PAT O'BRIEN 4 FOR 4 AT CAN-AM
LAFARGEVILLE, NY: Again this week the weather was played havoc with the Can-Am Speedway. For the second week in a row, rain feel all around the LaFargeville oval keeping the car count and the crowd down to the worst of the season on Fastlube of Watertown, Burrville Power Equipment and Widrick Electrical night. Those that braved the weather though saw another great night of side by side racing at the fast 1/2 mile clay oval. Although track conditions were still rough through the corners, the drivers found a way to thrill the fans with who sat in the near 40 degree temperatures.
The 25 lap 358 DIRT Modified feature saw Billy Wilcox and Greg Meeks setting the pace and to everyone's surprise Meeks jumped out in front at the drop of the green over Wilcox and Brent Cross. Wilcox, who has had three straight weeks of motor troubles at Can-Am, found his rhythm and shot around Meeks and into the lead on lap 4 and began to open up a comfortable lead over the rest of the field. By lap 11 Wilcox looked to be on his way to a very deserving win as three time winner Pat O'Brien moved into second with Meeks having a very consistent run sitting in third. O'Brien was giving it his all but could not close in on Wilcox to challenge for the lead but on lap 18 Wilcox pulled to the inside of the front straightaway with motor problems. O'Brien made in four wins in a row as he came under the checkers ahead of George McIntyre who is having a great season after a very disappointing 1999, Bill Gill, Danny O'Brien and Lee Gill.
Anthony Fiorentino and RJ Gibbons brought the field of DIRT Sportsman to the green for their 15 lap event but it was Ben tucker charging from his fourth starting position to take the lead at the completion of lap 1. Fiorentino settled into second with Scott Britton moving up to third. Tucker has had his share of bad luck in 2000 but looked very strong on this night as he looked to have everything going his way at the halfway point holding off Britton and Dave Surace. The final caution of the race flew on lap 10 bunching the field together but over the final laps Tucker was able to hang on for the win. Andrew Howard came across the line in second followed by Britton, Surace and Matt Butler. At the post race inspection two of the top three finishers were found with parts that are in question under DIRT rules making the finish un-official pending clarification from DIRT headquarters.
The 15 lap IMCA Modified feature was up next with Jamie Platt and Neal Edgar showing the way. Edgar saw his first win of the season disappear on the final lap one week ago and this week he again jumped out into the early lead over Larry Bezner and Cory Fachini. The top three had the fans on their feet as any one could have taken the lead at any point around the speedway but it was Edgar shown as the leader at the start finish line on every lap. As they came around for the white flag Edgar was hoping to hang on to the lead just a quarter of a lap further than one week ago to pick up his first win of the season. As they rounded turn four for the final turn Edgar found the power to hang on for the win over Bezner, Fachini, Rick Dusckas and John Bell.
A very small field of only 7 Street Stock took the green for their 12 lap event and Steve Rookey jumped to the lead from his front row starting spot. the race went caution free but the drivers still managed to but on an entertaining show for the fans. Rookey led laps 1 - 9 then it was point leader Billy Eisele taking over for one lap before Rookey regained the advantage on lap 11. With one to go Rookey looked to be on his way to the win when last weeks winner Bryan Rogers made a last lap charge and came away with the win. Rookey came across in second losing the win for the second time this year on the final lap, Eisele was third followed by Laurie Handschuh and Andy Wells.
Steve Gilmore and Don Scales set the pace for the 10 lap IMCA Hobby Stock feature and Scales shot into the lea on lap one with Scott Webb making a move from his 6th starting spot up to second. Scales was shown as the leader through lap 2 when Webb made his move for the lead stick. Scales hung on to second until lap 5 when Jeff Chapin found his way around bringing Chris Warner with him into the top three. Webb cruised to his second win of the season over Chapin, who was later disqualified at the post race inspection, Warner, Scott Castor and Joseph Combs. The finish will remain un-official waiting for a technical decision on the second and third place finishers.
Next Saturday night will be another complete racing program featuring all five weekly divisions plus a basketball shooting contest for the kids. Racing will be sponsored by Exide Batteries, Froggy 97 and Renzi's Old Fashioned Meat Market, gate will open at 5:00 with racing taking the green flag at 7:00 sharp.
FASTLUBE OF WATERTOWN, BURVILLE POWER and WIDRICK ELECTRICAL
FEATURE FINISHES
358 DIRT MODIFIED: Pat O'Brien, George McIntyre, Bill Gill, Danny O'Brien, Lee Gill, Greg Meeks, Chris Jones, Frank Caprara, Ryan Bartlett, Brent Cross, Dale Eggleston, Larry Welling, Rick Amo, Steve Roberts, Bob Bennett, Billy Wilcox, Wayne Side, Joe August DNS: John August, Pat Sullivan
DIRT SPORTSMAN (UN-OFFICAL): Ben Tucker, Andrew Howard, Scott Britton, Dave Surace, Matt Butler, Adam Moore, Larry Lamb, Kyle Sharp, Bill Bourquin, Scott MacCue, Jody Spooner, RJ Gibbons, Lance Willix, Kyle Wilson, Anthony Fiorentino, Craig Collier, Mike Watkins
IMCA MODIFIED: Neal Edgar, Larry Bezner, Cory Fachini, Rick Dusckas, John Bell, Jim Graves, Ken Partridge, Jake Rabetoy, Jamie Platt DNS: Rip Hartley, Doug Ada
STREET STOCK: Bryan Rogers, Steve Rookey, Billy Eisele, Laurie Handschuh, Andy Wells, Chris Taylor, Clint Middlemiss
IMCA HOBBY STOCK (UN-OFFICIAL): Scott Webb, Chris Warner, Scott Castor, Joseph Combs, Mark Webb, Don Scales, Steve Gilmore, Mike Baltz, Keith Rabetoy, Billy Gardner Jr., Shane Ray, Les Sanford, Jason Gilmore, Charles Duffany, Rick Paige, Mark Barker, Phil Desormeau, George Sanford, Ed Rogers, Chris Warner II