'HURRICANE' WARNINGS RETURN TO BLACK ROCK
by Don Dunham
DUNDEE, NY…Steve Paine returned to victory lane last Friday night in the 358 Modifieds last Friday night at the Black Rock Speedway. Dave Fultz made it three wins in four weeks in the PPG Super-Stocks. Eddie Machuga took the win in the Regional International Pro-Trucks. In the NAPA 4 Cyl. Stocks, Brian Conley and Joe Povoski were victorious. Tyler Avery took the win in the Black Rock Bandits on Machuga Contractors night.
After a couple of weeks of absence from victory lane, the "Hurricane" Steve Paine returned to that hallowed piece of ground at the Black Rock Speedway in the 358 Modified division. There was no doubt that he was the man to beat on this night. He was on the charge early and took the lead from Scott Benedict on the back straight on lap five, and ran away and hid from the rest of the field. The only thing that kept him from lapping half the field was several caution flag periods. The first of which occurred on lap 7 as Ray Bliss and Dan Mathews got together and spun in turn four. On the ensuing re-start, Aaron Jacobus got out of line too early and got into Scott Benedict, this spun Benedict in turn one, and Derrick Podsiadlo, and Dan Mathews were also involved. Jacobus got the black flag for this incident. As the race resumed, Paine continued to run away from the field, but there was some good racing going on behind him as Bryon Turner, Todd Henderson, Charlie Donk, and Gil Tegg were having a tight battle. Turner and Donk broke away from the pack and had their own private war for second place, as Paine sailed off into the sunset. At the checkers it was Paine in for the big win, Donk held on for second, Bryon Turner was third, fourth was Todd Henderson, and Alex Hoag filled out the top five. Heat winners were Tim Sebring, Scott Benedict, and Aaron Jacobus.
The PPG Super-Stocks provided plenty of action and a third win for Dave Fultz in four weeks. Dave DuBois has had a hot hand lately in this division, and was racing for the lead early with "Jungle" Jim Schuyler. These two hot shoes pulled away from the rest of the field, and raced door handle to door handle for many laps. Lap six saw the first yellow flag fly as Chris Dobson had a flat tire, Rob Conklin also stopped on the front straight at this time. Also during this period, Dale Welty's bad luck continues as he suffered yet another flat tire on his pink and black #1-2-3! Luckily for him this was a prolonged caution for water on the front stretch, and he was able to re-join the field with out losing a lap. When the green lights came back on Schuyler and DuBois their great battle for the lead, but Dave Fultz was on the move and closing in on the lead duo, and took over second on lap 12. Schuyler dropped back to fifth. The race for the lead now was between DuBois and Fultz, and Chris Daugherty was a close third, and Kevin Chilson was fourth. Dave Fultz started to pull away from the pack, but on lap 16 Jim Schuyler spun his 57J in turn four, and Mike Carapella had no place to go and made heavy contact with Schuyler. Both drivers were uninjured, but their mounts were done for the night. As the race resumed, Fultz was able to pull away again, and took his third win in four weeks. Dave DuBois continues his great runs of late and got second. Third was Kevin Chilson, fourth went to Chris Daugherty, and with his fifth place finish, Carl Cleveland takes over the point lead. Heats were won by, Dave DuBois, Chris Daugherty, and Mike Carapella.
In Regional Pro-Truck racing action, Eddie Machuga wanted to win on this night because his cousin Rick's contracting company was the evenings sponsor. The rest of the field wishes he wasn't quite so determined to win this race. He was fast right from the green flag and was in the lead by the second lap. He had the field pretty well covered, but there was some great racing going on behind him as Tom Austin and Don Divens were battling for second and third. This race came to an end for Divens as he spun his mount in turn four on lap 12. This moved point leader Steve Brace up to third. When the checkered flag dropped, it was Eddie Machuga taking the win, Tom Austin closed fast at the end and got second, third was Steve Brace, fourth was Bob Buono, and Ron Divens filled out the top five. Tom Austin and Eddie Machuga took heats.
In the NAPA 4 Cyl. Stocks, Joe Povoski continues to be the man to beat as he cruised to his sixth win of the season the first of two 15 lap features He took the lead on lap five and the rest they say is history Jay Potrzebowski and Jack Ayres provided the racing action in this one as they race hard for second and third. When the checkers flew, Povoski was the winner, second went to A Jay Potrzebowski, Jack Ayres was third, fourth was Phil Yaw, and Mike Smalley was fifth.
In the second race for the 4 Cyl. Stocks, Brian Conley in the 96 Jr. took the early lead and held it throughout the event, taking his second win in the division. Karl Weichenthal battled hard through the field and got a hard-earned second, third was Scott Yaw, fourth went to Mike Hughey, and Mike Jackson rounded out the top five. Heats were won by, Mike Hughey, Brian Conley, Scott Yaw, and Joe Povoski.
Trevor Sutherland took his second in the Black Rock Bandits division. He took the lead on the opening lap in turn three, and looked to have an easy time of it. But Point leader, Steven Ovens in the Joe Povoski #1 charged from the tail of the field, and finished a half car length behind the winner. Third was "Fast" Frank Guererri Jr. in the Skip Dean back up car #74X, fourth went to, Joe Kurtz and Adam Chisom filled out the top five.
MACHUGA CONTRACTORS RACE SUMMARY: MODIFIEDS; (25 LAPS): STEVE PAINE, Charlie Donk, Bryon Turner, Todd Henderson, Alex Hoag, Gil Tegg Jr., John Moravec, Lenny Leibold Jr., Steve Mandell, Stacy Jackson, Scott Benedict, Tom Stewart, Lance Dussett, Brian Swarthout, Jon Kuleszo, Chuck Kennison, Derrick Podsiadlo, Tim Sebring, Dan Mathews, Ray Bliss, Dave Yehl, Ray Dann.
PPG SUPER-STOCKS:(20 LAPS):DAVE FULTZ, Dave DuBois, Kevin Chilson, Chris Daugherty, Carl Cleveland, Larry Knowles, Dale Welty, Rich Karlnoski, Quinn Sutherland, Jason Clugstone, Artie Teed, John Sutryk, Jim Schuyler, Mike Carapella, Jeremiah Nielsen, Chris Dobson, Rob Conklin, Chris McCann. REGIONAL INTERNATIONAL PRO-TRUCKS (20 LAPS): EDDIE MACHUGA, Tom Austin, Steve Brace, Bob Buono, Ron Divens, Matt Balmer, Jim Roberts, Doug Buckley, Keith Austin, Don Divens, Rich Easling, Jeff Barner, Brian Metcalf, Fred Buckley, Jeff Smith.
NAPA 4 CYL. STOCKS RACE #1(15 LAPS): JOE POVOSKI, A Jay Potrzebowski, Jack Ayres, Phil Yaw, Mike Smalley, Scott Bradley, Skip Dean, Eddie Crawford, Trevor Bentley, Terry Povoski, Les Irwin, Alfred Clark, David Little, Willie Grant Jr., John Burritt, Shawn Brace, Serenity Sutherland, Chuck Leasure, Nicola Knickerbocker, Jeremy Potrzebowski.
4 CYL. STOCKS RACE #2(15 LAPS) BRIAN CONLEY, Karl Weichenthal, Scott Yaw, Mike Hughey, Mike Jackson, Jason White, Ray Hyer, Jake Clancey, Ryan Davenport, Mike Buchanan, Kenny Hunt, Brandon Smith, Tim Povoski, Brett Buono, Jared Hill, Mike Brace, Zack Gardiner, Donnie Lawson, Jimmy Grant, Mike White.
BLACK ROCK BANDITS (10 LAPS): TREVOR SUTHERLAND, Steven Ovens, Frank Guererri Jr., Joe Kurtz, Adam Chisom, Jon Wallenbeck, Derek Mills, Adam Austin, Laverne Knickerbocker III, Travis Berardo, Ben Gardiner, Tyler Avery, Nathan Daggett, Kristen Dombroski, Ray Speicher, Jamie Schuyler, George Parker Jr., Josh Mills, Dustin Towner, Cody Clark