FULLER, SPANO SCORE SECOND CAYUGA COUNTY OPEN-WHEEL WINS
WEEDSPORT,NY...Open-wheel veterans Tim Fuller from Edwards and Auburn's Jim Spano each captured their second feature wins of the season on River Forest Campgrounds-K&S Car Wash-Skate-N-Place Night at Cayuga County Fair Speedway.
Those same race results were something already known by thousands of web surfers as CyberSeries '99 continued to be carried "live" on the internet from DIRT Motorsports' flagship facility.
Competing in the first points events in two weeks, 24 modified teams signed in pit side for the 35-lap main. Todd Milton grabbed the early lead before the first of just three caution periods slowed the modified feature action on lap four.
Scott Prentice's bent up big-block was cradled off the front stretch after being tapped from behind and sent sideways in front of the onrushing pack. Also knocked out for the night were Jason Barney and Jim Burke while Bill Hoff returned after getting airborn in the incident.
Eighth-place starter Fuller edged ahead on the lap five restart and quickly opened up a comfortable lead until north country rival Tim McCreadie slowed on lap 15 to incur a second yellow flag.
Positioned inside row two, Bobby Varin jumped the ensuing restart and pushed Milton into a spin with the entire field scrambling to find an open lane. By the time scorers sorted out the line-up it was Fuller still out front followed by Varin and points leader Billy Decker.
Another skirmish on the second try ended with Bob McCreadie advancing from eighth to third without a single lap scored. This set up a charge for the checkers but the order remained unchanged as Fuller held back Decker by a car-length for his fifth career CCFS triumph aboard a new no. 19 Dixon Steel-G&R Auto/Olsen entry.
"We've really struggled lately but Billy (Decker) finally convinced me to invest in a new Olsen car," Fuller said. "I've still had some bad luck although tonight showed me what the car is capable of doing."
Gary Tomkins, himself aboard a brand new yellow Pennzoil-sponsored Bicknell 2000 machine, and Pat Ward rounded out the front-five ahead of top 358-Modified finisher Danny Johnson.
Wade Czymmek led around a field of 19 sportsman pilots to battle in their own 20-lap finale. The action was halted early as Mike LaVarnway slammed the turn one outside retaining wall to force a slowdown with two laps scored.
Charging quickly from fourth-place, Spano flew past Czymmek on the lap three restart and was never challenged the rest of the way. In the wake of Spano's 11th career Weedsport win, Mike Button settled for second followed by Greg Doust, 17 year-old rookie sensation Matt Sheppard and reigning track points king Vince Vitale.
In companion events, Tim Hettis won his second straight non-stop 40-lap Pit Stop Convenience Stores Enduro, Krista Pesarek repeated in the Powder Puff special, and Manlius' David Green outlasted 13 participants to pocket $500 after winning the Pick-N-Pull Auto Parts Demolition Derby.
Hettis overtook Tom Juhl on lap 15 and increased his advantage to more than a straightaway to score his third pure stock enduro victory of the year. Daughter of inaugural Mr. DIRT Pro Stock champion Steve Pesarek, Krista bested modified standout Todd Burley's sister Cheryl to cop the six-lap affair.
The Cayuga County Fairgrounds hosts another four-star points program on Sunday with AAMCO Transmissions of Auburn and Cold Fire Safety Equipment reps filling the VIP Towers.
Modified, Sportsman and Pit Stop Enduro action takes center stage while an IMCA Modified event joins the 7 p.m. program.
RIVER FOREST CAMPGROUNDS-K&S CAR WASH-SKATE-N-PLACE NIGHT SUMMARY
ENDURO
FEATURE(40-laps): Tim Hettis, Tom Juhl, Mike Potts, John Gilmore,Jr., Billy Juhl.
SPORTSMAN
HEAT 1: Spano, Sheppard, Czymmek, Brewer.
HEAT 2: Beyea, Vitale, Gray, Hefti.
HEAT 3: Doust, Button, LaRock, LaVarnway.
FEATURE(20-laps): JIM SPANO, Mike Button, Greg Doust, Matt Sheppard, Vince Vitale, Jim LaRock, Wade Czymmek, Joe Beyea, Mike Bartozewski, Russ Hefti, Mike Holmes, Steve Nasholtz, Brian Murphy, Darryl Hagen, Rodney Plantz, Tom Mettler, Clayton Brewer, Steve Gray, Mike LaVarnway, Cliff West(DNS).
MODIFIED
HEAT 1: Milton, Varin, T.McCreadie, Melone, Prentice.
HEAT 2: Fuller, B.McCreadie, Bliss, Tomkins, Burnett.
HEAT 3: Phelps, Bower, P.Ward, Sears, Decker.
CONSI: Johnson, J.Hoff, Ridley, Axton, M.Ward, Barney, Burke, B.Hoff, Wilcox.
FEATURE(35-laps): TIM FULLER, Billy Decker, Bob McCreadie, Gary Tomkins, Pat Ward, Danny Johnson, Tim McCreadie, Bobby Varin, Tim Burnett, Todd Milton, Mike Ward, Jeff Hoff, Brent Wilcox, Bill Hoff, Ray Bliss,Jr., Dave Axton, Jimmy Phelps, Chuck Bower, Tom Sears,Jr., Bob Melone, Scott Prentice, Scott Ridley, Jason Barney, Jim Burke.