Bachetti Gets First Mod Win At Orange County

Middletown, NY Starting on the pole on a cold May evening, Andy Bachetti of Sheffield, Ma. earned his first big block modified win in the CARQUEST Auto Parts Stores 30 lap main event at the Orange County Fair Speedway Saturday night 5/18/97.

Bachetti, in only his 4th career modified start after moving up from the 358 modifieds, powered out to a full straightaway lead as the feature saw only a single yellow fly - and that with only one lap remaining. He then stepped away from second finishing Loren Holland, Jr., Bud Christmann, Steve Dodd, and Carl Pittenger to join fellow small block transfer Bobby Hayes, Jr. as winners in the big block division already in 1997.

In the DIRT Sportsman division, Tom Foley of Midland Park, NJ won his second ever feature and the first since April 1993 after running in both the modifieds and 358 modifieds in years in between, Foley gained the point at the halfway mark of the 15 lap feature and out ran Rod Johnston to the checkered flag. Chad Loiodice claimed third in front of Tony Paes, Jr, and Mike DePaima.

A strange turn of events in the 12 lap Novice class Street Stock main found Mark Huber of Vernon, NJ collecting his first ever win in that division when the leader on the last lap was taken out by the second place car and Huber, running third, was awarded the win. Huber was a former winner in the DIRT Sportsman here, The ten lap rookie class main event went to Keith Koppenal of Circleville, NY. For Koppenal, it was his first trip to victory lane.

There was no Dash for Cash event scheduled.

Modified Results-

1st Heat- Carl Pittenger, Bud Christmann, Gerry Higbie, Tim Hindley Bobby Hayes, Jr. 2nd Heat- Chris Whitehead, Chuck McKee, Steve Dodd, Craig Jackson, Joe Winne 3rd Heat- Tom Hindley, Mike Ricci, Bruce Kline, Frank Cozze, Rich Eurich 4th Heat- Andy Bachetti, Loren Holland, Jr., Frank Jashembowski, Danny Johnson, Donnie Elliott Consi- Tommy Meier, Jeff Heotzler, Bill Wilson, Scott Goodrich, Donnie Wilson, Rick Mill Feature: BACHETTI, Holland, Christmann, Dodd, Pittenger, McKee, Johnson, Eurich, Cozze, Meier, Ricci, Hootzler, Tom Hindley Jashembowski, Jackson, Hayes, Goodrich, Winne, Mill, Whitehead, Tim Hindley, Kline, Elliott, S. Wilson, D. Wilson, Higbie

DIRT Sportsman Results:

lst Heat- Rod Johnston, Tom Foley, Bill Green, Barbara Luce 2nd Host-Jeff Hulseapple, Peter Booth, Randy Banks, Jr., John Ferrier 3rd Heat- Greg Morgan, Mark Hufcut, Jimmy Johnson, Chad Loiodice 4th Heat- Alan Houghtaling, Neal Harris, Scott Flammer, Dan Nappi 5th Host- Bill Kukelka, Billy Dunne, Tony Paes, Jr, Paul Jones lot Conal- Stan Jablonka, Jeff Richardson, Rich Fanical 2nd Heat- Mike DePaima, Chris DuBois, Tom Hall

Add: Jim Sorenson, Eric Arell, John Leiby Greg Sleight- guaranteed, top five in track points

Feature: FOLEY, Johnston, Loiodice, Paes, DePalma, Nappi, Johnson, Sleight, Jones, Morgan, Hulseapple, Kukelka, Hall, Ferrier, Houghtaling, Sorenson, Green, DuBois, Leiby Arell, Jablonka, Richardson, Booth, Harris, Banks, Fenical, Dunne, Luce, Flammer, Hufcut

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