RICH RICCI JR. CAPTURES MODIFIED CHECKER, K.C. GOEWEY CLAIMS SPORTSMAN HONORS

AUGUST 18, 2001

WEST LEBANON, NY-Rich Ricci Jr, from New Paltz, picked up the victory in the 30-lap modified feature Saturday night at Lebanon Valley. K.C. Goewey won the sportsman feature and Ed Bachand was victorious in the 20-lap Pro Stock feature. The fine folks from ST. LAWRENCE CEMENT and their SAVE THE PLANET campaign brought the action to us Saturday night. The fans were also entertained by another great fireworks display.

Twenty-nine cars were on the track and set to start the 30-lap modified feature. Mike Benson had some problems and went to the pits before the green flag was thrown. More problems on the start as the field tried to go four wide in turn two. Kenny Tremont hopped the left rear wheel of Ronnie Johnson and spun sideways, J.R. Heffner was also collected up in the mess. Both Tremont and Heffner would rejoin the race at the rear of the pack. Denny Soltis held the point until lap two. Paul Gilardi made heavy contact with the turn three wall and came to a stop on the frontstretch on lap two. The second caution on lap two saw Dave Mosher get spun around on the frontstretch, but he did a masterful job of avoiding the inside retaining wall.

Steve Devine grabbed the top spot on the restart followed closely by Rich Ricci Jr. The lead swapped again on lap three, as Ricci was able to motor past Devine going into the third turn. Behind the leaders Eddie Marshall and Dickie Larkin were waging a battle for the fourth position. Donnie Corellis had a strong run on Saturday night. He made his way around Devine for second on lap seven and tried to reel in Ricci. Tremont had worked his way back to eighth by lap eight after his first lap skirmish. Ricci opened up a half-straightaway advantage by lap eleven. Tim Dwyer grabbed third on a lap 12 restart from Marshall.

The final caution of the race came on lap 14 when Chris Moore and Mike King collided in turn two. Jason Goff came in under the yellow to change a flat right rear tire. Tremont used the restart to move into the top five. Ronnie Johnson won a three-wide battle for tenth on lap 18. Ricci was able to open up a twenty-car advantage over Corellis with ten laps remaining in the feature. Tremont slipped by Dwyer for third on lap 21 and set his sights on Corellis. Tremont made the pass by Corellis with two laps remaining but could not close the gap on Ricci as the checkered flag fell. It was the second win of the season for Ricci. He was piloting the same car that he used last year, because they have not been happy with the new car they have been using all season. Tremont, Corellis, Marshall and Dwyer followed Ricci across the line.

Jeff Watson had a strong car early in the 20-lap sportsman feature as he led the first four laps of the event. Art Collins, Sparky Lowe and Bobby Knipe were battling three-wide for position trying to work their way through the field. Charlie Hume made heavy contact with the frontstretch wall bringing out the caution on lap four. K.C. Goewey used the restart to blast into the lead. The top five at the halfway point was Goewey, Collins, Roy Bridge, Sparky Lowe and Joe Bennett Knipe moved into fifth on lap 12. Hawley Smith bounced over the inside berm in turn three. Something must have broken on Smith’s mount as he went right into the frontstretch wall on the same lap. Fortunately he was not injured.

Frank Harper and Jay Casey came together in turn two and three other cars made hard contact with their disabled cars. The red flag was thrown to make sure everyone was safe. Only bumps and bruises were reported. The caution flag flew one more time setting up a one-lap dash to the finish. Goewey was not to be denied as he took the victory. Collin was second, Lowe third, Bridge fourth and Knipe fifth.

Ed Bachand took the lead on the start of the 20-lap Pro Stock main event. He would survive two early cautions to maintain that lead until lap six. The most serious accident of the race came on lap five as Tom Brandt, Buddy Hencke and Bob Duzlak all made heavy contact with the frontstretch wall. Danny Sanchez passed Bachand for the lead going into turn three on lap six. Bachand tried to duck under Sanchez coming off turn four, but Sanchez was able to hold the lead. It was not to be for Sanchez on this night as he went pitside on lap ten, handing the lead back to Bachand.

A lap fifteen caution set the stage for a five-lap dash to the finish. Jim Lagenback applied a little pressure to Bachand with two laps to go, but Bachand held him off and took the victory. Robbie Speed, fresh off his win Monday night, finished third while Rob Yetman finished fourth and Butch Irwin rounded out the top five.

Wally Engel, Pete Wiegand, Bob Burl and Josh Brandt won the Pure Stock features and Dan Blackburn and Ralph Hotchkiss won the two Rookie features.

8-18 CASTLE SPRINGS WATER / ST. LAWRENCE CEMENT COMPANY RESULTS (30 LAPS) - 1) Rich Ricci Jr, 2) Kenny Tremont Jr, 3) Donnie Corellis, 4) Eddie Marshall, 5) Tim Dwyer, 6) Matt Quinn, 7) Dickie Larkin, 8) Ronnie Johnson, 9) J.R. Heffner, 10) Hector Stratton, 11) Steve Devine, 12) Dave Leckonby, 13) Maynard Forrette, 14) Guy Sheldon, 15) Jason Goff, 16) Dave Mosher, 17) Mike King, 18) Dave McFeeters, 19) Wayne Figler, 20) Dave Baranowski, 21) Denny Soltis, 22) Lee Gagliardi, 23) John Tucker, 24) John Royals, 25) John Alberti, 26) Chris Moore, 27) Paul Gilardi, 28) Rob Pitcher, 29) Mike Benson

SPORTSMAN RESULTS (20 LAPS) - 1) K.C. Goewey, 2) Art Collins, 3) Sparky Lowe, 4) Roy Bridge, 5) Bobby Knipe, 6) Joe Bennett, 7) Don Miller, 8) Donnie Ackner, 9) Ernie Palmer Jr, 10) Lorne Browe, 11) Mike Mason, 12) Jeff Watson, 13) Whitey Slavin, 14) Mark Flach Jr, 15) Mike Keeler, 16) John Scarborough, 17) Jay Casey, 18) Frank Harper, 19) Walt McKay, 20) Ted Teal, 21) Hawley Smith, 22) Pat O'Hanlon, 23) Carmon Carnibucci, 24) Jason Tompkins, 25) Charlie Humes

8-18 CAPITAL SPEED EQUIPMENT $400 TO WIN PRO STOCK RESULTS (20 LAPS) - 1) Ed Bachand, 2) Jim Langenback, 3) Robbie Speed, 4) Rob Yetman, 5) Butch Irwin, 6) Ricky Duzlak, 7) Al Blackburn, 8) Dan Galulo, 9) Adam Haas, 10) Paul LaRochelle, 11) Nick Rogers, 12) Danny Sanchez, 13) Howard Madsen, 14) Don Ely, 15) Tom Brandt, 16) Buddy Hencke, 17) Bob Duzlak Jr

ROOKIE "A" RESULTS (8 LAPS) - 1) Dan Blackburn, 2) Dave Colwell, 3) Charlie Woodard, 4) Phil Moffit, 5) Brian Keough, 6) Henry Warner, 7) Lawrence Ball, 8) Chris DeCiel, 9) Joe Mabb Jr, 10) Jason DiBello

ROOKIE "B" RESULTS (8 LAPS) - 1) Ralph Hotchkiss, 2) Wayne Keyes, 3) Ed Bishop, 4) Bill Hammell, 5) Tom Bungay, 6) Chris Claus, 7) Don Belanger, 8) Jim Keough, 9) Phil Wood, 10) E. J. Legeyt, 11) Michael Kratz, 12) Mike Fachini

PURE STOCK "A" RESULTS (8 LAPS) - 1) Bob Burl, 2) Jim O'Neil, 3) Ronald Johnson, 4) Jon Betz, 5) Jeff Kuhnow, 6) Jeff Douglass, 7) Larry Megan, 8) Robert Brown, 9) Pierre Dupont, 10) D.T. Pickard, 11) Mark Huston, 12) Mark Stevens, 13) Henry Dickinson, 14) Marcus Tifft, 15) Ron Tritschler

PURE STOCK "B" RESULTS (8 LAPS) - 1) Wally Engel, 2) Jim Hankey, 3) Ryan Larkin, 4) Dave Atwater, 5) Kevin Dolan, 6) Jay Martin, 7) Jamie Reutenauer, 8) Ron Hapeman, 9) Michael Dianda, 10) Chrissy Hilt, 11) Doug Moore, 12) Don Coon, 13) Seth Spencer, 14) Randy Brink, 15) Paul Handlowich

PURE STOCK "C" RESULTS (8 LAPS) - 1) Peter Wiegand, 2) Rich Harkins, 3) Todd Pelkey, 4) Jim Dellea, 5) Bob Palmer, 6) George Miles Jr, 7) Earl Soulier Jr, 8) Chris Streeter, 9) Michael Davis, 10) Randy Myers, 11) Eric Sbrega, 12) David Stickles, 13) Bruce Moffit, 14) Brian Sandstedt, 15) Gene Cushman

PURE STOCK "D" RESULTS (8 LAPS) - 1) Joshua Brandt, 2) Jason Casey, 3) John Connor Jr, 4) Robert Gibson, 5) Joe DiStefano, 6) Steve Hatch, 7) Mike Witherell, 8) Nick Hilt, 9) Fay Fachini, 10) Lee Gallant, 11) Kory Sandstedt, 12) Ryan Coon, 13) Dwayne Dauski, 14) Mike Middleton, 15) John Denue