McCREADIE TOPS ADVANCE AUTO SDS RACE, TWING TAKES PRO-STOCK MAIN
ELBRIDGE, NY...Day one of the FleetPride World Series of DIRT Track Racing got off to a huge start when 78 358-Modifieds and 63 Pro-Stocks filled the Rolling Wheels raceway new pit area. Bob McCreadie, from Watertown, NY, broke from the big block ranks for the first time in 1999 and promptly won his first outing in the 358-Modified division, the double point Advance Auto Parts Super DIRT Series finale. In the Pro-stocks it was Frank Twing that took the $600 victory. In the 50-lap enduro event it would be Mike Potts taking the victory.
Thirty-eight 358-Modifieds answered starter Dave Farney s green flag call as pole sitter Vic Coffey immediately blasted into the lead. That lead didn t last long as Bob McCreadie powered past Coffey for the lead on the second circuit. Coffey settled into second. In third was Fran Caprara followed by Jeff Trombley and Tim McCreadie.
The first half of the race ran under green flag conditions. The first yellow flew on lap 51. A battle for third back was the center of attention, as McCreadie and Coffey were way out front lapping traffic by lap six. Trombley was able to pass Caprara on lap 20 for third. Pat Ward joined in at the front grabbing fourth from Caprara and passing Trombley for third by the completion of lap 28.
On lap 51 the yellow flew for Charlie Donk, who slowed in the first turn and remained on the track after the yellow flew. The restart saw a torrid battle in mid-field, with Todd Burley looping his number 89B in between the third and fourth turns, bringing out the second yellow of the race.
The restart saw Danny Johnson become a main player taking sixth by lap 65. The third yellow flew on lap 71, when Roger Phelps coasted to a stop in the fourth turn. The restart had McCreadie, Coffey, Ward, and Danny Johnson nose-to-tail. Danny blasted past both Ward and fellow teammate Coffey and took out after McCreadie. Two laps into the record book and Johnson was hot on McCreadie s heals. These two put on a driving exhibition for the crowded grandstands. Johnson seemed to pull ahead in the turns, but McCreadie had him covered exiting the curves and retook the front spot until the duo entered lapped traffic on lap 86.
On lap 90 the yellow flew when Pete Bicknell looped his car in the fourth turn. Controversy seemed to rear its head as Bicknell regained motion after the pace car had passed him and he proceeded to pull around the pace car and around to the rear of the field. All of the officials had Bicknell down a lap to the leader and now at the back of the cars down one lap.
McCreadie took the victory followed by Johnson. Coffey held on for third followed by Ward and Trombley. Steve Paine s 10th place finish was enough to earn him the 358-Modified Super DIRT Series title for 1999.
The Pro-Stock feature was lengthened to 25 laps due to the great number of cars entered. Darren Kish powered from his pole starting spot to take the lead with Jip Ortiz in tow. The yellow flew immediately when Mark Therrien and Chris Morris touched sending both cars slamming into the back stretch Jersey barrier that protects the rear stretch flagger. The Therrien car hopped on top of the barrier, but the Morris car slammed hard sideways into the concrete jolting Morris. He was taken by ambulance from the speedway with possible neck injuries. Therrien quickly regrouped and returned to the race.
The restart saw a second yellow fly when Chad Homan looped into the inside barrier in the second turn. Homan also rejoined the fight without losing a lap. Ortiz took the lead on lap four, only to fall out of the race one lap later when a carburetor problem forced his car to slow dramatically. This put Kish back in the lead, but the yellow flew for a third time as Beamer Guzzardi and Ortiz were slow on the speedway. Tom Kuck took over as the leader on the restart. Kish seemed to lose steam, causing a yellow on lap nine as he lopped in the second turn. Kuck was leading followed by Frank Twing, Dave Bissonnette and Rick Miller. Kuck, Twing and Bissonnette pulled away for a race of their own. On lap 14, Twing took over as the leader.
On lap 21 the yellow flew when Joe Palmer suffered a flat tire and slowed on the track. One lap later the yellow again flew when Homan again spun in the second turn. This set up a dash for the final three laps. Twing came out the winner followed by Bissonnette and Kuck. Rick Miller and Mike Watkins rounded out the top five. Series points leader Dave Schulz dropped out of the race on lap 18 with mechanical woes.
Tomorrow will see the DIRT Modifieds and Sportsman cars run in the final events of the 1999 FleetPride World Series of DIRT Track Racing.
FLEETPRIDE WORLD SERIES OF DIRT TRACK RACING NIGHT SUMMARY DAY 1
ENDURO
FEATURE (50-laps): MIKE POTTS, Tom Juhl, Greg DeChick, John Gilmore Jr., Tim Hettis.(Top 5)
HOOSIER TIRE MR. DIRT PRO-STOCKS
HEAT 1: D. Kish, D. Bissonnette, J. Punattoni, B. Thompson.
HEAT 2: J. Ortiz, T. Kuck, J. Burton, D. Eborsole.
HEAT 3: K. Gates, J. Palmer, C. Homan, E. Gasvreau.
HEAT 4: Ri. Miller, T. Barron, C. Morris, R. Noviczski.
HEAT 5: F. Twing, M. Watkins, M. Therrien, D. Schulz.
HEAT 6: B. Guzzardi, E. Marin, J. McGuigan, J. Patrick.
CONSI 1: B. Pascual, M. Fritz.
CONSI 2: J. Miller, J. Resch.
CONSI 3: B. Hallett, S. Conover.
ADDED: K. Jordan, T.J. Fitzgibbons, T. Cannizzaro, J. Holmes, M. Loney, M. Sullivan, H. Tanner.
FEATURE (25-laps): FRANK TWING, Dave Bissonnette, Tom Kuck, Rick Miller, Mike Watkins, Tom Barron, Eric Marin, Kevin Jordan, T.J. Fitzgibbons, Bill Hallett, Jim McGuigan, Mike Fritz, Eric Gasvreau, Darrell Eborsole, Mike Loney, Brian Thompson, Scott Conover, Jerry Holmes, Bill Pascual, Mark Therrien, Chad Homan, Jay Resch, Joe Palmer, Mark Sullivan, Henry Tanner, Jip Ortiz, Jim Burton, Dave Schulz, Rob Noviczski, John Punattoni, Darren Kish, Ken gates, Tom Cannizzaro, Beamer Guzzardi, Chris Morris.
ADVANCE AUTO PARTS 358-MODIFIED SUPER DIRT SERIES
HEAT 1: B. McCreadie, D. Spatorico, J. Johnson, S. Paine.
HEAT 2: A. Bachetti, P. Ward, B. McDonald, P. Bicknell.
HEAT 3: F. Caprara, T. McCreadie, T. Burley, B. Davis.
HEAT 4: G. Tomkins, J. Trombley, D. Heaslip, J. Higbie Jr.
HEAT 5: J. Barney, P. Dagenais, R. Holmes, J. Plazek.
HEAT 6: V. Vitale, V. Coffey, J. Turner, R. Phelps.
CONSI 1: D. O Brien, D. Planck.
CONSI 2: P. O Brien, R. Richner.
CONSI 3: B. Hearn, B. Turner.
ADDED: T. Stewart, D. Johnson, T. Fuller, B. Mullin, Ti. Hindley, C. Donk, M. Perrotte, A. Johnson.
FEATURE (99-laps): BOB McCREADIE, Danny Johnson, Vic Coffey, Pat Ward, Jeff Trombley, Tim McCreadie, Andy Bachetti, Brett Hearn, Tim Fuller, Steve Paine, Alan Johnson, Bryon Turner, Don Spatorico, Frank Caprara, Danny O Brien, Ron Holmes, Joe Plazek, Tim Hindley, Jerry Higbie Jr., Pierre Dagenais, Todd Burley, Vince Vitale, Rich Richner, Pete Bicknell, Jason Barney, Charlie Donk, Todd Stewart, Brian Davis, Dale Planck, Jack Johnson, Gary Tomkins, Roger Phelps, Jamie Turner, Pat O Brien, Brian McDonald, Dave Heaslip, Bill Mullin, Mike Perrotte.