CAN-AM SPEEDWAY WINS TO MCCREADIE, CLARK, O'NEIL, PAPIN, PITTS AND SHARP

LAFARGEVILLE NY: With only three point races left at the Can-Am Speedway

in 1997, the competitors were all hoping to be at there best this past

Saturday night. The evening started with a picture and autograph session

for the fans as many drivers brought their cars to the 1/10th mile

go-kart track behind the main grandstand. Drivers spent 2 hours having

their pictures taken and signing autographs to the delight of the many

fans that came out early to meet and talk with their favorite drivers.

It was Neighborhood Markets and Pepsi-Cola night at the speedway and the

fans were in for some great side by side racing that saw the points

picture change dramatically in some of the classes.

The 358 DIRT Modified feature was led to the green by Jim Narrow and

Bob Bennett. Narrow, who picked up his first ever 358 win earlier this

season, moved into the early lead with Jeff Hoff and Dale Eglleston right

with him. Narrow was shown as the leader thru lap 8 when the caution

flew for Steve Bilow, Pierre Dagenais and Dave Bartlett, Dagenais and

Bartlett were sent to the pits for unnecessary contact during the yellow

while Bilow was able to continue. On the restart Steve Roberts grabbed

the lead away from Narrow and began to open up a lead looking for his

first win in some time at Can-Am. Roberts continued to show the way but

by the half way mark at lap 13 Tim McCreadie was chasing down the leader.

McCreadie caught Roberts but could not find the way around and into the

top spot until lap 21 when he was scored as the leader at the start

finish line. Roberts was not done as he grabbed the lead back just as

the caution came out on lap 22. This would set up a 3 lap run to the

checker with pressure also coming from Lansing Petzoldt who had worked

his way to third. Roberts jumped ahead at the green but McCreadie went

to the out side and powered into the lead and the win, Roberts was second

with Petzoldt, Pat O'Brien and Eggleston completing the top five. With

his 4th place finish O'Brien has a 114 point lead over McCreadie and

looks to be heading for another track championship at Can-Am.

The DIRT Sportsman feature would need less than 1/2 a lap to see the

points battle take a drastic change, as the cars exited turn two on the

initial start points leaders George McIntyre and Steve Hall were caught

up in a multi-car accident which also included Billy Caprara, Joe Cook,

Rich Hall, Buddy Rogers, Todd VanTassel and Dave Surace. The cars of

McIntyre, Rogers and VanTassel were done for the night. Hall was able to

make it back on the speedway as the cars took the checkered but was not

able to complete a full lap, all other cars involved contiued. When the

race got the green again it was Jeff Narrow taking the lead from starting

position number three just as brother Jim did in the 358 event. Scott

Britton was the first to challenge but it was Mike Clark moving into the

second spot on lap 2 and over taking Narrow for the lead on lap 5. The

race was going caution free after the first lap crash and Clark, who came

into the night third in points, was hoping to tighten the gap with

McIntyre and Hall in the pits. With five to go Clark was pulling away as

Narrow and Todd Stewart were shown in second and third. Clark held on

for the win with Narrow, Stewart, Caprara and Britton filling out the top

five. With his win Clark moved into a tie for the point lead with

McIntyre who was credited with a 13th place finish while defending

champion Hall dropping back to third just 22 points behind.

Debbie Stevenson took the lead in the 10 lap IMCA Modified feature

from her front row starting position but Eddie O'Neil went around on lap

2 and into the lead. Jim Graves and Ron O'Neil also got by Stevenson but

she came right back on lap 3 to regain the number two spot. While Eddie

O'Neil continued to lead a great race going on right behind him between

Stevenson, Graves and Ron O'Neil. It was a father and son battle for the

lead at the halfway point with father Eddie still in command. The top

four ran in a tight pack all fighting for the win. Ron moved to the

outside of father Eddie on the final lap in turn three but could not

make it stick and as he was spinning was collected by Stevenson as they

exited turn four. Eddie went on for his first win of the season at

Can-Am with Graves coming in second, newcomer Mark Kelly was third, with

Ron O'Neil and Stevenson being credited with forth and fifth. Point

leader Tom Horning had motor troubles and was able to make only one lap

thus shortening his point lead to 16 over Ron O'Neil and 18 over Graves.

Tom Cormier missed the first half of the racing season but showed he

had not lost his touch as he jumped from starting position number 4 to

take the lead on lap 1 of the 12 lap Late Model feature. Cormier looked

strong as he opened up a lead first over Luke Gibeau and then Walt

VanTassel. A caution on lap 4 that sent point leader Ben Tucker to the

pits for the night tightened the field and on the restart Jeff Papin took

over the second position from VanTassel. One lap later Papin would take

the lead away from Cormier. Cormier would not give up as he stayed right

there in the second spot with VanTassel settling into third. Papin was

going to prove to tough on this night though as he went on for win number

two of the season. Cormier, VanTassel, Ronnie McConnell and Tim Busler

came across in positions two thru five. With McConnells 4th place finish

he moved to within just 2 points of point leader Tucker who was credited

with a 10th place finish.

The Street Stock feature saw Laurie Handschuh take the early lead

from the front row and hold on to lead the first two laps when Steve

Rookey took over command. A caution for Andy Wells on lap 3 slowed

things and on the restart Al Pitts took the number one position away with

Bill Eisele following him to the front. The race would go without a

caution the final 9 laps allowing Pitts too open up a sizeable lead.

Eisele would hang tough but could not close the gap on the leader. Pitts

went on for the win over Eisele, Rookey, Nick Makuch and Handschuh.

Makuch, who led the points earlier in the season, lost some ground to

defending champion Pitts but remains in the hunt just 22 points behind.

The Economy Stock feature was wild right from the start, as the cars

came around turn four to complete the first lap, Andrew Howard had

charged from deep in the pack toward the front but lost control between

turns three and four and collected a number of top runners. Roger Bushey

was the leader of the first two laps but Kyle Sharp was on the move and

took over on lap 3. Rick Dusckas came to the front and was shown in

position number two on lap 3. Dusckas was right on the rear bumper of

the Sharp machine with Bushey right there in third. Bushey was forced to

the pits with problems on lap 7 which moved Mark Baltz into the top

three. The final caution came out on lap 7 and set up a 3 lap dash to

the finish. Sharp was able to hold off Dusckas for the win with Baltz,

Craig Collier, Ken Partridge and Mike Baxter the remainder of the top

five. Dusckas increased his point lead to 52 points over Bushey while

Baltz closed to within 12 points of Bushey in third.

Neighborhood Markets sponsored a 4 lap Dash for Cash for the DIRT

Sportsman and 358 DIRT Modifieds, Lee Gill picked up the $100 in the 358

race while Steve Hall came away with the cash in the DIRT Sportsman.

Next Saturday night will be sponsored by Hannaford Super Stores,

WLKC Radio and Carvel Ice Cream. There will be a grocery cart race for

the fans with prizes being donated by Hannaford Super Stores. The point

chases are still up for grabs which means the action will be at its best

in all divisions. Gates open at 5pm with the first green falling at 7pm

sharp. For more information call the speedway at (315) 658-4431.

PEPSI-COLA/MT. DEW

358 DIRT MODIFIED FINISH: Tim McCreadie, Steve Roberts, Lansing

Petzoldt, Pat O'Brien, Dale Eggleston, Jim Narrow, Tim Fuller, Lee Gill,

Jeff Sykes, Jeff Hoff, BJ Vock, Steve Bilow, Kevin Fetterly, Bob Bennett,

Bucky Hayes, Bob Ostrander, Rick Wilson, Dave Bartlett, Pierre Dagenias

DNS: Doug Crews

FASTLUBE OF WATERTOWN

DIRT SPORTSMAN FINISH: Mike Clark, Jeff Narrow, Todd Stewart, Billy

Caprara. Scott Britton, Joe Cook, Bill Mazuroski, Rich Hall, RJ Gibbons,

Bill Hoff, Dave Surace, Matt Butler, George McIntyre, Buddy Rogers, Steve

Hall, Todd VanTassel DNS: Larry Bivens

BERNHIESEL RACE CARS

IMCA MODIFIED FINISH: Eddie O'Neil, Jim Graves, Mark Kelly, Ron O'Neil,

Debbie Stevenson, Tim Collette, Tom Horning

LATE MODEL FINISH: Jeff Papin, Tom Cormier, Walt VanTassel, Ronnie

McConnell, Tim Busler, Luke Gibeau, Scott Kelsey, Ryan Rarrick, Stan

Parker, Ben Tucker

APPLEDALE FARMERS MARKET

STREET STOCK FINISH: Al Pitts, Bill Eisele, Steve Rookey, Nick Makuch,

Laurie Handschuh, Steve Halladay, Brian Salisbury, Will Glass, Andy

Wells, Richard Day, Kevin Slate DNS: Terry Ingersoll

ECONOMY STOCK FINISH: Kyle Sharp, Rick Dusckas, Mark Baltz, Craig

Collier, Ken Partridge, Mike Baxter, Charles Duffany, Kevan Therrien, Les

Sanford, Roger Bushey, John Eiss, Tim Guild, Hunter Grimes, Erv Miller,

Clint Middlemiss, Randy Allen, Andrew Howard