Dale Planck, Steve Hall, Frank Caprara And Billy Gardner Pick Up Final Wins At Can-Am
LAFARGEVILLE NY: 9/19/98..It was the final night of the season this past Saturday at the Can-Am Speedway in LaFargeville New York and the pit area was full of cars ready to compete for extra laps and extra money in the four division program on Genesee Beer/AJ Missert Distributing night. The 358 DIRT Modifieds were ready to do battle in a 30 lap Syracuse qualifier while the DIRT Sportsman got ready for their own 30 lap MR. DIRT Series Event. It was the final night of points for the IMCA Modifieds and the Economy Stocks had a 15 lap feature on the schedule.
The 358 DIRT Modifieds saw 24 cars take the green flag and pole sitter Jim Narrow jumped into the early lead. Pat O'Brien made his way forward from starting position number 4 and grabbed the lead away on lap 2. O'Brien was looking to pick up his second win of the season at Can-Am to go along with his track championship but on lap 11 a very fast Dale Planck took the top spot over from O'Brien. Danny Johnson made a rare appearance at Can-Am in his 358 DIRT Modified and by lap 12 was up to the second spot. Although Johnson got close to Planck on a number of laps Planck proved to be to strong on this night and went on for the win. Johnson was second followed by O'Brien, Tim Fuller and Jeff Sykes. Lee Gill and Narrow were awarded the Syracuse spots but both had chose not to attend. The spots were taken by Guy Sheldon and Jason Barney who finished in positions 9 and 10.
Heat winners Steve Hall and Rick Miller lead the field of 30 DIRT Sportsman to the start for their 30 lap $1000 to win event and track champion Hall wasted little time taking the top spot. Miller stayed right with the leader for the first three laps but then it was Chris Schultz who was on the move. A number of minor cautions slowed the event but on every restart Hall ramained in command. At the halfway mark it was Hall followed by Schultz, Miller, Rich Swarthout and Chad Brachmann. A late race caution for debris with less than 5 laps to go would give everyone one last shot at the win but Hall pulled away and grabbed the Mr. DIRT Series win. Schultz was second with Miller, Swarthout and Larry Lampman completing the top 5.
The IMCA Modifieds not only were competing in their last point race of the season but would also go extra laps for an increased purse. The race within the race for the track championship was between Frank Caprara and Jim Graves who came into the event just 11 points apart. Larry Bezner charged from starting position number 4 to take the lead on lap one over a very strong running Steve Bidwell who was making only his second start of the season at Can-Am. Bezner was using the very outside of the speedway and continued to open his lead with every lap. Bidwell remained within striking distance of the leader while Caprara made his way up to the top three and settled in hoping to hang on for the track championship. Bezners excellent run came to an end when he pushed high in turn one allowing Bidwell and Caprara to go by. As the leaders entered turn three on the final lap Caprara made a move to the inside while Bezner charged back on the outside and the top three came to the checkered side by side. Caprara inched out the win and the track championship with Bidwell having a great run to finish second just ahead of Bezner. Debbie Stevenson came across third and Sean Lias completed the top 5.
The Economy Stocks took to the speedway for their 15 lap event and Billy Gardner came from the 5th starting spot to the lead on lap 1. Gardners lead was short as Adam Howard moved around and into the lead on lap 2 from the 11th starting spot. Howard continued to lead until lap 5 when Gardner moved back in front. The halfway point showed Gardner as the leader followed by Howard, Rick Dusckas, Kyle Sharp and Don Scales. The final caution slowed the event on lap 10 but Gardner jumped back out front on the restart and went on for a very popular win. Ernie Taylor made a charge late in the race to get second with Dusckas, Sharp and Howard completing the top 5.
During the brief intermission long time Late Model competitor Niles Busler, who is suffering with Lou Gehrig disease, came down in front of the grandstands to help son Tim celebrate the final victory for the Late Model division. The 1998 racing season was the final year of competition for the Late Models at Can-Am and the final feature was run last week with Tim Busler picking up the win. Tim's father Niles is the all time feature winner in the division which began in 1965 at the Watertown Speedway where Niles picked up his first win in May of 1968. He took home over 50 checkered flags from the Watertown and Can-Am Speedways in his career. The crowd gave Niles a huge round of applause thanking him for his many years of dedication to the Late Models and many memories of great racing. Niles and Tim brought a fitting end to the Late Model class at Can-Am.
The 1998 racing season was a great one at Can-Am with many feature winners in all divisons and great competition every Saturday night. Next season will get underway the final Saturday in April with 358 DIRT Modified, DIRT Sportsman, IMCA Modifeds, Street Stocks and Economy Stocks. The Can-Am Speedway would like to thank everyone and hope to see you opening night 1999.
PEPSI-COLA/MT. DEW
358 DIRT MODIFIED FINISH: Dale Planck, Danny Johnson, Pat O'Brien, Tim Fuller, Jeff Sykes, Rick Wilson, Lee Gill, Jim Narrow, Guy Sheldon, Jason Barney, Bill Gill, Brian McDonald, Dave Heaslip, Troy Griffin, Steve Roberts, Kevin Martin, Rich Richner, Dale Eggleston, Bob Bennett, Sam Liechty, Dave Reilley, Craig Ormsby, Scott Parliament, Brent Cross DNS: Darryl Ruggles, Larry Welling, Ron White, Brian Sawyer, Shawn Donath, Pat Golley, John Ramsey, Rich Woods, Pierre Mantha
MR. DIRT SPORTSMAN
SERIES FINISH: Steve Hall, Chris Schultz, Rick Miller, Rich Swarthout, Larry Lampman, Rich Hall, Howie Albrecht, Jeff Narrow, Jim Spano, Mike Clark, Ryan Baye, Greg Doust, Garry Moreash, Ben Tucker, Matt Butler, Larry Lamb, RJ Gibbons, Steve Oplinger, Wayne Side, Ryan Bartlett, Chad Brachmann, Randy Chrysler, Scott George, Scott MacCue, Vince Vitale, Mike Ballestero, Mike Button, Mark Yorker, Dave O'Connor, Dave Surace DNS: Mike VanPelt, Shane Donath, Craig Collier, Mario Moreau, Andy Vargo
IMCA MODIFIED FINISH: Frank Caprara, Steve Bidwell, Larry Bezner, Debbie Stevenson, Sean Lias, Ron O'Neil, Jim Graves, Eddie O'Neil, Kevin Chant, Carmon Vona, John Bell, Don Alvord, Rob Keller, Jack Hall, Randy Hall, Dan Hudson, David Crusson, Neal Edgar DNS: Brandon Burchill, Aaron Jacobs, Doug McKane, John Thayer
ECONOMY STOCK FINISH: Billy Gardner, Ernie Taylor, Rick Dusckas, Kyle Sharp, Adam Howard, Matt Moffett, Joseph Combs, Zeke McKeown, Jim Stuckey, George Sanford, Chuck Duffany, Les Sanford, Don Scales, Elmer Perry, Chris Warner, Dewitt Nichols, Kevin Presley, Charles Duffany, Steve Gilmore, Earl Simmons