Pat O'Brien Back in Victory Lane at Can Am
By Admin on Sunday, July 06, 2003 - 9:42 am: Edit Post
Everyone knew it was just a matter of when Pat O'Brien would be back in victory lane at Can Am Motorsports Park. It was the way he did it that was the story of the night. Last week, for one of the only times of his stellar career Pat got lapped in the feature event. This week, he made the decision to go with a Bicknell 2003 chassis and after taking delivery on Thursday, he wheeled it into Victory Lane on Saturday night to add another victory to the driver who has been Mr. DIRT 358 four times and Can Am track champion nine times and now adds another win to his big block total. Other winners were Jim Vock in Sportsman, Paul Calhoun in IMCA mods, Mark Barker in Pure Stocks and D.J. Forbes in the Dwarf cars.
The 30-lap modified feature was for the Jefferson County Fair Championship. Young gun Billy Dunn brought the field to the green from Starter Steve Rickett and immediately held the lead. The Hometown Hammer, Lee Gill, started 14th and was looking for the $3500 in Dealmaker Auto Group Back to Back challenge. Pat O'Brien would start a row in front of him in 12th. The first caution came out on lap ten when Ryan Phelps car suddenly slowed. Ryan was able to stay in the race, but lost some valuable race spots. When racing resumed, it was now Steve Hulsizer in his Gypsum Wholesaler痴 Teo and Pat O'Brien putting the pressure on Billy Dunn, with Hulsizer taking the lead on lap 11. The yellow flew again on lap 13 when another young star, Mike Adderley, slowed his car and went pitside. At the halfway point of the race, the lead pack was Hulsizer, OO'Brien, Gill, Danny "Brien, Bill Gill, Jason Barney and Frankie "Flatfoot:" Caprara. Hulsizer and O'Brien then staged some great side by side racing for the lead with Pat slipping under Hulsizer on lap 21. On lap 22, young Billy Dunn having to take his car to the pits with a flat tire. When racing went green again, the final eight laps were dog eat dog as O'Brien, Hulsizer and Gill were all looking for racing room. It was not to be, however, as Pat "Flyin" O'Brien was able to claim the victory with Hulsizer, Gill, Danny "O'Brien and Barney rounding out the top five. Next week, Pat will go after the Dealmaker Bonus which would make a win for him worth more than $5,000 for the night.
A full 25-car field came out for the DIRT Sportsman 20-lapper, and B.J. "Jim" Vock made his presence know immediately as he put his car out front. The race was slowed by a multi-car accident in turn three on lap four with Mark Webb, Scott Webb and Shane Donath involved. The car on the move in the early stages was the 16 of Lance Willix as he was making steady progress to the lead pack. At the halfway point, it was Vock in the lead with Steve Roberts, Andy Howard, Willix and Jack Meeks trailing. Willix worked his way to second place and was putting pressure on Vock, but the Theresa driver was able to hold off his fellow Theresa driver Willix for the win with Billy Eisele coming home third, Clayton Brewer III in fourth and Andy Howard rounding out the top five. In post-race tech, Eisele forfeited his points and money for the night for being light across the scales.
The IMCA mod field was down this week from previous weeks, but still put 17 cars out on the track for their feature. Rob Keller, having a strong season so far, put his Dirt Works race car out front early with Rick Reed, Neal Edgar, Paul Calhoun and Brian Copp in hot pursuit. On lap six, a multi-car accident in turn one saw Reed, Edgar, Larry Bezner and Jeff Shannon all involved. Racing resumed, and at the halfway point the leaders of the pack were Calhoun, Keller, Copp, Jeff Bannister and Tom Docteur. Keller was doing everything he could to wrestle the lead away from Calhoun, but it was not to be as the Clayton driver Calhoun recorded another IMCA win with Keller coming home second, Larry Bezner third, John Carr fourth and Bannister fifth. Brian Copp痴 strong run came up a lap short as he broke on the white flag lap and had to limp around the track to take the checkers.
In the always exciting and competitive Pure Stocks, Mark Barker put his 100.7 car out front early with Travis Andrews, Steve Gilmore, Dave Pope and Mike Cousins all applying pressure on Barker. Barker was never headed as he was able to resist all efforts to overtake him and claimed another win on the season with Travis Andrews, Mike Cousins, Steve Gilmore and Zeke McKeown rounding out the top five.
The Dwarf cars were back for another visit. These cars have become a crowd favorite at Can Am as the small, light cars really fly around the big half-mile oval. Taking the win in their 20 lap feature was D.J. Forbes with Lowell Zehr second, Steve Miller home third, a pair of Tim's fourth and fifth with Tim Burdick coming home fourth and Tim Devendorf in fifth.
This Saturday night will be Agway, Standard Auto Parts and Davidson Chevrolet as sponsors of the evening of exciting motorsports action at Can Am. Gates will open at five p.m. with racing starting at seven p.m. sharp. Don't forget that Tony Stewart will be coming to Can Am along with his crew chief Greg Zipadelli, Magic Shoes Mike McLaughlin and NASCAR pit road commentator Matt Yocum on Thursday, July 17th. It was announced on Saturday night that Watertown's own Barefoot Bob McCreadie will be at Can Am to be a part of the show featuring the defending NASCAR champion behind the wheel of a modified taking on Bob McCreadie and the Can Am stars like the O'Brien brothers, the Gill cousins, Frankie "Flatfoot" Caprara, Steve Hulsizer, Jason Barney, Billy Dunn, Mike Adderley, Ryan Phelps, Ryan Bartlett and more.
MODIFIED: PAT O'Brien, Steve Hulsizer, Lee Gill, Danny OO'Brien, Jason Barney, Bill Gill, Frankie Caprara, Ryan Phelps, Todd Stewart, Ryan Bartlett, Jeff Brownell, Adam Moore, Rob Galloway, Steve Bilow, Billy Dunn, Mike Adderley DNS: David Orr
SPORTSMAN: JIM VOCK, Lance Willix, Bill Eisele*, Clayton Brewer III, Andy Howard, Mike Teachout, Steve Roberts, Shane Donath, Tim Van Brocklin, Jason Potter, Sam Reakes IV, Jack Meeks, Lee Miller, Terry Merchant, Sammy Reakes, Jr., Tom Schroy, Jeff Stevenson, Kevin Phillips, Rick McCready, Mark Webb, Matt Butler, Ben Tucker, Scott Webb, Shane Donath, Rob Bellinger.
IMCA: PAUL CALHOUN, Rob Keller, Larry Bezner, John Carr, Jeff Bannister, Tom Docteur, Rick Reed, Chris Thurston, Lance LaLonde, Brian Copp, Neal Edgar, John Mason, Dan Hilts, Justin Mason, Chad Parker, Hunter Grimes, Jon Dumas, DNS: Jeff Shannon, Erv Miller
PURE STOCKS: MARK BARKER, Travis Andrews, Mike Cousins, Steve Gilmore, Zeke McKeown, Ed Rogers, Dana Aikins, Dave Mannise, Dave Pope, Lyle Murphy, Dale Snyder, Jason Rarick, Rick Page, Wayne Martin, Ken Hamm, Les Sanford
DWARF: D.J. FORBES, Lowell Zehr, Steve Miller, Tim Burdick, Tim Devendorf, Doug Williams, Dan Williams, Jeff Barker, Don Fenner, Joe Garafolo, Mike Isabell, Brenda Rice, Samuel Morse, Rob Garafolo, Troy Van Allen, Kelly Skinner, Darren Austin, Shawn Hort