Late Models canceled at Citrus in respect for the Billie Harvey Memorial !

[Lurkin]

Drugs Took Smuggler From Low To High To Low

By Jim Leusner Of The Sentinel Staff, January 16, 1991

It all started in December 1974 when Robert Castoro, then 25, his brother and several of their boyhood friends decided to invest in 1,000 pounds of marijuana. After they sold it and made a profit, they bought 2,000 pounds. And later 3,000 pounds. Before long, Castoro and his friends from suburban Miami were speeding to the Bahamas on Cigarette boats, picking up marijuana for some of the biggest smuggling groups in South Florida. He said they imported as much as 100,000 pounds a year in the mid-1970s and 1980s.

[Lurkin]

http://news.google.com/newspapers?ni...g=1969,3690234

[Lurkin]

I personally don't give a care about the pot, but coke ain't no joke...

[Frasson118]

After Balough got done with these charges, but still on probation, he wound up in deep shit.

He had run a Busch GN race at Charlotte that afternoon, and afterwards, he & a van full of friends stopped at a convenience store. One of his buddies wound up in a fight there, and when the cops arrived, they wanted to search Gary's van.

Lo & behold, one of his passengers was 'holding' some coke.... and off to the pokey goes Gary again. He spent a few more years before being released about 4-5 years ago.

For those that didn't connect the dots, Herbert Tillman, better known as Herbie, won the very first race at Hialeah Speedway when it opened. Bruce "PeeWee" Griffin was a VERY successful Modified racer in the Northeast in the 60's-70's.
Pete Pistone is the nephew of Nascar's "Tiger Tom" Pistone.

[Lurkin]

Never heard that story, that Busch race was right after the initial charges though and before he went to prison the first time. He had signed with, I believe it was Harry Ranier, in the Cup Series so Dave Mader III ended up with the ride.
As I heard it Balough did his time on the drug charges then when he was due to get out, after 10 years or so behind bars, the feds slapped him back in for income tax evasion. Then he did another 10 years or so and finally got out. Then got caught again for bringing it in while on parole. Just got out a couple of years ago.

[andre]

What a waste of talent.

[Matt Albee]

In respect for the Billie Harvey Memorial Late Model race being run this weekend at Auburndale, and in cooperation, we are canceling the Late Models from the schedule at Citrus this weekend. We will look for a possible make up date and announce later. The Sportsman 50 will be the headline event for this Saturday night, along with Street-stocks, Mini-stocks, Hornet Pro and Hornet Rookies. A race day schedule will be out later this evening. Thank you !

After reading these posts, it sounds like it might have been a better idea for FUPS ( what a dumb name for a series ) to cancel their race in respect for Citrus.

[fastlanefan]

The family actually has nothing to do with asking for money for this race it is Jimbo Chadwick who owns and operates all of the Billie Harvey Memorial.

[polesitter61]

40 total cars in the pits for 5 classes last night, if you picked the over, congrats!

[escortbeast]

I think there were more than that. Around 60 I think

[polesitter61]

Check the results my friend, numbers do not lie.

[MiniRacer26]

40 total cars in the pits for 5 classes last night, if you picked the over, congrats!

You were close. Showtime didn't have a few classes running or it would have been less than 35.

[Lurkin]

Maybe Jimbo (Fastlanefan?) can explain where it all went wrong?

[Jimmy McKinley]

Maybe Jimbo (Fastlanefan?) can explain where it all went wrong?

Having it at Auburndale, to begin with (this year, anyways).

Not sure *why* it was moved there (NASCAR and Harvey issues <New Smyrna>)? Outside of Palm Beach/Hialeah and New Smyrna, I'm not real sure *where* in Florida Harvey even raced. I can't recall him at Tampa/St. Pete/Bradenton at all.