Driver Carlton is making rounds again at Citrus

By LOGAN NEILL

© St. Petersburg Times, published October 3, 2000

INVERNESS -- Due to commitments in other Late Model series around the state, Homosassa's Ricky Carlton hasn't seen much of Citrus County Speedway this season.

However, he hasn't forgotten how to get around his hometown track.

Saturday night, Carlton iced his fellow competitors for the second week in a row, taking the McNatt Late Model Big Purse Challenge in a flag-to-flag run.

For Carlton, who leads the Florida Pro Late Modle series, the past two weeks have allowed a respite from the pressures of a points battle.

"This is where I can come and have a lot of fun just driving a race car," said Carlton, who put his blue No. 34 machine on the pole for the 35-lap event.

Just like the week prior, Carlton soon proved he had the superior machine as he streaked quickly into the lead. Behind him, a host of track veterans diced for position as Carlton continued to build a half-lap lead.

In the end, newcomer Shane Russ, second in points to Carlton in the Florida Pro series, held off a late-race charge by Herb Neumann Jr. to capture second.

Dale Sanders moved from the ninth starting spot to finish fourth just ahead of division points leader Mike Bresnahan. Bresnahan was fastest qualifier in the event.

Sportsman division leader Mike Veltman notched his ninth feature of the season in a runaway victory over a 16-car field. Veltman, who drew the top pill for the pole, never had to look back once the green flag fell.

Behind him, however, there was plenty of action as Johnny Sanders outdueled a hard-charging Rex Struble for the runner-up spot. Alan Struble and early heat winner Jim Smith rounded out the top five.

Mark Sowell, who finished his three previous Mini Stock features in the runner-up spot, finally earned win No. 5 in an impressive flag-to-flag run.

Sowell simply had the best handling machine of the 18 starters, hooking onto the low groove and holding it for the entire 20 laps.

Meanwhile, Billy Smith throttled his red No. 00 racer from mid-pack to grab second away from Frank Coleman. George Neumann cruised to a forth-place finish ahead of John Coleman. Robbie Yoakam and John Coleman were heat winners.

Several times this season, Street Stocker Mike Bell has had victory within his grasp only to come up short in the end.

Saturday night, luck finally rode with the Brooksville driver the entire 20 laps, allowing Bell to beat John LeVecque and take his first feature win of the season.

Bell and LeVecque fought tooth-and-nail most of the way. Further back, a battle for the third through fifth spots ensued between Wayne Lewis, Harley Wilson Sr. and Ernie Reed, with the three finishing in that order.

In Hobby Stocks, rookie Richie Smith inherited his fifth feature victory of the season when apparent winner Jim Hand failed post-race tech.

Smith's victory was good news for J. D. Smith, who took the runner-up spot and sits just 39 points behind division leader Chris Hooker. Third place went to Micky Burns, who finished ahead of Kreg Belcastro and Brandon Johnson. Heat wins went to Goff and Smith.

St. Petersburg's Robbie Hage once again proved himself a dominant Figure 8 force, outdueling his father, Bob Hage, to capture his third win this season. Both drivers outpaced a healthy 15-car field, leaving Larry Harris, Phillip Rook and Charlie Meyer to round out the top five in that order.

Rick Ellis led a 20-car Street-Legal Junker to the checkered flag to pick up his third win of the season. Alice Jacobson was the winner in the Women's Racing Club Powder Puff 10-lap race.

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