CAN-AM WINS TO O'BRIEN, BUTLER, FACHINI, EISELE AND WEBB
LAFARGEVILLE NY: A cloudy overcast day kept many race fans away, but made for great racing in all five divisions at the Can-Am Speedway on UFPO/Fastlube of Watertown night. The race track surface showed considerable improvement over last week, and drivers were turning near record times throughout the evening.
Dave Reilly and rookie Ryan Bartlett set the pace for the 25 lap 358 DIRT Modified feature and Bartlett used the outside lane to gain the advantage at the end of lap 1. Early in the race Lansing Petzoldt was the man on the move as he came from the 6th starting position to take over the lead on lap 3. Petzoldt was still looking for win number one this season at Can-Am but Billy Wilcox is looking for his first ever 358 track championship and went around Petzoldt and into the top spot on lap 9. The event was slowed by 4 cautions for debris and minor problems but Wilcox managed to keep the lead on every restart. As the laps came to an end the leaders came up on lapped traffic and second place running Pat O'Brien was able to take advantage of the situation and charged around Wilcox as the two came for the white flag. O'Brien went on for the win over Wilcox, Petzoldt, Lee Gill and Jeff Sykes. Points leader Bill Gill came across the line in sixth.
The DIRT Sportsman 15 lap feature was lead to the green by Dave Surace and Larry Lamb with Lamb jumping out to the early lead. Lamb, who began his season just 3 weeks ago, held the top spot until lap 4 when Matt Butler took command. Butler is having his best season ever at Can-Am and was hoping to pick up win number one in 1999 at the fast 1/2 mile. Butler continued to lead past the halfway mark but Scott MacCue and Wayne Side had made their way up into the top three and were challenging at the front of the field. The final 9 laps were completed without incedent and Butler went on for a very popular win. MacCue was second followed by point leader Steve Hall, Side and Ben Tucker.
A strong field of IMCA Modifieds took the green for their 15 lap event and rookie Brenda O'Neil charged from her 5th starting spot to take the lead on lap 1. O'Neil was having her best run of the year first holding the advantage over Bill Klinkowski and then over her father Eddie O'Neil. While the father and daughter team fought for the lead, point leader Cory Fachini was making his way to the front and went around for the lead on lap 7. Fachini extended his point lead with another Can-Am win. Kevin Chant came across the finish line in the second spot, but was penalized one position for jumping a car on the final restart, this moved Brenda O'Neil up to the second spot for her best ever finish. Chant was credited with third over Klinkowski and Eddie O'Neil.
The 12 lap Street Stock feature was up next with Laurie Handschuh and Andy wells leading the way. Handschuh has had terrible luck lately and was hoping to turn it around with a win as she took the lead at the end of lap 1. Bill Eisele and Steve Woodward have dominated the class the second half of the season and by lap 6 were running in the top two spots. Again this week the two drivers went side by side lap after lap for the lead and this week it was Eisele coming away with the win. Woodward was second followed by Handschuh, Brian Rogers and Steve Rookey.
Scott Webb in his second ever start and Scott Shara in only his fourth start set the pace for the 10 lap IMCA Hobby Stock feature and the two rookies looked like a couple of veterans as they raced side by side into turn one at the drop of the green. The first four laps of the event saw the Webb brothers Scott and Mark showing the way over the competition. Marks strong run came to an end on lap 5 when he pitted with problems handing the second spot over to Keith Rabetoy. The race was slowed around the halfway point for minor cautions and Webb was able to hold the lead on each restart. Zeke McKeown made his way into the second spot on lap seven and challenged for the lead but Webb hung on for the win in only his second ever start in a race car of any kind. McKeown crossed the line in second but later refused the IMCA engine claim, moving Elmer Perry up to second with Rabetoy, Kim Mallette and high point man Kyle Sharp rounding out the top five finsishers.
Next Saturday night will be the annual photo and autograph session sponsored by WWTI TV50 and the FX Caprara Car Companies, drivers will be on hand from 4:00pm - 6:00pm signing autographs and talking with the fans. Coming up on Thursday August 26th will be the Advance Auto Parts Super DIRT Series event for 358 DIRT Modifieds. The 99 lap event will see the best drivers on the DIRT circuit come to Can-Am to challenge a talented field of track regulars. The IMCA Modifieds will also be competing on this special night with an extra distance event paying the winner $300. For more information call the Speedway at (315) 658-4431 or look us up on the internet at www.can-amspeedway.com
UFPO/FASTLUBE OF WATERTOWN FEATURE FINISHES
358 DIRT MODIFIEDS: Pat O'Brien, Billy Wilcox, Lansing Petzoldt, Lee Gill, Jeff Sykes, Bill Gill, George McIntyre, Greg Meeks, Pete Roberts, Frank Caprara, George Horning, Ryan Bartlett, Sandy Roberts, Dave Reilly, Scott Parliment, Bob Bennett, Brent Cross DNS: Dale Eggleston, Steve Bilow
DIRT SPORTSMAN: Matt Butler, Scott MacCue, Steve Hall, Wayne Side, Ben Tucker, Anthony Fiorentino, Lance Willix, RJ Gibbons, Jim Eaton, Larry Bivens, Larry Lamb, Adam Moore, Jay Stuckey, Dave Surace DNS: Andrew Howard
IMCA MODIFIEDS: Cory Fachini, Brenda O'Neil, Kevin Chant, Bill Klinkowski, Eddie O'Neil, Debbie Stevenson, Jamie Platt, Neal Bryden, Ken Partridge, Rick Dusckas, Matt Rockefeller DNS: Neal Edgar
STREET STOCKS: Bill Eisele, Steve Woodward, Laurie Handschuh, Brian Rogers, Steve Rookey, Jim Vollier, Andy Wells, Billy Gardner Jr., Jason Gilmore, Clint Middlemiss DNS: Ken Paro
IMCA HOBBY STOCKS: Scott Webb, Elmer Perry, Keith Rabetoy, Kim Mallette, Kyle Sharp, Scott Shara, Henry Chant, Joseph Combs, Erv Miller, Les Sanford, Jeff Shannon, Shane Raye, Steve Gilmore, Charles Duffany, Don Scales, George Sanford, Chris Warner, Mark Webb DNS: Ed Rogers