Forty years ago in 1969
the newly formed New England Drivers and Owners Club headed by
Dick
Armstrong called a drivers strike against Stafford, Norwood and Thompson as
club members felt they were running for sub-par purses. Stafford did run
with a short field with Bugsy Stevens taking the win over Ernie Gahan and
Don Flynn. Norwood and Thompson cancelled their racing events. At the
Albany-Saratoga Speedway, Lou Lazzaro took the top spot over Jerry Cook and
Richie Evans. At Fonda on Saturday night, Dave Lape beat out Lazzaro for the
win with Andy Romano, third. At Islip, Ron Theil won out over Charlie
Jarzombek and Jim Hendrickson. Joe Trudeau was the Modified winner at the
Waterford Speedbowl. Bill Sweet Jr took the Grand American win. Racing at
Utica-Rome on Sunday rained out.
Thirty five years ago in 1974
Utica-Rome suffered their third rainout in a row. At Freeport it cleared and
Art Tappen beat out Ted Wesnoski and Lew Hennessy. At Islip, Wesnoski again
had to settle for second as Gary Winters beat him to the stripe. Wayne
Anderson finished third. At Stafford on Saturday night, Bugsy Stevens won a
close one over Kenny Bouchard and Jerry Dostie. Maynard Troyer was the
kingpin in New York State as he went two for two, taking checkers at
Lancaster and Fulton. Joe Trudeau was the Modified winner at the Waterford
Speedbowl.
Thirty years ago in 1979, Bobby
Santos beat out Bugsy Stevens and Leo Cleary for the win at Stafford on
Friday night. Spencer ran a 100 lapper which saw Maynard Troyer dominate
over Satch Worley, Jerry Cook and Doug Hewitt. Worley was driving for Lee
Allard. At Shangri-La, Richie Evans won out over George Kent and Jerry Cook
and on the Island at Islip, it was Charlie Jarzombek. Waterford, Seekonk,
Riverside and Westboro rained out, as did Thompson on Sunday. Twenty five years ago in 1984,
Ray Miller hit full stride as he won at Stafford in the Mike Greci
No.01.Reggie Ruggerio finished second with Richie Evans, third. At Spencer,
George Kent beat Jan Leaty and at Shangri-La, Ron Shepherd bested Kent for
the win. Rain washed out Islip, Waterford and Riverside. Randy LaJoie scored
a Nascar-North win at Sanair in Canada and in Winston Cup action at Dover
Downs, Richard Petty scored his 199th career win.
Twenty years ago in 1989, Mike
Christopher was the Friday night winner at Stafford. Bugsy Stevens passed
Norman Holden on the last lap to win the Pro-Stock event at Seekonk and at
Riverside; Reggie Ruggiero beat out Bob Polverari for the win. Local
favorite Larry Lanphear beat out Ted Christopher and Bob Potter at Waterford
and at Riverhead it was Chris Young. Sunday action at Monadnock saw Jerry
Marquis taking the win over Reggie Ruggerio.
Fifteen years ago in 1994,
Steve Chowanski won the Friday night SK Modified event at Stafford. Mike
Paquett finished second with Ted Christopher, third. At Waterford, Mark
LaJunesse was leading the early going until he was drilled into the turn two
fence. Dennis Gada was the eventual winner and was followed by David Gada,
Jim Broderick, Jerry Pearl and Todd Ceravolo. At Riverside, Bob Gegetskas
held off Richard Savory for the win and at Riverhead, Bob Park won out over
Don Howe. The Modified Tour Series was at Nazareth where Jeff Fuller, in the
Sheba No.8, took the 150 lap win over Satch Worley, Wayne Anderson and
Reggie Ruggerio. A big wreck after the finish involved Tim Arre, Mike
Ewanitsko and Russ Franz. Ricky Craven won the Grand National 200 that was
also run at Nazareth. In Winston Cup action at Charlotte, Jeff Gordon won
the Winston Open and Geoff Bodine won the Winston.
Ten years ago in 1999, Jerry
Marquis was the SK-Modified feature winner at Stafford. Lloyd Agor finished
second. At Waterford on Saturday night, Dennis Gada made it three in a row
as he took the win over Mike Holdredge and Bert Marvin. At Riverside Park it
was Billy Bolton over Rob Summers and Ed Spiers and at Riverhead, Frank
Vigliarolo took the win over Ken Matlack, Chris Young and Howie Brode. The
NASCAR Featherlite Modified Tour Series was at Nazareth along with the Busch
Racing Series and Busch North Series who had a combined event. Tony
Hirschman wrecked in practice and after his crew made repairs, came back to
take the Busch Pole. Ted Christopher was second fastest. It was all for
nothing as the event was rained out. The event was re-scheduled for July 16.
After a 5-1/2 hour delay, the Nazareth Busch Series event was run. Matt
Kenseth, who had taken the lead on lap 151, was still leading when the event
was stopped because of darkness on lap 168. Kenseth was declared the winner.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished second with Tim Fedewa, Dave Blaney and Adam
Petty rounding out the top five. In Winston Cup action at Charlotte, Tony
Stewart flew in from Indianapolis and won the Winston Open. Terry Labonte
won The Winston. Stewart finished second. Ernie Irvan triggered a big wreck
that took out 11 cars.
Five years ago in 2004 the
NASCAR Featherlite Modified Tour Series was at the Nazareth Speedway in
Pennsylvania, for the final time as the International Speedway Corporation
had decided to close the facility. With 44 cars on hand Ted Christopher was
clearly the fastest as he toured the one mile oval at 133.963 mph. Second
fastest was Todd Szegedy who’s speed was 133.660 mph. John Blewett III
qualified third with Kenny Barry, fourth. It was ungodly hot with
temperatures in the high 80’s and humidity that would make one feel like
they were melting. Todd Szegedy redeemed himself from a disqualification
earlier in the year as he won the event. Szegedy took the lead following the
first caution of the event and never looked back. Christopher pitted later
in the event and spent the race trying to get to the front at the end. His
bid fell short as the laps ran out and he had to settle for third. Doing an
outstanding job was Kenny Barry who finished second, 0.10 seconds behind the
winner. Eddie Flemke finished fourth and continued to maintain the point
lead for the 2005 championship. Rounding out the top five was Jerry Marquis.
Chuck Docherty took his first SK-Modified win in three years at
Stafford on Friday night. Dochery, who started on the pole, led the entire
40-lap distance. Mike Holdredge finished second with Brad Hietala, third.
Woody Pitkat and Jeff Malave rounded out the top five. Ryan Posocco was the
late model winner and Fred Nees Jr. won the DARE Stock event.
The Waterford Speedbowl and the Thompson Speedway went head to head
on Saturday night. Waterford who had their regular Dodge Weekly Racing event
and Thompson who ran the Busch North Series event along with their regular
divisions both suffered in attendance as they were both plagued with
unseasonably cold weather. At Thompson Brad Leighton won the Busch North
Series event. Defending series champion Andy Santerre made a late race bid
to take the lead on lap 145 but ended up in the grass and ultimately hit the
wall in the 150-lap event. Mike Stefanik ended up second, followed by Dave
Dion, Dale Quarterly and Ryan Moore. Todd Ceravolo started third and led
every lap of the 30 lap Sunoco Modified feature. Because of wrecks and spins
it took three restarts to get the event going, finally with a single file
start. Jeff Malave finished second, three car lengths behind. Ted
Christopher made it back from Nazareth and finished third. Eric Berndt and
Shawn Monahan rounded out the top five. Dennis Botticello took advantage of
a last lap confrontation between Corey Hutchings and Rick Gentes. Fighting
for the lead coming off the fourth turn, Hutchings and Gentes made contact
and both slid up the track giving Botticello the chance to steal a win,
which he did. Rob Janovic took the SK-Modified win at Waterford. Dennis Gada
ended up in second spot with Chris Pasteryak, third. Ted Christopher had
entertained trying to make it to Waterford after Thompson but it didn’t
happen. Ron Yuhas Jr. and Doug Coby rounded out the top five. Corey
Hutchings made a fast trip down I-395 to Waterford and won the late model
feature. Norman Root was the Sportsman winner. Dave Silvia was the
Mini-Stock winner and Silas Hiscock Sr. was the Legends winner. Ted
Christopher was able to breathe a little easier once he found out that he
didn’t have to contend with Chuck Hossfeld at Stafford in SK-Modified
competition anymore. Hossfeld had been driving the No.47 Wisk-Clorox
SK-Modified. Hossfeld announced last week that he had resigned as the driver
in order to concentrate on the NASCAR Featherlite Modified Tour Series. It
sounded like Hossfeld and car owner Bob Garbarino had a father-son talk
after his confrontation with Christopher at the recent tour event at
Waterford. Hossfeld had also been driving his own car on open Saturday
nights at the Lancaster Speedway in western New York. Christopher had to
feel like a yo-yo after the weekend. His travels started on Friday when he
flew to Nazareth, Pa. To practice his Featherlite Modified. He then flew to
the Stafford Speedway in Connecticut for their Friday night Dodge Weekly
Racing Series SK-Modified event. Saturday morning it was back in the plane
to Nazareth for Modified Tour qualifying. Once completed he flew back to
Connecticut where he raced at Thompson. Sunday morning it was back to
Nazareth.
Other weekend winners were Steve Whitt at Wall Township and JR
Bertuccio at Riverhead.
The Nextel Cup division of NASCAR was in Charlotte, North Carolina
last weekend for the running of the Nextel All Star event. The Busch Racing
Series was at the Nazareth Speedway in Pennsylvania. Matt Kenseth got a
little richer as he won the $1 million first place money that the Nextel All
Star event paid the winner. It was the longest short race ever seen. At the
Busch Series race at Nazareth Martin Truex Jr. waited until the final turn
of the final lap to take the lead and ace the win. Bobby Hamilton looked to
be the winner until running amuck a lapped car. Hamilton drifted up after
slight contact and that’s all she wrote. It was the fourth win for the New
Jersey native.
Last year, 2008, The Thompson
Speedway hoped to begin their series of Thursday Night Thompson Thunder (TNTT)
racing programs on Thursday night. Mother Nature moved in and forced the
cancellation of Thompson International Speedway’s opening Thursday night
race program. A consistent rain and drizzle forced the hand of the track’s
management to cancel the event shortly before 12 Noon. Opening night for
Thompson’s Thursday Night Thompson Thunder (TNTT) race program will now be
held on May 29th.
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Series and the True Value Modified
Series ended their “Spring Break”. The Whelen Modifieds made their second
stop of the season at Stafford and the True Value Modifieds traveled to the
Thunder Road Speedbowl in Barre, VT.
The Whelen Modified Tour Series almost got scrubbed as heavy
showers caused a nearly 2-1/2 hour delay. The event, scheduled to go off at
9:00pm actually got the green at 11:30. Chuck Hossfeld, driving the Mystic
Missile of Bob Garbarino, ended a personal four year dry spell as he took
the win in the TSI Harley-Davidson 150 at Stafford. Hossfeld, who was also
the Coors Light Pole sitter, started on the pole of the event and led 39 of
the first 40 laps of the event before giving way to Bob Grigas III. Grigas
and a host of the race front runners pitted on lap 92 under caution which
allowed Matt Hirschman to assume the lead. Hossfeld beat Hirschman back to
the starting line when the event went back to green on lap 107 and never
looked back. Todd Szegedy finished second and was followed by Ted
Christopher, Mike Stefanik and Jimmy Blewett. Eric Beers, Ed Flemke Jr.,
Ryan Preece, James Civali and rookie Erick Rudolph rounded out the top 10.
During post-race technical inspection, a probable illegal carburetor part
was discovered on the No.19 that was driven by Blewett. The part in question
was taken back to the NASCAR Research & Development Center in Concord, N.C.,
for further evaluation. Until an official decision was made only the first
four positions are official.
There were 37 Modifieds on hand and nine caution periods for 46
laps. Prior to the race NASCAR honored seven-time NASCAR Whelen Modified
Tour Champion Mike Stefanik as part of the season-long celebration of 60
years of Modified champions.
In True Value Modified Series action at the Thunder Road Speedbowl
in Vermont seasoned veteran Kirk Alexander did it the hard way as he came
from the tail end of the starting field to win the event. Alexander
methodically moved to the front and in the closing laps took the lead and
the win. This was his 3rd win in the series in 4 races, with missing one
race totally. Dwight Jarvis had passed Peter Jarvis with 3 laps to go to
take the 2nd place finish with Jarvis settling for 3rd. 4th place through
6th were Ed Dachenhausen, Chris Pasteryak and Jack Bateman.
NASCAR announced a different format for the upcoming Thursday night
Whelen Modified Tour Series event at the Thompson Speedway. The New England
Dodge Dealers 75 at Thompson, the fourth race on the 2008 schedule for the
NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will take on June 19. The event would be the
second of four dates for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour in 2008 that was
scheduled to run under the lights. The race would run under a unique format
as it would finish upon the completion of 75 green-flag laps as those run
under caution will not be counted. This will be the first of four races
during 2008 that would run an alternative format. Events at Chemung,
Riverhead and Spencer would feature heat races prior to the feature. This
race, a 150 lapper, in 2007, carried a posted purse of $86,505 The Stafford
Motor Speedway finally got to host their regular Friday night racing
program. The 18th Annual TSI Harley-Davidson 150 program at Stafford Motor
Speedway saw Ted Christopher victorious, for the 99th time at Stafford, in
the 40-lap SK Modified feature event, while Chris Matthews and Norm Sears
both took down their second consecutive wins in the 20-lap SK Light and
15-lap DARE Stock feature events. Due to a rain storm in the middle of the
program, the 30-lap Late Model and 20-lap Limited Late Model feature events
were postponed to a later date.
The 40-lap SK Modified feature took the green flag with Wade
Mattesen setting the early pace. Mattesen surrendered the lead to Brad
Hietala on lap-6 with Ted Christopher also moving past Mattesen for second.
On lap-10 both Hietala and Christopher spun in turn 4 to bring the caution
out and put Woody Pitkat out front. Pitkat held the lead of the race from
that point until lap-37 when Christopher, who had charged his way back
through the field after his spin, made a power move to the inside of Pitkat
in turn 3 to take the race lead. A late caution set up a green white
checkered flag restart, but rain began to fall and the race was
red/checkered with 39-laps complete, making Christopher a winner for the
first time during the 2008 season. Pitkat was second, with Jeff Malave, Bo
Gunning, and Jimmy Blewett rounding out the top-5. The Waterford Speedbowl hosted the ISMA Supers along with their
regular venue of racing. Chris Perley, of Rowley , MA . put on a stellar
performance in winning the 50-lap International SuperModified Association
event at the Waterford Speedbowl on Saturday evening, and in doing so
recorded the fastest lap-ever (over 108 mph), in the 57-year history of the
facility. Former Speedbowl SK champion Rob Summers set the early pace before
being overtaken by Jeff Holbrook on lap twenty-one. Perley rocketed by
Holbrook six circuits later, quickly distancing himself from the field. The
race was red-flagged on lap thirty-six when Mike Lichty exploded a motor and
slammed the wall, taking the cars of Jamie Timmons, Scott Martell and Mike
Ordway with him. On the restart, Perley resumed his commanding lead,
finishing several lengths ahead of Holbrook and Summers. Following was Ray
Graham Jr., Bobby Bond and Dave McKnight Jr. It was the second-consecutive
Speedbowl victory for Perley who won the 2007 event.
Other feature winners were Jeff Pearl (SK Modified), Ron Yuhas Jr.
(Late Model), Mark Cooper (Sportsman), and Ben Bargnesi (Mini Stock).
Former champion Pearl won his first of the season, fending-off a
late race charge by Rob Janovic in the 35-lap SK main event. Jay Miller,
running perhaps his best race of the season led the early laps before Pearl
took over with twenty-seven remaining Janovic slipped by Miller during the
late stages. Rounding-out the top-5 were Jeff Paul and Ron Yuhas Jr.
In 30-lap Late Model feature action it was Ron Yuhas Jr. taking his
second of the year over Tim Jordan. Tom Metcalf set the early pace with
Jordan taking the point on the sixteenth circuit. With twelve remaining
Yuhas pulled aside Jordon, the two staging a torrid side-by-side battle
during the latter stages. Yuhas prevailed by a narrow margin in one of the
closest Late Model finishes of the year. Ed Reed Jr. took the third spot
followed by Vin Esposito, and defending champion Bruce Thomas Jr.
Mark Cooper became a first-time winner, defeating veteran Jack
Aquilina by several car lengths in the 20-lap Sportsman main. Cooper drove
to the front during the early stages
After taking the lead early, Ben Bargnesi went on to win the caution-free
20-lap Mini Stock feature in dominating fashion Finishing second was Ken
Cassidy Jr. followed by Randy Churchill Jr., Bill Leonard, and Lou Bellisle.
It was Bargnesi’s second victory of the season.
Congratulations were in order to Ryan Morgan, 14-years old and a recent
graduate of the quarter midget ranks, who dominated the Legends 20-lap
feature at the Waterford Speedbowl on Wednesday evening. In capturing his
first-ever win in the division, Morgan quickly distanced himself from the
field finishing several lengths in front of Mike Alcaro. Thomas Gray, George
Whitney, and Max Zachem completed the top-five. Morgan is the grandson of
John “Jack” Morgan, an auto sports writer who covered the exploits of the
late Fred DeSarro and Bugsy Stevens in the 70’s and 80’s.
Donny Lia became the first rookie in five years to win a Craftsman
Truck Series race Saturday, using a last-lap pass to take the Ohio 250 at
the Mansfield, Ohio Speedway. Lia who won the Whelen Modified Tour title in
2007, got by leader David Starr in the second turn of the 250th lap on the
half-mile oval. Lia, Starr and 2006 series champion Todd Bodine ran
side-by-side down the backstretch before Lia pulled his Chevrolet ahead to
edge Starr by .241 of a second for his first victory in eight starts.
Kyle Busch drove a Toyota fielded by Braun Racing to victory
Saturday night in the Carquest Auto Parts 300 at Lowe's Motor Speedway,
snapping a six-race winning streak Gibbs' cars have had in the series.
Tony Stewart was handed his second heartbreaking defeat of the
season Sunday night when a flat tire late in the Coca-Cola 600 gave Kasey
Kahne the victory in NASCAR's longest race. Stewart, who lost the
season-opening Daytona 500 when he was passed on the last lap by Ryan
Newman, had the tire go flat with three laps to go. He was forced to pit,
allowing Kahne to zip past him. He wound up a frustrating 18th and stormed
into his hauler without comment. He could be seen inside the truck kicking
at cabinets as crew chief Greg Zipadelli was left to answer questions.
Kahne, who led just five laps all season coming into Sunday, became the
sixth driver, joining Davey Allison, Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie
Johnson and Darrell Waltrip, to win both the All-Star race and the 600 in
this eight days of racing at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
Most of the heavyweights dropped out of contention during an event that
started in the late afternoon, ended in the evening and requires both
intense mental focus and luck to make it to the finish. Dale Earnhardt Jr.,
whose winless streak hit 74 races, Johnson, Brian Vickers and Kurt Busch all
led laps but had parts failures or tire issues.Greg Biffle was second to
Kahne for the second week in a row and Kyle Busch was third despite two
battery changes. Jeff Gordon was fourth and was followed by Earnhardt, Jeff
Burton, Matt Kenseth, Elliott Sadler, Carl Edwards and David Reutimann.
In a surprise move, Speedway Motorsports Inc. agreed to purchase
Kentucky Speedway, opening the door for the northern Kentucky track to
perhaps one day host a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event. The deal was
announced this past Thursday by SMI chairman Bruton Smith could end a
lengthy battle between the track's ownership group and NASCAR. The 1.5-mile
oval, located in Sparta, Ky., midway between Cincinnati and Louisville,
opened in 2000 and hosts several circuits a year, including the Nationwide
Series and the Indy Racing League. Kentucky Speedway filed an antitrust
lawsuit in 2005 against NASCAR and International Speedway Inc. The lawsuit
was dismissed in January. SMI, which operates several other tracks that host
Sprint Cup events including the New Hampshire Int. Speedway, could move one
of those races to Kentucky Speedway. It was also announced that H.A. "Humpy"
Wheeler, president and general manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord,
N.C., would retire following the running of this past Sunday's Sprint Cup
Series Coca-Cola 600 at the North Carolina track Wheeler began working at
Lowe's Motor Speedway in 1975, was named general manager in 1976 and
president in 1980.
Before the race, Wheeler, 69, received a standing ovation from the
drivers. Wheeler, who had spent 33 years at the track, announced his
retirement one week previous after track owner Bruton Smith declined to let
him move into a part-time role.
Scott Dixon, who was born in Australia but raised in New Zealand,
won the 92nd Indianapolis 500 on Sunday in a day of spins, hot tempers and
stout open-wheel racing. Pole-sitter Dixon, 27, gave team owner Chip Ganassi
his third Indy 500 victory. Juan Pablo Montoya won for Ganassi in 2000 and
Emerson Fittipaldi in 1989. Panther Racing's Vitor Meira finished second to
Dixon, with Marco Andretti placing third. Helio Castroneves, a two-time
winner, was fourth. Fan favorite Danica Patrick, who struggled for speed
much of the day, collided with Ryan Briscoe as the pair was exiting the pits
on lap 171 and was knocked out of the race. She finished 22nd, her worst
performance at Indy in four starts. A fuming Patrick searched for Briscoe
down pit lane afterward but was ushered away by security and track officials
before she reached Briscoe's pit box.
That’s it for this week from 11 Gardner Drive, Westerly, RI, 02891.
Ring my chimes at 401-596-5467. E Mail smithpe_97_97@yahoo.com.
Charlie
Savage
Dick Watson (far left)
George Jackson
Joe Trudeau
Newt Palm (left)
Dick Dunn
. All other photos courtesy of Tom Ormsby and
VintageModifieds.com Phil Smith has been a
columnist for Speedway Scene and various
other publications for over 3 decades.
