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05/24/13
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May 24, 2013 |
Sixty
years ago in 1953, Rhode Island invader Freddie Luchesi scored a
one-two punch at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl as he won on Wednesday
and Saturday nights. Bob Tyson and Bob Cahoon who both began their racing at
the closed Kingston Fairgrounds in RI were the non-Ford winners.
Fifty-five years ago in 1958,
Ray Moran was the 25 lap Modified winner at the New London-Waterford
Speedbowl. Charlie Webster made it three in a row in non-Ford action at the
Connecticut shoreline oval.
Fifty years ago in 1963 Rene
Charland made it three in a row as he won the 25 lap NASCAR Sportsman
feature at the Utica-Rome Speedway. Bill Wimble finished second with Jerry
Cook, third. Bob Zeigler and Ken Meahl rounded out the top five. Ernie Gahan
made it two in a row on the dirt at Stafford. Hank Stevens scored a popular
win at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl. Daring Dick Caso was the Bomber
winner.
Forty- five years ago, in 1968,
on the Memorial Day weekend the Albany-Saratoga Speedway presented a 100-lap
event. Jerry Cook rose to the occasion and took the win over Hop Harrington.
At Stafford, Bugsy Stevens in the mighty No.3 of Len Boehler took the win
over Fred DeSarro, Eddie Flemke, Fred Harbach and Tommy Borget. At Norwood,
on Saturday night, Mr. Leo Cleary in the Joe Brady No.41 took the win. On
the dirt at Fonda, Lou Lazzaro was unbeatable as he beat out Jerry Cook and
Eddie Pieniezak for the win. Rain washed out activities at Thompson and at
Waterford. At Utica-Rome, Lou Lazzaro, in the same car he ran on dirt the
night before changed tires and springs and went out and won on the pavement.
Paul Hamel finished second with Jerry Cook, Dick Clark and Richie Evans
rounding out the top five.
Forty years ago on Memorial Day weekend in
1973,Albany-Saratoga started the weekend with a special 99 lap
event which saw Richie Evans take the win over Eddie Pieniezak, Fred DeSarro,
Sonny Seamon and Bugsy Stevens. At Stafford Speedway on Saturday, Mr. Leo
Cleary was at his best as he took a hard fought win over Bobby Santos, Eddie
Flemke, Freddie Schulz and DeSarro. Down the road at Waterford Gentleman
Dick Watson was the 40 lap Modified winner. Big Mike Daigneault was the
Grand American Late Model winner. At Islip, Jim Hendrickson won out over
Junior Ambrose and Wayne Anderson. Lee Raceway ran a 100 lapper on Sunday.
Freddie Schulz took the win over Jerry Cook, Jim Landry, Ed Yerrington and
Santos. Stafford had a 100 lapper scheduled for Monday but rain washed it
out.
Thirty five Years ago in 1978,
Geoff Bodine made it four in a row at Stafford. Leo Cleary finished second
and was followed by Mike McLaughlin, Bob Polverari and Ed Flemke. Saturday
racing at Seekonk, Waterford and Riverside, rained out. On Sunday at
Thompson, Fred DeSarro in Len Boehlers' Ole Blu won out over Ronnie Bouchard
and Eddie Flemke. Geoff Bodine was disqualified for rough riding. In upstate
N.Y., Maynard Troyer won three for the weekend as he took two at Fulton and
one at Spencer. Wayne Anderson won what was to be the last NASCAR sanctioned
event at Chemung as NASCAR pulled the sanction shortly after the event. At
New Egypt, Geoff Bodine was again in victory lane.
Thirty years ago in 1983, rain
washed out holiday events at Stafford and Waterford. Star Speedway ran the
Modifieds on Saturday night. Jeff Fuller took the win over Mike Murphy and
George Murray. Stafford got to run their rained out modified 100 lapper on
Sunday. Reggie Ruggiero took the win with Charlie Jarzombek, Corky Cookman
and John Blewett jr. following. Other weekend winners were Richie Evans at
Spencer and Oswego, Don Owe at Islip, Stan Gregger won two at Riverside,
Doug Hewitt at Holland and Tom Baldwin at New Egypt.
Twenty five years ago in 1988,
Ted Christopher went two for two as he won at Stafford on Friday and at
Waterford on Saturday. Tom Tagg finished second at Stafford and Don Bundle
finished second at Waterford. Mike Stefanik took a hard fought win at
Riverside over Reggie Ruggerio and at Riverhead, Tom Baldwin beat out Chris
Young. Tony Hirschman made it five in a row at Tioga and Brian Ross won the
modified portion of Port City 150 at Oswego.
Twenty years ago in 1993,
Reggie Ruggerio was in top form as he won the modified tour event at
Stafford. Tom Baldwin finished second and was followed by Ed Flemke jr. Tom
Tagg was the SK modified winner. Twin features were run at Waterford. Chris
Jones went pole to pole to win the first one and Ted Christopher won the
nightcap. Wayne Anderson got his 21st career win at Riverhead over Don Howe
and on Sunday at Oswego, Jeff Fuller won the Port City 150 over Rick Fuller,
Doug Hevron and Jan Leaty. At Charlotte, Dale Earnhardt made up two laps to
win the World 600. Michael Waltrip won the Grandnational 300. In Busch
Grandnational North action at Holland, Brian Ross scored his first division
win after Kelly Moore dumped Robbie Crouch with three laps to go and was put
to the rear for rough riding.
Fifteen years ago in 1998, it
rained at Stafford. Dennis Gada was the big winner at Waterford as he won
the modified main event over Jeff Pearl and Eric Berndt. Chris Wenzel won at
Riverside and John Fortin scored at Riverhead. The Modified Tour Series was
at Watkins Glen. Tim Connolly started on the outside pole and passed pole
sitter Mike Stefanik on the last lap to take the win. Stefanik had led the
first thirty-seven of the thirty eight-lap contest. Stefanik finished second
with Chris Kopec, third.
Ten years ago in 2003, The
NASCAR Featherlite Modified Tour Series beat the foul weather that all but
wiped out all racing on the East Coast a week ago. After getting rained out
at Stafford on May 23 the series returned the following Friday night. The
event drew 42 Modifieds for 31 starting spots. John Blewett III, who failed
to qualify for this race last year, was the top time trialer. Because of a
wreckfest during the SK-Modified feature the 150 lap Tour series event got a
late start as they took the green flag shortly after 10:00 p.m. Long
Islander Donnie Lia jumped out from his outside pole starting position to
take the lead at the start. Lia, a rookie on the tour, cut his racing teeth
at the Riverhead Raceway on Long Island. Lia led the first seven laps before
Blewett took command. Blewett led until lap 39 when he gave way to Todd
Szegedy. Szegedy and Blewett would slug it out until Blewett’s tires would
give up near the 90-lap mark of the 150-lap event. Former series champion
Jerry Marquis started in tenth spot and after pitting for tires on lap 35,
slowly worked his way to the front and as Blewett backed off, moved into
second spot. Szegedy held off Marquis until the final lap when he got hung
up behind cars about to be lapped which allowed Marquis to make his move and
take the lead and victory in the event’s final seconds. Szegedy ended up
second with Ed Flemke Jr., third. Flemke, who had a string of bad luck that
started in Florida in February, rebounded and was back in contention as a
potential winner. Ted Christopher, who won the Spring Sizzler at Stafford a
few weeks earlier, finished fourth. Donnie Lia finished fifth. Seven cars
were on the lead lap at the finish. Szegedy was extremely upset with Tom
Bolles who did not heed the move-over flag that was displayed by the starter
and felt that the Ellington, Ct. resident cost him the race. Bolles and
Jamie Tomaino were the only other drivers to finish on the lead lap.
Rounding out the top ten were Chuck Hossfeld, Mike Stefanik and John Blewett
III. There were six caution periods for 33 laps. John Lobo Jr. won the SK
Modified 50 lapper over Jim Civali and Jim Larsen. One of the many wrecks
collected 14 cars. For the second week in a row rain-washed out racing at
the Waterford Speedbowl. Seekonk Speedway, in Massachusetts, which was to
have hosted the Busch North Series of NASCAR, was also rained out. In
Winston Cup action at Dover Downs, Ryan Newman took the pole plus the win.
Jeff Gordon finished second. Newman drove the final 180 miles without power
steering. Bobby Labonte finished third.
Five years ago in 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 the 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. The NASCAR Whelen
Modified Tour Series and the True Value Modified Series have 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.
In action at the Stafford Motor Speedway, 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 will be taken back to the NASCAR Research &
Development Center in Concord, N.C., for further evaluation.
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 Alexender did it the hard way as he came
from the tail end of the starting field to win the event. Alexender
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.
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.
Last year, 2012, The Whelen
Modified Tour Series headed to the Stafford Motor Speedway for the 22nd
ANNUAL TSI HARLEY-DAVIDSON 125. Doug Coby followed his Spring Sizzler win
with another win at the nutmeg oval. Coby slipped past Bobby Santos eight
laps from the finish to win the TSI Harley-Davidson 125 and became the first
driver with more than one win this season.
Coby, who was making his 118th Mod Tour start, started fifth but
had to pit on Lap 27 under caution for a flat right front tire. He charged
back and chased down Santos, who had won the pole and led the race from the
drop of the green. Coby closed in on the leader with 10 laps to go and on
his second attempt slipped by for the lead. After taking on fresh rubber
Coby flew through the field and was in the top five with 50 to go. Santos
tried to go the entire 125-lap distance without changing tires, and paid the
price with seven laps to go. At the finish Santos had faded to second and
was followed by Ron Silk, Todd Szegedy and Rowan Pennink. Sixth through
tenth were Keith Rocco, Ted Christopher, Woody Pitkat, Jimmy Blewett and
Justin Bonsignore.
There were 5 cautions for 21 laps. The first yellow flew on lap 24
flew for Ed Flemke who spun after exiting turn four. The second caution was
for Gary McDonald who spun in turn two on lap 32. Richie Pallai was
responsible for cautions on lap 58 and 78. The final caution was for Jamie
Tomaino who spun and intentionally brought out the caution. Twenty one of
the twenty six starters were on the lead lap at the finishers. Among those
who failed to finish was Mike Stefanik who retired with engine trouble.
Following the Stafford event the Whelen Modified Tour Series went
on Spring Break for four weeks before heading to the Waterford Speedbowl on
June 23.
Regular Friday night racing at Stafford saw Michael Gervias, Jr.
taking the 40-lap SK Modified® feature event. Also securing wins Tom Fearn
in the 30-lap Late Model feature, Dylan Kopec in the 20-lap SK Light
Modified feature, D.J. Burnham in the 20-lap Limited Late Model feature, and
Kyle Casagrande in the 15-lap DARE Stock feature.
For Gervais, it was his first career win in any division at
Stafford, Fearn won for the first time since the 2009 season, Kopec was a
winner for the third time in 4 SK Light races this season, Burnham ended
Josh Wood’s winning streak at three races, and Casagrande became the
all-time winningest DARE Stock driver in Stafford history with his 13th
career victory.
In the SK Modified feature there was extremly good racing for 14
laps until a fluid dump sent Keith Rocco into the wall and Ryan Preece
spinning.
At the Waterford Speedbowl torrential rain washed out the entire
racing program.
In Modified action at Bowman-Gray in North Carolina, Tim Brown got
his third victory in the month of May with a win in the first of two 25-lap
races for the featured Modified Division. And Michael Clifton won the second
race.
At the Riverhead Raceway on Long Island, With the time restraint curfew in
affect, the race was called on lap fifteen giving the 89x of Chris McGuire
his first victory in the modified division.
Brad Keselowski collected his first NASCAR Nationwide Series
victory of the season at the Charlotte Motor Speedway as Sprint Cup Series
regulars dominated the History 300.
Pit strategy made the difference with 57 laps remaining when
Keselowski’s crew chief Jeremy Billins called for the Penske Racing Dodge
driver to remain on the race track. Keselowski made his fuel last and held
off Denny Hamlin by .838 seconds to earn his 18th Nationwide Series victory
and his second triumph at the 1.5-mile superspeedway.
Kasey Kahne put his rough start to the 2012 season behind him by
winning his third Coca-Cola 600 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. With less
than 30 laps to go it looked as if Denny Hamlin was chasing Kahne down,
closing to within a few car lengths. Kahne, driving the No. 5 Quaker State
Chevrolet, seemingly turned on the afterburners at that point. He pulled
away from Hamlin and cruised to victory, winning by more than four seconds.
That’s about it for this week from 11 Gardner Drive, Westerly, and
R.I.02891. Ring my chimes at 401-596-5467. E-mail:
smithpe_97_97@yahoo.com.
Phil Smith has been a
columnist for Speedway Scene and various
other publications for over 3 decades.
This week are several vintage racing photos
Courtesy of
SpeedwayLineReport.com & Dave Dyke's
RacingThroughTime.com
Click on Photo for Full Sized
Sparky Belmont
Fred Luchesi
Johnny Georgidas
Sil Sila
Dick Watson
Leo Cleary
Looking Back Archive
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Source: Phil
Smith / Looking Back A Bit
Posted: May
24, 2013 |
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