IT'S TIME TO RACE!!

February 29, 2004 FSCR Wayne Jefferson UPM Mod Squad Top Shoe at Citrus by Larry MacMillan Twenty UPM Modifieds came to take on Citrus County Speedway Saturday night and 19 took the green flag in search of the $1200 win purse and point advantage in the opening of their 2004 season. Lee Collins came out top qualifier with a 13.745 second run on the 3/8ths mile race course. John Gerstner stopped the clocks at 13:919 for runner up honors. The ninth fastest qualifier Kevin Durden won the pole on the pill draw and took the point when the green flag dropped setting the pace for the first 15 laps. After several caution flags Durdin had a tire go down leaving Wayne Jefferson to set the pace right to the checkered flag. Dwayne Dempsey moved from 8th to second in the final 10 laps of the race when he got together with Jefferson and turned the leader around, sending Dempsey to the rear of the field for the restart. John Gerstner moved to the front early in the race and held out for a second place finish followed by 13th starter Alan McCafferty, Harold Cannon, J.F. McClellan, Chris Fadling, Chet Senokassoff, Lee Collins, John Grimm and Dwayne Dempsey to round out the top ten. A late addition to the race program were 17 Mini Cup cars, replacing the postponed Figure 8 race. Rick Auriemma and Mike Holt locked in the heat wins. These little race cars, with big men and women stuffed in them, put on quite a show for 20 laps with one red flag coming out when Frank Pfister lost it on turn two in the early going and flipped his racer winding up on his top about half way down the back chute. Pfister was able to walk away from the mishap after track workers turned it over and he popped out of the in and out access to the car through the top flap opening. Five lead changes took place before 12th starter Doug Smith took the checkers for the win. Outside pole sitter Mike Holt swapped the lead several times with the front runners and salvaged a second place finish ahead of Terry Tullis, Don Saxon and Wes Thompson. Only 8 Super Stocks were ready for the preseason action Saturday night and Steve Olone added a heat and feature race to his resume. Steve has had a great deal of success at Citrus since he started racing there late last season. Scott Holly finished second but lost the spot in post race inspection. Frank Buchanan moved up to second after being chased to the finish line by Kyle Maynard, Mark Nelson and Brett Flag. After a second place finish over a 30 car field in the Florida Mini Stock Challenge race last week, Chris Hooker had his way with the fourteen car field that ended the preseason racing at Citrus. Chris wrestled the lead away from early leader Chris Thornton and commenced to leave the rest of the field in the dust, lapping all but the front five cars. Thornton won his heat and salvaged a second place finish in the 20 lap feature event. David Curry finished a distant third ahead of Richard Stroup and second heat winner Jay McKenzie completing the top five. Tommy Smith took the drivers seat in the Hobby Stock championship car and held the early lead off the pole after winning the second heat. First heat winner Doug Webster chased him for a few laps before James “Doc” Batson made his charge on the outside groove to take the point and set the pace six laps into the race. Curtis Neumann managed to make the pass to second and followed Batson across the finish line for a second place finish. Doug Webster, Tommy Smith and Frank Stromquist held on to the top five slots when the checkers flew. Thunder Stock Champion Pat Veltman did it again over the 19 car Thunder Stock starters. Jarred Kessler gave her some competition and was sent to the rear when he got together with Glen Colyer the early leader at the halfway point in the 20 lap race. Colyer was able to hang on for second while Jarred Kessler was able to move from the back of the pack to third on the checkered flag lap. Lee Keller held out for fourth over Jerry Hoover. Colyer and Steven Stinedurf won the heat races. Justin Durbin and Joey Durbin ran one, two in the 4 Cylinder Bomber heat race. When the green flew for the 20 lap feature it was a 15 lap match race as the Durbins swapped the lead at least 10 times before spinning out and being sent to the rear for the restart in lap 16. Rick Fort inherited the lad and went on to take the win over Neal Durbin, Joey Durbin, Justin Durbin and John DeGeorge. Saturday night wrapped up the preseason action at Citrus. Drivers will have the entire month of March to prepare for the opening of the 49th point racing season on April 3rd. The first regular season show of the year will feature the Modifieds, a Sportsman 40 lap special, plus the Mini Stocks, Hobby Stocks, Thunder Stocks and the 4 Cylinder Bombers. Citrus County Speedway Results 2/28/04 UPM Modified Feature – 50 Laps – 19 Cars 1. # 1 Wayne Jefferson 2. #77 John Gerstner 3. #32X Alan McCafferty 4. # 3 Harold Cannon 5. # 8 J.F. McClellan 6. #29 Chris Fadling 7. #61 Chet Senokossoff 8. #89 Lee Collins – Fast Qualifier 9. #72 John Grimm 10.# 6 Dwayne Dempsey 11.#30 Chuck Burkhalter 12.#66 Jerry Symons 13.#70 Jeremy Gerstner 14.#34 Mark Emberson 15.#4b Alan Bruns 16.# 0 Kevin Durden 17.#19 Mike Johnson 18.#57 Jim Flynn 19.# 2 Mickey Kempgens Mini Cup Series – 20 Laps – 17 Cars 1. #17 Doug Smith 2. #24 Mike Holt 3. # 8 Terry Tullis 4. # 3 Don Saxon 5. #47 Wes Thompson 1st Heat Winner - #12 Rick Auriemma 2nd Heat Winner - #24 Mike Holt Super Stock Feature – 20 Laps – 8 Cars 1. #20 Steve Olone 2. # 8 Frank Buchanan 3. #27 Kyle Maynard 4. #11 Mark Nelson 5. #59 Brett Flagg Heat Winner – #20 Steve Olone Mini Stock Feature – 20 Laps – 14 Cars 1. #1x Chris Hooker 2. #24 Chris Thornton 3. #00 David Curry 4. #95 Richard Stroup 5. #99 Jay McKenzie 1st Heat Winner - #24 Chris Thornton 2nd Heat Winner - #99 Jay McKenzie Hobby Stock Feature – 20 Laps – 19 Cars 1. #77 James “Doc” Batson 2. #01 Curtis Neumann 3. #72 Doug Webster 4. #42 Tommy Smith 5. #57 Frank Stromquist 1st Heat Winner - #72 Doug Webster 2nd Heat Winner - #42 Tommy Smith Thunder Stock Feature – 20 Laps – 19 Cars 1. #55 Pat Veltman 2. #4x Glen Colyer 3. #10 Jarred Kessler 4. #21 Lee Keller 5. #30 Jerry Hoover 1st Heat Winner - #4x Glen Colyer 2nd Heat Winner - #0x Steven Stinedurf 4 Cylinder Bombers – 20 Laps – 7 Cars 1. # 2 Rick Fort 2. #55 Neal Durbin 3. #38 Joey Durbin 4. #33 Justin Durbin 5. #22 John DeGeorge Heat Winner - #33 Justin Durbin Have an opinion on this story? 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