George Cantazano Grabs Imca Modified Win At Can-Am
LAFARGEVILLE NY: 8/22/98-The 1998 racing season is quickly coming to an end, but the racing is still as good as it gets at the fast 1/2 mile Can-Am Speedway. This past Saturday night George Cantazano made his long trip to Can-Am worth while when he picked up his first win of the season in the IMCA Modified division while other winners added to their list of wins in 1998. Racing this past Saturday was sponsored by the FX Caprara Car Companies and Ziebart Tidy Car of Watertown, guests and employees from both companies enjoyed an exciting night of racing at Can-Am.
In the 25 lap 358 DIRT Modified feature Dale Eggleston and Rob Winters brought the field to the green and Eggleston took command. Eggleston looked very strong and continued to show the way through the first caution on lap 9. At the halfway point Eggleston was followed by Lee Gill, Lansing Petzoldt, George McIntyre and Jim Narrow but one lap later Gill made his move and grabbed the lead away from Eggleston. Gill began to pull away but the remainder of the pack were all fighting to better their position. Gill went on for his second win of the season at Can-Am with Eggleston, Petzoldt, McIntyre and Narrow completing the top five.
The 15 lap DIRT Sportsman feature was lead to the green by Larry Lamb and Matt Butler with Lamb showing as the leader on lap 1. An early caution on lap 2 bunched the field together but Lamb retained the lead on the restart but began to feel pressure from Mike Clark who had made his way up to second. Clark took over the top spot on lap 5 while Lamb settled into second. The final caution flew on lap 8 with Clark the leader followed by Rich Hall and Lamb. Clark went on for the win with Steve Hall coming across in second, almost assuring himself of the track championship, Rich Hall, Ben Tucker and Scott MacCue filled out the top five finishers.
Neal Bryden and Debbie Stevenson paced the IMCA Modified 12 lap feature and Stevenson wasted little time moving to the front. Ron O'Neil made his way into the second spot while Frank Caprara settled into third early in the event. Stevenson looked very strong but on lap 5 the top three runners came off of turn fout three wide with Caprara gaining the advantage. The race appeared as though it would go green to checkered again this week but on lap 11 Stevenson saw her great run end when she spun between turns 3 and 4 bringing out the yellow and setting up a dash to the finish. On the restart George Cantazano made a strong move to the outside of the two leaders off of turn four to come away with the lead and the win. Cantazano was followed by Caprara, Cory Fachini, Larry Bezner and Ron O'Neil.
Richard Stevenson and Scott Kelsey were on the front row for the 10 lap Late Model feature but as the two entered turn one at the drop of the green contact was made sending both to the rear. This gave the lead to high point man Wayne Side with Ron McConnell second, these two are the only winners in 1998 at Can-Am and hoped to keep it that way when they went back to green. The race would go the rest of the way without a yellow and Side and McConnell battled the entire distance for the win. Side picked up the win over McConnell, Tim Busler, Murray Walts and Scott Gates.
The Street Stock feature was up next with Brian Rogers and Andy Wells on the front row for their 12 lap event. As they came around to complete lap number one Wells got sideways in front of the field and collected Steve Rookey and last weeks winner Bill Eisele. Eisele had moved to within just 10 points of point leader Al Pitts but was done for the night hurting his chances at a first ever Can-Am Speedway track championship. On the restart Rogers was shown as the leader but it was Pitts who took over the lead on lap 2. The only other caution of the race came on lap 7 when Rogers and Doug Murphy tangles in turn two. Pitts held the lead on the restart and went on for the win over Nick Makuch, Laurie Handschuh, Eric Farrell and Clint Middlemiss.
A great field of Economy Stock took the green for their 10 lap feature and it was Les Sanford who grabbed the lead from Charles Duffany at end of lap 1. A couple of early cautions slowed the pace, but the one for Terry Kimball was the most serious as he got upside down in turn two. Terry was okay but the car was done for the night. When racing resumed Ernie Taylor took over the top spot with Don Scales moving into second. At the halfway mark the two leaders were followed by Rick Dusckas, Erv Miller and Ken Partridge. The final five laps were run without incident and Taylor picked up the win. Miller was second followed by Scales, Dusckas and last weeks winner Billy Gardner.
The FX Caprara Car Companies sponsored a Dash for Cash in the Street Stock and IMCA divisions and the winners were Al Pitts and Ron O'Neil. A special Powder Puff was also held and Robin Bartlett picked up the win in her son Ryans number Z93 358 DIRT Modified.
This coming week will see two events at Can-Am, on Thursday night August 27th the annual Skoal Super DIRT Series will make its yearly stop at the fast 1/2 mile, joining the 358 Modifeids will be the exciting Economy Stocks who will be racing for $125 to win. On Saturday night the final Enduro of the year is on the schedule along with a complete show for the 6 regular divisions. Gates will open both nights at 5:00 with racing getting the green flag on Thursday at 7:30. Saturdays events will see the green fall at 7:00. For more information call the speedway at (315) 658-4431 or look us up on the internet at www.can-amspeedway.com.
PEPSI-COLA/MT. DEW
358 DIRT MODIFIED FINISH: Lee Gill, Dale Eggleston, Lansing Petzoldt, George McIntyre, Jim Narrow, Pat O'Brien, Todd Stewart, Dale Planck, Jeff Sykes, Dave Bartlett, Danny O'Brien, Tom Kinsella, Bob Bennett, Scott Parliament, Rob Winters, Rich Amo, Shawn Donath, Jeremy Baye, BJ Vock, Rick Wilson, Ryan Bartlett DNS: George Horning
FASTLUBE OF WATERTOWN
DIRT SPORTSMAN FINISH: Mike Clark, Steve Hall, Rich Hall, Ben Tucker, Scott MacCue, Jeff Narrow, RJ Gibbons, Ryan Baye, Larry Lamb, Kevin Therrien, Matt Butler, Larry Bivens, Craig Collier DNS: Dave Surace
IMCA MODIFIED FINISH: George Cantazano, Frank Caprara, Cory Fachini, Larry Bezner, Ron O'Neil, Jim Graves, John Bell, Eddie O'Neil, Kevin Chant, Debbie Stevenson DNS: Neal Edger
LATE MODEL FINISH: Wayne Side, Ron McConnell, Tim Busler, Murray Walts, Don Scales, Richard Stevenson, Scott Kelsey
STREET STOCK FINISH: Al Pitts, Nick Makuch, Laurie Handschuh, Eric Farrell, Clint Middlemiss, Lance LaLonde, Steve Rookey, Andy Wells, Doug Murphy, Brian Rogers, Bill Eisele
ECONOMY STOCK FINISH: Ernie Taylor, Erv Miller, Don Scales, Rick Dusckas, Billy Gardner, Kevin Presely, Ken Partridge, Rich Woods, Les Sanford, Joseph Combs, Charles Duffany, Steve Gilmore, Kyle Sharp, Chuck Duffany, Chris Warner