Castine wins first career 410 Sprint Car race; Weller wins fourth in Sharon Modifieds

by Mike Leone

HARTFORD, OH (July 7, 2000) — The 11th event of the 2000 season was completed Friday night at Sharon Speedway. Posing in victory lane were Bryan Castine-Sunburst Environmental 410 Sprint Cars, Jim Weller-Gibson-Governor Insurance Agency Big-Block Modifieds, Bob Williams-Coy Bros. E-Mods, Bobby Whitling-Burghill Auto Salvage Stock Cars, and J.J. Kapuchuck-Snap-On Tools Micro Sprints.

Seventeen-year-old Bryan Castine of Colorado Springs, Colo., won his first career 410 Sprint Car feature in the 20-lap Sunburst Environmental-sponsored event.

"I'm so excited," said Castine. "This is a fast joint."

Castine started on the pole and rocketed into the lead. Jarod Larson, who started third, raced by Mike Kekich and Ed Etzel on lap one for the third, while Brad Ellenberger took second from Etzel. Larson ran down Ellenberger and made the pass for second coming off turn four on lap eight.

Castine held a straightaway plus advantage by the time Larson moved into second. A great battle for fourth developed between Scott Bonnell, Kekich, and Tommy Burns Jr. Bonnell and Kekich swapped spots, until Burns got around Kekich on lap 13 for fifth. The only caution of the race was for Dan Taylor with 15 laps completed, which bunched up the field for a five-lap shoot-out.

Larson was all over Castine when racing resumed and even pulled even with Castine on lap 17 in turn two. But Castine had enough with his 410 c.i. motor to pull away on the top side of the track for his second career win in the Castine Motorsports #8c and became the ninth different winner in 11 Sprint Car features this season. It was just his third-ever start with a 410 under the hood and second career win after winning a 360 Sprint feature at Rocky Mountain Speedway in Colorado.

"We've got to come east to race more than twice a month," said the winner. "We love it out here. We can race at least twice a week. Marshall Campbell helps us out with our engines and we shack up behind his place. We're just having a good time."

Larson was second over Ellenberger. Burns passed Bonnell on lap 17 to finish fourth dropping Bonnell to fifth at the finish. Sixth through tenth were Kekich, Tom Quarterson, Edwards who won the $1,000 Double Technology half-way bonus for leading the points, Terry Young, and Jamie McKinney. Heats were won by Larson and Bonnell.

Jim Weller of Hubbard, Ohio led all 20 laps of the Gibson-Governor Big-Block Modified Feature for his fourth win and also won the $1,000 Double Technology half-way bonus for leading the points.

"We were good off the corners," said Weller. "We just stuck to the bottom and went."

Weller got by pole-sitter Jim Rasey at the start, while Tim Doran took second from Rasey. Lou Blaney passed Rasey for third on lap three, then got under Doran coming off turn two on lap four for second. Rasey and Doran traded spots on lap eight with Rasey taking the third.

Meanwhile, Blaney ran down Weller and was all over him at the halfway point. Doran dropped another spot when Tom Winkle got by on lap 10. Two cautions on lap 12 slowed action; one for Andy Priest and the other for Rob McClimans.

When racing resumed, King went from fifth to second passing Doran, Winkle, and Blaney on lap 12. The rest of the way saw Weller pull away for the win in the Liberty Steel Products/TFI Transportation-sponsored #31.

"The way the track was, if you get to the front quick, the other guys are going to have trouble passing you," quipped Weller.

Blaney did get back around King for second on lap 17. King, 11th starter Joe Crawford, and Winkle completed the first five. Sixth through tenth were Rasey, Randy Snider, Doran, Randy Chronister, and McClimans. Heat winners were Crawford and King.

Bob Williams of Canfield, Ohio survived a 15-lap "demo derby" to win his first Coy Bros. E-Mod Feature win. The race was stopped 10 times for cautions. Williams started fifth and inherited the lead on lap 12 when race-long leader, Bob McCann, spun while trying to hold off Williams. Williams then held off ninth starter, Rick Prosser Jr., for the win in the Diamond Auto Wrecking-sponsored #8w. Prosser won the $500 Double Technology half-way bonus for leading the points. Scott Stiffler was third over Scott Jones and McCann. Heat winners were Prosser and McCann over the 26-car field. Prosser also won the dash over Jeff Johnson, McCann, and Roger Frost.

Point leader Bobby Whitling scored his first career Sharon Speedway win in the 15-lap Burghill Auto Salvage Stock Car feature. The Seneca, Pa., driver came from his sixth starting position to third on lap one passing Tim Deutsch, John Beniston, and Dwayne Clay. On lap three, Whitling made a nice move getting by Gary Robinson on the backstretch then continued his charge taking the lead at the line from Jim Davis. Only one caution on lap 12 for Brian Carothers slowed Whitling. Whitling held off Dwayne Clay, who passed Robinson and Davis for second, for the win in the E.F. Rogers-sponsored #7W. Whitling also won the $500 half-way bonus courtesy of Double Technology for leading the points. Clay was a close second over Robinson, 20th starter Ron Iorio, and Beniston. Heat wins went to Shaun Hooks and Whitling.

J.J. Kapuchuck of New Castle, Pa. won the 12-lap Snap-On Tools Micro Sprint feature for his first win. Kapuchuck started fourth and took the lead from one-time winner, Chad Reitz, on lap five. Kapuchuck held off Reitz the rest of the way for the win in the #00. Behind Kapuchuck and Reitz were Jason Dolick, Richie Hartman, and Brian Riddle. Heat victors were Reitz and Kapuchuck.

RESULTS

SUNBURST ENVIRONMENTAL 410 SPRINT CAR

FEATURE - 1. Bryan Castine, 2. Jarod Larson, 3. Brad Ellenberger, 4. Tommy Burns Jr., 5. Scott Bonnell, 6. Mike Kekich, 7. Tom Quarterson, 8. Gary Edwards, 9. Terry Young, 10. Jamie McKinney, 11. Gary McCollum, 12. Maria Mayerchak, 13. Ed Etzel, 14. Larry Clay, 15. Buddy Cochran, 16. Dan Taylor, 17. Danny Minor, 18. Mike Marano II (DNS).

GIBSON-GOVERNOR INSURANCE AGENCY BIG-BLOCK MODIFIED

FEATURE - 1. Jim Weller, 2. Lou Blaney, 3. Rex King, 4. Joe Crawford, 5. Tom Winkle, 6. Jim Rasey, 7. Randy Snider, 8. Tim Doran, 9. Randy Chronister, 10. Ron McClimans, 11. Pete Simpson, 12. Bob Dorman, 13. Ron Kristyak, 14. John Braymer, 15. Andy Priest (DNS).

COY BROS. E-MOD

FEATURE - 1. Bob Williams, 2. Rick Prosser Jr., 3. Scott Stiffler, 4. Scott Jones, 5. Bob McCann, 6. Ron Jaeger, 7. Rich Stiffler, 8. Richard Jaeger, 9. Roger Frost, 10. Bruce Crouch, 11. Paul Phillips, 12. Larry Walters, 13. John Strickler, 14. Jeff Johnson, 15. Shawn Uhler, 16. Charles Meadors, 17. Steve Haefke, 18. Jeff Haefke, 19. Herm Myers, 20. Jeff Rudrick, 21. Jim White Jr., 22. Bill Sanders, 23. Jeff Sharp (DQ), 24. J.B. Dandy (DNS), 25. Chuck Schell (DNS), 26. David Strickler (DNS).

BURGHILL AUTO SALVAGE STOCK CAR

FEATURE - 1. Bobby Whitling, 2. Dwayne Clay, 3. Gary Robinson, 4. Ron Iorio, 5. John Beniston, 6. Shaun Hooks, 7. Jim Davis, 8. Tom Miller, 9. Steve Babos, 10. Robert Kutsch, 11. Chuck Sullivan Jr., 12. Rich Allen, 13. Bobby Douglas, 14. Jerry Flavell, 15. Scott Molesy, 16. Tim Deutch, 17. Jim Moyers, 18. Dave Willoughby, 19. Rick Norco, 20. Dan Lewis, 21. Brian Carothers, 22. Glenn Pupino (DNS), 23. Randy Miller Sr. (DNS), 24. Bill McMurray (DNS).

SNAP-ON TOOLS MICRO SPRINT

FEATURE - 1. J.J. Kapuchuck, 2. Chad Reitz, 3. Jason Dolick, 4. Richie Hartman, 5. Brian Riddle, 6. Rob Felix, 7. Craig Daniels, 8. Brandon Casper, 9. Tim Graham, 10. John Adams, 11. Troy Winslow, 12. Nate Stein, 13. Ron Hodges, 14. Chris Best (DNS), 15. Jay Groves (DNS), 16. Gary Anderson (DNS).