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Blast from the Past A Success for All
Inverness, FL (March 8, 2010) The 2nd Annual Blast from the Past is now in the records book as
a total success. A perfect sunny day greeted drivers and fans as they entered Citrus County
Speedway for a day full of fun and good times.
However, the morning was full of sadness as one of the drivers, Billy Hancock, passed away in the
pits after suffering a fatal heart attack.
Billy was the first car on the track for practice and all went well. He pulled back into the pits to his
pit stall and suffered a massive heart attack. Although every effort was made to revive Hancock,
all failed.
His young daughter, who is 10 years old and was in the pits with her dad, said it best when she
told us "God needed a new angel and he took my daddy".
Chaplain Bill Ross and event organizer Joyce Lankford gathered the drivers around to tell them
what had happened to Billy and to pray for him and his family. Sadness covered many faces. But
the only good thing that can be said about such a tragic event is that Billy died doing what he
loved which was racing and he got that one last ride in his racecar before he joined heaven.
Event Organizer Joyce Lankford took time to give out some very special awards before the racing
began. Receiving awards were Ms. Becky from Citrus County Speedway for 33 years of service
to the track.
Earlene Williams for her dedication to racing and being one of the best scorers around. Ms. Kelly
who helped Joyce travel the many roads of Florida to put out the word for the 2nd Annual Blast
from the Past and for always being there when Joyce felt she could no longer do this. And Mary
Anderson who is a very special lady to many and who helped in many ways organize the Blast
from the Past with names and phone numbers.
The men were not left out either as the two oldest drivers received awards for being the two
oldest drivers, Jim Fenton, Leroy Porter, Don Nerone, Jack Donahey. and Dick Anderson.
A record number of cars filled the pits including the Daytona Antique Auto Racing Association
Stocks, Sprints and Midgets. Plus there were Mini Stocks, Sportsman, Late Models, Enduro cars,
Strictly Stocks and one dirt late model driven by Pat Bresnahan.
The biggest race of the afternoon was the Late Models with Dick Anderson on the pole for the 15
lap event and Perry Lovelady on the outside pole. Lovelady had just competed the day before at
Orlando SpeedWorld in the FAST Series. Anderson, who has not been behind the wheel of the
famous 92 for some time, took to the driver's seat.
Anderson quickly took the point but Lovelady gave him very little room to slip up much. With
Lovelady right on his tail, Anderson found himself in second all the sudden and Lovelady leading.
Well, Anderson wasn't going to have that and actually got underneath Lovelady's car trying to
shake him but Lovelady was not going for that.
But while these two were playing, coming up behind them was Pat Bresnahan in the only dirt car
at the event. Bresnahan played it very smart and let the two have their duel and when he saw the
advantage, took the point and as they say, "never looked back".
Who would have thought it?? A dirt car beat all the asphalt cars.
In the Modified event, Spook Whittle gave everyone a thrill when he went up the wall in turn 2 on
his side after spinning out in the dirt. Not sure he meant to do that but it was a thrill. Whittle was
fine however the car made need alittle work.
The other thrill of the afternoon was watching Carl Addy fly over the wall in his Late Model. The
green flag had waved and the next thing people saw was Addy flying over the turns 1 - 2 wall and
straight down into the pits. Luckily, there were no cars or people in that particular location but it
was definitely a sight to behold.
Owner of the car Stuart Lycett was seen running down towards the pits to check on Addy and the
car. Addy was fine but the car left Citrus County Speedway looking more like a modified than a
Late Model.
The Daytona Antique Auto Racing Association put on a great show with the older drivers and
then ran some races for their yearly points. Watching those cars go around the track was very
special and knowing that the "best of the best" was behind the wheels.
Was the Blast from the Past a success??
The answer would be definitely yes. From the smiling faces leaving the speedway and the "thank
yous" and when are we doing it again, yes, it was most definitely a success.
To all the racers and their families who came to the 2nd Annual Blast from the Past, we say thank
you. Thank you for coming, thank you for sharing your wonderful memories, and than you for the
new memories you have given us.
Will there be a 3rd Blast from the Past?? That is something that only time will tell.
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