DAVE LAPE TAKES HIS 91ST CHECKERED
After a night of slippery conditions caused by the afternoon downpour and then a few scattered sprinkles throughout the night, Dave Lape proves he still has what it takes to grab the checkered flag.
When the Street Stocks took the green Saturday Night, it still was a little slick and the “A” feature went off and ran really smoothly. The #10 driven by Eric Yager started in the third place spot and by the 6th lap of this 12 lap feature he had taken the lead and held the lead for the rest of the race. With Jeff Davis behind the wheel of the #18 coming in second after starting in the 6th position.
Now when the Street Stock B Feature came, the track had started to dry out and the cars where starting to venture further and further out into outside lane. Things started to heat up a little when you found Jeff Crosier and bob Van Aernam tangled up in the fourth lap. Dan Richard earned his spot in victory lane after starting in the 12th position that night and working his way lap after lap tp finally take the lead in the 9th lap and then held it. The second place car driven by Dave Horning Sr. showed that he is still in the running each week after starting tenth and coming in a close second.
The IMCA race seemed to be missing one of its top contenders when George Catanzano was not allowed to race last Saturday after an altercation the previous Saturday for an altercation in the pits after the IMCA feature on May 5th. He is serving a one week suspension and we will see him back at The Track of Champions next Saturday. Even though Catanzano was not there to give us a show, the IMCA race was its usual fun and excitement. The 111C was driven by Sportsman and Modified favorite Tim Clemons. Tim was helping out the race winner and defending track champion Steve Bidwell get his backup car into racing shape. Steve Bidwell showed the crowd that he did earn his title of Track Champion last year in this class as he started in the 18th spot and worked his way steadily through the cars until he took the lead after the restart of the 8th lap. Steve held the lead for the rest of the race. From there the race seemed to be for the second place spot and when the checkered was dropped the #22 driven by Dan Ballard crossed the line just above the #25 driven by Steve Hough. The heat race winners where Kevin Badell and Cory Fachini.
The ProStocks heated up the night when the two top cars driven by Bubba Tanner and Jim Normoyle where duking it out lap after lap for the lead position. Bubba had secured his lead position shortly after the drop of the checkered and he was able to maintain the lead even through the few cautions that had occurred. Defending point champion Jim Normoyle did not seem like he would settle for second as he battled turn after turn to over take Bubba. The number three spot saw the #35 driven by Kenny Gates. Gates had started ninth and worked his way through the pack and spent most of the race fighting off the #221 driven by defending track champion Rob Noviczski. Fan favorite Hondo Carpenter came in fifth after running a great race and keeping Rob on his toes lap after lap. The heat race winners were Bubba Tanner, Chuck McSpirit, Dave Bayes.
After the 15 car pile up that delayed the racing action last week at Fonda Speedway, the Modified Feature seemed to have a few cars on the straightaway that was still getting a few body panels repaired after the race. The person that started that whole incident was David Towns in the 99 found himself out of the feature after getting black flagged along with Jerry Pennock Jr. in the heat races. Dave was sent to the back of the pack early in the heat race after he had spun out. On relining up of the cars Dave bumped into the back of Jerry’s car and in retaliation Jerry slammed into Dave. After the altercation both cars found themselves black flagged. Jerry qualified his car in the consi and did make it to the feature. There is some of exciting racing action that keeps those fans glued to their seats week after week. The feature seemed early in the race that the winner was written on the wall. Mike Romano behind the wheel of a new #91, he suffered some serious damage last week, took the lead in the second lap and held tight, many times racing a straightaway ahead of the rest of the field until a caution in the 25th lap. During the caution laps, Fonda’s Flagger, Claude Riley made his way down to the straightaway to reline up the cars for the rest of the race and Mikes car came to a stop. And it seemed as though he couldn’t get the car started again. When he did, he slowly drove into the pits, and his night was over after a mechanical malfunction caused him to call it a night. That malfunction left track veteran David Lape in the lead position, followed closely by Jeff Trombley. When the checkered dropped for the 91st time for Mr. David Lape the crowd went wild. His little girl, Jessica could be seen jumping on the roof of the car as the car sat in victory lane. Heat race winners were, Mike Romano, Jack Johnson, Jeff Trombley and consi winner was Seth Gano.
John McAuliffe continued to makes all the moves that have labeled him as a potential track champion as he picked up his second victory of the season in the 20-lap sportsman feature. The victory was the 12th of the career for the former hobby stock driver who has become one of the most improved drivers in the sportsman field at the Track of Champions. This time, McAuliffe had to come from deep in the field to get the win, after starting 15th. He was helped by a couple of early cautions, which allowed him to make some impressive moves on restarts. Hurricane Bobby Hackel had a strong running car in the early going, but once McAuliffe moved up into contention, Hackel was no match for the driver from Rexford. McAuliffe put his No. 23 into the lead on lap eight and bid farewell to the rest of the field, leaving Hackel to battle for the No. 2 position with Tim Clemons in the Jake Spraker car. Clemons finally won that battle with three laps to go, taking the second spot away from Hackel, who came across the finish line third, ahead of Johnny LeClair, who had an impressive run in his new Bicknell chassis, and defending track champion Jimmy Davis, who struggled all night, but still came away with a top-five finish. Sportsman heat race winners were John McAuliffe, Tim Clemmons, Billy Osta, and Consi winner Mike Ballestero.
Powder Puff Race- The evening ended with the girls taking the track for the Powder Puff race. A ten lap feature race offers the females a chance to go out and try their hand at maneuvering the 1/2 mile Track of Champions. The race did see a few veterans to racing and one of those, was Punkin Zempkin of the Sportsman class 1P taking the wheel behind the 221 of Rob Noviczski. She has worked her way up to the front of the pack by lap 2 and then spun out coming around the fourth for the 3rd lap. Punkin regrouped and started at the back of the pack. Unfortunately though she passed 7 cars under a caution and a win that she thought was under her belt for the night, actuarially sent her back 14 spots. The winner was Lauri Cary, a Lady driver from Albany Saratoga Speedway.
Modified Finish- Dave Lape, Jeff Trombley, Craig Criscone, Bobby Savoie, Ronnie Holmes, AJ Romano, Bobby Varin, Bob Sitterly, Bobby Albert, Brian Borst, Mike Fusco, Rich Pennick, Rich Wozniak, Mike Dillenbeck, Floyd Billington, Seth Gano, Ken Hanson Jr. Mike Romano, Bob Enright, Jack Johnson, Tony Pepicelli, Alton Palmer, Johnny Kollar, John Marsh.
Sportsman Finish- John McCauliffe, Tim Clemons, Bobby hackel, John LeClair, Jim Davis, Drew Fallis, Robert Perry, Tony Farone, Jeremiah Munson, George Audi, Ryan Odaz, Craig Boehler, Jim Burton, Paul Dunham Jr., Ray Zempkin, Jerry O’Hanon, Jerry O’Hanlon, John Constantino, Billy Ostan, Mike Ballestero, Josh Peneziak, Tim Mayne, Steve Jasezbowiski, Frank Grieco, Steve Akers.
IMCA Feature- Steve Bidwell, Dan Ballard, Steve Hough, Cory Fachini, Jim Rajczi, Tim Clemons, Kevin Priest, Jim Duncan, Joe Williams, Willie Reed, Mike Chhilson, Kevin Battele, Steve Ganza, Don Alvord, Aaron Jacobs, Travis Stevens, Kurt Olsen, Kevin Buff, Butch Irwin, Keith Ackernect, Bud Hernburg, Skip Pabis.
Pro Stock Feature- Bubba Tanner, Jim Normoyle, Kenny Gates, Rob Novinczski, Hondo Carpenter, Dave Bayes, Chuck McSpririt, Bobby Gile, Nick Stone, Steve Burega, Mike Halichek, Mark Sullivan, Brian Jordan, Bud Little, Mike Fritz, Jeff Patrick, Tom LaPlante, Kerry Jordan, Jay Resch, Luke Klob, Mike Noble, Chris Morris.
Street Stock A- Eric Yager, Jeff Davis, Todd Dunston, Ken Barth, Gerald Hollenback, Dave Horning Jr., Jerry Pepper, John Babcock, Ken Town, Rob Van Aernam, Dave Hewitt, Wayne Gaige, Richard Anderson, Joe Hollenback, Rich Walters.
Street Stock B- Dan Richard, Dave Horning Sr., Joe Donato, John Johnson, Randy Moore, Steve Cosselman, Lori Carey, Shawn Simmons, #13, Don Warner, Joe Smith, Jimmy Olson, Bob Van Aernam, Jeff Crosier, Mike Budka, Jr.
Powder Puff finish - Lori Carey, Freda Fallis, Billy Joe Skiner, Jamie Richardson, Jenifer Barth, Erlean Varin, April Rickard, Nancy Walter, Kelly Keefe, Kelly Ketchum, Juamila Van Dusel, Brenna Hayward, Melissa Coon, Stephanie May, Punkin Zempkin