"Hot Shoes" Ron Holmes Returns to Victory Lane at New Utica-Rome
Vernon, NY…. Oneida, NY’s Ron Holmes, who started in the 13th starting position, took the lead on lap twenty-one and won his first DIRT 358 Modified feature of the season at the New Utica-Rome Speedway this past Sunday evening June 13th. Other winners on the night were Ron Richardson in the DIRT Sportsman, Tom Denton in the DIRT Pro Stocks, Jeff Pastorella in the Pure Stocks, Jeff Ackerman in the Antiques (50’s), Tom Toomey in the Antiques (60’s), and Phil Claussen in the Antiques (70’s).
Ryan Baye and Rich Price led the DIRT Small Block Modified feature event to the green flag by Starter Chip Burdick, and Baye grabbed the lead in the first turn. However, several circuits later, Gus Schmidt took the lead, but he was slowed for a caution by a spinning John Ramsey. On the restart, John Barker Jr began moving into the top five, as did Ted Lamb. A few laps later, John Ramsey spun again which brought out another caution period. On the restart, Ron Holmes, Ted Lamb, and Roger Phelps had a great battle for position in the top five. Then, the race leader, Gus Schmidt slowed on the backstretch with a flat tire, handing the lead to Holmes. Mitch Gibbs then made his presence known when he passed Phelps on the lap twenty-two restart. The race continued and was slowed one more time when Rich Price slowed with two laps to go. On the restart, Gibbs made a challenge to Holmes for the lead, but Holmes prevailed and led the rest of the way to the checkered flag. Following Holmes across the finish line were Mitch Gibbs, Roger Phelps, Ted Lamb, and Dale Planck.
Holmes, when asked in Victory Lane what he thought of his feature win said, “Oh yeah, it was great. I’ve had horrible luck this year but this brand new Bicknell chassis rocked tonight. Finally my luck changed.”
DIRT 358 Modified heats were won by Gus Schmidt, Jason Barney, and Steve Hulsizer. The consi went to John Ramsey.
The DIRT Sportsman feature was led in the beginning by Dan Yankowski, but bad luck would happen to the leader for the second week in a row. During a yellow flag, Yankowski’s left rear tire went flat, and he was forced to the pit area. This gave the lead to last Sunday’s “bad luck man” Kevin Crave, who was running well. Then, Chittenango’s Ron Richardson used the outside lane to his advantage and passed Crave with seven laps to go. Richardson led the final handful of circuits and drove to his second win of the season at NUR. After Richardson, it was Kevin Crave, Paul Carey, John Kinsella, and Bill Shantel Sr. Sportsman heat wins went to Dan Yankowski, Paul Carey, and Kevin Crave.
The DIRT Pro Stock feature was led most of the way by Rome, NY’s Dave Bruno. However, on a final lap restart, Tom Denton took the lead from Bruno out of the second turn. Denton led the rest of the final lap and scored his fifth feature win of the season. He was followed by Dave Bruno, Jason Rood, Wayne Archer, and Dave Moyer. Pro Stock heat wins went to Dave Bruno and Bill Shantel Jr.
Jeff Pastorella took the lead from Chad Ray on the sixth lap and claimed his first Pure Stock feature win of the season at NUR. Following Pastorella across the line, it was Jeff Thorp, Dave Mannise, Chad Ray, and Rob Seavy. The Pure Stock heat races were won by Herm Staats, Mike Archer, and Jeff Pastorella.
The Midstate Vintage Stock Car Club made their first appearance of the season at New Utica-Rome, and the club ran a full slate of racing action. Heat race winners were Jeff Ackerman and Andy Berkman. The 50’s and 60’s classes ran a combined feature, and the winners were Jeff Ackerman in the 50’s and Tom Toomey in the 60’s. Behind Ackerman and Toomey, it was Dick Ackerman, Jim Chase, and Larry Witter. The 70’s class feature was won by Phil Claussen followed by Ally Amell, John McNamee, Jim Doerr, and John Powers.
Next Sunday at the New Utica-Rome Speedway is a DIRT Sportsman Qualifier for the Rolling Wheels Raceway Suzuki World Series and the Syracuse Mile “Firecracker” race. Also on the card is the DIRT 358 Modifieds, DIRT Pro Stocks, and Pure Stocks. After the racing action is over, the first Rollover Contest of the season will occur on the front straightaway. For more information, call the speedway at (315) 829-4557 or visit us online at www.newuticaromespeedway.com.
Notes: The speedway racing surface, prepared by Eric Kingsley, was very smooth and raceable. A brief rain shower occurred during the Pure Stock heats, but it did not stop the racing action. Very windy conditions and an impending rainstorm forced track officials to not do the Antique Victory Lane ceremonies and continue with the program. Both Johnny Michaels and NUR Tech Inspector John Button took laps in Button’s antique sprint car before the Antique Stock Car features.
NEW UTICA-ROME SPEEDWAY RACE SUMMARY
RACE DATE: JUNE 13TH, 1999
DIRT 358 Modifieds (30 Laps) – 1)RON HOLMES, 2)Mitch Gibbs, 3)Roger Phelps, 4)Ted Lamb, 5)Dale Planck, 6)J.J. Michaels, 7)John Barker Jr., 8)Jim Rothwell, 9)Bob Savoie, 10)Ryan Baye, 11)Pete Taylor, 12)Mike Hulsizer, 13)John Ramsey, 14)Harry Schaffer, 15)Jeff Kotary, 16)Ryan Bartlett, 17)Jeff Walton, 18)Gus Schmidt, 19)Steve Hulsizer, 20)Rich Price, 21)Todd Burley, 22)Jason Barney, 23)Joel Thomas, 24)Ken Hanson.
DNQ – Ed Richer, Mark Schoonover, Dan Bellen, and Robert Sawyer.
DIRT Sportsman (20 Laps) – 1)RON RICHARDSON, 2)Kevin Crave, 3)Paul Carey, 4)John Kinsella, 5)Bill Shantel Sr., 6)Jack Miller, 7)Willy Decker, 8)Jim Smith, 9)Tony Farone, 10)Dan Yankowski, 11)Steve Davis, 12)Dave Bargabos, 13)Todd Storace, 14)Brian Johnson, 15)John Constantino, 16)John Christian, 17)Paul Kinney, 18)Brian Murphy, 19)Butch Reiter, 20)Jamie Christian, 21)Pete Nowicki Jr., 22)Anthony Fiorentino, 23)Tim Mayne.
DIRT Pro Stocks (15 Laps) – 1)TOM DENTON, 2)Dave Bruno, 3)Jason Rood, 4)Wayne Archer, 5)Dave Moyer, 6)Bill Knapp, 7)Gerry Newman, 8)Bill Shantel Jr. 9)Jerry Holmes, 10)Richard Stevenson, 11)Bret Belden, 12)Ed Kotary.
Midstate Vintage Stock Car Club 50’s and 60’s –1)TOM TOOMEY (60’s), 2)JEFF ACKERMAN (50’s), 3)Dick Ackerman, 4)Jim Chase, 5)Larry Witter, 6), 7)Rod Hadden, 8)Don Kuney, 9)Ralph Arrandale.
Midstate Vintage Stock Car Club 70’s – 1)PHIL CLAUSSEN, 2)Ally Amell, 3)John McNamee, 4)Jim Doerr, 5)John Powers, 6)Stan Gates, 7)Fred Borrisow, 8)Andy Berkman.
Pure Stocks (15 Laps) – 1)JEFF PASTORELLA, 2)Jeff Thorp, 3)Dave Mannise, 4)Chad Ray, 5)Rob Seavy, 6)Jay Finch, 7)Mark Effner, 8)Art Newman, 9)Bill Mason, 10)Mike Archer, 11)Neil Dixon, 12)Matt Spisak, 13) Les Lewis, 14)Jim Thomas, 15)George Schulze, 16)Dan Hatch, 17)Bob Gentile, 18)Herm Staats, 19)Mike Howe, 20)Bob Gloska, 21)Waylan Wilczek, 22)Bill Lashing, 23)Steve Delano, 24)Mike Burke.