IT'S TIME TO RACE!!

May 22, 2005 FSCR Citrus Beats Stormy Weather with 7 Division Race Card by Larry MacMillan Saturday night racing went smoothly at Citrus County Speedway until the final few laps of the heat racing when the bottom dropped out as the checkers came out for the Thunder Stock 3rd heat. Some discouraged drivers left the speedway early thinking the track wouldn’t get dried out in time to finish the program but patience, hard work from the track crew and 40 race drivers dried it out in time to get the entire show in before the 11 o’clock curfew shut it down. Racing was intense for the 119 cars that made the trip to Citrus, many from out of the area as the Modifieds, Sportsman and Figure 8’s put on some heavy duty racing while the Mini Stocks, Hobby Stocks, Thunder Stocks and 4 Cylinder Bombers put some added excitement into the evening in their point’s chase. Twenty Modifieds took the green flag and despite the raw race track after the intermission rain there was plenty of passing and the final lap took out the third and fourth running car after the checkers flew. Jack Arnold locked onto the point from the green flag and set the pace in a race with Tom Bailey hanging with him until he lost it early. On the restart Mark Nelson, Jimmy Wagner and John Godwin picked up the chase while Harold Cannon passed on the outside lane picking off competitors one by one. Cannon finally made the pass on Arnold in lap 25 of the 30 lap main. Ronny Cambell and Tommy Schnader were involved in a physical battle for third that got rough on the final run for the checkers. When the dust settled both drivers were disqualified, fined and given a week off for the incident during the race and after it was over. Cannon took the win just ahead of Jack Arnold while Billy Bechtelheimer moved from his 9th starting spot to third half a car length ahead of Jimmy Wagner with Robert Ray taking fifth. Heat wins went to Arnold, Cannon and Ray. Frank Buchanan had his hands full from the pole at the green to the checkers and was involved in a couple of mishaps that could have taken him out early but he held out to outrun Magic Mike Veltman who came from 11th to run a close second at the finish line. John Smith out raced Johnny Sanders in a close run for third while Stephen Anderson managed to come from the back of the pack on the final restart to salvage a fifth place finish. Heat winners were Buchanan and Veltman. Four of the 15 Figure 8’s left early due to the early rain and the balance of the field was in question about finishing up the night due to a late shower. They voted to run in the rain with just 25 minutes left before curfew and the die hard fans enjoyed every minute of it. It eventually stopped raining for the final 17 laps. It looked like a runaway for Donnie Thomas who managed to get a half lap lead on Don Thomas and Eddie Davis who were in a side by side battle for second when the three of them met in the intersection with a hard hit that ended the night for all three cars with just five laps to go. The restart put Rodney Davis on the point and he held off the remaining four cars to the finish line with Scott Gullett taking second over the lapped cars of Darryl Hage, Carl Malone and Eddie Davis. Chris Hooker celebrated his grandfathers 74th birthday and cushioned his Mini Stock point lead with his second consecutive win and third of the year. Hard charging Clint Foley came from the back of the 12 car pack to lock onto Hooker’s bumper at the finish line. George Neumann picked up third over Jay McKenzie and Michael Lawhorn. Heat wins went to Neumann and Hooker. “Doc” James Batson came from the back of the 25 car pack and made it two in a row in Hobby Stock action. He made it a crowd standing, exciting green, white, checker restart, launching his Batson Chiropractic Special around Artie Hewitt and George Webb for a final lap win. In the restart traffic jam Hewitt salvaged second over David Chastain, in first race at Citrus in two years, while Webb slipped back to fourth just ahead of Herb Hoefler. Heat winners were Hewitt, Bill Ryan and Batson. Michael Bocija made short work of the 22 car Thunder Stock field for what appeared to be the win but lost it in post race inspection to Gary Johnson. D.J. Macklin was one of the three leaders during the race and inherited a second place finish on the D.Q. Point leader Steven Stinedurf moved from 17th to make a late dash to third followed by Glen Colyer and Wayne Heater. Heat wins went to Johnson, Macklin and Stinedurf. The Durbin family made their first trip to Citrus this season with 3 cars and put on quite a show from the back end of the 4 Cylinder Bomber pack. Each of the Durbins led at one point in the race but when the checkers flew it was Justin Durbin outrunning Kevin Stone, Ken Elwood, Rusty Adams and Tim Harrington for the win. Heat winners were Stone and James Pate. This week Friday night practice will be combined with the Annual Citrus County Speedway Bar B Q and fans as well as drivers and pit crews are invited. There will be a $10.00 pit fee and the meat and drinks will be provided by the track. Bring a covered dish or desert to share with the gang. It will be an open practice with the Late Models, Super Stocks, Mini Stocks, Hobby Stocks, Thunder Stocks and 4 Cylinder Bombers on the Saturday Race Card. Citrus County Speedway Results 5/21/05 Modified Feature – 30 Laps 20 Cars 1. # 3 Harold Cannon 2. #84 Jack Arnold III 3. # 6 Billy Bechtelheimer 4. #17 Jimmy Wagner 5. # 9 Robert Ray 1st Heat Winner - #84 Jack Arnold III 2nd Heat Winner - # 3 Harold Cannon 3rd Heat Winner - # 9 Robert Ray Sportsmen Feature – 20 Laps – 15 Cars 1. #07 Frank Buchanan 2. #55 Mike Veltman 3. #31 John Smith 4. #36 Johnny Sanders 5. #48 Stephen Anderson 1st Heat Winner - #07 Frank Buchanan 2nd Heat Winner - #55 Mike Veltman Mini Stock Feature – 20 Laps – 12 Cars 1. #1X Chris Hooker 2. #7c Clint Foley 3. # 1 George Neumann 4. #5X Jay McKenzie 5. #44 Michael Lawhorn 1st Heat Winner - #1 George Neumann 2nd Heat Winner – 1X Chris Hooker Hobby Stock Feature – 20 Laps – 25 Cars 1. #77 Doc James Batson 2. # 9 Artie Hewitt 3. #17c David Chastain 4. #40 George Webb 5. #22 Herb Hoefler 1st Heat Winner - #9 Artie Hewitt 2nd Heat Winner - #33 Bill Ryan 3rd Heat Winner - #77 Doc James Batson Thunder Stock Feature – 20 Laps – 22 Cars 1. #40 Gary Johnson 2. #14 D.J. Macklin 3. #0X Steven Stinedurf 4. #44 Glen Colyer 5. #71 Wayne Heater 1st Heat Winner - #40 Gary Johnson 2nd Heat Winner - #14 D.J. Macklin 3rd Heat Winner - #0X Steven Stinedurf 4 Cylinder Bomber Feature – 15 Laps – 10 Cars 1. #55x Justin Durbin 2. #98 Kevin Stone 3. #28 Ken Elwood 4. #67 Rusty Adams 5. #82 Tim Harrington 1st Heat Winner - #98 Kevin Stone 2nd Heat Winner - #55 James Pate Figure 8 Feature – 20 Laps – 11 Cars Started – 15 Registered 1. #89 Rodney Davis 2. #28 Scott Gullett 3. # 8 Darryl Hage 4. #8x Carl Malone 5. # 9 Eddie Davis Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board! news@karnac.org or send a letter to the editor!