MARK HITCHCOCK, JOHN LAZORE, PETE BACKUS, BILLY WOODWARD, JR. AND ROCK NILES

CLAIM VICTORIES AT FROGTOWN

Hogansburg, NY - Mark Hitchcock of Kingston, Ontario needed a win in the worst way to get back into the point chase at Frogtown International Speedway and got it on Bears Den / JR Fuels night on Saturday. You could say that both car and driver were still recovering from a serious flip at Cornwall Motor Speedway two weeks ago and since that crash had not had things going their way. But on this night that was not the case.

Doug Fuller and Mike Reyell started on the front row of the 13th running of the Firecracker 25 358 Modified event with Doug grabbing the early lead. Hitchcock wasted no time in going to the front from his #4 starting position on the grid and grabbed the lead in the early going from Fuller followed closely by the popular Leon Gonyo and a surprising Greg Monica. Monica had talked to three or four other drivers on the DIRT circuit during the week about trying something different with the set up of the car. Evidently the hard work and what he had found out paid off big for the Malone star with his best run of the season. Back in the pack, Dave Heaslip, Jeff Sykes and Kevin Fetterly began to make their runs. The big story in this one was the incredible runs that Heaslip, Doug Fuller and "Boomer" McIntyre made coming from the very back after being involved in incidents early in the race to finish where they did.

Leon Gonyo had numerous opportunities to catch Hitchcock on cautions but the speedy Kingston, Ontario native was hooked up perfectly and went on for the victory. Leon Gonyo finished a very impressive second with Dave Heaslip, Jeff Sykes and Kevin Fetterly rounding out the top five.

In the DIRT Pro Stock division, it was John Lazore making it two in a row at the Frog but not before he had to battle his way there in what turned out to be a race to remember or forget depending on who you may be at Frogtown.

Brian Loeb and Melvin Rush started on the pole with Loeb grabbing the lead early. Casey Swamp moved in quickly to grab the lead from Loeb only to have young star Clayton Benedict take it away from him in lap #4. Benedict fought off challenge after challenge in the race plus numerous cautions that saw some very scary accident occur.

First a four car crash in turn #4 saw four drivers get pounded pretty good sending all four to the pits with serious damage including a trip to the pit area in the ambulance for Tammy Jalbert. The popular lady driver from Cornwall, Ontario checked out ok much to the delight of the crowd.

On lap #10, Dave Bissonnette, Mitchell Jock and former Semi Pro track champion Greg Snyder got involved in a terrible crash coming out of turn #4 that send Dave Bissonnette flipping in his Quality Concrete car #10. Dave crawled out of the car ok but dejected and took the long painful walk back to the pits. Jock was able to continue but Snyder also went to the pits.

When racing resumed, Benedict grabbed the lead, but Lazore was on the move and was not going to be denied and with two laps left, made the pass on Benedict and went on for the win. Clayton Benedict drove a great race to finish second with the always steady Jody Swamp again with a top five finish getting up for third. Stephane LeBrun came all the way from the back to finish in 4th, with Jason Gabrielle rounding out the top five in his first race behind the wheel of the #1 Pro Stock this season.

In the Semi Pro division, it was Pete Backus picking up the win but not after an incredible battle with new comer Caleb Bradley. At one point Bradley was able to wrestle the lead away from Backus but the crafty Semi Pro veteran still had one more trick up his sleeve and took the lead back on lap #13 of the event for good. Bradley hung on for second with Chad Vallance finishing third. Kevin Fetterly, Jr. and Mike Trombley rounded out the top five.

In the always exciting and unpredictable Bandit class, Billy "Woo Woo" Woodward made it two in a row at "The Frog" and two in a row on the weekend picking up the win at Brockville, Ontario Speedway the night before. Kevin Mere was able to get the early lead and looked awful good until Woodward came from his 8th starting spot to make the pass at the halfway mark and go on for the win. Roch Aubin came out of nowhere to get by Mere for second, as Kevin had to settle for third. Newcomer Bob Ray got up for 4th with Ernie Cree rounding out the top five.

In the Enduro Division, Rock Niles started up front and after a number of challenges from Ricky Thompson, went on for the win in a very exciting Enduro feature. Thompson settled for second with Robbie Grant, Leon Delormier and Frances Thompson rounding out the top five.

Next Saturday night the Mr. Radiator tour series makes its stop at Frogtown for the Pro Stocks and Canadian Late Models representing area tracks Autodrome Edleweiss, Cornwall Motor Speedway and Frogtown International Speedway. There will also be a regular card of racing for the 358 Modifieds, Semi Pros, Bandits and a 20 lap Slic Track Enduro feature paying $100.00 to win.

Frogtown International Speedway is located just off Route 37 on Frogtown Road in Hogansburg, (Akwesasne), New York. Pit gates open at 5:30 p.m. with the main grandstand opening at 6:00 p.m. The first race will go at 7:00 p.m. sharp. You can visit us on the World Wide Web at www.frogtownspeedway.net. SEE YOU AT THE FROG!

MODIFIED: Mark Hitchcock, Leon Gonyo, Dave Heaslip, Jeff Sykes, Kevin Fetterly, Doug Fuller, Greg Monica, Boomer McIntyre, Dan Jalbert, Bill Woodward, Perry Francis, Chris Jones, Tom Jock, Jr., Simon Marcoux, Jim Lazore, Delbert LeGrow, Brian McDonald, Bill Cook, Mike Reyell, Mark Smoke, Kyle Jacobs, Matt Gonyo, Bruce Sawyer and Tom Gonyo.

PRO STOCK: John Lazore, Clayton Benedict, Jody Swamp, Stephane LeBrun, Jason Gabrielle, Travis Back, Adam Chapman, Melvin Rush, Casey Swamp, Mitchell Jock, Mark Therrien, Joel Herne, Dave Bissonnette, Greg Snyder, Tammy Jalbert, Jason Fetterly, Roy Delormier, Tim Allen, Junior Barnes, Gilles Godard, William Adams, Louie Jackson and Bryan Loeb. DNS: Scott Kocher.

SEMI PRO: Pete Backus, Caleb Bradley, Chad Vallance, Kevin Fetterly, Jr., Mike Trombley, Wayne Foster, Ryan Phillips, Kevin Clement, Bruce Merpaw, Carey Terrance, Greg Ezard, Mike David, Craig Reyell, Steven Brand, Andrew Bordeau, Dick Planty, Scott Mere, Tylor Terry, John Bashaw and Mike McDonald. DNS: Dale Seymour.

BANDIT: Billy Woodward, Jr., Roch Aubin, Kevin Mere, Bob Ray, Ernie Cree, Dudes Thompson, Robert Bolia, Gilles Bernique, Leonard Duval, Joey Foster, #07s, Jeb Beeson, Larry Lapage, Dan Lortie, Nick Mallette, Kurtis McPhee, John Bradley and Nico Leblanc. DNS: Jim Webb.

ENDURO: Rock Niles, Ricky Thompson, Robbie Grant, Leon Delormier, Francis Thompson, Brandon Snyder, Donald Delormier, Tom Square, Kyle Delormier, #XXX, #402, Corey Castell, Corey Edwards, Chad Shantie, Matt Langdon, Tyson Cole, Steve Bushey, Jr., Dillon Cole, Adam Bandy, Mark Almond, Andrew Bonesteel, Konka Lazore, #54, #21X, #18 Ayotte and #07s. DNS: Kevin Thompson and Steve Green.