"I'm
noticing a turn of the tide on racing Web sites like Florida's
Karnac.com, the gathering place for the most dedicated race
fans in the state." -Orlando Sentinel
Three weeks into the 2009 Citrus County Speedway racing season 102 race drivers put on a super show for some hard core race fans who stuck it out through another cold night. Four regular local divisions were joined by two traveling series and you would have thought they were in midseason form going for the crown.
Twenty two Street Stocks managed to go for the entire 20 laps after their caution flagged shortened race of last week. The House of Pain race team certainly showed their dominance with Richie Smith turning up the RPMs in his first Street Stock race of the season from his 8th starting spot and took the point in a few laps. He spent the rest of the race holding off hot shoes like 4th starter Jeff Stalnaker Jr., outside pole sitter David Foster, 6th starter Mike Stalnaker and 5th starter Dr.
Mark Fallows to round out the top five at the checkered flag. Jay Witfoth put together the first win of the season and an 8th place finish from his 21st starting spot to share the early point lead with Mike Ruff who finished 2nd last week and 5th this week. Also tied for the top spot after two weeks is David Foster with a 5th place finish paired with his 3rd place finish this week. Heat winners were Richie Smith, Brent Cooper and Mike Stalnaker.
Four Cylinder Bomber action proved to be a highlight Saturday night with four of 18 starters battling for the win in side by side racing throughout their 20 lap feature run. Phil Edwards took the early lead and held on for the first 5 laps before giving up the lead. Nathan Florian battled with John DeGeorge until Justin Durbin made his way from 16th to the front of the pack finishing second to Florian and losing the spot in post race inspection. Defending Champion Richard Kuhn started 17th and again went to the top of the points ladder inheriting a 2nd place finish for the second week in a row after the D.Q. Phil Edwards stayed in the top five throughout the race and held on for a 3rd place finish ahead of John DeGeorge and Anthony LaPoint. Tim Scalise and LaPoint posted heat wins in week 2 of the Bomber division season.
Pole sitter Mike Hinde was up on the wheel in his Pure Stock racer for the first time this season. Richie Smith had taken the #142 to the winners circle last week and it looked like it would make it again until the final five laps in their 20 lap main event. Tommy Smith moved from his 12th starting spot to put the pressure on his sponsor before Mike spun under the pressure in the final two laps. Experience was the winner with Smith taking the win after a 2nd place finish last week and the first win of the season moving him to the top in the Pure Stock Points race. Curtis Flanagan made his way from 18th to second riding in the tire tracks of Smith when the checkers flew. Bill Ryan started ninth and finished 3rd with Michael Martin locking in a 4th place finish on his first ride of the season. Chuck Franklin stayed in the top five right to the finish for all 20 laps. Heats winners were Tommy Smith, Bill Ryan and Curtis Flanagan.
The V8 Thunder Stock Rookies have run all three weeks of the season and have 3 different winners. After a second place finish last week Levi Roberts patiently picked his way from 14th to the point late in their main event and took his first win ever. The other two winners, Mathew Harris and Arden Franklin did their best to hold off the young 14 year old rookie and had to settle for 2nd and third in that order. Chris Watson and Scott Werstein rounded out the top five and could be a couple of rookies to watch through the season. Three wins by any one driver will move them up to Pure Stocks and begin racing for points.
The Florida Mini Cup Series brought in 16 of the Sprint Cup look alikes at a much smaller scale but they put on a very competitive show. Mike Holt took the #24 Jeff Gordon look alike off the pole and held the lead for 5 laps before Brady Marshall launched the #20 to the point to take the field right to the checkered flag with numerous battles going on for position behind them. Brenton Franklin moved from 8th to a second place finish followed by Mike Holt who stayed in the top five throughout the race. Rick Cline Jr. held off Carlos Pinto in the Jimmy Johnson #48 look alike to round out the top five. Heat wins went to Corey White in the Carl Edwards #77 and Mike Holt.
The Bass Champions Challenge series saw Daniel Miller use up most of the 35 lap feature before he took the lead and the win ahead of Jarrett Snowden, Lanny Rubink, Paul White and Rowdy Gordon. Daniel Miller also took the heat win from his 9th starting position.
Next Saturday will be the finale at Citrus before the Citrus County Fair break and the early 4 weeks of the season will go out with a bang. Doug Rose will bring in his Green Mamba Jet, chain a derelict car to the back of his dragster, light up the afterburner and put on a fireworks display that will really warm up the speedway and blow the derelict car away. Super Late Models will see their first race of the season joined by the Sportsman, Mini Stocks, Street Stocks and 4 Cylinder Bombers. The restart of the 2009 season will be on March 28th with the School Bus Figure 8s, Boat Trailer Race plus Sportsman, Mini Stock, Street Stocks, 4 Cylinder Bombers and the Daytona Antique Racing Association in action.
Citrus County Speedway Results 2/21/09
Street Stock Feature 20 Laps 23 Cars 1. #42 Richie Smith Hernando - 1st Season Win 2. #90 Jeff Stalnaker Jr. Ocala 3. #91 David Foster Ocala 4. # 8 Mike Stalnaker Ocala 5. #007 Mark Fallows Crystal River 1st Heat Winner - #42 Richie Smith 2nd Heat Winner - #197 Brent Cooper Dunnellon 3rd Heat Winner - #8 Mike Stalnaker
4 Cylinder Bomber Feature 20 Laps 17 Cars 1. #26 Nathan Florian Homosassa 1st Season Win 2. #47 Richard Kuhn Ocala 3. #21 Phil Edwards Crystal River 4. #122 John DeGeorge Dunnellon 5. #88 Anthony LaPoint Zephyrhills 1st Heat Winner - #48 Tim Scalise Lutz 2nd Heat Winner - #88 Anthony LaPoint
Pure Stock Feature 20 Laps 23 Cars 1. #24 Tommy Smith Hernando 2nd Season Win 2. #51 Curtis Flanagan Inverness 3. #33 Bill Ryan Bushnell 4. #76 Michael Martin Citrus Springs 5. # 7 Chuck Franklin Hernando 1st Heat Winner - #24 Tommy Smith 2nd Heat Winner - #33 Bill Ryan 3rd Heat Winner - #51 Curtis Flanagan
V8 Thunder Stock Feature 20 Laps 15 Cars 1. #51 Levi Roberts Inverness 1st Feature Win Ever 2. #411 Mathew Harris Brooksville 3. # 7 Arden Franklin Hernando 4. #118 Chris Watson Brooksville 5. #45 Scott Werstein Belleview
Florida Mini Cup Feature 20 Laps 16 Cars 1. #20 Brady Marshall 2. #11 Brenton Franklin 3. #24 Mike Holt 4. #37 Rick Cline Jr. 5. #48 Carlos Pinto 1st Heat Winner - #77 Corey White 2nd Heat Winner - #24 Mike Holt
Bass Champions Challenge Feature 35 Laps 9 Cars 1. #00 Daniel Miller Tavares 2. # 4 Jarrett Snowden Salt Springs 3. #23 Lanny Rubink Ft. Myers 4. #25 Paul White Eustis 5. # 7J Rowdy Gordon Salt Springs Heat Winner - #00 Daniel Miller
