Rick Mill Returns To Accord 358-Modified Victory Lane
By BRETT DEYO
ACCORD, NY - Rick Mill can credit the early laps for his return to Victory Lane at Accord Speedway.
Slicing through traffic in the first six circuits with a series of daring maneuvers, the New Windsor, N.Y., veteran won Friday night's GT Morgan Trucking, LLC 358-Modified feature at the Ulster County quarter-mile oval.
For the 45-year-old Mill, the $1,500 victory in the 30-lap event marked his initial triumph since teaming with car owner Peter "Crackers" Reynolds and first win at the Big A since May 16, 2003.
"We got to the lead quick," noted Mill, a two-time winner in '05 at Orange County (N.Y.) Fair Speedway, where he is a Sportsman regular.
"Before the race I stuffed a ton of gear into it and loosened the car way up, figuring we'd be able to go early but it might fade toward the end."
Mel Schrufer jumped into the lead from the front row, but it was clear from the initial green that seventh-starter Mill was the man to watch. In just five laps, the Crackers Motorsports No. 73 Bicknell sat third.
When second-running John Ferrier broke on the frontstretch one lap later, the two-time track champion pulled alongside Schrufer for the restart.
Putting his two decades of experience to use, Mill darted into the lead, but bobbled in turn two on lap seven. The miscue allowed Schrufer to nose back in front.
Mill took advantage of a caution on lap eight to regain his composure and dispose of Schrufer for good, with Jackie Brown Jr. coming from ninth to take second on lap nine.
"I shoved the nose over there in (turn) two," Mill said. "I saw him (Schrufer) come flying back through."
A spectacular incident necessitated the red flag on lap 10. Bill Papula's No. 1 did a series of four quick barrel rolls high in the air before landing on its wheels on the backstretch. Mark Flach Jr. went over twice and the Lutes Racing No. 21L landed on its roof. Both drivers walked away uninjured.
Brown was poised to challenge Mill when the race resumed. Keeping his No. 6X tucked to the extreme inside of the tacky oval, Brown worked steadily on Mill's back bumper lap after lap.
Brown's best opportunity to unseat Mill came on lap 21. Moving the leader slightly up the track in turns three and four, Brown pulled even with Mill on the frontstretch.
Mill quickly darted to the inside entering turn one, forcing Brown to jump on the binders to avoid contact with the inside concrete barrier.
Wisely, Mill never left the bottom again in the final nine laps.
"After that (Brown's move), I got right on the rail," Mill said. "The car was better down low and I actually got away from him a little there. I give Jackie credit; he raced me clean.
"It's good to get a win here. Pete's got some good equipment under me."
It was a milestone triumph for the 49-year-old Reynolds as well: his first victory at Accord as a team owner. The most recent triumph for a Reynolds-owned car occurred on Aug. 30, 2003 when Allen Shiffler won a 358-Mod main at Pa.'s Lake Moc-A-Tek Speedway.
Brown, 33, of Hurley, N.Y., was a season-high second in his family-owned Head's Up Machine-powered Teo-Pro car.
"I lost the brakes with about 10 to go," he said. "I used them up. I could run wide open through (turns) three and four - it was just like a Sprinter, I'd break it loose and stand on the throttle.
"I'd run up on him there, but in (turns) one and two I couldn't slow down enough to get under him. I don't know who needed it more, me or Rick."
High point main Rich Ricci Jr. of New Paltz, N.Y., was third after starting 14th, taking the position four laps from the finish. Schrufer and 16th-starter Tom Hindley rounded out the top five.
Twenty-seven 358-Modifieds signed in for competition. Heat winners were Mark Pullen, John Ferrier and Schrufer. Tom Hindley won the consolation.
Second-year racer Steve Krom realized a lifelong dream, picking up career win number one in the time/rain-shortened 21-lap Sportsman feature.
Starting third, the Neversink, N.Y., driver powered by leader John Sundlof on the fourth lap and was never headed. The 40-year-old survived several mid-race restarts and a challenge from Tom Tomasko to pick up the $600 payday.
When a mist began to intensify and Jamie Yannone slowed with a broken right-front shock on lap 21, officials threw the checkered four laps shy of the finish.
"This is a dream come true," said Krom, complimenting his Precision-powered No. K3 Bicknell. "All my life I've gone to the races and always wanted to do this.
"I've got so many people that have helped me - Rick Mill, Jeff Heotzler, Randy Williamson from Bicknell, I couldn't have done it without them."
Tomasko was second, with a hard-charging Danny Creeden, Whitey Slavin and Nicole Tracy in tow.
John Sundlof was fourth on the track but was disqualified for being light on the scales.
Danbury, Conn.'s Al Archieri earned his first career win in the 15-lap Spec Sportsman headliner, leading the entire distance. Archieri fended off the continuous advances of Brett Graham for the win. Robbie Fairweather, Jeff Richardson and Doug Tyler Jr. finished third through fifth, respectively.
The Pro Stock main was the victim of the 45-minute rain delay that stopped the program mid-stream. The 20-lap feature will kick off the Aug. 26 card. Mike Manetta and Jerry Craig were the heat winners.
Ralph Utter Jr.'s outstanding rookie season in the Mini-Sprint division got another highlight Friday night.
The West Milford, N.J., driver scored win number three of '05 in a dominant performance, racing from third to the lead in just one lap. Utter's only serious challenges came on a pair of early restarts from second-generation shoe Bubba Broderick, who ultimately lost second to John Lieto on lap 11.
Lieto was the runner-up, ahead of Broderick, Skip Travis and John Guarino.
Mike Sabia picked up win number eight of 2005 in a wild Pure Stock 15-lapper. The Easton, Conn., native motored by Adam Douglas on lap 11, and raced on to the win. Douglas, James DeCicco III, Kevin Krusewski and Bill Rion rounded out the top five.
Racing resumes at the Action Track on Fri., Aug. 26 with a full program of 358-Mods, Sportsman, Spec Sportsman, Pro Stocks (plus the Aug. 19 heldover), Mini-Sprints, Pure Stocks and Vintage Modifieds sponsored by Mid-Hudson Concrete. Gates open at 4:30 p.m., with hot laps at 6:30 p.m. and racing promptly at 7 p.m.
For more information, contact the speedway office at (845) 626-3478 or visit the website: www.accordspeedway.com.
BIG A NOTES: Three separate rain showers delayed the program: one during hot laps, another heavier shower at 8:30 p.m. that forced a 45-minute delay, and the mist that moved over during the Sportsman main.
Despite the weather, 27 358-Modifieds, 22 Sportsman, nine Spec Sportsman, 12 Pro Stocks, 17 Mini-Sprints and 18 Pure Stocks signed in....
It was Mill's second win in six days. He won the Aug. 20 Sportsman feature at OCFS in his self-owned No. 77....
Andy Bachetti was a lap-one casualty with driveshaft issues on the Downes Racing No. 40. It was especially disappointing for Bachetti, who felt he had "a car to win" after qualifying action....
Top NEMA (Northeastern Midget Association) rookie Mike Keeler made a rare Accord start in his No. 55 Sportsman. The versatile 19-year-old from Danbury, Conn., has taken part in SK Modified, big-block dirt Modified and Sportsman action in addition to his status as a NEMA regular in '05....
Once again, a tacky, dust-free track greeted the Accord fans....
GT MORGAN TRUCKING, LLC RACE SUMMARY
358-Modified Feature Finish: RICK MILL, Jackie Brown Jr., Rich Ricci Jr., Mel Schrufer, Tom Hindley, Dom Roselli, Barry Davis, Rich Salisbury, John McGill, Mark Pullen, Larry Hendershot, Bill Papula, Robbie Green, Mark Flach Jr., Jeremy Markle, Ryan Stortini, Bob Hentschel, Scott Ferrier, John Ferrier, Andy Bachetti.
Did Not Qualify: Jason Tompkins, Bob Cancellieri, Jimmy Johnson, John Sanders, Hank Goranson, Larry Badaracco, Greg Morgan.
Sportsman Feature Finish: STEVE KROM, Tom Tomasko, Danny Creeden, Whitey Slavin, Nicole Tracy, Jeff Geiges, Mike Ketcham, Ladd Yeomans, Chad Hadlich, Paul Minton, L.D. Smith, Randy Banks Jr., Mike Keeler, David Bush, Jamie Yannone, Ken Ferrier, Howard Jarvis, Jesse Marks, Keith Van Oyan.
Disqualified: John Sundlof.
Did Not Qualify: John Lieto, Chris Grispin.
Spec Sportsman Feature Finish: AL ARCHIERI, Brett Graham, Robbie Fairweather, Jeff Richardson, Doug Tyler Jr., Andy Schlagel, D.J. Brooks, Mike Van Tassel, Mike Senecal.
Pro Stock Feature (Rain/Curfew Postponed) Starting Lineup: Jerry Craig, George Christiana, Bill Deak Sr., Steve Plumstead, John Roese, Ray See Jr., Mike Manetta, Doug Tyler Jr., Katie Nugent, Scott Mill, James Devitt, Terry O'Brien.
Mini-Sprint Feature Finish: RALPH UTTER JR., John Lieto, Bubba Broderick, Skip Travis, John Guarino, Paul Corazzo, Gary Reyer, Mark Rogers, Peter Sindt, Clint Roehrs, Brint Hockenberry, Marshall Gogg, Darrell Quackenbush, Jeremy Quick.
Did Not Start: Kevin Horton, Ed Burgess, Kevin Kondelka.
Pure Stock Feature Finish: MIKE SABIA, Adam Douglas, James DeCicco III, Kevin Krusewski, Bill Rion, Kyle Wright, Paul Aragon Jr., Sam Dwy, Bill Judge, Mike Deyo, Steven Kanuk, Jim O'Neil, Joe DiStefano, Bill Deak Jr., John Woinoski, Bob Gibson, Joe Judge.
Did Not Start: Jay Smalley.