BRETT HEARN VICTORIOUS IN 358-MODIFIED SERIES EVENT AT UTICA-ROME SPEEDWAY,TOM KUCK TAKES PRO STOCK EVENT
VERNON, NY- Brett Hearn again invaded the Utica-Rome Speedway, and once
again walked away victorious when he conquered the field in the Turning
Stone Casino Super DIRT Series event presented by FX Caprara Car Companies.
Orange County Speedway regular Tom Kuck was the victor in the companion
Empire Sports Network Pro Stock Super DIRT Series.
Todd Burley, of Spencerport, took early command of the Turning Stone Casino
Super DIRT Series main event from his outside front row starting spot, with
pole sitter Tim Fuller falling into 2nd. Caution lights quickly blinked on
at the completion of lap 1 for the disabled racer of John Ramsey who left
the speedway in turn 3. On the restart, Burley again jumped out on top, only
to have the caution fly again on lap 2 for the stopped car of Kevin Crave.
Burley didn't fire on the next restart, allowing Fuller to take the lead,
Alan Johnson taking 2nd, Dave Camara slipping into 3rd, Burley recovering
from his miscue to fall into 4th, with Dale Planck charging from 14th to
take 5th as lap 3 was scored. Yellow lights quickly came on again for
debris, closing the field together again.
Fuller didn't waver on the restart, racing out to the front spot with
Johnson in tow. Planck took the 3rd spot on lap 7 and took off after the
front running duo. Johnson was Planck's next victim, as Planck went around
the Johnson on lap 10. Johnson's ride seemed to be faltering, as he fell
back to 5th 3 laps later. Randy Chrysler and Justin Haers got together in
turn 4 on lap 13, bringing out the 4th caution of the event. Chrysler was
towed into the pits, returning several laps later while Haers was able to
continue.
Planck stuck to the rear bumper of Fuller on the restart, not allowing the
B&F Machine sponsored TEO to get away. Planck dogged the leader and finally
got by Fuller by using a classic slide job manuever in turn 4 as lap 19 was
scored to take the top spot. Fuller tried to return the favor in turn 1, but
the faster Planck sped away. At the 20 lap mark, it was Planck and Fuller
out front, with Brett Hearn beginning to make his presence felt, charging
from his 12th starting position to sit in 3rd, with Burley and Camara
filling out the top 5.
Hearn began to pressure the 2nd place Fuller as Planck began to run away out
front and lapping cars at a quick pace. A long green flag period saw Planck
stretch the lead to over a straightaway of the Fuller and Hearn machines,
which were fighting for position in lapped traffic. The 5th caution of the
race flew on lap 41 when Chrysler's disabled mount stopped on the inside of
turn 2. Chrysler retired for the evening, with Haers also ending his night a
couple laps later.
Planck again raced out to the lead on the restart, and at the halfway point,
Fuller still rode in 2nd with Hearn close behind in 3rd, series point leader
Matt Sheppard in 4th, and Johnson holding on to 5th. A short cauion period
again slowed the field on lap 53, but Planck still maintained his advantage
on the restart.
On lap 63, Kevin Crave left the speedway surface to bring out another
caution, and the restart was a repeat of the previous two, Planck easily
sped away to a good-sized lead. Hearn now slid by the then 2nd place Fuller,
and shorty after, the caution again flew for Alex Hoag who had stopped with
a right rear flat. This restart saw the Brioschi sponsored machine stay with
the leader Planck and at lap 75, it was Planck, Hearn, Fuller, Johnson, and
Sheppard making out the top 5. Camara, Chad Brachmann, Mitch Gibbs, Ted
Lamb, and Burley filled out the top 10.
Hearn began applying heavy pressure on the 2003 Utica-Rome Speedway
358-Modified track champion. On lap 80, Hearn pulled along side the LYM
Motorsports Bicknell of Planck, but Planck used the lapped car of Denny
Young as a pick to hold the top spot. A lap later, Hearn again pulled along
side the leader with Planck taking the low groove in an attempt to take away
Hearn's line. But Hearn swept around the high side of Planck exiting turn 2
and was scored the leader on lap 82.
Hearn's night almost came to an end 4 laps later when several lapped cars
got together and spun, temporarily blocking Hearn's path. Hearn went around
the cars on the extreme high side to maintain his lead. The restart saw
Hearn race away from the rest of the field, leaving Planck to battle with
Fuller for 2nd. Despite a late race caution on lap 97, Hearn easily led the
remainder of the event, which ran to 101 laps due to the late caution.
Planck survived for 2nd, Fuller crossed in 3rd, Johnson in 4th, Sheppard in
5th. It was Hearns 2nd win of the season, as he won the Advance Auto Parts
series event in July. Heats were won by Chuck Hebing, Gibbs, and Fuller,
with the consolation event going to Pete Taylor.
Kenny Gates and Tom Kuck brought the 32-car Pro Stock to the green in the
25-lap Empire Sports Network Super DIRT Series with Kuck jumping out to the
early lead. The caution flag flew on both lap 1 and 2, but Kuck was able to
hold back the field until 2003 Utica-Rome Speedway track champion Jerry
Holmes slipped by to lead lap 3. The lead was short-lived however, as Kuck
regained the lead on lap 5 with a pass on the high side. The top 5 at that
point was Kuck, Holmes, Chris Morris, Buddy Hencke, and Bret Belden.
Holmes would continue to pressure the front running Kuck, with a battle for
third being contested between Morris and Belden, with Belden getting by
Morris on lap 11 for the position. At the halfway point, Kuck continued to
hold the top spot, with Holmes close behind, Belden in 3rd, Morris in 4th,
and John Lazore in 5th.
Despite several cautions putting Holmes on to Kuck's back bumper, Kuck was
able to hold off all challenges from Holmes and take the victory. Morris was
able to regain 3rd at the end, Belden crossed in 4th, and Lazore came home
in 5th. Lazore was later penalized in post race inspection, moving Jeremy
Clark to fifth. Heat wins went to Kenny Gates, Kuck, Morris, and Holmes.
Eric Vanderhoof won the consolation race.
NOTES- Brett Hearn and Kevin Crave were the top 2 in the time trial event,
putting them directly into the pre-race draw. Hearn's time was a quick
19.833 with Crave timed at 19.938. A brief rainshower near the end of time
trials may have helped Crave. The moisture was quickly dried up, and the
track was extremely tacky afterwards. 32 DIRT Pro Stocks and 30 358-Modifeds
signed in for competition. Track regulars Matt Sheppard and Dale Planck
occupy the top 2 point positions in the Turning Stone Casino Super DIRT
Series point standings with Planck victorious the previous evening's tour
event at the Can-Am Motorsports Park.
The final event of the 2003 will be on November 15 with the 2003 Awards
Banquest that will be held at the Turning Stone Casino Resort. Tickets are
available for $30 apiece by calling Barbara Clark at (315) 893-1822, Brenda
Belden at (315) 855-7688, Deb Christman at (315) 363-3306, or Connie Plows
at (315) 822-6336. For more information, call the speedway at (315) 822-4557
or visit the website at www.uticaromespeedway.com.
FX CAPRARA CAR COMPANIES RACE SUMMARY
TURNING STONE CASINO 358-MODIFIED SUPER DIRT SERIES FINISH (100 LAPS)- BRETT
HEARN, Dale Planck, Tim Fuller, Alan Johnson, Matt Sheppard, Dave Camara,
Mitch Gibbs, Chad Brachmann, Ted Lamb, Pete Bicknell, Todd Burley, Danny
Johnson, Willy Decker, Ryan Phelps, Denny Young, Dave Rauscher, Chuck
Hebing, Paul Kinney, Dan Mattison, Chris Ostrowsky, Kevin Crave, Paul
Jensen, Alex Hoag, Pete Taylor, Justin Haers, Ben Bushaw, Randy Chrysler,
Ron White, and John Ramsey. DNS- Tom Juhl
EMPIRE SPORTS NETWORK PRO STOCK SUPER DIRT SERIES FINISH (25 LAPS)- TOM
KUCK, Jerry Holmes, Chris Morris, Bret Belden, Jeremy Clark, Roy Fifield,
Kenny Gates, John Pietrowicz, Eric Vanderhoof, Jody Swamp, Buddy Hencke, Pat
Hobbs, Todd Raabe, Dan Rickard, Casey Swamp, Louie Jackson, AJ Digsby, Brian
Belden, John Lazore, Joel Herne, Dave Moyer, Mark Therrien, Mitchell Jock,
Bill Knapp, Dave Bruno, Dan Jalbert, Ed Ostrander, Joey Ladouceur, Bill
Pascual, Matt Smith, William Adams, and Dave Tiedman.