PIETZ PULLS THROUGH!
(By Bruce Bonham)
(Photo courtesy of Monique's Photography Photos)
THOROLD, ON —For the first time in his young L. St. Amand Enterprises Modified career, Rob Pietz hit Merrittville Speedway pay dirt Saturday, despite a bumper full of Pete Bicknell the final, exciting five laps of the 35-lapper.
Pietz, who came up from a successful championship-filled sportsman stint — and still drives the division some Friday nights at Ohsweken Speedway — notched his first mod bullet in impressive fashion.
Leading practically from the green flag, the Gasline (Port Colborne) Grinder slipped into the lead when overhauling pole-sitter Paul Ashton — and virtually checked out on the field.
Defending mod champ, Larry Lampman gave chase in his No. 23, obviously suffering brake problem with the right-front disc glowing red hot, but able to hold a solid second.
That all changed when front-runner Scott Wood’s power plant exploded on the 18th round, eroding the leader’s half-track advantage.
With Lampman’s stopping power fading fast, and Bicknell making his usual steady climb to the front, the boss got past a slowing Lampman to chase down Pietz.
Dramatically, Lampman seemed to break down at the Turn 4, actually stall-out briefly, creating a Lap 30 yellow flag. Somehow, he re-revved up in time to cross the line and hold third.
With only five laps remaining and Bicknell was right there to pounce, Pietz drove the final five rounds making his car extremely wide and came home a winner.
“I thought it was Larry behind me those last laps,” said Pietz, soaking up the moment with his crew in Victory Lane and waving the checkered flag from the roof top of the No. 69.
“I beat Bicknell! I beat Bicknell!” he chanted.
“Oh ya, this feels good, this is where I belong (in Victory Lane). I thought that was Larry back there and he likes the cushion. So I tried to work the cushion. The last five laps, I drove like a lunatic!.”
While Pietz fended off the Bicknell attack, Brian Stevens appeared in the top five with 10 laps remaining, getting by Ashton, a slowing Lampman and ending up a decent third after toiling his way from starting 13th. Fred Carleton, who started dead last, worked his way to fourth, while a brakeless Lampman settled for fifth.
V
In the 25-lap Original Pizza Logs Sportsman challenge, Darren Zumpe held the early lead while Bobby Davidson and John McKenney disputed second place.
After three early-race cautions for various misadventures, Zumpe got sideways entering Turn 2 about the same time Davidson swept around the 11z in Turn 2.
With Zumpe sideways in Turn 2, Mike Ward helplessly slammed into the stalled 11z with Billy Willard towed to the pits, on the hook and ending his night.
Davidson, winner of his first two features last season under the Pete Cosco banner, kept the top stop to starter Barry Davidson’s — Bobby’s father — checkered flag.
Wayne Conn, who suffered a power steering pump fire Friday at Ohsweken while leading with three laps to go in that feature (“It’s the way our season’s been going this year,” he said, post race.), managed to claw his way to register a solid second. Top runner Boyd MacTavish came from 10th to log third, while co-winner last week Greg Panunte (in a dead heat with Willard) accepted fourth.
If Merrittville Speedway fans were looking for action, they only had to check in to the speedway for the 15-lap Hoosier Street Stock skirmish, which turned into a flipping wreckfest.
In the beginning, early fast laps of four and five wide racers took their toll.
On Lap 6 of the half-hour long Hoosier, which has become one of the track’s most entertaining division with huge 26-car fields, Paul Morin lost a rear wheel, flipping completely over and landing on his side.
In the red-flag confusion, and attempting to pick up the leader, the pace truck was slightly tapped by a CAA tow truck scurrying to the Turn 4 scene, suffering only minor damage ... as did Morin, who complained of a little back soreness.
In the closing stages Ron Kingsbury ran off the edge of the front straight into the concrete barrier, flipped his yellow racer and emerged uninjured.
In between the carnage, Mike Dooley was on a mission to catch leader Greg Ayres, who took over the front spot on the Lap 6 restart.
With the final caution on Lap 12 for the threesome of Tyler McPherson, Russ Davidson and Terry Larmet, tangled at Turn 2, Dooley’s last-lap move to the inside produced his second straight win.
“It wasn’t a very pretty race tonight, and we, thankfully, didn’t get to see a whole lot of it,” said Dooley in Victory Lane after the marathon. “I came through this with only a few chops.
“The car’s just working awesome and all it took was a little patience,” continued the Candyman who gingerly worked his way to the front from starting 14th. “Greg made a little bobble on the last turn, and that allowed me to get by.”
Kirk Wilson also dodged most on track disturbances to finish third behind Ayres while one-time winner Rick Champigny slotted fourth.
At the top of the Niagara Seneca Casino Dwarf car 15-lapper, Wayne Robins squirted into the lead of the 22-little car pack.
But hot invader Jeff Baker’s five-hour tow to from Brewerton Speedway paid off when he motored up to the front, taking over for good at the Lap 6 restart after Mark Brighton, in the lead briefly, spun on Lap 7.
“The guys up here are just a lot of fun to race with,” Baker said in the Lane after holding off Scott Billing. “It’s just fun to be here.”
Baker’s traveling companion, Don Fenner also of the Syracuse, N.Y. area, stayed in front of last week’s winner Kellie Mason.
It was a brother act in the 15-lap four cylinder war with Jeff Mark hauling the front spot from a Lap 1, Turn 2 pass on Roger Shenstone to lead the distance.
In the closing stages, brother Norm, a three-time mini winner, staged a gallant battle, but ended up following the red Jeff Mark car across the finish line.
“I think he was as happy as I was!” said Jeff after his brother congratulated him in Victory Lane. “If anybody was going to be there, I knew it would be him (Norm). I knew if I ran a little high, he couldn’t get by.”
Once again karter Paul Klager put in a top finish, driving to third.
In Round 2 of the Ladies Race for the Cup, Christine Porter practically lapped the field, finishing the eight-lapper well ahead of Karen Kocarik and Jill Gosselin.
Ladies Series defending champ, Charlene Dooley fills in the Fat Cat Kids Club members touring the pits on the popular 310c M&Ms Hoosier street stock. Husband Mike captured his second straight feature win.
(Photo by Bruce Bonham)
Next Saturday Fonthill Lumber presents the regular Father’s Day card, plus Round 2 of the Spectator one-on-one.
Rick (Dipper) Windeatt and side-kick Matt Williamson, had the arduous task of chauffeuring a couple Hooter girls around the pits before the girls, promoting the opening of a Niagara Falls’ Hooters, took part in Victory Lane celebrations.
(Photo by Bruce Bonham)
RESULTS
L. St. Amand Enterprises Modified (35 Laps): ROB PIETZ, Pete Bicknell, Brian Stevens, Fred Carleton, Larry Lampman, Robbie Krull, Paul Ash ton, Todd Gordon, Rick Richner, Don Spatorico, Tim Jones, Pete Cosco, Brad Malloy, Jamie Turner, Gary Kruchka, Richie Vinson, Scott Wood.
Heats: 1. Paul Ashton 2. Tim Jones 3. Larry Lampman.
Original Pizza Logs Sportsman (25 Laps): BOBBY DAVIDSON, Wayne Conn, Boyd MacTavish, Greg Panunte, John McKenney, Adam Ferri, Billy Bleich, Chad Chevalier, Jim Ruston, Mike Ward, Brett Stratford, Dennis Giancola, Paul Cunningham, Dereck Lemyre, Darren Zumpe, Billy Willard, Dave Flannigan, Martin Polhill, Stan Zanchin, Kevin Sharp, Tom Flannigan.
Heats: 1. Billy Bleich 2. John McKenney 3. Mike Ward.
Hoosier Stocks (15 Laps): MIKE DOOLEY, Greg Ayres, Kirk Wilson, Dave Dykstra, Rick Champigny, Rob Knapp, Dave Gifford, Rick Beales, J. T. Miller, Danielle Landry, Chris Schneider, Russ Davidson, Brad Sheehan, Terry Larmet, Tyler McPherson, J.P. Gosselin, Pete Reid, Rob Murray, Ron Kingsbury, Rick Simmons, Graham MacKay, Kevin Kocarik, Ed Fargnoli, Travis Braun, John Johnson, Paul Morin.
Heats: 1. Danielle Landry 2. Brad Sheehan 3. Peter Reid
Niagara Seneca Casino Dwarfs cars (15Laps): JEFF BAKER, Scott Billing, Don Fenner, Kellie Mason, Dave Ackler, Wayne Robins, Chris Steele, Mark Brighton, Bill Perry, Shawn Sliter, Dereck Bredon, Dave Russell, Bob Bredon, Kory Howe, Justin Sharp, Ken Knapp, Dennis Kemper, Ray Sliter, Dave Arnold, Nol King, Wally Billing, Rick Brubacker.
Heats: 1. Wally Billing 2. Wayne Robins.
Four Cylinder (15 Laps): JEFF MARK, Norm Mark, Paul Klager, Mike Giberson, Glen Leinen, Gord Bates, Andrew Castelein, Carey Gore, Tony Kelly, Roger Shenstone, Rick Brubacker, Vic Mealing, Bob Brown, Trevor Goulding, Rob Overholt.
Heats: 1. Mike Giberson 2. Jeff Mark.
Ladies Race for the Cup (8 Laps): CHRISTINE PORTER, Karen Kocarik, Jill Gosselin, Charlene Dooley, Cindy Kingsbury, Sherri Ferri, Barb Larmet, Carolyn Ebsary, Darlene Gifford.