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Planck & Clemons Dominate in Can Am SDS Races




The weatherman was trying to ruin the evening, but track officials wouldn’t allow it as Dale Planck in 358 mods and Tim Clemons in Sportsman won Super DIRT Series races Saturday night at Caprara’s Can Am Motorsports Park in the third annual Battle at the Border. Also victorious this evening were Dale Caswell in IMCA mods and Chuck Cushman in Pure Stocks. A total of 125 cars were in action.

Thirty-eight DIRT 358 mods took time trials, and Matt Sheppard posted the fastest time with a 19.5 lap around the fast, tacky half-mile oval. Tim Fuller of Edwards posted the second fastest time allowing them to not have to qualify through heats. Heats were won by Frankie Caprara, Dale Planck, Randy Chrysler and Danny O’Brien with Brian McDonald winning the consolation race.

Thirty cars came out for the start of the 100-lap Turning Stone Resort Super DIRT Series feature lead by Randy Chrysler and Jeff Sykes. Dale Planck started 8th, but by the 2nd lap had already got to second place behind Chrysler. Planck then raced into the lead just after completing lap ten by just going in harder and further than the rest of the field. The Kevlar powered Bicknell was flawless. The first caution flag flew for Tim Fuller who suffered a flat right rear early in the race and got several laps down. At the 25-lap point in the race, the running order was Planck, Justin Haers, Chad Brachmann, Jeff Rudalavage, Chrysler, Danny O’Brien, Matt Sheppard, Todd Burley, Frankie Caprara, Lee Gill and Mitch Gibbs. On lap 28, the caution came out as a rain shower made racing impossible. The caution turned to a red flag situation and the cars were sent to the pits. After a 30-minute rain delay, the race restarted. When the green flag flew again, it was Planck once again out front turning 19-second laps on the fast track with many grooves of racing available. The comeback driver of DIRT in 358s was making the race for second the biggest battle as Planck was on cruise control. Starter Steve Rickett displayed the crossed flags for the halfway mark with the lead pack being comprised of Planck, Haers, Rudalavage, O’Brien, Brachmann, Gill, Chrysler, Sheppard and Caprara. With the race official now, officials were relieved that a rain date would not have to be found and then used. Invading Todd Burley saw his fine run end on the 60th lap when his drive shaft let go. Although it did come up into the driver compartment, Todd was okay but having to park his car for the night. On the ensuing restart for the Burley yellow, major disappointment befell Justin Haers as his car wouldn’t go on the restart and fell all the way from second to last. He limped around to the pits with his front brakes locked ending a terrific effort in the race. With the green lights coming on again, at the three-quarter’s mark of the race the leader board read Planck, Rudalavage, O’Brien, Brachmann, Chrysler, Caprara and Sheppard. Caprara was having a strong run and coming on late in the race and worked his way into the top five on the 78th lap. Then began a torrid battle for fourth with the Pocket Rocket. The two local favorites were wowing the large crowd as they battled lap after lap for the position in the final phases of the race. The last 25-laps were caution free and it was Planck, from Homer, NY, taking home a very dominating win with a car that ran perfectly with Pennsylvania driver Jeff Rudalavage coming home a strong second with Chad Brachmann third, Frankie Caprara getting fourth and the Hometown Hammer, Lee Gill, getting by O’Brien for fifth place.

The Sportsman feature was the first feature run, and 30 cars came out to run the Sunoco Race Fuels 40-lap series race. Tim Clemons, having a great season on the Eastern division of the tour, lead the pack to the green flag. There was moisture in the air and track officials were trying to get this race in as well. The race was only four-laps old when the red flag came out for a turn four accident which saw John Scarborough wind up on his roof after being involved with the cars of Jeff Stevenson and Bill Eisele. John was okay, but all three cars were done for the race. The green came out again, but it was short lived as the yellow flew again on lap nine when Jason Potter slowed in turn one with problems. On the restart, more trouble as the cars of Bob Henry, Jr. And Tim Van Brocklin got together sending Van Brocklin across the track to the infield. Tim was okay, but the car wasn’t as he was also done for the night. With rain still spitting around the track, the race was restarted. It was a ragged start and a lap was scored but the yellow came right back out for too much rain on the track. The race was then red flagged with the cars sent to the pits. During the red-flag period, track owner Charlie Caprara called a driver’s meeting because many of the drivers were upset about the restart feeling that Clemons had taken off way too early and Paul Carey, running second, didn’t take off with him. A vote was taken among the drivers and the decision was made to go back to the lap 9 restart positions in an effort to be fair to the whole field. After about a half-hour rain delay, the track crew got the track back in race condition and the race resumed. Clemons was making it look easy in his Jake Spraker owned mount. He had a huge lead by being almost a second faster than the rest of the pack. At the halfway point of the race, it was Clemons, Matt Butler, Paul Carey, Bill Shantel, Andy Howard, Ben Tucker and Jack Meeks up front. Mike Button looped his car on the 26th lap bringing out another yellow. When the green came out, the rest of the race was caution free as Clemons once again distanced himself from the field and went on to record an impressive win with Matt Butler coming home second, Andy Howard third, Ben Tucker fourth and Paul Carey rounding out the top five. The win was worth $1,000 to Clemons.

It was time for the IMCA mod feature. During intermission, the IMCA drivers, in a show of support for a fellow driver, passed their helmets around the stands to try and raise money for Rob Keller who was involved in a serious accident while coming home from the IMCA Nationals. Rob and his crew chief and a crewman were not injured in the accident, but Rob lost his truck, trailer, parts, tools and the race car suffered heavy damage as well. It took place on an Interstate in Illinois when a car clipped the left front of their truck sending the vehicle into a spin. The trailer became separated from the truck, the truck went upside down and was skidding down the Interstate on its roof, while the trailer and race car went off the Interstate on an overpass and wound up on a road below. Brother Rich let Rob run his car this evening and is sponsoring a benefit to try and raise some money for the KAR 21 team to enable them to get back in racing. As far as the feature went, Keller went out to a early lead, but it was Dale Caswell taking the lead from him on the 8th lap. At the halfway point of the race, the lead back was Caswell, Keller, Paul Calhoun, Jon Dumas and Larry Bezner. Track champion Paul Calhoun saw his season come to an end on lap 14 when he had to take his car to the pits. The race ran caution free the with Caswell posting his second win of the season with Keller coming home second, veteran Larry Bezner third, ever improving Jon Dumas with a fine fourth place finish and Canadian driver Brian Copp rounding out the top five.

In the Pure Stock feature, 22 cars came out for their final race of the year with Chuck Cushman racing out to the early lead with track champ Dave Mannise right behind. Russ Marsden had his 711 up in third place in the early going. Two of the top contenders and top dogs in the class, Mannise and Dave Pope, both fell out of the race on the 10th lap. Certainly something unusual to see those two pull out of the race together. The rest of the race was Cushman and Marsden racing for the lead with Cushman holding on for the win and a $400 payoff for his efforts while Marsden was a strong second followed by Mark Barker, Dana Aikins and Travis Andrews.

This was the final event on the stockcar schedule for the year. The Caprara family would like to thank all of the teams and the fans for their fantastic support since they took over as owners and look forward to seeing everyone in 2004.

MODIFIED: (100L) DALE PLANCK, Jeff Rudalavage, Chad Brachmann, Frankie Caprara, Lee Gill, Danny O’Brien, Matt Sheppard, Clement Therrien, Randy Chrysler, Ted Lamb, Jr., Stewart Friesen, Pierre Dagenais, Bill Gill, Jeff Sykes, Alex Hoag, Rob Galloway, George McIntyre, Ben Bushaw, David Hebert, Denny Young, Brian McDonald, Mitch Gibbs, Justin Haers, Ron White, Ryan Phelps, Todd Burley, Tim Fuller, Todd Stewart, Stephane LaFrance, Steve Bilow DNQ: Bob Bennett, Mike Ward, Perry Francis, Kyle Wilson, Jim Lazore, Patrick Dupree, Mike Adderley, Adam Moore

SPORTSMAN: (40L) TIM CLEMONS, Matt Butler, Andy Howard, Ben Tucker, Paul Carey, Scott Webb, Bill Shantel, Elmo Reckner, Jessica Zemken, Jack Meeks, Tim Sears, Chad Phelps, Tim Dwyer, Mike Teachout, Jordon Bennett, Jason Potter, Clayton Brewer III, Sam Reakes IV, Kyle Dingwall, Mike Button, Bob Henry, Brian Donath, Lance Willix, Shawn Donath, Steve Hall, Tim Van Brocklin, Steve Roberts, John Scarborough, Jeff Stevenson, Bill Eisele DNQ: Scott Goodrich, Rob Bellinger, Mike Holmes, Jason Parkhurst, Lee Miller, Rick McCreadie, Pete Schroy, Jim Vock, Brad Winters, Tom Schroy, Mike Young

IMCA: (20L) DALE CASWELL, Rob Keller, Larry Bezner, Jon Dumas, Brian Copp, Erv Miller, Jake Rabetoy, Richard Townsend, Rick Dusckas, Rick Reed, Ron Root, George Valenti, Chris Thurston, Dan Hilts, Darryl Paul, Chris Taylor, Paul Calhoun, Mark Webb, Jeff Bannister

PURE STOCK: (15L) CHUCK CUSHMAN, Russ Marsden, Mark Barker, Dana Aikins, Travis Andrews, Zeke McKeown, Shane Ray, Fran Briant, Andy Wells, Steve Gilmore, Bill Clark, Jr., Brian Holder, Brett Horner, Jeff Shannon, Charles Duffany, Jeff Welch, Dave Mannise, George Sanford, Jason Rarick, Pete Cross Dave Pope, Ryan Rarick, Les Sanford, Ken Hamm