FRANKIE CAPRARA TAKES CHECKERS
LaFargeville NY ... It was another beautiful evening at the Can-Am International Speedway on Jreck Subs, Hahn Welding, and Security Supplies night. All five classes were back in action, along with a special appearance by the Eastern Limited Sprints.
The first class to take the green flag on their feature was the Street Stocks. Laurie Handschuh and Andy Wells paced the field down to the green flag, with Wells taking the early lead. Steven Rookey made his way around Handschuh to take over the second position by the end of the first circuit. Bill Eisele quickly made his presence known to the field as he moved around Rookey to take over the second position on the next go around. On lap three Eisele make his move around Wells on the outside of the track to take over command. Rookey, and Dave Keefer and Bryan Rogers did a split move on Wells to take over the second, third, and fourth position respectively. On lap three the race's first yellow flew for Wells who had spun out in turn two. On the restart Scott Kocher moved under Rogers to take over the fourth position. Lap four found Bryan Rogers and Chris Taylor moving high around Kocher to take over positions four and five. On lap nine the races second yellow flew when fluid was spilled on the track in turns three and four. When racing resumed, Wells moved around Rookey to take over fifth, while Eisele continued his domination of the class by collecting yet another victory at the speedway.
The evening's next feature to take the green was the ground pounding DIRT Modifieds, led to the green by Greg Meeks and Wayne Sides. Meeks took over the early lead, with Scott Parliament taking over the second position. Sides quickly fought back for the position by moving under Parliament to reclaim the runner-up slot. Frank Caprara made it known to the field that he was there, when he moved under Bob Bennett and Sides on the same lap to claim third. On the following lap Caprara moved under Parliament to take second. Lee Gill then moved around Sides to settle into fourth. The first yellow spun on lap five, when John Ramsey spun in turn two. When racing resumed Scott Parliament went under Caprara, but Caprara fought back and in the process moved under Greg Meeks for the lead. Lee Gill decided to follow in Caprara's tire tracks and moved under Parliament and Meeks to claim the second position. Danny O'Brien made a high pass around George McIntyre to move into fifth, and then passed under Parliament for fourth. Danny's older brother Pat and Bill Gill decided to follow Danny, as they moved under McIntyre and Parliament for the fourth and fifth position. The next yellow flew on lap sixteen when Bill Gill slowed on the backstretch and John Ramsey spun in turn two. When racing got back underway, Danny O'Brien moved high around Lee Gill to take over the second position but he had nothing for Frank Caprara who went on to claim the victory.
The IMCA Modified were next up for their fifteen-lap feature, with Jake Rabetoy and Ken Klinkowski leading the field to the green. Kevin Chant was the early race leader, with Neal Edgar following in second. On the race's second lap Kevin Battelle moved under Klinkowski to claim the fifth position. The first yellow flag came out on lap two for Jake Rabetoy who had spun in turn four. On the restart, Edgar moved high around Chant for the lead. The yellow flew once again on lap three when Cory Fachini, Larry Bezner and Rabetoy spun in turn two. When racing resumed, Battelle went around Chant for second and Brent Matzell went under Eddie O'Neil for fourth. Battelle took the lead over on lap five, by moving under Edgar. The yellow flew for the third time on lap six when Klinkowski spun in turn two. On the restart points leader Larry Bezner make a come back by moving high around Eddie O'Neil for fourth. The caution flag flew on lap nine, when Jamie Platt spun in turn two. On the restart Bezner went high around Brent Matzell for second, but he didn't have enough for Kevin Battelle, who went on to collect the win and Neal Edgar who finished second.
The next field to take Chip and Matt Burdick's green flag was the DIRT Sportsman. RJ Gibbons and Jordan Bennett led the field to the green. The green flag had no more than dropped when the race's first yellow flew for Larry Bivens and Adam Moore who had spun in turn four on the first lap. When the green flew, Lance Willix, moved high around Gibbons to take over the lead. The next yellow flew on lap three, when Larry Bivens spun in turn two. When racing resumed, Andrew Howard moved under Scott McCue to take over the sixth position. The yellow flew again on lap ten for Greg Bauder and Craig Collier who had spun in turn two. When racing got back underway all cars stayed in their respective positions until lap twelve, when Matt Butler, RJ Gibbons, Tim Van Brocklin, and Dave Surace spun in turn two. On the restart Ben Tucker moved under Kyle Wilson for second, with Steve Hall and Andrew Howard on his rear bumper moving Wilson back to a fifth place finishing position as Lance Willix went on to collect the win.
The final class to take the green was the IMCA Hobby Stock division. Ed Rogers and Erv Miller led the field to the green flag, with Miller taking the early lead. The caution flag flew on lap one when Keith Rabetoy, Rick Paige, and Chris Warner spun in turn four. When racing continued, Bill Gardner Sr. moved under Elmer Perry for the third position. Erv Miller wasn't content with second and moved under Barker for the lead. Mark Webb moved from his 18th starting spot to challenge Scott Castor for the fifth position. On lap eleven, the yellow flew again, when Rick Paige and Phil Desormeau spun in turn two. When the green flag flew, Webb tried moving under Elmer Perry for fourth, but spun out, doing a 360-degree spin and continued going, as Erv Miller went on to collect the win.
Also on hand for the night was a special appearance of the Eastern Limited Sprint Club. Former track regular in the DIRT 358 modified division Rick Wilson dominated the action as he toured the half-mile oval at 17 seconds, only two tenths off the track record for sprint cars, while enroute to his heat win. Wilson also dominated in winning both the dash and 20-lap feature with nearly a straightway leads.
On Wednesday August 23rd, The DIRT 358 Sunoco Series makes it's way to the speedway for there 100- lap feature on Stadium International, Budweiser/Best Distributing night. Racing time will be 7:30 with gates opening at 5:00. This Saturday night, all five racing classes will be back in action on FX Caprara Car Companies night. Gates open at 5:00 with Chip and Matt Burdick's green flag being thrown promptly at 7:00 PM. Any questions please call the speedway at (315) 658-4431.
DIRT Modified: Frankie Caprara, Danny O'Brien, Lee Gill, Pat O'Brien, Scott Parliament, Greg Meeks, George McIntyre, Ryan Bartlett, Steve Roberts, SR., Bill Gill, Wayne Side, Dale Eggleston, Brent Cross, Steve Bilow, Bob Bennett, Rick Amo, Aaron Cross, Rick Kroll, Bill Wilcox, John Ramsey, Bill Bourquin, John Ramsey, Joe August, Larry Lamb, DNS: George Horning
DIRT Sportsman: Lance Willix, Ben Tucker, Steve Hall, Andrew Howard, Kyle Wilson, Adam More, Scott MacCue, Steve Dwyer, Lee Miller, Jody Spooner, Jordan Bennett, Matt Butler, Darren Cattalier, Dave Surace, Tim Van Brocklin, Scott Britton, Craig Collier, RJ Gibbons, Greg Bauder, Larry Bivens, Kyle Sharp, DNS: Anthony Fiorentino.
IMCA Modified: Kevin Battelle, Neal Edgar, Larry Bezner, Brent Matzell, Cory Fachini, Eddie O'Neil Kevin Chant, Rick Dusckas, Terry Gardner, Ken Klinkowski, Jamie Platt, Mark Chrzanowski, Jake Rabetoy, DNS: Jerry Fobare.
IMCA Hobby Stock: Erv Miler, Mark Barker, Elmer Perry, Scott Castor, Les Sanford, Mark Webb, Jeff Shannon, Ed Rogers, Joe Combs, Jason Gilmore, Keith Rabetoy, Rick Paige, Charlie Duffany, Steve Gilmore, Kim Mallette, Chris Warner II, Don Scales, George Savage, Phil Desormeau, Ed Rogers, Chris Warner, DNS: Bill Gardner, Mike Baltz.
Street Stock: Bill Eisele, Dave Keefer, Chris Taylor, Andy Wells, Steve Rookey, Scott Kocher, Laurie Handschuh, Tad Woodring, Bryan Roger, Clint Middlemiss