CHAD BRACHMANN RETURNS TO MERRITTVILLE SPEEDWAY WINNER’S CIRCLE
By Bruce Bonham
THOROLD, ON - June 30 — Chad Brachmann made a rare appearance at Merrittville Speedway Monday, and after a near-record 12 caution flags in the Canada Day 50-lap modified marathon, beat the boss.
The North Tonawanda, N.Y. former track sportsman champ — here from his usual Saturday night big block mod program at Canandaigua (N.Y.) Speedway — overhauled rookie Rob Pietz in the early going, then kept his racer in front of co-speedway owner, Pete Bicknell.
“We’ve been struggling this year and I wasn’t looking out for Bicknell. I just drove my own race,” said Brachmann after the 50-minute feature event in front of 2,600 fans of Bicknell’s strong bid to lead when getting beside Brachmann with 11 laps remaining.
“With all the cautions, I knew I had to get in the groove and keep focused. But the stops helped me settle down, clear the lapped traffic and give me racing room on the restarts.”
When Barry Davidson dropped the green flag, four cars tangled at Turn 4 for the first of 12 cautions. Lap 2, Brad Rouse lost it, again in the fourth turn; two laps later Scott Wood, Boyd MacTavish and Randy Chrysler mixed it up — once again at Turn 4.
After 20 minutes and five cautions to get 10-laps in, four-time mod winner Wood hit the front-stretch concrete barrier hard after a nudge from Fred Carleton.
Chrysler of Tuscarora, N.Y. was taken out when piling into Wood’s disabled racer.
Emerging uninjured — but angry — from the damaged No. 38, he was restrained by track officials from throwing his removable steering wheel at Thorold veteran Carleton. Wood managed a few kicks at Carleton’s circling No. 96 while tow truck crews removed the wreckage.
Miraculously, Wood’s crew managed to make pit side repairs with time gained from more yellow flags, and returned to the race finishing 19th.
Brachmann, who re-drawed for the ninth starting position was up to second challenging Rob Pietz, making a good effort to stay out front. Brachmann slipped by at Turn 4 for the point on Lap 11 while the Port Colborne rookie retaliated to lead another circuit before the New York driver took over for good three laps later.
The eighth caution flew when two-time track champ Brian Stevens’ car broke on the front stretch, ending his night.
Two cautions later Pete Cosco brought out another yellow, the 10th, at Lap 26. Cosco was sent to the pits, black flagged for mixing it up with Paul Ashton during the caution laps.
With the longest run of 18 laps, Tim Murdock of Georgetown lost it in Turn 4, while the final caution of the night, also on Lap 44, was for debris.
Larry Lampman’s ride in third, after getting by fourth-place finisher Pietz at mid-race, was good enough to take over the title chase by two points over Wood. Jamie Turner finished a strong fifth, while MacTavish slipped by Todd Gordon for sixth.
Darrell Ebersole finally hit pay dirt when he led the entire 25-lap sportsman feature distance, in a car previously owned by Wood.
“We’ve really had some tough breaks this season,” said the Ridgeway runner, who began the season with several top five finishes but out of the money recently. “Frustration was beginning to set in, but we’re finally getting it together.”
Wayne Conn, who’s dominated the series with five feature wins, sliced through the pack from the 12th starting position to get by Mike Ward with two laps to go and a second place finish. Tim Jones, who finished second in Saturday’s last-lap thriller was fourth.
Saturday winner Bobby Davidson — taking his first win in 11 years — was out of the race 13 laps in, registering last in the final scoring.
Tammy Willard, subbing for brother Billy said she was probably a little rusty for her first race of the season, started 15th and ended up a respectable seventh.
In stark contrast to the mod debacle, the street stockers ran 15 caution free laps, despite a four-wide, Lap 4 lead-taking move by Mike Dooley.
Dooley, who seemed poised to take his first win after top-five finishes all season, cut down in front of Kirk Wilson coming out of Turn 2 and spun out of contention.
Defending series champ Wilson, who’s had a miserable season with only one top three finish, led the final two laps for his first win of the season.
“Mike came down in front of me to get away from a lapped car. I was already on the guard rail — can’t go any lower than that,” said Wilson after his victory lap. “We’ve had a horrible season compared to last year. Maybe this will turn it around.”
Dolf McCready kept his point lead alive with a third place finish, behind Kevin Kocarik, but fronting Peter Reid and four-time winner Rob Murray.
“Basically, it’s the first time I’ve raced on dirt,” said happy four cylinder feature winner James Wood of Georgetown.
Wood, no relation to Scott, put a pass on early leader and second-place finisher Tom Beales while Glen Leinen, winner of the last two 15 lappers, was third.
RESULTS:
Modified (50 laps): CHAD BRACHMANN, Pete Bicknell, Larry Lampman, Rob Pietz, Jamie Turner, Boyd MacTavish, Todd Gordon, Richie Vinson, Robbie Krull, Tim Murdock, Brad Rouse, Rick Richner, Paul Ashton, Dan Miller, Chris Ricker, Gary Kruchka, Don Turner, Fred Carleton, Scott Wood, Brad Gravestock, Brian Stevens, Greg Rauscher, Randy Chrysler, Ken Winfield, Mark Golding, Pete Cosco.
Heats: 1. Richie Vinson; 2. Chad Brachmann; 3. Rick Richner.
Sportsman (25 laps): DARRELL EBERSOLE, Wayne Conn, Mike Ward, Tim Jones,. Jim Rouston, Adam Ferri, Tammy Willard, Dereck Lemyre, John McKenney, Don Spiece, Mark Potter, Darren Zumpe, Paul Gaboury, Dennis Giancola, Kevin Sharpe, Stan Zanchin, Billy Bleich, Blair Young, Bobby Davidson.
Heats: 1. Darrell Ebersole; 2. Tim Jones.
Street Stocks (15 laps): KIRK WILSON,. Kevin Kocarik, Dolf McCready, Peter Reid, Rob Murray, Rick Champigny, Ron Kingsbury, Ed Fargnoli, Gerry Deschamps, Mike Dooley, Carl Saunders, Rick Simons, Terry Larmet, Wayne Paquette, Kevin Baker.
Heats: 1. Peter Reid; 2. Rick Champigny.
Four Cylinder (15 Laps): JAMES WOOD, Tom Beales, Glen Leinen, Norm Mark, Mike Giberson, Dan Stewart, Trevor Goulding, Mike Evers, Vic Mealing, Larry Erskine, Dave Bitner, Gord Bates.
Heats:1. Norm Mark; 2. Rick Beales.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CALL MERRITTVILLE SPEEDWAY - 905-892-8266 - or visit our Web site: www.merrittvillespeedway.com