STEWART & LAZORE GRAB MODIIFED WINS AT CAN-AM
LAFARGEVILLE, NY…..After taking a runnerup finish last Saturday night, Todd Stewart dominated the field to score a win in Saturday’s 30-lap DIRT Modified feature event at Caprara’s Can-Am Motorsports Park. Dale Planck picked up the win in the 25-lap Sunoco/A Plus 358 Modified Syracuse Qualifier, while Scott Webb was awarded the win in the 20-lap Sportsman feature. Rich Keller returned to victory lane in the 20-lap IMCA Modified feature event.
After Frankie Caprara slid off turn one on the first attempted start, the field came down to the green flag with Stewart battling into the lead. Lee Gill moved into the top five, as did Pat O’Brien and Danny O’Brien. With a strong thread the needle move in turn two, Pat O’Brien moved into the second spot and began to chase Stewart.
With the final two thirds of the feature run under the green, Pat O’Brien chased after Stewart but could not reel him in on an open track. While the lead duo sped away, there was a great battle for third between Ted Lamb and Danny O’Brien as Lee Gill threatened from the fifth spot.
At the finish, Stewart claimed the win, which makes him eligible for the DealMaker Auto Group Back to Back Challenge next Saturday night. Pat O’Brien was followed by Lamb, Danny O’Brien and Lee Gill.
The 25-lap 358 Modified feature event saw Doug Fuller lead the opening lap, only to slide high in turn four, giving the lead to John Lazore. Lazore pulled out a sizeable lead while his teammate, Dale Planck, moved up through the field, passing Brian McDonald and then motoring past John Ramsey. Lazore’s car began to show a light trail of smoke as Planck closed in.
Planck battled his teammate for a few laps before he slid by to take the lead and he pulled away until a yellow on lap 23 brought the field together for a restart. Planck held firm as he and Lazore crossed the line one-two, followed by Ramsey, Frankie Caprara, and Brian McDonald.
Planck’s car, however, failed to make weight in a post race inspection, with Lazore being awarded the feature win. Lazore also earned the guaranteed starting spot for the Sunoco/A Plus 358 Modified Championship at Syracuse.
The 20-lap DIRT Sportsman feature saw Bill Eisele take off with the early lead, trailed by Ben Tucker and Kyle Dingwall. Scott Webb and Clayton Brewer battled for third and fourth as leader Eisele held a ten car length lead approaching the halfway point.
Tucker began to chip away at the lead as the yellow flew for the first time on lap 9 for Jack Meeks, who lost a tire. On the restart, Tucker challenged for the lead, but the yellow flew one lap later for a tangle in turn two. On the next restart, Dingwall snatched second from Tucker as Eisele continued to hold the lead. On lap 12, Dingwall shot past Eisele to claim the lead. Dingwall pulled away to claim the win over Webb, Tucker, Lance Willix, and Eisele.
Dingwall’s car failed to make weight after the feature event, which led officials to award the win to second place finisher Scott Webb.
The 20-lap IMCA Modified feature event began with a bang, as several cars got tangled up in an opening lap pileup in turn three, which put the field under a red flag. When the feature restarted, John Carr took the early lead with Rob Keller grabbing the runnerup spot. A John Mason spin on lap 3 bunched the field again with Keller taking the lead on the restart as Paul Calhoun moved into the third position and Larry Bezner grabbed fourth.
Bezner then moved up to challenge Calhoun and Carr, and in the scramble, Calhoun and Bezner bumped up into a battle for second as Keller stretched out his lead. The yellow flew again on lap 12 which again tightened the field. Keller again pulled away on the restart as Calhoun and Bezner fought over the second spot. A lap 15 restart saw Chris Taylor’s hood fly up, and several cars got caught in an ensuing melee in turn one. Keller survived a final restart on lap 19 to take the win over Calhoun, Bezner, Rich Keller, and John Carr.
The 15-lap Pure Stock feature event with Chuck Cushman taking the lead at the end of lap one, but the field was stopped after Steven Gilmore took a wild airbone ride in turn one. Gilmore was OK. Cushman again assumed command on the restart with Dana Aikins moving into the second position, but on a lap 4 yellow, Cushman’s car let go and he retired to the pits, handing Aikins the lead.
Dave Pope moved into second and ran down leader Aikins with five laps to go as Mike Cousins grabbed up the third position. The trio were brought together by a lap 14 yellow, setting up a one lap dash to the finish. Dave Mannise came into the picture from fourth in the final lap, but Aikins held on for his second straight win, with Pope, Cousins, Mannise, and Andrews following.
Racing action continues next Saturday night at Can-Am Motorsports Park with the DIRT Modifieds, 358 Modifieds, Sportsman, IMCA Modifieds, and Pure Stocks. Racing starts at 7 p.m.
RACE SUMMARY-DENNY’S/DAYS INN/MILLER LITE/RT. 37 BUILDING SUPPLY NIGHT
CAPRARA’S CAN-AM MOTORSPORTS PARK
SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2004
DIRT MODIFIED FEATURE-TODD STEWART, Pat O’Brien, Ted Lamb, Danny O’Brien, Lee Gill, Bob McCreadie, Frankie Caprara, Jason Barney, Bill Gill, Gus Schmidt, Ryan Bartlett, Patrick Dupree, Kyle Wilson, Bill Dunn, Anthony Fiorentino.
DIRT 358 MODIFIED SUNOCO/A PLUS SYRACUSE QUALIFIER FEATURE-JOHN LAZORE, John Ramsey, Frankie Caprara, Brian McDonald, Ryan Bartlett, Bruce Sawyer, Justin Mason, Perry Francis, George Foley, Gus Schmidt, Larry Welling, Doug Fuller, Mike Adderly, Steve Bilow, Dale Planck (DQ).
DIRT SPORTSMAN FEATURE-SCOTT WEBB, Ben Tucker, Lance Willix, Billy Eisele, Clayton Brewer III, Jim Livingston, Shane Donath, Matt Butler, Bob Henry, Shawn Donath, Scott Parliament, Scott Goodrich, Jason Potter, Rob Bellinger, Andy Howard, Steve Reagan, Jeff Putney, Steve Roberts, Marcel Pecore, Jack Meeks, Pete Schroy, Sam Reakes IV, Jeff Stevenson, Mike Young, Kyle Dingwall (DQ).
IMCA MODIFIED FEATURE-ROB KELLER, Paul Calhoun, Larry Bezner, Rich Keller, John Carr, Ryan Scott, Mark Webb, Brian Copp, Rick Duskas, John Mason, Chris Taylor, Darryl Paul, Neal Edgard, Jake Rabetoy, Rick Reed, Tom Docteur, Dan Hilts, Bob Thurston Jr., Kevin Buff, Jon Dumas, Dale Caswell, Tom Conklin (DNS).
PURE STOCK FEATURE-DANA AIKINS, Dave Pope, Mike Cousins, Dave Mannise, Travis Andrews, Zeke McKeown, Andy Wells, Jason Gilmore, Brian Holder, Steve Gilmore, Bill Gardner, Ken Hamm, Les Sanford, Kevin Duffany, Ronnie Wadforth, Chuck Cushman, Charles Duffany, Steve McIntyre, Steven Gilmore.