Hindley Scores Dominant Win In Accord Open Comp Mod Show

By BRETT DEYO

ACCORD, NY - Dominant.

That is the only word to describe Tom Hindley's performance in the Goldenarea Furniture 30-lap open competition Modified main Friday night at Accord Speedway.

Using a 2004 DIRT-legal small-block with sail panels, Hindley racked up his fourth win of the season at the Ulster County track, worth $1,500.

"The car was great," Hindley said. "We were hooked up tonight for sure."

The Fair Oaks, N.Y., driver started on the pole with his Precision-powered No. 17H Teo-Pro car after winning the night's first heat and he wasted little time showing his strength.

With the first 18 circuits clicking off caution-free, Hindley caught lapped traffic by the ninth-go round, and was mired in a large pack of slower cars by lap 15.

At that point, the 38-year-old had already built his lead to a full straightaway.

"Yeah, the lapped cars were tough," said Hindley, who concentrated his efforts solely on Accord in '05. "They were running side-by-side in front of me. Where was I gonna go?"

When the race's first caution flew for a three-car tangle, it gave Hindley a needed respite, and a clear path.

"I was happy to see that caution," he admitted.

Hindley quickly motored away from the second-place battle between Rick Mill and Robbie Green when racing resumed, steadily gaining ground until the event's final yellow appeared on lap 24.

The restart did little to faze Hindley, who added another highlight to his best-ever season at the Big A.

"It's been a good year," he reflected. "Four wins and a lot of racing to go. Can't beat that."

The 45-year-old Mill, of New Windsor, N.Y., finished second in Peter Reynolds's No. 73 Bicknell. It marked his first run with a new CV Automotive Machine small-block engine.

"There was no catching Tom," said Mill, who repelled a ferocious challenge from Robbie Green. "We probably could have used some more gear.

"I didn't know what to expect with this new motor. It's a good piece.

"I've got to give credit to Robbie. He was a little faster but he ran me clean."

Wallkill, N.Y.'s Green brought his Precision-powered No. 69 Teo-Pro car home fourth, ahead of nine-time champion Rich Ricci Jr. and Pennsylvania veteran Ed Strada Jr.

Heat winners for the 30 Modifieds in attendance were Hindley, Mill, Strada and Rich Ricci Jr. Phil Recchio and John McGill topped the consolations.

It may have been his fifth win of the season, but this one was extra special for Howard Jarvis.

"I've been waiting for this all season," Jarvis said. "Jamie (Yannone) and I side-by-side."

The local favorite from Accord, N.Y., started the 25-lap Sportsman main from the pole, but '05 track champion Jamie Yannone was perched to his outside on the initial start.

Driving his Turco's Machine-powered PMC No. 3J, Jarvis took the lead on lap one and never relinquished it. Yannone tried high and low over the final 10 circuits, but his challenges were to no avail.

The 29-year-old Jarvis posted his third consecutive win, worth $600, over Yannone, Dave Coene, Ken Ferrier and Orange County (N.Y.) Fair Speedway regular Mike Ruggiero.

For 13 laps, Ray See Jr. ran second to Nick Petrilak. With the white flag flying, See's persistence paid off.

See, of Patterson, N.Y., worked by Petrilak in the final quarter-mile, using the low line to snatch his division-leading fifth triumph of the '05 campaign in the 20-lap Pro Stock feature by a fender.

Greenfield Township, Pa.'s Petrilak, a Penn-Can (Pa.)/Five Mile Point (N.Y.) regular, settled for second. A returning Mike Dutka, Scott Mill and Chrissy Rider rounded out the top five.

A savvy move put John Guarino in position to score his second straight Mini-Sprint triumph in the 20-lap headliner.

The 15-year-old Nanuet, N.Y., talent sat third on lap nine when leader Bubba Broderick broke loose in turn two, momentarily bottling up second-running John Lieto. Guarino jumped high and powered around both to take a lead he wouldn't relinquish.

Lieto briefly challenged Guarino following a restart with two laps remaining, but the '05 champion settled for second, ahead of Broderick, Ralph Utter Jr. and John Lodini.

Binghamton, N.Y., native Darl Ellis led wire-to-wire in the 15-lap Pure Stock main, making his first career Accord start a victorious one. Ellis is a Five Mile Point regular. Paul Aragon Jr. was a season-high second, ahead of Bill Deak Jr., Kyle Wright and Mike DuBois.

Racing resumes at the Action Track on Fri., Sept. 30 with the Race of Champions Dirt Sportsman Tour competing in a 40-lap main paying $1,000 to the winner. It is the eighth event of the nine-race Tour.

The open competition Modifieds, Spec Sportsman, Mini-Sprints, Pro Stocks and Pure Stocks will round out the card, sponsored by Crackers Motorsports, Peak Racing Equipment and Fabrications by Tauschman.

Gates open at 4:30 p.m., with hot laps at 6:30 p.m. and racing at 7 p.m. For more info, contact the speedway office at (845) 626-3478 or visit the website: www.accordspeedway.com.

BIG A NOTES: Car counts for the non-point show were 30 Modifieds, 20 Sportsman, 17 Mini-Sprints, 17 Pro Stocks and 18 Pure Stocks....

Thunder Mountain (N.Y.) Speedway co-champion Chris Weaver was the best of the big-block powerplants, bringing his Wally Fiehl-powered Bicknell No. 1A home ninth....

Invader Joey Grammes of Kunkletown, Pa., was the Modified division's biggest mover. He started 15th and finished sixth....

Sportsman winner Jarvis complimented of his PMC chassis, the only one in use at Accord. "I'll blow up his (PMC founder Pete Chuckta) phone tonight to let him know we won. I love this car."....

Mike Senecal debuted in the Lutes Bros. No. 21L Modified, and Sportsman mainstay Nicole Tracy drove the Phil Cancel No. 72 normally campaigned by Steve Dodd at OCFS in a one-off ride....

GOLDENAREA FURNITURE RACE SUMMARY

Modified Feature Finish: TOM HINDLEY, Rick Mill, Robbie Green, Rich Ricci Jr., Ed Strada Jr., Joey Grammes, J.R. Heffner, Scott Ferrier, Chris Weaver, Mike Ricci, Hank Goranson, David Bush, Jackie Brown Jr., Tony Kawalchuk, John McGill, Barry Davis, John Ferrier, Larry Badaracco, Phil Recchio, Ryan Stortini.

Did Not Qualify: Jeff Heotzler Jr., Grant Hilfiger, Mark Pullen, Marc Johnson, Jimmy Halpin, Joe Barbagallo Jr., Nicole Tracy, Mel Schrufer, Mike Senecal, Larry Hendershot.

Sportsman Feature Finish: HOWARD JARVIS, Jamie Yannone, Dave Coene, Ken Ferrier, Mike Ruggiero, Derrick McGrew, Chris Grispin, Mike Ketcham, John Sundlof, Danny Tyler, Jesse Marks, Joe Giachinta, Greg Morgan, Steve Kyzer, Mike Van Tassel, Mike Loney, Chad Hadlick, Steve Krom, Brett Graham, Jeff Hager.

Pro Stock Feature Finish: RAY SEE JR., Nick Petrilak, Mike Dutka, Scott Mill, Chrissy Rider, George Christiana, Bill Deak Sr., Jim Hewitt, Jim Sykes, Bill Knapp, Jim Cronk, Dan Pompey, John Roese, Les Gillette, Pat Zimmer, Mike Sabia, Doug Tyler Jr.

Mini-Sprint Feature Finish: JOHN GUARINO, John Lieto, Bubba Broderick, Ralph Utter Jr., John Lodini, Kevin Horton, Darrell Quackenbush, Fred Hoffman, Gary Reyer, Bob Lynt, Kevin Kondelka, Sam Rogers Sr., James Tomlinson, Jeff Van Steenburg, Greg Hoffman.

Disqualified: Rob Scaccio, Jeremy Quick.

Pure Stock Feature Finish: DARL ELLIS, Paul Aragon Jr., Bill Deak Jr., Kyle Wright, Mike DuBois, Kevin Krusewski, John Woinoski, Bob Gibson, Jay Smalley, Bill Judge, Matt DuBois, Tony Polemeni, Darin Ploss, Robert Cutler, Joe Kasulis, Ralph Ronk, Scott Ackerley, James DeCicco III.