Don Ackner With First Win at Devil's Bowl, Sportsmen Dead Heat at Line

W. HAVEN, VT --8/17/97.. Don Ackner of West Sand Lake NY out-powered Bob Savoie and

Mike Ricci to take his first CVRA win of the season at Devil's Bowl on Sunday

after leader Jim Ryan got in the marbles and turned his mount in front of the

field with 10 laps to go.

In sportsmen racing a dead heat was declared at the line using the video

replay, giving the win to Terry Stacy and Joe Budka.

Jim Ryan was the early leader from his pole position starting spot, taking it

out to a six car lead early. After eight laps were scored a caution was thrown

for Todd Stone as he spun and went from sixth to last. On the restart Ryan got

on the throttle early, leaving Jack Cottrell and Don Ackner struggling to keep

up. One lap later Lee Nutting lost a wheel and hit the wall in turn one. Then

another yellow on the same restart flew when Vince Quenneville hit the wall in

turn three and Hector Stratton got caught up with him. Something broke on

Quenneville's car as he suddenly lost steering and slammed into the wall.

Stratton was able to continue, and the race was started again, only to see

caution fly one lap later as Jack Cottrell slowed on the backstretch and Mike

Ronca hit the slower car as he came down the stretch. Neither of them were

able to come back.

On the restart at the halfway point Ackner wasn't about to let Ryan get the

jump again as he stayed wtih him and the two cars ran side by side for the

lead. After two laps, with the two in a dead heat at the line, Ryan lost his

composure coming out of turn four, skidded up high and twisted around sideways

in front of the entire field. Don Scarborough had been running in third and

got caught up behind Ryan, as Jeff Trombley, Mike Perrotte, Todd Stone and

Chuck Elms all plowed into each other as they tried to stop. Trombley took the

worst of it as he lost a wheel and headed to the pits for the night. The rest

were able to continue.

Ackner inherited the lead and never looked back as the last 10 laps wound

down. With five to go he was out to a 10-car lead. The real race was for

second as Mike Ricci was occupied holding off Bob Savoie, who tried everything

to take the slot away from him. With four to go Ricci finally relented as

Savoie powered by him to move into second place. Todd Stone got by Ron Dwyer

at the very end, taking fourth place, Dwyer held fifth and Hector Stratton

crossed the line in sixth. Perrotte, Ryan, Scarborough and Elms rounded out

the top 10 at the finish.

The sportsmen race was a thriller as pole sitter and rookie sportsmen racer

Terry Stacy held the lead the entire 20 laps. But he wasn't without

competition, as Joe Budka (last week's feature winner) was challenging him for

the last 10 laps. Frank Hoard was strong in third place, keeping both of them

honest. Stacy held off Budka lap after lap, but Budka got stronger as the race

wore on and refused to let up on Stacy. With one lap to go, Stacy bobbled

coming out of turn two and Budka got by for the lead, but Stacy regained his

composure and powered back to pull even with him down the backstretch. They

stayed that way all the way through turns three and four, and it was a

pedal-to-the-floor dash for the flagstand at the checkers. The two were so

close at the line, no one was really sure who had the win. After the

slow-motion replay video was checked, both racers were declared winners. They

will share the purse from the first two spots. Budka notched his second win in

a row, and Stacy was able to enjoy his first win as a sportsmen racer, coming

off a very successful street stock career.

A very competitive street stock race saw Bill Bryden with the win, followed by

Chad Miller, Lucas Baker, Fred Little and Mike Paquin. Chuck Knowlton was the

hobby stock winner, with Ted Bapp and Randy Piper following.

MODIFIEDS: DON ACKNER, Bob Savoie, Mike Ricci, Todd Stone, Ron Dwyer, Hector

Stratton, Mike Perrotte, Jim Ryan, Don Scarborough, Chuck Elms, Ron Proctor,

Frank Keene, Terry Hayes, Jeff Trombley, John Harrison, Jack Cottrell, Mike

Ronca, Vince Quenneville, Lee Nutting.

SPORTSMEN TOP 10: TERRY STACY & JOE BUDKA, Frank Hoard Jr., Ron Johnson, Sput

Shaw, Jim Davis, Mike Ballestero, Alan Larter, Don Miller, Todd Morey.