Richie Smith logs 6th Citrus Street Stock Season Win
by Larry MacMillan
The Citrus County Speedway “Mother’s Day” special featured the Central Florida Sprints plus points action for the Street Stocks, Pure Stocks, 4 Cylinder Bombers, V8 Thunder Stock Rookies and a wild 20 car Figure 8 race. Despite the pungent air conditions and the light schedule 103 racers made the scene for a very exciting night of racing at the 3/8th mile oval.
Twenty four racers registered for the Street Stock division with 22 taking the green flag for their 20 lap main event. Artie Hewitt started on the pole position after his terrible wreck that moved the front straight wall back to the guard rail two weeks ago. After a whole lot of work he got his racer back on the track last week and was able to dial it in pretty well for this week’s action. He set the pace for the first few laps before some of the heavy hitters came from the back of the pack to put on quite a run for the checkers. Richie Smith started 16th and again used that outside groove to make his way to the point for the final 7 laps for his sixth win of the season and passed Curtis Flanagan for the point lead in the division. New comer Jeff Stalnaker started 21st and saved his final charge to a second place finish in lap 20, passing Jay Witfoth, Artie Hewitt and Justin Durbin rounding out the top five finishers. Heat winners were Curtis Flanagan, Tim Wilson and Tim Quick.
Twenty Figure 8’s put on a wild show in the intersection and had the fans just waiting for that major crash that usually takes out the leader. The leaders chased pole sitter Robbie Aaron for the first half of the race before a flat tire ended what appeared to be his first win of the season. A multi car wreck took place on turn two that shuffled the front runner line up for the restart, putting Curtis Youmans on the point after running third for the first 9 laps. John Thomas and team mate Robbie Hage chased Youmans for the final 11 laps, threading the intersection needle on numerous occasions before the checkers came out for Youmans. Robbie Hage made the pass on Thomas in the race for second followed by Daryl Hage and Danny Hage. Figure 8’s return in two weeks to join Doug Rose and the Green Mamba Jet show on May 26th.
Pure Stocks saw 20 cars take the green for their 20 lap main and it was a battle royal from the get go. Gary Johnson survived numerous runs at his lead for the entire 20 laps for his second win of the season. That all came to an end in post race inspection when he was D.Q.’d for illegal rear springs. Bill Ryan motored from 14th to make a final run at Johnson in lap 20 and inherited his second win of the season by virtue of the D.Q. and passing inspection in tech. Victor Shahid and Louie Cioe finished third and fourth only to join Johnson on the D.Q. list in tech.
Mike Dubbs goes into the record books in second followed by Randy Spicer, Rick Shahid who challenged for the lead early in the race and Steve Stinedurf taking a fifth place finish. Heat winners changed with the D.Q.’s as well with Stinedurf inheriting the 1st heat and Glen Colyer the second heat.
Post race inspection rearranged the finish of the 4 Cylinder Bomber feature also. This was another knock down drag out run for the checkers with Joshua Fairchild setting the early pace. Again the heavy hitters came from the rear of the pack to put on the final 5 lap charge to the finish line with Peter Nelson the apparent winner but he was caught with an illegal pulley in tech and that gave Chris Harvey his first win ever from his 8th starting spot.
Point leader Jeff Eberly locked on to the top spot coming from his 13th starting spot to nail down second followed up by runner up in the race for the championship, Travis Hoefler. Patric Conner lost out in his bid for 4th place to tech inspection with an illegal sway bar. Early leader Bobby Richardson salvaged a fifth place finish. Heat winners were Richardson and Dan Haag.
The V8 Thunder Stock Rookies saw another 1st time career winner when Ricky Shahid motored from his 8th starting position to take the checkered flag ahead of John Brown who was ultimately D.Q’d in tech. This moved early leader Eddie Rosasco into second. Chad Markland survived an early crash and inherited third after Jeffrey Eisenhower was D.Q’d for a sway bar infraction. Young Cotee Clark and Chad Fairbanks locked onto the 4th and fifth position respectively.
Rounding out the race night for Mother’s Day were the Central Florida Wingless Sprint Cars with only 8 cars making the show. Local driver Steven Bradley made all those Thursday night practice sessions pay off with a heat and Feature win over John Sambor, Darrin Miller, Dennis Misuraca and Nick Manikis. Shawn Grimes and Bobby Gordon both suffered DNF’s.
Next week will see the Mini Stocks return to action in a 50 lap, non points, special. Rounding out the full race card will be the Super Late Models, Sportsman, Street Stocks, Pure Stocks, V8 Thunder Stocks and the 4 Cylinder Bombers. Doug Rose will light up the speedway with his Green Mamba Jet dragster on Saturday, May 26th and this is a show you don’t want to miss.
