GARY TOMKINS WINS MOD MAIN, VARIN IMPRESSES ALL
CANANDAIGUA, NY., April 26.............Beautiful weather conditions
finally allowed the Canandaigua Speedway to begin the 1997 racing season last Saturday evening at the
Ontario County Fairgrounds. Gary Tomkins, from nearby McDougall, NY, took the 35=-lap main event
for DIRT Modifieds, with Todd Henderson earning the victory in the companion DIRT Sportsman main
event. Les Whyte won top honors in the street stock division.
Tomkins, who last won at Canandaigua Speedway in 1993, took
the lead in his Bill Trout Lincoln/Mercury sponsored car from his
pole starting position and was never headed in the 35-lap feature
event for DIRT Modifieds. Alan Johnson, former driver of the
Trout machine, seemed up to challenge Tomkins as he was able to
catch and pull along side of the Tomkins mount on several
occasions, however he never was able to complete a pass.
From mid-pack both Bobby Varin and former track champion Bob McCreadie
were on the run. Varin took third from Vic Coffey on
lap 13 and McCreadie gained fourth, also passing Coffey for the
position on the same lap. To the surprise of the fans, newcomer
Varin, mounted a challenge on Alan Johnson in second, taking the
position with a front stretch pass on lap 27. Varin then took off
after Tomkins, who had a full straight away advantage.
As the laps wound down Tomkins was caught behind lapped
traffic allowing Varin to catch up to the rear of the Tomkin’s car. McCreadie was
also in the picture as he had passed Johnson for third on lap 28. With just one lap remaining
Varin slowed with a deflating right rear tire. But he was able to beat McCreadie to the finish for
his best finish at Canandaigua Speedway and the best for his car owner Fred Tanner. Johnson
finished fourth followed by the 1996 track champion, Joe Plazek, in fifth. In sportsman action
Todd Henderson parlayed his
pole staring spot into his first victory of the year at Canandaigua. Scott Ridley,
who ran second most of the race came home in second followed by Lance Dusett,
Mike Button and Bill Hoff. Four yellows slowed the race, most for spins in the turns.
The final yellow came on lap 14 when third place runner Karl Comfort slowed with a flat tire.
He was able to return without losing a lap.
In street stock feature action, Dave Aurand became the first
driver of the year to flip at Canandaigua. Aurand rolled in the
third turn on lap six while running in third place. Upon landing
the Aurand car showed signs of flames from under the hood area of
the car. One lap later Mike Cowell stepped on the gas for
the restart and his engine exploded in a huge fireball. Cowell drifted around
the speedway leaving the oily contents of his motor all around the half mile oval.
Beyond these two incidents Les Whyte also went
wire-to-wire to win the street stock season opener. Frank Guererri came home in
second, also in a new style street stock. Tom Baron finished third with Jim McGuigan
and Foster Hughes rounded out the top five.
This Saturday will find a complete program of DIRT Modifieds, Sportsman, and Street Stocks in action at Canandaigua.
Race time will be at 7 p.m. with pit gates opening just before 5
p.m.. Also up for grabs will be the first 1=-on=-1 spectator race
of the year. Fans can enter their street legal for these
elimination round events.
AUTO TRADER MAGAZINE/COMPUTER EXCELLENCE NIGHT SUMMARY
STREET STOCKS
HEAT 1: L. Whyte, D. Aurand, B. Brown, D. VanArsdale, G. Bullis, B. Fremouw, Ra. Miller, J. Burba, W. Ellison.
HEAT 2: J. McGuigan, T. Barron, R. Miller, F. Guererri, F.
Hughes, C. Reynolds III, D. McQuay, M. Cowell.
FEATURE (15=-laps): LES WHYTE, Frank Guererri, Tom Barron, Jim McGuigan, Foster Hughes, Billy Brown, George Bullis, Rick Miller, Carl Reynolds III, Dave VanArsdale, Dave McQuay, Betty Fremouw, Jim Burba, Randy Miller, Mike Cowell, Dave Aurand.
SPORTSMAN
HEAT 1: L. Dusett, R. Holden, S. Ridley, V. Vitale, R. Swarthout.
HEAT 2: T. Henderson, K. Comfort, J. Haers, M. Button, L. Laffenburger.
HEAT 3: S. Joy, B. Hoff, G. Farnsworth, D. Darling, R. Richmond. CONSI: P. Guererri, L. Lincoln, J. Kuluszo, C. Risdale, K. Stell, J. Lutes, B. Champion Jr.
FEATURE (20=-laps): TODD HENDERSON, Scott Ridley, Lance Dusett, Mike Button, Bill Hoff, Randy Holden, Rich Swarthout, Paul Guererri, Vince Vitale, Scott Joy, Loren Lincoln, Rob Richmond, Keith Stell, Jerry Haers, Karl Comfort, Chris Risdale, Jeff Lutes, Jon Kuluszo, Lance Laffenburger, Dale Darling, Gary Farnsworth, Bob Champion Jr.
MODIFIED
HEAT 1: G. Tomkins, A.J. Romano, B. Turner, J. Moravec, P. Ward, G. Tegg Jr.
HEAT 2: A. Johnson, B. Varin, T. Griffin, C. Donk, S. Schrader. HEAT 3: J. Plazek, V. Coffey, B. McCreadie, T. Bauer, R. Bliss Jr., S. Boudinot.
FEATURE (35=-laps): GARY TOMKINS, Bobby Varin, Bob McCreadie, Alan Johnson, Joe Plazek, A.J. Romano, Vic Coffey, John Moravec, Gil Tegg Jr., Charlie Donk, Pat Ward, Ted Bauer, Scott Boudinot, Ray Bliss Jr., Troy Griffin, Scott Schrader, Bryon Turner.