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9/15/2009
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PUTNEY WINS ONE
FOR THE GOOD GUYS AS HE TAKES
THE 59TH SUNOCO RACE OF CHAMPIONS…
CASCIOLI REDEEMS HIMSELF IN
SUPER STOCK 75 |
The 59th Sunoco Race of Champions came to a conclusion Sunday evening at the
Oswego Speedway with a majority of those in attendance leaving with a smile
on their face. That smile was brought to the faces of many as one of the
good people in this sport of auto racing captured the most prestigious event
of the year.
East Aurora, NY driver Billy Putney won his first Sunoco Race of
Champions 200 as he inherited the lead during a yellow flag period on lap
127 when the last few cars that hadn’t pitted did so at this time. Putney
then led the final 72 laps holding off the constant challenges of first JR
Kent and then Earl Paules to claim the $10,000 feature win. Paules who won
the TJ Toyota / Waite Toyota Modified All – Star race the night before ended
up second with defending race winner Tony Hirschman coming home in third.
Ted Christopher brought a Zacharias Racing entry home in fourth and Jan
Leaty ended up in fifth.
At this race a few years ago Danny Cascioli found himself being
towed out of the Oswego Speedway for unsportsmanlike actions during the
Super Stock feature. This year Cascioli behaved himself to win the French’s
Auto Parts sponsored 75 lap feature. Cascioli took the lead on a lap nine
restart and survived numerous restarts to claim the win. Chris Daughtery was
second with Chip Wannamaker in third, his teammate Lorin Arthofer, III was
fourth and Dylan Terry ended up fifth.
Eric Beers and Matt Hirschman brought the 34 car starting field to
green with Beers getting the lead over Chuck Hossfeld, Hirschman, Erick
Rudolph, and Tony Hirschman.
With the sun starting to set every time there was a double file
restart whoever was on the outside of the front row would lose that spot to
the third place starting car. From the start of the race until lap 32
Hossfeld and Matt Hirschman did the exchanging of second on three spate
occasions.
Defending race winner Tony Hirschman snookered young Rudolph on a
lap 24 restart to get fourth. But Rudolph showed Tony who was boss as he
retook fourth one lap later, finally Tony got fourth for good after a lap 32
restart.
With a mandatory pit stop needing to take place after lap 50 a
yellow on lap 54 saw a flurry of pit activity which included JR Kent, Billy
Putney, Mike Leaty, and Rick Kluth among the ten cars that pitted at this
time.
On the restart Matt Hirschman got the jump on Beers to get the lead
but it was short lived as Beers returned the favor two laps later. Hossfeld
got past Matt for second on lap 61 and the top five stayed the same until
lap 79 when another yellow would come out.
This time Hossfeld, Jan Leaty, Tony Hirschman, Rudolph, Earl
Paules, Rowan Pennink were among 15 cars that pitted.
Beers held the lead with Matt Hirschman in second, Ted Christopher
in third, Tommy Farrell, III in fourth, and Andy Walko in fifth. These five
cars at this point were the only ones not to make their mandatory pit stop.
Matt Hirschman finally got the lead on lap 88 and just after he
took over a huge pileup in turn one brought out the red flag. Many cars that
had just pitted were involved and were lucky that they had good brakes and
didn’t receive too much damage.
The top five would remain the same until lap 98 when Christopher
got past Beers for second but Eric returned the favor seven laps later. JR
Kent who was the first in line of cars who pitted moved into fifth on lap
106.
The winning pass of the race took place on lap 110 as Billy Putney
made a bold outside turns one and two pass of Kent to go from sixth to
fourth. Five laps later Putney moved into third with Kent in fourth and Earl
Paules now taking fifth.
A yellow on lap 126 saw the pits open for pit stops on lap 127 and
at this time the five remaining cars pitted for their mandatory stop. Beers
suffered mechanical problems which forced him to pit on the next lap and
ended up losing two laps making repairs.
When the race returned to green flag conditions Putney held the
lead over Kent who was doing his best to hold off Paules, Tony Hirschman,
and James Civali who had pitted four times earlier to get his problems
figured out.
After being run all over the track Paules muscled his way past Kent
for second on lap 134 and set his sights on Putney who had built up a
comfortable lead. Tony Hirschman was next to muscle his way past Kent to
take third on lap 143.
With fifty laps to go Putney was still in command followed by
Paules and Tony Hirschman. Hossfeld moved into fifth on lap 154 and into
fourth seven laps later.
Christopher took fifth on lap 176 and set his sights on the front
as he battled with Hossfeld for fourth.
The final yellow of the event came out with six laps to go as
Hossfeld spun in turn four. The final five laps were anti climatic as Putney
held some strength in reserve for the end of the race as he claimed the
popular win.
Qualifying for the 35 car field saw Hossfeld set quick time in time
trials with a lap of 17.481. The heat races were won by Jim Storace, Dave
Wollaber, and Sege Fidanza.
Dylan Terry and Jimmy Zacharias brought the 34 car Super Stock
field to green in the 75 lap event. The action started early in the first
turn as a multi car pileup brought about an original restart.
On the restart Zacharias took the lead over Terry, Jeff Merritt,
Danny Cascioli, and Chris Daughtery. Exiting turn two on lap one the cars of
Zacharias and Merritt became entangled which set off a wild accident that
involved twelve cars. Some of the cars were able to continue meanwhile a
couple of cars were complete write offs. Zacharias was shaken up for a
little bit and after consulting with the track medical crew walked back to
his pit area.
On the restart Terry held off Cascioli, Daughtery, Todd Stone, and
Terry Potrzebowski, Mike Ramos moved into fifth on lap three.
The winning pass of the race took place on lap nine as Cascioli got
under Terry in turn three for the lead. After getting the lead Cascioli
pulled out to an impressive lead as everyone else had to deal with Terry who
was in second.
With 22 laps to go Daughtery after trying for many laps got past
Terry for second and Ramos who was now third followed him through the
opening.
With 15 to go the team cars of Chip Wannamaker and Lorin Arthofer,
III started to make a charge to the front as they moved into fourth and
fifth respectively. The great run of Ramos ended in the turn three wall on
lap 67.
The final eight laps were incident free as Cascioli ended his years
of frustration with the win.
Saturday qualifying for the 34 car field saw heat wins go to RJ
Zacharias, Daughtery, Jeff Merritt, and Jimmy Zacharias.
NOTES; The quickly running weekend came to a grinding halt
Sunday morning as a no percent chance of rain became lake effect showers
that delayed the racing program nearly three hours. RoC would like to thank
the racers, track safety crew, and parking lot packers for helping in drying
the track. Wilbur Hebing who was slated to start seventh in the feature
scratched after hot laps due to motor issues. In the Modifieds the top five
times redrew for the first five starting spots in the feature while times
six, seven, and eight were placed in positions ten, eleven, and twelve for
the feature. Todd Geist was in the second Earl Paules entry.
59TH SUNOCO RACE OF CHAMPIONS DART ASPHALT MODIFIED
TOUR
RACE REPORT
FINISH; Billy Putney, Earl Paules, Tony Hirschman, Ted Christopher,
Jan Leaty, JR Kent, Rusty Smith, James Civali, Rowan Pennink, Andy Walko,
Kyle Ebersole, TJ Potrzebowski, Jim Storace, Rick Kluth, Doug Reaume, Mike
Leaty, Chuck Hossfeld, Eric Beers, Tom McGrath, Matt Hirschman, Daryl Lewis,
Jr., Erick Rudolph, Tommy Farrell, III, Chris Risdale, Daren Scherer, Sege
Fidanza, Tommy Cloce, Jimmy Zacharias, Dave Wollaber, Pete Brittain, Chris
Zacharias, Mark Tychoniewicz, Rick Zacharias, Ron Smith.
DNS; Wilbur Hebing.
LAP LEADERS; Beers ( 1-58 ) M. Hirschman ( 59-60 ), Beers ( 61-87 ),
M. Hirschman ( 88-127 ) Putney ( 128-200 ).
LAP MONEY WON; Beers - $7,443, Putney - $4,200, M. Hirschman -
$3,000.
DART MACHINERY AWARD $1,500 SET OF HEADS; Ebersole.
GATER RACING NEWS DRIVER BONUS DRAWING $500; Kent.
GATER RACING NEWS BEST APPEARING CAR & CREW AWARD; Lewis.
HOOSIER RACING TIRE HARD LUCK AWARD; Brittain ( 7th to 30th ).
HOOSIER RACING TIRE HARD CHARGER AWARD; Kent ( 26th to 6th ).
TOM BALDWIN HARD CHARGER AWARD $500; Kent.
CHUCK BOOS AWARD $100; Geist.
LAST CAR RUNNING ON LEAD LAP $100; Hossfeld.
ZACHARIAS FAMILY RACING AWARD $100; Lewis.
NEXT EVENT:
DUNN TIRE RACEWAY PARK – US OPEN
SATURDAY & SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 19TH & 20TH.
FRENCH’S AUTO PARTS 59TH SUNOCO RACE OF CHAMPIONS SUPER STOCK FINISH;
Danny Cascioli, Chris Daugherty, Chip Wannamaker, Lorin Arthofer, III, Dylan
Terry, Todd Stone, Bobby Newman, Todd Ahner, Bobby Lippa, Jr., Tommy
Markham, Willie Strusz, Billy Semmler, RJ Zacharias, Mike Ramos, Mike Scott,
Alan Schlenker, Jerry Ostrander, Derrick Tarbox, Britney Jack, Terry
Potrzebowski, Jason Spaulding, Jesse Johns, Robert Fink, Jeff Goodwin, Brian
Sones, Brad Hayes, AJay Potrzebowski, Chris Hilleger, Mike Nichols, Jimmy
Zacharias, Jeff Merritt, David Johnson, Eric Connors, Jay Mudra.
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Source: JR's Motorsports Media
/ RoC Dart Asphalt Modified Tour
Posted: September
15, 2009 |
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