RYAN PHELPS GRABS BIG MODIFIED FEATURE WIN AT CAN-AM
LAFARGEVILLE, NY….Ryan Phelps held off the challenge of Todd Stewart in the final dash to the checkers to record his first DIRT Modified win Saturday night in the CFM Foods/Budweiser/Thomas Trash Service/Gerald Umstead Contracting event at Caprara’s Can-Am Motorsports Park. Frank Caprara made it two in a row in the 358 Modifieds while Matt Butler was the Sportsman victor. Rich Keller and Chuck Cushman took the checkers in the IMCA Modified and Pure Stock features.
Ryan Phelps was the early lead in the 30-lap DIRT Modified feature event, but held it for only a couple of laps before Todd Stewart took over the point. Dale Planck moved into contention early while further back Billy Decker and Pat Ward were battling with Pat O’Brien for position.
Planck charged into the lead and began to pull away while Caprara and Stewart battled for position. David Hebert was also working into contention as the middle of the race featured a long stretch of green flag racing. During this stretch, Planck pulled out a big lead while Decker battled his way into second with Phelps retaining the third spot in a duel with Stewart.
Bad luck then reared its ugly head, first for Decker, who slowed with ten laps remaining and pulled into the infield. Leader Planck then fell victim to troubles, slowing down on the fronstretch with just a few laps remaining. Phelps then became the leader with Stewart and Caprara on his tail for the final restart.
Phelps withstood the challenges in the final laps to record his first DIRT Modified feature win with Stewart and Caprara crossing the line second and third. Hebert made it to fourth, while Pat Ward made a last lap pass on Pat O’ Brien for the fifth position.
DIRT Modified heats were won by Pat Ward and Kyle Wilson.
The 25-lap DIRT 358 Modified feature began with Bruce Sawyer grabbing the early lead, with Brian McDonald and Frank Caprara making early charges to come up into contention. Further back in the pack, Billy Decker, Pat Ward, and Tim Fuller made some early moves as well as they moved into the top ten.
Caprara was able to sail past McDonald and then grab the lead just before a lap 11 yellow to take over the top spot. While Fuller was charging into the top five, Sawyer slid backwards, eventually suffering bad luck with a spin in turn two. McDonald moved into second and began to chase Caprara as lapped traffic loomed close. Behind them, Stewart Friesen battled with Mike Adderly and Fuller for position, eventually nailing down the third spot.
Mike Adderly’s fine run ended a few laps from the finish when he dropped off the pace, bumping Ward up another position. Up front, Caprara was able to pull out a few car lengths and maintain the advantage to record his second 358 Modified feature win of the season at Can-Am. McDonald took the number two spot, followed by Friesen, Ward, and
DIRT 358 Modified heats were won by Brian McDonald, who set a new 358 Modified track record during the event, Bruce Sawyer, and Patrick Dupree.
The 20-lap DIRT Sportsman feature began with Ben Tucker spinning from the front row at the start of the event, sending the field scattering, though nobody made serious contact. Clayton Brewer and Scott Parliament battled for the early lead while Matt Butler came into the fight.
Butler stole the top spot from Parliament and appeared to be headed to the win until the yellow flew on lap 19, setting up a one lap dash to the finish. Butler pulled away from Parliament and Brewer on the final restart to take the win, with Parliament just edging out Brewer at the line for second. Jason Potter and Lance Willix rounded out the top five.
DIRT Sportsman heats were won by Lance Willix, Ben Tucker, and Scott Parliament.
In the 20-lap IMCA Modified feature event, John Carr held the early lead with Rob Keller moving into second place, only to fall off the pace and take his ride to the pit area. That left Rich Keller in the challenger’s position, with Keller nabbing the top spot with John Mason making some strong moves to move into second just past halfway.
Larry Bezner and Dale Caswell were also having a battle for position and they overtook Carr in the second half of the event. Keller and Mason battled through a couple of late race restarts, but Keller was up to the challenge, holding Mason off as the race entered the final laps.
As Keller was coming through the final turn to take the win, Mason lost the handle on his car, with Jon Dumas able to slip through to grab second. Bezner and Caswell battled to the finish, crossing the line behind Dumas in that order, with early leader Carr taking fifth.
IMCA Modified heats were won by Rob Keller, Rich Keller, and Neal Edgar.
The 15-lap Pure Stock feature began with Chuck Cushman holding the early lead while contenders Dave Pope and Dave Mannise worked their way into contention. Fran Bryant was also having a strong run, along with invader Phil Marsden.
A lap 12 yellow flag set up a three lap dash to the checkers. Marsden jumped into the runnerup spot but could not make the move on Cushman, who recovered from a crash the week before to notch his first win of the season. Marsden was a car length in second, with Bryant recording a fine third place finish. Dave Mannise and Travis Andrews completed the top five.
Pure Stock heats were won by Chuck Cushman, Dana Aikins, and Dave Mannise.
Next Saturday night Can-Am Motorsports Park will again present the DIRT Modifieds, 358 Modifieds, Sportsman, IMCA Modifieds, and Pure Stocks. Gates will open at 5 p.m. with racing starting at 7 p.m.
RACE SUMMARY-CFM FOODS/BUDWEISER/THOMAS TRASH/GERALD UMSTEAD CONTRACTING NIGHT
CAN-AM MOTORSPORTS PARK
SATURDAY, MAY 8, 2004
DIRT MODIFIED FEATURE-RYAN PHELPS, Todd Stewart, Frank Caprara, David Hebert, Pat Ward, Pat O’Brien, Danny O’Brien, Tim Fuller, Lee Gill, Ted Lamb, Ryan Bartlett, Bill Gill, Anthony Fiorentino, Zach Aubertine, Dale Planck, Bob McCreadie, Kyle Wilson, Billy Decker, Gus Schmidt, Than Harrington, Patrick Dupree, Jason Barney.
DIRT 358 MODIFIED FEATURE-FRANK CAPRARA, Brian McDonald, Stewart Friesen, Pat Ward, Tim Fuller, Billy Decker, Stephane LaFrance, Jeff Sykes, John Ramsey, Patrick Dupree, Willy Decker, Ryan Bartlett, Perry Francis, Gus Schmidt, Justin Mason, Denny Young, Pierre Charette, John Lazore, Mike Adderly, Rob Galloway, Doug Fuller, Bruce Sawyer, Marco Potvin, Bob Bennett, Larry Welling (DNS), Pierre Dagenais (DNS), Greg Monica (DNS).
DIRT SPORTSMAN FEATURE-MATT BUTLER, Scott Parliament, Clayton Brewert III, Jason Potter, Lance Willix, Scott Webb, Kyle Dingwall, Jack Meeks, Chad Phelps, Marcel Pecore, Ben Tucker, Tim Alton, Mike Bowman, Scott Goodrich, Jeff Stevenson, Rob Bellinger, Bill Eisele, Jim Mandigo, Mike Young, Shawn Donath, Jordan Bennett, Andy Howard, George Horning.
IMCA MODIFIED FEATURE-RICH KELLER, Jon Dumas, Larry Bezner, Dale Caswell, John Carr, Rick Reed, Jake Rabetoy, Chris Taylor, Rick Duskas, Dan Hiltz, Brian Copp, Tom Docteur, Ryan Scott, Lance Lalonde, John Mason, Chris Thurston, Paul Calhoun, Tom Conklin, Rob Keller, Neal Edgar, Darryl Paul (DNS).
PURE STOCK FEATURE-CHUCK CUSHMAN, Phil Marsden, Fran Bryant, Dave Mannise, Travis Andrews, Ronnie Wadforth, George Sanford, Dana Atkins, Zeke McKeown, Mike Cousins, Andy Wells, Shane Ray, Keith Middlemiss, Steve Gilmore, John Holder, Pete Cross, Tim Reynolds, Kevin Duffany, Dave Pope, Brian Holder, Charles Duffany, Ken Hamm, Jason Gilmore, Les Sanford, Adam Turner, Jack Johnson, Steven Gilmore (DNS), Ryan Rarrick (DNS), Harvey Arquette (DNS), Dion Oakes (DNS).