Leiby Gets Needed Morale Boost At Moc-A-Tek
By BRETT DEYO
LAKEVILLE, PA - John Leiby got a much needed morale boost.
After a rough start to the season, the West Milford, N.J., driver considered selling his equipment and pulling out of the sport.
With some encouragement from his wife Dawn, the veteran returned to Lake Moc-A-Tek Speedway last Saturday night and raced to a spirit-lifting triumph in the 25-lap 358-Modified feature.
"It feels really good," Leiby remarked. "It hasn't been a good year so far. If it wasn't for my wife, I probably wouldn't even be here tonight."
Starting from third position, he moved his Simonek Performance-powered 2003 Teo-Pro car into second on the start, and went to work on polesitter George Hildebrant between turns one and two.
Almost immediately, the red flag was displayed for a grinding frontstretch incident involving Scott Frack and Brian Malcolm.
When the race resumed, it took only two laps for Leiby to take over the lead. He raced door-to-door with Hildebrant exiting turn two, then powered off the bottom in the fourth turn to grab the top spot for good.
"Before the first lap was scored I knew where I was going to get him," the happy 37-year-old said. "The car was that good."
Ninth starter Gary Griffin charged quickly forward and hounded Hildebrant before making an inside run for second on lap 12. The 24-year Moc-A-Tek veteran closed on Leiby and made several bids for the lead, most significantly on lap 17 when he nearly pulled even with the leader entering turn one.
Griffin kept the pressure on until, with four laps remaining, a flat tire for Hildebrant necessitated a yellow.
Leiby motored away on the restart for the $1,000 win.
"I just tried to be smooth on the bottom," he said. "My goal was to try and get away from those guys as quick as possible."
Griffin, of Archbald, Pa., was content with a runner-up effort.
"I would've rather gotten the thousand dollars," the soft-spoken Griffin related. "The car was good tonight, starting where we did I'm happy with second.
"I might have had a shot at him, but it's all coulda, shoulda, woulda."
Fifteen-year-old Ryan Taylor of Perkasie, Pa., finished a season high third. Defending champion Ed Strada Jr. took over the point lead with a fourth place effort after starting 13th and Buddy Altemose rounded out the top five.
For the first time in his 10-year driving career, Bill Moyer of Reading, Pa., drove to victory lane. The 41-year-old outdueled Ted Stout in a side by side race to the checkered to win the 20-lap Sportsman feature.
Moyer, who picked up a TRC mount over the winter months, inherited the lead on lap 10 when early pacesetters Mike McCollum and John Leiby Jr. got together in the first turn.
A former regular at Delaware (Del.) International and U.S. 13 (Del.) Speedway, Moyer took advantage of their misfortune, besting Stout on the high side over the final two laps for the win.
"This car made a big difference," he said. "And I have to give a lot of credit to Ted Stout. He raced me clean. He drove into three hard and I drove in twice as hard."
Thornurst, Pa.'s Stout was second, completing a one-two sweep by the TRC brand of racecars, built in the Greentown, Pa., Fabrications by Tauschman shop.
Eric Palmer, Rick Raisner and Archie Myers III rounded out the top five.
"The Great Oz" Greg Buchanan of Nazareth, Pa., dominated the 20-lap Street Stock feature, wheeling the Jack Zeiner-owned No. 8 to his first win of the year. Buchanan took over the lead on lap two.
Billy Price Jr. came from dead last to finish second, in front of Eddie Kudrako, Carl Heater and Randy Tyler.
Todd Buskirk of Hecktown, Pa., topped the 15-lap Pure Stock/Four Cylinder feature, leading the entire distance for the win. Jason Walsh, Bob Cole, Jared Hayes and Ronnie Blake trailed at the checkered.
Coming from 12th starting position Ralph Utter Jr. of West Milford, N.J., stole the show from the Hartman brothers to win the 20-lap 250cc Micro-Sprint feature.
Utter first worked by Jay Hartman on lap 16, then set his sights on Jeff Hartman, who paced much of the feature. With two laps remaining, he drove his No. 19J to the inside and won the drag race to the stripe.
Jeff Hartman held off his sibling Jay Hartman for the runner-up spot. Kevin Nolf and Michael Storms rounded out the top five.
NOTABLE: The Sportsman division had its own version of "tire gate" as four cars were disqualified in post-race inspection. Brad Grim (third), John Bush (fourth), Matt Kaminiskas (13th) and John Micek (14th) were penalized for having non LMS stamped American Racers on their cars.
They are the same compound as the McMod tires used at Moc-A-Tek, but purchasing them from other sources, according to promoter Jane Riddle, hurts the point fund. As a result, the rule was enforced….
Two hard 358-Modified crashes marred the night.
In the second qualifier, a three-wide scramble for the lead involving Bernie Kelly, Tom Gervasi and Troy Weisenfluh resulted in Weisenfluh impacting the turn three light pole at full speed. The light pole bent significantly and the three bulbs broke out of their sockets as Weisenfluh reached a dead stop.
Gervasi was black flagged for his involvement but later started the feature. Weisenfluh started the main in a car borrowed from Sportsman regular Chad Hadlick, who retrieved the mount from his Matamoras, Pa., shop.
The second incident occurred on the first lap of the feature when contact from behind sent Scott Frack spinning on the frontstretch. He sat facing traffic just past the starter's stand where he was lambasted by Brian Malcolm, who had committed to the outside line….
Feeling that it was in fact John Leiby Jr. who spun him from the lead in the Sportsman feature, Mike McCollum fired up his No. 2 and drove over Leiby's front-end during the caution period, flattening his adversary's right front tire.
McCollum was disqualified for the night, while Leiby relinquished the lead to change the tire….
The predicted rain and lightning moved in just as the night's final checkered flew….
Racing resumes at the Thrill Track on May 15 with a full five-division program of 358-Modifieds, Sportsman, Street Stocks, Pure Stock/Four Cylinders and 250cc Micro-Sprints, plus Mechanics Races. Gates open at 3 p.m. with hot laps at 5 p.m. and racing promptly at 6 p.m.
A Sunday rain date is in place with gates opening at 1 p.m., hot laps at 3 p.m. and racing at 4 p.m. For more information, contact the speedway office at (570) 676-8665 or check out the website: www.lakemocatekspeedway.com. The race day phone is (570) 226-5602.
358-Modified Feature Finish: JOHN LEIBY, Gary Griffin, Ryan Taylor, Ed Strada Jr., Buddy Altemose, Allan Kellogg, Tom Oleski, Ricky Yetter, Jesse Kline, Dom Roselli, Barry White, Brian Cobb, Bernie Kelly, Greg Morgan, Troy Weisenfluh, Tom Gervasi, George Hildebrant, Carl Pittenger, Tom Solderich, Keith Nonnemacher, Scott Frack, Brian Malcolm.
Sportsman Feature Finish: BILL MOYER, Ted Stout, Eric Palmer, Rick Raisner, Archie Myers III, Greg Morgan, Chris Riddle, Don Hildebrant, Scott Merritt, Rick Beavers, John Leiby Jr., Andy Stout, Ricky Rutt, Mike Van Tassel, Kevin Heafy, Keith Fleming, Kyle Pickering.
Disqualified (Retaliation): Mike McCollum.
Disqualified: (Tire Infraction): Brad Grim, John Bush, John Micek, Matt Kaminiskas.
Did Not Qualify: Peach Cole, Ron Hartrum, Mike Mondak, Daryle Cole, Bob Grasic, Steve Ramsey.
Street Stock Feature Finish: GREG BUCHANAN, Billy Price Jr., Eddie Kudrako, Carl Heater, Randy Tyler, Nick Petrilak, Neil DiBlasi, Brian Petrilak, Clark Bradford, Dave Luff, Paul Tannura, Bill Saxe, Keith Villano, Les Gillette, Tom Cilurso, Adam Jones, Kevin Mandic, Jim Sykes, Tony Ferri.
Pure Stock Feature Finish: TODD BUSKIRK, Jason Walsh, Bob Cole, Jared Hayes, Ron Blake, Bobby Melovitz, Frank Bush, John Richards, Randy Richards, Al Metzgar, Serafino Raggi, Ted Mills Jr.
250cc Micro-Sprint Feature Finish: RALPH UTTER JR., Jeff Hartman, Jay Hartman, Kevin Nolf, Michael Storms, Matt Mountz, Joe Buchanan, Ken Wismer Jr., Frank Venezia, Marty Reinsmith, Patrick Milikowski, Jay Sisco, Stephanie Stevens, Tim Manieri, Greg Stevens, Angela Caruso, Darrell Cobb, Joe Smith, Mike Rasley, Scott Dech.