O'BRIEN, WILLIX, FACHINI, ROGERS AND SANFORD BEAT THE WEATHER AT CAN-AM

LAFARGEVILLE NY: As typical Can-Am Speedway luck would have it, the only place in Northern New York State that it did not rain out this past Saturday afternoon was LaFargeville, and a decent crowd was on hand to witness some of the best racing of the season at the fast 1/2 mile clay oval on Appledale Farmers Market night. So much rain had fallen late Friday night and early Saturday morning that it washed out the infield and areas of the pit area, so officials had to make use of a portion of the parking lot to accommodate the race cars that gambled on the weather and traveled to Can-Am.

A great field of 358 DIRT Modifieds was on hand and rookies Thad Herrington and Steve Roberts brought the pack down for the green, but it was a third member of the class of 2000 rookies Wayne Side, that charged from his 5th starting position and into the lead at the end of lap 1. As Side began to open up a lead Dale Eggleston and Greg Meeks settled into second and third while many of those that started back in the pack made their way forward. Side looked very strong out in front and his first challenge came from Jeff Sykes who was using the outside of the speedway to his advantage and closed in on Side on lap 7. While the two leaders battled for the top spot Lee Gill and Pat O'Brien had made their way into the top 5. It became a four car fight for the lead and looked as though Side was going to pull off the biggest upset in many years at Can-Am, but a late caution on lap 20 slowed the field and allowed the veterans to get a plan together to try and overtake the very impressive Side. When the green flew O'Brien was able to duck under Side for the lead. Another caution on lap 24 slowed the pace again and on the final lap Sykes made a charge from fourth to second only to come up a few feet short of the win at the checkers. O'Brien picked up his third win in a row over Sykes, Side , Gill and George McIntyre.

The 15 lap DIRT Sportsman feature was led onto the track by Lance Willix and Dave Surace. Willix jumped out to the early lead but Surace would not let him out of his sight and on lap 6 powered around Willix for the top spot. Surace saw his lead disappear one lap later when Willix wrestled the top spot back while Andrew Howard, Ben Tucker and Matt Butler made their way into the top five. Tucker, who started in the 19th and final starting spot after just installing a new motor, took over the second spot from Surace on lap 10 but Surace was right back on lap 11 to chase down Willix. Surace and Tucker would continue to swap the 2nd and 3rd spots over the final laps but it was Lance Willix picking up a very popular Can-Am Speedway victory. Surace hung on for second over Tucker, Howard and Scott Britton.

The largest field of the year took the green flag for the 15 lap IMCA Modified feature and it was Neal Edgar and Rip Hartley showing the way. Edgar took his new car to the front at the drop of the green flag with point leaders Cory Fachini and Ron O'Neil settling into the second two spots. By lap 5 it was a four car battle at the front with last weeks winner Kevin Battelle joining the fight. Fachini was shown as the leader at the start finish line on lap 4 through 7 but Edgar was back at the front on lap 8. Edgar looked as though he was on his way to the win but a final charge in the fourth turn on the final lap proved to be the difference with Fachini narrowly picking up the win. Edgar was second followed by O'Neil, Battelle and Larry Bezner.

The 12 lap Street Stock event was up next with Steve Rookey and Bryan Rogers setting the pace. Rogers shot into the lead at the drop of the green flag with Rookey and Andy Wells close behind. Defending track champion Bill Eisele was two for two in 2000 at Can-Am and began to make his way to the front taking over the second spot on lap 6. With no cautions flying after the halfway point Eisele had his work cut out for him as Rogers was very strong at the front of the field and wanted that 1st Can-Am Street Stock win. In the closing laps Eisele could get close but this was Bryan Rogers night as he picked up the win, Eisele was second followed by Rookey, Wells and Laurie Handschuh.

The IMCA Hobby Stock feature brought 23 cars to the green and rookie Chris Warner II wasted little time grabbing the lead away from fellow front row starter Don Scales. Warner lost the lead on lap 2 to George Sanford who quickly turned the top spot over to last weeks winner Scott Webb. Once things got sorted out a great battle developed for the lead between Webb and Sanford. Sanford took the lead back on lap 5 when Webb pitted with problems, this left Jeff Chapin and Mark Webb to chase down Sanford for the number one position. On the final lap Sanford and Webb went side by side into turn three and as they came off of turn four for the checkers the two swapped paint with Sanford edging out the win, Webb was second followed by Jeff Chapin, Warner and Scott Castor.

Next Saturday night will be the annual Armed Forces Day Special and also Canadian Appreciation Day sponsored by Fastlube of Watertown, Burrville Power Equipment and Widrick Electrical. For more information call the speedway at (315) 658-4431.

358 DIRT MODIFIED FINISH: Pat O'Brien, Jeff Sykes, Wayne Side, Lee Gill, George McIntyre, Dave Heaslip, Danny O'Brien, Delbert LaGrow, Bill Gill, Ryan Bartlett, Kevin Fetterly, Steve Roberts, Thad Herrington, Sam VanDerlinden, Brent Cross, Dan Jalbert, Chris Jones, Greg Meeks, Brian McDonald, John Ramsey, Steve Bilow, Dale Eggleston, Rick Kroll DNS: Billy Wilcox, Pat Sullivan, Joe August

DIRT SPORTSMAN FINISH: Lance Willix, Dave Surace, Ben Tucker, Andrew Howard, Scott Britton, Matt Butler, Adam Moore, Bill Bourquin, Kyle Wilson, Larry Lamb, Anthony Fiorentino, RJ Gibbons, Jody Spooner, Darin Cantallier, Craig Collier, Scott MacCue, Greg Bauder, Larry Bivens DNS: Kyle Sharp

IMCA MODIFIED FINISH: Cory Fachini, Neal Edgar, RonO'Neil, Kevin Battelle, Larry Bezner, Rick Dusckas, Bud Harnburg, Rip Hartley, Ken Partridge, Brandon Burchill, Brent Matzel, Jim Graves, Kevin Chant, Rob Keller DNS: Mike Bungay, Jamie Platt

STREET STOCK FINISH: Bryan Rogers, Bill Eisele, Steve Rookey, Andy Wells, Laurie Handschuh, Brent Moulton, Lance Lalonde, Clint Middlemiss, Chris Taylor

IMCA HOBBY STOCK FINISH: George Sanford, Mark Webb, Jeff Chapin, Chris Warner II, Scott Castor, Bill Gardner, Joseph Combs, Les Sanford, Keith Rabetoy, Jason Gilmore, Charles Duffany, Steve Gilmore, Shane Ray, Chris Warner, Scott Webb, Elmer Perry, Don Scales, Ed Rogers, Kim Mallette, Rick Paige DNS: Leslie George, Jeff Shannon