GILL AND SCHMIDT STOP IN TO CAN-AM’S VICTORY LANE
LAFARGEVILLE, NY…..Frankie Caprara’s bid for the DealMaker Back to Back Challenge bonus fell one spot short as Lee Gill became the first repeat winner in the Modifieds at Caprara’s Can-Am Motorsports Park Saturday night. Gus Schmidt got his first win of 2004 in the 358 Modified feature. Other winners on Coors Light/Cheney Tire night included Shawn Donath in the Kevin Fleming Memorial for the DIRT Sportsman,
Bob McCreadie jumped out into the lead at the start of the 30-lap DIRT Modified feature and pulled away from runnerup Bill Gill until he lost a left front wheel coming into turn three on lap 7. On the restart, Bill Gill held the top spot and battled with Lee Gill for the race lead as Caprara moved into the third position. Lee Gill was able to wrestle the lead away after an intense side by side battle.
As the laps wore on, Caprara moved into the second position, but the race went caution free to the checkered flag and Caprara could not catch Gill, who recorded his second win of 2004. Following Caprara across the line to complete the top five were Bill Gill, Pat O’Brien, and Todd Stewart.
The 25-lap 358 Modified feature found Ryan Bartlett leading the first 6 laps until Gus Schmidt took over the top spot. Dale Planck battled with Frankie Caprara behind Bartlett, going three wide in turn three and four. Planck tagged the inside wall in turn four, shearing off the left front tire.
On the restart, Schmidt held his advantage until the yellow flew for John Lazore, whose fuel line came loose, engulfing the front of the car in flames. Lazore was able to exit his car and was OK. In the final lap, Bartlett was tagged and spun out of the runnerup spot, with Frankie Caprara edging into the second position. John Ramsey, Larry Welling, and Doug Fuller completed the top five.
The 2004 edition of the Kevin Fleming Memorial for the DIRT Sportsman saw Rob Bellinger and Shawn Donath bring the field down to the green flag. After a four car jingle in the opening turn, Donath grabbed the early lead with Scott Goodrich moving into the runnerup position. Lance Willix battled with Bellinger as Andy Howard moved into the third position.
As the race ran clean and green to halfway, Donath encountered lapped traffic and that allowed Goodrich to narrow the gap as Clayton Brewer moved into a three way battle with Howard and Willix for third. A couple of late race cautions slowed the pace, but Donath was not to be denied as he captured his first win of 2004, with Goodrich in second, followed by Jason Potter, Bob Henry, and Brewer.
The 20-lap IMCA Modified feature event saw Neal Edgar hold the early lead, with Dale Caswell making some strong moves on the outside to grab the runnerup spot. Caswell then motored into the lead with Rob Keller grabbing second shortly thereafter. John Carr and Ryan Scott battled for position behind Keller as he dueled Caswell for the lead.
Keller and Caswell battled through some mid race restarts, with Keller taking the lead for good on a restart with two laps to go. Caswell held off John Carr for the second position, with Scott and Paul Calhoun rounding out the top five, with Calhoun coming from the 23rd starting spot to claim his position.
The 15-lap Pure Stock feature saw last week’s winner Chuck Cushman take the lead by lap 5 and try to stretch out his advantage. Dave Mannise and Travis Andrews battled with Mike Cousins inside the top five as the race reached the halfway point. Mannise took the number two spot and shot underneath Cushman with four laps to go. Cushman had one last chance on a lap 14 restart and crossed the line just a half car length behind Mannise at the flag, followed by Travis Andrews, Dana Aikins, and Mike Cousins.
Doug Williams and Jeff Barker battled early in the 15-lap Dwarf car feature for the race lead with Dan Williams and Mike Isabell not far behind. DJ Forbes moved past the other contenders and chased down Doug Williams and battled him for the lead until Chris Propheter spun to bring out a yellow on lap 13. In the final dash to the checkers, Doug Williams held off Forbes for the win, with Dan Williams, Isabell, and Rob Garafolo rounding out the top five.
Racing action continues next Saturday night at Can-Am Motorsports Park with the DIRT Modifieds, 358 Modifieds, and Sportsman plus IMCA Modifieds and Pure Stocks. Gates will open at 5 p.m. with racing starting at 7 p.m.
RACE SUMMARY-COORS LIGHT/CHENEY TIRE NIGHT
CAPRARA’S CAN-AM MOTORSPORTS PARK
SATURDAY, JUNE 19, 2004
DIRT MODIFIED FEATURE-LEE GILL, Frankie Caprara, Bill Gill, Pat O’Brien, Todd Stewart, Jason Barney, Ryan Bartlett, Danny O’Brien, Ted Lamb, Gus Schmidt, Bob McCreadie.
DIRT 358 MODIFIED FEATURE-GUS SCHMIDT, Frankie Caprara, John Ramsey, Larry Welling, Doug Fuller, Ryan Bartlett, Mike Adderley, Justin Mason, Brian McDonald, Brian Sawyer, John Lazore, Dale Planck.
DIRT SPORTSMAN KEVIN FLEMING MEMORIAL-SHAWN DONATH, Scott Goodrich, Jason Potter, Bob Henry, Clayton Brewer III, Lance Willix, Andy Howard, Jim Livingston, Kyle Dingwall, Ben Tucker, Bill Eisele, Rob Bellinger, Jeff Stevenson, Steve Roberts, Jeff Putney, Jeff Robinson, Scott Parliament, Scott Webb, Matt Butler, Shane Donath, Marcel Pecore, Jack Meeks, Tim Alton.
IMCA MODIFIED FEATURE-ROB KELLER, Dale Caswell, John Carr, Ryan Scott, Paul Calhoun, Jake Rabetoy, Chris Taylor, Neal Edgard, Jon Dumas, John Mason, Chris Thurston, Brian Copp, Larry Bezner, Rick Duskas, Rick Reed, Tom Docteur, Lance Lalonde, Scott Castor, Tom Conklin, Darryl Paul, Rich Keller, Dan Hilts, Mark Webb, Bentley Aiken.
PURE STOCK FEATURE-DAVE MANNISE, Chuck Cushman, Travis Andrews, Dana Aikins, Mike Cousins, Ron Wadsforth, Shane Ray, Andy Wells, Brian Holder, Charles Duffany, Pete Cross, Jason Gilmore, Jeff Shannon, Steve Gilmore, Fran Bryant, Dave Pope, Ken Hamm, Zeke Mckeown, Les Sanford, Kevin Duffany, George Sanford, Steven Gilmore.
DWARF CAR FEATURE-DOUG WILLIAMS, DJ Forbes, Dan Williams, Mike Isabell, Rob Garafolo, Don Fenner, Jeff Barker, John Behron, Tim Devendorf, John Byrnes, Tony Buffa, Brad Shova, Steve Miller, Chris Propheter, Lowell Zehr.