FAST FERRI FLIES TO THE FOREFRONT
(By Bruce Bonham)
Original Pizza Logs Sportsman champ talks with co-track owner Nancy Bicknell before winning his fourth feature of the season. Ferri now concentrates on the DIRT tour BEGINNING Friday at Ransomville Speedway.
(Photo by Bruce Bonham)
THOROLD, ON —When the Fort Erie’s Fast Flyer cracked the ignition on his Sortsman 1F and rolled out to Merrittville Speedway’s slick surface, Adam Ferri instantly became the 2004 champion.
“We came here to win the championship,” said Fast Ferri at the beginning of the season. And to prove he was sincere, he had a fantastic year with four wins and only a single race night out of the top five.
Just to make sure he’d lead the title board, Ferri cemented his 2004 championship run with his fourth Original Pizza Logs’ win of the season, to top the win chart as well.
“Ya, it’s been an awesome year for us,” said Ferri after waving the checkered flag from his racer’s roof and acknowledging the cheers of the packed house.
“I’ve got to thank my wife ... my entire family ... crew and my dad. Without all those guys we wouldn’t be here ... it’s quite the awesome team.”
Once Ferri took the lead on Lap 14 and opened up a decent margin over a fast-moving defending sportsman champ, Wayne Conn, he had to stay up on the wheel to keep Conn in second.
“I knew someone was there (behind me). I could hear him and as soon as I saw his nose in there, then I started to go on the outside all the way around. I was a little slower in Turns 3 and 4, so I just hung it out.
“I wanted to win four, since every body’s won three (Conn and Billy Willard). I’m the only guy to win four (wins). It feels awesome to be champ!” Ferri said in the Garden City Automotive Complex Victory Lane.
With the top two decided in the 25-lapper, Mike Ward maintained a good run in third almost the entire distance, slotting in ahead of one-time winner Martin Polhill and Chad Chevalier.
Another fast one, veteran Freddy Carleton, appeared in the Winner’s Circle for the first time this season winning, the 35-lap John Spencer Memorial Classic, staying out front of defending L. St. Amand Enterprises Mod champ Larry Lampman.
Lampman, who started in 13th, drove a brilliant race to move to the front and proceeded to close in on the winner, but ran out of laps.
Heartbreaker of the top-class war was Hamburg, New Yorker Tim Jones, breaking down with only 13 circuits remaining, dropping the spec-engine driver running strong in second to 16th in the finishing order.
The Master of Merrittville and winner of an unprecedented 17 home track titles, Pete Bicknell also ran out of laps to improve his third place finish after getting by Bobby Davidson, driving the former Pete Cosco car to his best mod finish.
The co-track owner, Bicknell dominating the mod squad this season with seven feature wins,
“Well I don’t know, I don’t count,” said Bicknell when reminded that in the span of his lofty racing career he’s won 37 championships, 17 here, wrapping up the ninth Ransomville Speedway crown Friday, 10 at Gasport and a single in the mid 1980s at Weedsport, N.Y. “If that’s what they tell you, that’s what it is, I guess.”
When asked how long this (winning) will go one, he replied, “Well, I hope forever. When I die and they bury me, I won’t be able to race anymore, I guess.”
Bicknell wasn’t sure if they’d hammer out a No. 42 on his tombstone.
In the Merrittville mayhem Hoosier Stocks’ series with, only two points’ nights left of the 2004 season, the kid — Tyler McPherson — copped his third 15 lapper in his rookie season in a relatively tame main requiring only two yellow flags.
The 17-year-old youngster, preparing to head for high school Tuesday, took advantage of a Lap 14 front, straight mixup with the top three, grabbed the point and stayed in front of second-place finisher Rick Beales — his best result.
In the Seneca Niagara Casino Dwarf Car prelude to next week’s Rose Webber International Classic, invader John Behron of — you guessed it — Syracuses’ Brewerton Speedway in to scope out the 53-year-old speedway.
And according to the flamboyant Behron, everything he’s heard about M’ville from colleagues Jeff Barker and Don Fenner was true.
“You know, I heard about the track, that it was extremely well prepared, the fans were fantastic, the competitors really good ... everything everybody says about it (Merrittville) was true,” said the winner after thrilling the crowd with victory, little car donuts.
Behron’s first visit here was impressive, considered his No. 92 came from 19th in the 22-car starting order and eventually overhauled the entire field and cracking the checkered flag from returning head starter Barry Davidson after the 15 laps.
Chris Steele drove a good race to wind up second steeling the spot from a speedy Kellie mason, who broke through with feature wins twice this season. Dave Ackler accounted for the fourth.
Even though Trevor Goulding has wrapped up the Four Cylinder series by a lofty margin over karter Paul Klager, a flat tire mid way in the 15-lap skirmish thwarted a six-pack of wins.
Defending champ Glenn Leinen held his lead for the final dozen laps, taking his first bullet. James Wood, and Norm Mark — who has won a half-dozen features — was third.
Christine Porter made the Ladies Race for the Cup series four-for-four, hammering the throttle of the Greg Ayres’ No. 17 Hoosier Stock and emerging champ. Defender Charlene Dooley took second, while Karen Kocarik drove home third, despite tangling with the wall mid way in the eight-lap feminine contest.
Mike Dooley, in a hot Hoosier Stock championship battle, checks out the engine compartment with returning former pro stock driver Jeff Dayman.
(Photo by Bruce Bonham)
Tail Pipes: Former Pro Stock driver Jeff Dayman was back behind the wheel Saturday, driving the Bill Hogue’s No. 25 ... It’s Jeff’s first drive since the class folded at M’ville two seasons ago ... Look for Paul Klager to shed the 618 four cylinder for a dwarf car next season ... teamed with a partner, Klager, out of the karting world plans to market the little cars locally ... he’ll have a car on display next week. The for sale sign on Rob Knapp’s Hoosier means the St. Kitt’s runner will re-enter the sportsman crowd next season ... Look for about 50 Dwarf cars to tow into M’ville pits next week for their annual Rose Webber Classic, presented by J & S Heating ... Also on tap is special 25-lap main events for Hoosiers and Four Cylinders. Special winners in the Fan-Tastic runoffs were: Scott Barnsley, DIRT Week tickets; Crystal Sagriffe and Paul Lock, BBQ and Cooler winners; and Fan-of-the-Year, Tim White of London, Ont.
RESULTS:
L. St. Amand Enterprises John Spencer Memorial Modified (35 laps): FRED CARLETON, Larry Lampman Jr., Pete Bicknell, Bobby Davidson, Dan Miller, Tim Murdock, Brian Stevens, Todd Gordon, Scott Wood, Rob Pietz, Robbie Krull, Kenny Winfield, Greg Wilson, Gary Kruchka, Rick Richner, Tim Jones, Brad Rouse, Paul Ashton, Greg Rausher, Travis Cunningham.
Heats: 1. Fred Carleton 2. Scott Wood 3. Rob Pietz.
Original Pizza Logs Sportsman (25 laps): ADAM FERRI, Wayne Conn, Mike Ward, Martin Polhill, Chad Chevalier, Boyd MacTavish, Billy Willard, Don Spiece, Jim Ruston, Dereck Lemyre, Dave Flannigan, Billy Bleich, Mike Bowman, Darren Peters, Darren Zumpe, Dennis Giancola, Doug Spiece, Tom Flannigan.
Heats: 1.Dereck Lemyre 2. Chad Chevalier 3. Billy Bleich.
Hoosier Street Stocks (15 laps): TYLER MCPHERSON, Rick Beales, Rob Murray, Rob Knapp, Rick Champigny, Dave Gifford, Mike Dooley, Travis Braun, Dave Dykstra, Kirk Wilson, Ron Kingsbury, Greg Ayres, Rick Simons, Russ Davidson, Jeff Dayman, Brad Sheehan, Danielle Landry, Kevin Kocarik, Ed Fargnoli, Graham MacKay, John Murgach, Jerry Lewis, Chris Schneider, Bob McIntyre, Terry Larmet.
Heats: 1. Dave Gifford 2. Rob Murray 3. Rob Knapp.
Seneca Casino Dwarf Cars (15 laps): JOHN BEHRON, Chris Steele, Kellie Mason, Dave Ackler, Dave Russell, Justin Sharp, Scott Billing, Rick Brubacker, Shawn Sliter, Kory Howe, Wayne Robins, Bob Bredin, Dave Arnold, Ray Sliter, Wally Billing, Don Fenner, John Wrobel, Jerry Cushing.
Heats: 1.Wally Billing 2. Don Fenner.
Four cylinder (15 laps): GLENN LEINEN, James Wood, Norm Mark, Paul Klager, Rob Goulding, Kevin Soules, Tony Kelly, Roger Shenstone, Gord Bates, Larry Erskine, Dave Small, Carey Gore, Ron Jordon, Tom Beales, Bob Brown, Tom Overholt, Rob Goulding, Vic Mealing.
Heats: 1. Carey Gore 2. Norm Mark.
Ladies Race for the Cup ( 8 laps - top3):CHRISTINE PORTER, Charlene Dooley, Karen Kocarik.