PAINE POWERS NEW TEO-PRO MODIFIED TO CANANDAIGUA VICTORY LANE
CANANDAIGUA, NY...Steve Paine's crew arrived later then normal at the speedway last Saturday. The reason they were behind time was they were putting the final touches on a new Teo-pro car for Steve. He would use that new car to record his first win of the year at Canandaigua. Karl Comfort visited the Sportsman Winner's Circle for the second straight week. Tom Barron topped the Pro-Stock main event, while Mike Minutlo repeated in the Pure Stock division.
"I really thought my career was over and I just couldn't do this anymore," stated Paine. "Then I drove for the Thum's and I knew right away that if I could drive a Teo-pro car weekly I had a chance to return to my old form. I guest it worked!" Paine has been the house driver for Kneisel and Bicknell chassises. "Right now the hot setup seems to be a Teo," continued Paine. "But next time it may be a Bicknell, a Troyer or something else. These things all seem to go in cycles."
The 35-lap DIRT Modified main began with Bob McCreadie immediately taking the point from his front row starting position. As the field began the second lap Pat Ward did a complete 360 on the front stretch, in the middle of traffic, and continued on his way without any contact. Darryl Ruggles wasn't as lucky as the yellow flew when he slowed in the first turn with a flat tire.
The restart saw Mccreadie able to maintain his lead, but Steve Paine began to pressure him for the lead. On lap five, Paine was able to make the pass and begin to pull out a five car advantage over McCreadie.
Meanwhile a real battle was developing for third between Danny Johnson, Billy Decker and Gary Tomkins. On lap 21 these three crossed the start-finish line, three abreast in a dead heat. Decker was able to use lapped traffic to his advantage and take a solid third on lap 27.
Paine cruised home the victor followed by McCreadie. Decker, who had closed the gap on second to a mere few car lengths finished third with Tomkins and Johnson rounding out the top five spots.
Mike Button looked to have the sportsman trophy in his duffle bag and head for home as he was starting on the front row in the 20-lap DIRT Sportsman feature.
Button immediately took the top spot and started to stretch out a full straight away lead over Ricky VanNeil and Karl Comfort. The a three car spin out in the fourth turn on lap 4, tighten the pack together again. Comfort was able to use this yellow to move into second, yet still Button pulled out to a tremendous advantage. A second yellow flew on lap 12 when Loren Lincoln made contact with a barrier on the inside of the first turn. He would eventually be able to continue in the race.
Comfort was now on Button's rear bumper and looking for the opening he needed to take the lead. On lap 16 the yellow flew for the final time when Paul Guererri was caught up in a front straight tangle which saw his front end collapse.
With just two laps remaining Comfort powered down low and took the lead from Button. Button held on for second followed by Lance Dusett, Todd Henderson and Vince Vitale.
Tommy Barron used a lap 11 restart and an oil leak to claim victory in the Pro-Stock division. John Unaman was the early leader of the race. On lap three the yellow flag flew when Jim Gagne slowed in the first turn. During this yellow Unaman's mount suffered a right front flat sending him pitside and putting Scott Fremouw into the front spot.
Fremouw powered out to a somewhat commanding lead over Barron, Les Whyte and Randy Miller. The cars raced in this order until lap 11 when the yellow unfurled for the final time. During this yellow Fremouw was send by officials to the pits for dropping oil on the track surface. This allowed Barron to lead the pack down for the final restart of the race.
Barron held on his first Pro-stock win of the young season. Les Whyte finished second followed by Randy Miller, Lee Burnett and Rick Miller.
Mike Minutlo took command of the Pure Stock 10-lap feature on lap four and never looked back. Beetle Peters's first race of the new season in the Pure stocks proved profitable finishing second.
This coming Mother's Day Eve, at Canandaigua will be WACK- WNNR Radio and Wesley Construction night. The sportsman cars will be vying for a guaranteed starting spot at Syracuse come July. A complete program of DIRT Modifieds, Sportsman, Pro-Stocks and Pure Stocks will be on tap. Racing starts at 7:00 p.m.
AUTO TRADER MAGAZINE-COMPUTER EXCELLENCE NIGHT SUMMARY
PURE STOCKS
FEATURE (10-laps): MIKE MINUTLO, Beetle Peters, Steve Miller, Tim Burnell, Mike Archer, Leroy Lewis, Brad Steinruck, Jamie Eldridge, Glen Peters, Todd Stanton.
PRO-STOCKS
HEAT 1: S. Fremouw, C. Homan, L. Whyte, D. Conant, B. Brown, J. Gagne.
HEAT 2: J. Unaman, T. Barron, L. Burnett, Ri. Miller, C. Homan.
FEATURE (15-laps): TOM BARRON, Les Whyte, Randy Miller, Lee Burnett, Rick Miller, Chad Homan, Dave Conant, Phil Barone, Jerry Sullivan, Brian Thompson, Dan Weisner, Jim Burba, Scott Fremouw, Bobby Lutz, Jim Gagne, Billy Brown, John Unaman, Wayne Ellison, Frank Burnell, John Miller.
SPORTSMAN
HEAT 1: M. Button, P.Guererri, C. Ridsdale, R. VanNeil, L. Lincoln.
HEAT 2: S. Gray, V. Vitale, K. Comfort, Ju. Haers, K. Stell.
HEAT 3: D. Darling, T. Henderson, J. Haers Jr., L. Dusett, W. Czymmek.
FEATURE (20-laps): KARL COMFORT, Mike Button, Lance Dusett, Todd Henderson, Vince Vitale, Rich Swarthout, Jerry Haers Jr., Rick VanNeil, Ron Cartwright, Wade Czymmek, Justin Haers, Clay Parmelee, David Allen, Keith Stell, Dave VanArsdale, Dale
Darling, Todd Preston, Chris Ridsdale, John Pfeffer, Steve Gray, Loren Lincoln, Paul Guererri, Bill Englert.
MODIFIED
HEAT 1: P. Ward, C. Bower, D. Johnson, R. Bliss Jr., B. Hoff.
HEAT 2: B. Decker, C. Donk, S. Schultz, G. Tomkins, B. Turner.
HEAT 3: B. McCreadie, S. Paine, V. Coffey, C. Hebing, J. Hoff.
FEATURE (35-laps): STEVE PAINE, Bob McCreadie, Billy Decker, Gary Tomkins, Danny Johnson, Charlie Donk, Pat Ward, Tim Fuller, Chuck Hebing, Chuck Bower, Vic Coffey, Bryon Turner, Steve Schultz, Dave Axton, Ray Bliss Jr., Bill Hoff, Jeff Hoff, Jim Burke, Steve Glover, John Little, Darryl Ruggles.