PRESS RELEASE

Written by: Gary Rowe

Saturday 6/22/02

"Racing" Jason Barney became the first driver since Pat O'Brien did the trick in

May of 2000 to win back to back features on Saturday night at the Can Am

Speedway and in so doing he picked up the Deal Maker Auto Group's Back to

Back Challenge money that had grown to $4,900.00. That amount combined

with the winner's normal purse of $1,500.00 meant that the Constantia, NY

driver took home a total of $6,400 for his night's efforts. Barney set a torrid

pace while enroute to his second consecutive feature win, as well as his second

win of the season. The current point leader started 18th in the 24 car field that

had been narrowed down from the 28 cars that had entered the night's racing

activities. By the time the first caution had come out on lap 3 for Steve

Hulsizer, who had gotten into a jingle in the third turn that resulted in his car

being towed pit side with major front end damage, "Racing" Jason had

incredibly passed 13 cars and was now sitting in the fifth position. When racing

resumed Jason set his sights on rookie driver Mike Adderly who had just taken

over the point from early race leader Bob Bennett.

On lap seven it was the "Pocket Rocket", Danny O'Brien's turn to take over the

top spot while Barney slipped into the runner-up slot. On the following lap

Larry Welling's mount slowed to a stop while exiting the second turn while

simultaneously the FX 1 of Frankie Caprara and the number 2 of Todd Stewart

come together on the front stretch resulting in the FX 1 retiring from the night's

action with a broken bird cage in the car's rear suspension. On the resulting rear

start O'Brien elected to take the outside of the front row. Barney was able to get

the jump on Danny when racing got back underway. But his lead didn't last long

as defending point champion Billy Wilcox had a carburetor malfunction causing

gasoline to spill onto the hot engine and ignite. A red flag resulted as track

workers and firemen raced to Wilcox's burning car. Wilcox was able to bring

the car to a halt and make a hasty exit while the fire was being extinguished.

Fortunately Wilcox was not injured in the scary incident and his car suffered

only minor damage as a result of the fire. On the next restart Barney was not

able to get the jump on O'Brien as he had on the previous restart so the duo

ended up racing literally rub to rub rail for the next three laps when the caution

was again displayed on lap 12 for Lee Gill. On the next restart O'Brien and

Barney continued their crowd pleasing side by side race with Pat Ward, who had

moved up to the third slot, starting to show his nose to the inside and making for

a three car race. Two laps later O'Brien bobbled in the third turn giving Barney

clear control of the helm and allowing Ward to move up to second. Ward

wasn't done yet as he challenged his young team mate on the Gypsum Express

team with an outside move that once again brought out some crowd pleasing rub

rail to rub rail racing. The race's final caution came on lap number 21 for the

number 21 car of Larry Welling when his machine had came to a rest in the

fourth turn. With only nine laps remaining Ward reloaded his war chest and was

able to mount several challenges on Barney for the lead but suddenly, just as he

was making a final effort on the final lap in turn one, the transmission in Ward's

car jumped out of gear allowing Danny O'Brien to move into second and set the

twenty-one year old Barney up for clear sailing for the balance of the lap and

under the checkered flag as he picked up the highest paying win of this young

career.

Final order of finish: J. Barney, D O'Brien, G Schmidt, B. Gill, G. McIntyre., P.

Ward, R. Phelps, S Parliament, R Bartlett, J Ramsey, P Daganeis, M. Adderly, S

Roberts, M. Ward, Paul Kinney, L. Gill, T. Stewart, D. Eggleston, L. Welling,

B. Bennett, B. Wilcox, F. Caprara, S. Hulsizer.

In the Kevin Fleming memorial race held in memory of the late Sportsman star

who passed away from injuries sustained five years ago in a racing accident at

the one mile oval at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse, NY, sixteen-

year old Jack Meeks, who resides just down the road from Kevin Fleming

family home in Evans Mills, NY, jumped from his front row starting spot to

lead the opening laps of the feature while the balance of the twenty-five car

starting field race three and sometimes four wide behind him. The race's first

caution came on a lap four for Matt Butler whose car had come to a stop on the

outside of turn 4 after mud had filled the right rear tire setting off a vibration

problems for the Canton, NY resident. When racing got back under way Meeks,

followed by another young lion seventeen-year old Mike Teachout, again took

over the point. The race's second caution came on lap 6 for last week's winner

Jason Potter whose car had also came to a rest on the outside of turn four. On

restart Teachout moved past Meeks to take over the helm. Jack later went pit

side on lap12 with mechanical problems but was able to rejoin the race without

loosing a lap. On lap 15 Bill Eisele got together with Timmy VanBrocklin in the

first turn resulting in both cars having to be towed to the pits. On the restart

Ryan Phelps and Andy Howard began to challenge Teachout for the lead.

Meanwhile Butler, who had to come from the back of the field after his lap four

pit stop was able to move by Howard and into third while Phelps moved by

Teachout for the lead. On the final circuit Phelps bobbled in the third turn

giving Teachout an opportunity for a pass by placing him right on his back

bumper but Phelps was not to be denied as he was able to gather it back up and

he won the Sportsman feature for the second time this season.

Final order of finish: R. Phelps, M. Teachout, M. Butler, A. Howard. S.

MacCue, C. Brewer, S. Webb, J. Vock, A. Moore, M. Amell, A. Fiorentino, B.

Plooy, J Potter, K. Dingwall, R. Galloway, C. Collier, S. Roberts, Jr., J. Hunter,

L. Willix, J. Meeks, J. Bennett, B. Eisele, T. VanBrocklin, S. Rookie, B.

Cannizzo.

Experience counts. That's what long time racer Larry Bezner of Adams, NY

must be saying as he apparently captured IMCA modified feature. Starting

seventh in the night cap Bezner rapidly made his way through the field to take

over command on the eighth circuit of the 20 lap affair from Jeff Banister who

had lead the race's first seven laps. On lap 13, Rob Keller, who had won the

previous night Brewerton Speedway, snuck by Larry to take over the top spot.

Keller looked like the one to beat as he easily opened up a five car lead when on

lap when on lap 16 the yellow once again was displayed for Rick Reed, a

former champion in the track's old Limited Late Model class, who had gotten

crossed up in the first turn. When racing resumed Keller was able to once again

open up a commanding lead when suddenly his car slowed. A flat right rear tire

had ended his night only 4 laps from victory lane. Surprisingly Thursday

night's winner Paul Calhoun, who had moved pass Bezner for the runner-up slot

and had been chasing Rob, also dropped out of the race at the same time with

mechanical problems. Ken Klinkowski, who had finished third, had paced the

IMCA modified to the modified green flag waved by Honoree starter Diane

Cheney from the night's sponsor, Cheney Tire, Inc. Because of a scoring error

the race ended up being a 20 lap race rather than the advertised 15 lap affair.

The race results were unofficial pending notification of IMCA by Can Am

officials of the error and their ruling. After a Sunday morning consultation

between IMCA and Can Am officials it was determined to leave the results at

the end of 20 laps as being the final official order of finish.

Official order of finish: L. Bezner, J. Bannister, K. Klinkowski, B Dunn, B.

Copp, E. Miller, J. Mason, L. LaLonde, H. Grimes, R. Reed, D, Hiltz, J. Fobare,

P. Calhoun., R. Keller, J. Dumas, B Anderson, C. Taylor, N. Edgar, J. Shannon,

R. Duscas.

While Justin Mason led all 15 laps of the15 lap Pure Stock race there was some

hard charging for position going on behind him as groups of cars were racing

two and three wide. One particular back stretch incident midway through the

race found Bobby Thurston, Jr. getting together with another car and doing a

360 degree spin. Incredibly Thurston was able to keep going without loosing

any positions. Meanwhile other racers, trying avoid the Thurston mount, got

jingled up behind him, bringing out the caution on lap 6. The race's second

caution came on lap 8 but even with the restarts Mason was never seriously

challenged for the lead. After a post race inspection officials find both Justin

Mason and third place finisher Bobby Thurston, Jr. both points and money, for

being underweight and a carburetor infraction respectively, while allowing them

to keep their finishes.

J. Mason, D. Manniese, D Pope, B. Thurston, Jr., S. Castor, R. Trexler, T.

Andrews, D. Atkins, B. Holder, D. Scales, K. Duffany, E. Stores, M. Cousins,

K. Mallett, D Snyder, K. Hamm, R. Simmons, G. Sanford, M. Barker, D.

Gamel, C. Burdick, M. Webb,, C. Duffany, P. Cross, L. Sanford, B. Huttons.