MIKE PERROTTE TAKES MEMORIAL CUP TOP HONORS AT FROGTOWN
Mike Perrotte of Morrisonville, NY has been a track champion 2 years in a row but has never won the Memorial Cup until now. Perrotte bested a tough 30 car field to win his first Memorial Cup and a trip to Syracuse for Super DIRT week in October.
Perrotte and Cornwall Ontario's Brian McDonald started on the front row of the main event with Perrotte wasting no time in taking the lead early and setting the pace, followed by McDonald, Mark Hitchcock, Kevin Fetterly and Dave Heaslip. In lap #4, Dave Heaslip's bid to become a 3 time winner of the cup came to an end as front end problems sent the long time fan favorite to the pits early and also bringing out the first caution of the event. On the restart, Perrotte grabbed the lead again now followed by a determined Mark Hitchcock, Jeff Sykes, Kevin Fetterly and Brian McDonald. But all eyes were on the Budweiser car #21S of Bruce Sawyer who started 20th in the field and by lap 8 found himself sitting 6th until he hit the front straight away wall and bounced back out into on coming traffic. Mike Reyell came down the front stretch and had no place to go except into the back end of Sawyer ending both competitors evening of racing.
On the restart, Perrotte once again grabbed the lead and this time decided to put some distance between himself and a determined Jeff Sykes and Mark Hitchcock who staged a tremendous battle throughout the entire race. They were followed closely by both Kevin Fetterly and Brian McDonald who were also in an intense competition in the first part of the race. On lap #34, Kevin Fetterly developed engine problems ending his bid for the cup.
Coming into lap #35, Perrotte continued to lead the field followed by Sykes, Hitchcock, McDonald and a surprising Bill Woodward. Perrotte continued to elude both Hitchcock and Sykes in traffic and increasing his lead on every lap until on lap #47 when the caution flag waved.
This put both Hitchcock and Sykes both closer to Perrotte but when the green flag come out again, Perrotte knew he had to be on the gas quickly to hold the lead. Perrotte did so and went on to win his first ever Memorial cup. Mark Hitchcock was finally able to get by Jeff Sykes to finish second, Sykes was third with Brian McDonald who ran a superb race along with Bill Woodward rounding out the top five.
In the 1st running of the "Veteran's Trophy" for the DIRT Pro Stocks, it was Akwasasne's Mitchell Jock coming home the winner after an early race heated battle with Dave "the Bulldog" Bissonnette. Bissonnette held the lead until lap #10 when problems developed sending the #10 to the pits. Jock grabbed the lead in the JR Fuels #14 and never looked back. Scott Kocher who started 6th in the field got up for second as Gilles Godard, Tim Allen and Bryan Loeb rounded out the top five.
In the Frenchie's Chevrolet-Olds 15 lap Semi Pro event, Greg Snyder of Fort Covington, NY made sure to let everyone know that he had not lost his touch over the winter and fought off a determined Jeff Marshall for the win. Steven Brand, Pete Backus and Tom Chubb rounded out the top five.
In the Bandit division, Don Jacobs showed everyone in the division that he will be a force to be reckoned with in 2002 as he dominated a highly competitve field to win the Bandit feature go. Roch Aubin continued a successful weekend following up his win at the Brockville Ontario Speedway with a second place finish as Ron Sharlow, Scott Mere and Kevin Mere rounded out the top five.
In the always exciting and unpredictable Enduro feature, Dillon Cole scored his first win.
Next week it will be Mohawk Springs Water, Mac Tools (Lee VanRiper Prop.) and Village Hobby and Trophy night at the Speedway. It will also be Modified autograph night with the fans getting a chance to get an autograph from there favorite Modified star just before the start of the 9th running of the Spring Fling 358 Modified Feature.
Frogtown Internation Speedway is located just off Route 37 on Frogtown Road in Hogansburg, NY. You can visit us at our web site at www.frogtownspeedway.com. WE WILL SEE YOU AT THE FROG!
MODIFIED: Mike Perrotte, Mark Hitchcock, Jeff Sykes, Brian McDonald, Bill Woodward, Leon Gonyo, Chris Jones, Delbert LeGrow, Bill Cook, Jim Lazore, Sandy Roberts, Greg Monica, Tom Gonyo, Peter Mantha, Joel Doiron, Kevin Fetterly, Ben Tucker, Dave Heaslip, Perry Francis, Bill Mullin, Wallace Stacey, Doug Fuller, Craig Ormsby, Mike Reyell, Matt Gonyo, Jeff Ciglich, Mark Smoke, Bruce Sawyer and Kyle Jacobs. DNS: Dan Douville
PRO STOCK: Mitchell Jock, Scott Kocher, Gilles Godard, Tim Allen, Bryan Loeb, John Lazore, William Adams and Dave Bissonnette. DNS: Jody Swamp and Casey Swamp.
SEMI PRO: Greg Snyder, Jeff Marshall, Steven Brand, Pete Backus, Tom Chubb, Jamie Martin, Paul Czyz, Dick Planty, Barry Marshall, Ronnie Thompson, Melvin Rush, Neal Provost II, Kevin Mayville, Norman Seguin, Chris Rabideau and Junior Barnes. DNS: Ryan Phillips and Creig Donnelly.
BANDIT: Don Jacobs, Roch Aubin, Ron Sharlow, Scott Mere, Kevin Mere, Danielle Legault, Steve Jeffery, Jr., Nick Mallette, Craig Reyell, Gordon Derouchie, Bob Weeks, Robert Bolia, Kevin Fetterly, Jr., Joey Foster, Rosco Garreau and John Bashaw. DNS: Ron Tyo.
ENDURO: Dillon Cole, Peabody, Leon Delormier, Tom Wilson, Cory Sunday, Tim Webb, Calvin Clement, Fred Wilson III, Kevin Clement, Mike House, Alex Thompson, Jr., Jesse Beeson, Thomas Square, Brandon Snyder, Ricky Thompson, Tom Square, Daniel Webb, Steve Bushey and Fred Wilson IV. DNS: Thomas Mitchell.