes were swapping positions behind him. Herb Neumann, Jr., Danny Johnson, Jim Smith, and Wayne Anderson chased him for the next 29 laps with Mike Bresnahan following Anderson as they made their way to the front. Bresnahan made an attempt to drive under Anderson on turn four when they got together and brought out the caution sending both drivers to the end of the field. Scofield again went to the front only to get tied up and suffering damage to the right front quarter panel, sending him in for repairs.
Dave Pletcher took over the point on the restart after the four car mishap that took Wayne Anderson out of the picture after moving back up to the top six in the field. Jim Smith, Jay Middleton, Herb Neumann Jr. and Mike Bresnahan battled for position right down to the final 10 laps when it became a match race between Pletcher and Bresnahan. When the white flag came out on lap 124, Bresnahan took the outside lane in a side by side battle with Pletcher and out powered the number 75 car off turn four to the line by half a car length for the win. Pletcher, Jim Smith, Jay Middleton and Herb Neumann Jr. took care of the balance of the top five positions. Sixteen of 22 starters finished. Four cars were unable to qualify due to mechanical problems.
Mini Stocks had a knock down, drag out 75 lapper that had thirty cars time trial for the 24 starting positions. Fast Qualifer was a December winner Richard Kelly Jr. and Robbie Yoakam picked up second fast time, putting them side by side for the start in row five. Four cars picked up the final four starting spots in a consi race that saw Troy Meridith, Jim Desnoyer, Mark Monez and Jay Zolciak pick up the last two rows.
Rick Sirmons took off from the outside pole and held off all challengers for the first half of the race he and Kevin Harrod got together sending both to the rear of the pack, after visits to the pits for repairs. On the restart, Steve Gill took the point which didn't last long before he was being challenged by Kelly and Yoakam and it looked like a repeat of the December race for the final 25 laps. Robbie Yoakam had other plans though and saved the best for last when they got the five laps to go sign from starter Brent Fults. Yoakam made the pass with four laps to go and Kelly had to settle for a second place finish. Mark Sowell, Don Faune, Steve Gill, Chris Thornton, Ray Miller, Kevin Harrod, Jay McKenzie and Dustin DesChamps round out the top ten.
In the Hobby Stock 25 lap special, two time champion Richie Smith smoked the Hobby Stock 17 car field from the back of the starting line-up which gave him a little edge in finding his way around the 3/8th mile fast track in preparation for his run in the Late Model 125. Roy Perkins held the lead from the green flag until Richie caught him in lap 15. Perkins spent the rest of the race holding off Marlin Durbin in his first race at Citrus. Glen Colyer picked up fourth followed by Curtis Newmann.
A short Street Stock field went for a 20 lap main and Mike Bell managed to lap all but three of the ten starters. Ernie Reed finished a good half lap behind defending Champion Bell, Danny Cretty got turned around early in the race but came back to finish in third and in the lead lap. Fred Tuski held off James Hendrickson and Owen Leigh in the race for fourth.
Roy Blotz wrapped up Winter Spectacular II with a brand new racecar, over taking Lee Keller for the win in the Thunder Stock 25 Lap run. Tim Wilson picked up third over Larry Triana and Nikki Selvage. Fourteen cars took the green flag for the final race of the cold, cold night that lost all but the die hard fans after the Late Model 125.
Citrus County Speedway will take another month off before the official opening of their 48th racing season on February 8th when the fans will see the TBARA Sprint cars plus a full race card. Week two will see the Modifieds making their debut at the 3/8th mile fast track. Week three brings in the FASTRUCKS. LATE MODEL 125 - 22 CARS
1. #3X Mike Bresnahan 2. #75 Dave Pletcher 3. #9 Jim Smith 4. #74 Jay Middleton 5. #98 Herb Neumann Jr. 6. #5K Daniel Keene Jr. 7. #42 Richie Smith 8. #96 Danny Johnson 9. #3 Rex Struble 10. #15 Mike Heingardner 11. #07 Jef Scofield 12. #19 Kiki Thomas 13. #8 Mark Dominique 14. #52 Mike Moore 15. #63 Wes Bass 16. #29 Ed Harrell 17. #84 Wayne Anderson 18. #09 Scott Grossenbacher 19. #13 Tom Haselmayer 20. #2 Wayne Bowman 21. #7c Cush Revette Jr. 22. #31 Chris Cross
Mini Stock Feature - 75 Laps - 24 Cars 1. #8 Robbie Yoakam 2. #61 Richard Kelly Jr. 3. #5 Mark Sowell 4. #2 Don Faunce 5. #5x Steve Gill 6. #24 Chris Thornton 7. #63 Ray Miller 8. #6 Kevin Harrod 9. #99 Jay McKenzie 10. #51 Dustin DesChamps
Hobby Stock Feature - 25 Laps - 17 Cars 1. #42 Richie Smith 2. #07 Roy Perkins 3. #72 Marlin Durbin 4. #44 Glen Colyer 5. #01 Curtis Neumann
Street Stock Feature - 20 Laps - 10 Cars 1. #17 Mike Bell 2. #55 Ernie Reed 3. #01 Danny Cretty 4. #88 Fred Tuski 5. #21 James Hendrickson
Thunder Stock Feature - 25 Laps - 14 Cars 1. #3 Roy Blotz 2. #21 Lee Keller 3. #85 Tim Wilson 4. #1 Larry Triana 5. #01 Nikki Selvage
