DOUBLE FEATURES DROPPED TO SINGLES BY MOTHER NATURE

CANANDAIGUA, NY..5/16/98...What was to have been double feature night

in all divisions at the Canandaigua Speedway became just a wait

and see game with Mother Nature. In the end, after rains fell

around 7:15 p.m., the first of three rained delayed features was

able to pull trackside around 9:30 p.m.. Unfortunately track

officials had no control over the weather and were only able to

complete last week's features. The regular program was curfewed

and rained out. Rain checks will be good towards the purchase of

a ticket this weekend for the Taney Memorial 50 or can be used

for free admission the following weekend.

Rain delayed features went to Tiger Chapman (street stocks),

Lance Dusett (sportsman), and Gary Tomkins (modified). Also Mary

Reiber from Ontario, NY took top honors in the 1-on-1 women's

spectator races.

"We tried everything we could think of to make this show for

our fans," stated general manager Bill McNabb. "I even requested

that cars be brought out onto the speedway even if the driver

wasn't dressed, just so we could slowly run the speedway in

properly." Unfortunately Billy Decker took McNabb literally

wearing his birthday suit out onto the speedway in a Lady Giodiva

imitation.

"We do want to thank all of the race teams for pitching in

and helping us save what small part of the double we could save,"

commented McNabb. "They are the ones that made this (the race)

happen."

As for the DIRT modified racing Gary Tomkins used a lap 10

restart to blow passed leader Tim Fuller. Tomkins proceeded to

pull out a ten car advantage over Fuller and Bob McCreadie.

Fuller's luck didn't get any better as he came to a halt on the

backstretch with mechanical woes on lap 19, giving McCreadie a

solid second place behind Tomkins.

McCreadie tried valiantly to pressure the Bill Trout owned

and sponsored Tomkins modified, but Tomkins seemed to be able to

drive both high and low in the turns and was able to pull out a

five car advantage over McCreadie.

McCreadie had to become concerned with the action behind him

as Danny Johnson was right on the Kinney Drug Stores sponsored

car's rear bumper. Also close behind Johnson was Pat Ward. Lapped

traffic seemed to bunch these lead cars up setting up a final

dash to the checkers. At the finish line the order remained

Tomkins, McCreadie, Johnson, Ward and Joe Plazek.

The sportsman race saw Lance Dusett use his up front

starting spot into a dominating victory, winning by nearly a full

straight away over Dave Starken, Mike Button, Todd Henderson and

Randy Holden. Vince Vitale, who was vying for second on the final

lap found himself out high and in the wet stuff at the top of the

fourth turn, dropping back five positions.

Dave Starken pulled off the move of the race, bouncing off

the inside fourth turn guard rail early in the race, sending

sparks flying everywhere and maintained control to finish second.

The street stock main event got off to a rocky start, with

three yellow flags coming in the first two laps. A number of cars

found the wall on the slippery speedway surface. Tiger Chapman

was able to speed to victory with Les Whyte, celebrating his 50th

birthday, in second. Tom Barron came home in third.

This Saturday will honor both Denis and Fred Taney, both

relatives worked and played at Canandaigua Speedway and both lost

their lives at the speedway. The Taney Memorial 50 is on tape for

this Saturday along with a complete program of entry stocks,

street stocks and sportsman. Race time will be at 7 p.m., with

gates opening at 5 p.m..

WILBERTS BUICK AND GM PARTS NIGHT SUMMARY

STREET STOCKS

FEATURE (15-laps): TIGER CHAPMAN, Les Whyte, Tom Barron, Car 911,

Jim McGuigan, Randy Miller, Car 18, Carl Reynolds II, Jim Burba,

Billy Brown, Betty Fremouw, Jim Gagne, Car 57B, Dave VanArsdale,

Rick Miller, Brian Thompson, Car 718, Steve Pesarek, Scott

Fremouw, Car 91.

SPORTSMAN

FEATURE (20-laps): LANCE DUSETT, Dave Starken, Mike Button, Todd

Henderson, Randy Holden, Vince Vitale, Chris Ridsdale, Jerry

Haers Jr., Steve Oplinger, Paul Guererri, Russ Lyons, Tim

Johnson, Jim LaRock, Keith Stell, Howie Albrecht, Steve Gray,

Mike Czemmek, Rick VanNeil, Dave McQuay, Russ Hefti.

MODIFIED

FEATURE (35-laps): GARY TOMKINS, Bob McCreadie, Danny Johnson,

Pat Ward, Joe Plazek, Billy Decker, Gil Tegg Jr., John Moravec,

Vic Coffey, Steve Paine, Charlie Donk, Chuck Hebing, Bobby Varin,

Steve Schultz, Mike Ward, Rob Culmone, Scott Schrader, Bob

Simmons Jr., Tim Fuller, Ray Bliss Jr., Jimmy Phelps, John

Ventura, Bryon Turner.