Mike Ricci Fights Off Mark Flach Jr. For Winne Memorial Triumph At Accord
By BRETT DEYO
ACCORD, NY - Even Mike Ricci couldn't have dreamed up a better way to make his return to Accord Speedway.
Back in the pit area of his longtime home track for the first time since late April, the Rosendale, N.Y., driver fought off a ferocious Mark Flach Jr. to win the fifth running of the Joe Winne Memorial on Friday night at the Ulster County bullring.
Ricci earned $2,000 for his triumph in the 55-lap 358-Modified battle.
The event is run annually in the memory of 1999 track champion Joe Winne, who passed away at age 45 from a heart attack while competing at Orange County (N.Y.) Fair Speedway during the 2000 Eastern States Weekend.
"It was great to come back and see everybody here," said Ricci, who took up weekly action at The New Afton (N.Y.) Speedway after he was issued a three-week suspension for an April 29 brawl.
"Everybody came back," Ricci said while receiving a steady stream of congratulations.
"We're close to home so all my crew came out and everybody knew what they had to do."
Ricci wasn't immediately up to speed in his return. After he failed to qualify through his heat race, the 40-year-old went on to win the consolation, starting the extra-distance event from 16th position.
For the first nine laps, outside polesitter Scott Ferrier held the top spot in his decade-old Troyer, but 30-year veteran Barry Davis began to make his presence felt after starting third.
On lap 10, Davis put his No. 9D out front with an inside pass of Ferrier, despite running a back-up engine.
While Davis began to open up some distance, a battle raged for second, involving Robbie Green, Rich Ricci Jr., Tom Hindley and Mike Ricci, who put his JPM-powered No. 76 Teo-Pro car into the front five by lap 16.
Methodically moving forward on the inside groove, Ricci took over the runner-up spot from Green on lap 26 with Hindley in tow.
Davis, wheeling his Turco's Machine-powered Troyer four-link, held a steady straightaway advantage during the event's mid-portion. Ricci pulled close in lapped traffic, but the 52-year-old Accord, N.Y., native drew away with ease once he had clear track in his sights.
When Bobby Hentschel slowed to draw the caution on lap 39, the race took a decided turn. The reason: the caution provided an opportunity for Mark Flach Jr.
Flach, who started fourth and ran quietly in the second half of the top 10 for the entire event, came to life in the final 15 laps.
Putting his Lutes Bros.-owned Teo-Pro car in the oval's tacky high groove, Flach disposed of Green for fourth on lap 41. After a five-lap tussle with Hindley, the go-kart graduate bounced wildly off the backstretch wall on lap 46.
Unfazed, he powered by Hindley one lap later to take over third.
The race's final caution flew on lap 48, giving Ricci and Flach their shot at Davis.
"The track changed like lap 40 or so," Ricci said. "It got to be really slick in the middle and I wasn't as good. My car started to fade off. Once that caution came out, I made some adjustments and dialed it right in."
While Ricci took the inside line to force under Davis, Flach built momentum in the high line.
With four laps remaining, Ricci worked by Davis, whose car began to slide up the track, for the lead. Flach followed suit on the backstretch, sweeping into the number two spot.
But the kid wasn't done there.
In an awe-inspiring display, Flach tossed the No. 21L around the track's upper groove with reckless abandon in the final laps.
With three-to-go, Flach got the car sideways in turn three as Ricci moved up to throw the block. The next time into turn three, he bounced the car hard off the cushion sending chunks of clay skyward. The bobble cost him several car-lengths.
Regaining his composure, Flach made a last-ditch effort into the third turn on the final lap, pitching the car low in turn four with the checkered flag in the air.
Ricci won the drag race to the line for his second consecutive Joe Winne Memorial triumph.
"I saw a car coming out of turn four a couple laps from the end," Ricci said. "I actually thought it was my brother, so I had to change my line a little and run higher. This car could go anywhere."
Flach, 22, of Coxsackie, N.Y., earned his best-ever finish with the runner-up effort. His previous best in three years of small-block action had been a trio of third-place finishes.
"I wasn't pulling off the bottom so I moved up and it seemed to pull better off the middle. Then I ventured out to the top and it was just good," he said, adding that his American Racer SD 44 right-rear tire had no wear.
"Man, the car took a grip in one and two, and there was a cushion in three. If you hit it right, it was awesome.
"I ran up the wall that one time (on lap 46) and I wasn't lifting. I thought I might go around both of them (Davis and Ricci), but I got crossed up in three and four the one lap and hit the cushion the next. That hurt me."
Davis held on to finish third, ahead of Ricci Ricci Jr. and Tom Hindley.
Winning the heat races for the 26 358-Modifieds in attendance were Flach, Scott Ferrier and Barry Davis. Mike Ricci won the consolation.
The beat rolled on for Jamie Yannone in Sportsman competition.
Yannone, of Newburgh, N.Y., posted a division-high fifth win of the season in the 25-lap feature after starting 11th in his Moshier-powered No. 21 Teo-Pro car.
Bottled up in heavy traffic early on, Yannone got the break he needed on lap seven when he avoided a four-car jingle in turn one. By lap 13, he took second and set his sights on Nicole Tracy, who led from the outset.
Keeping his car on the inside, Yannone pulled even with Tracy at the stripe on lap 15, then worked by one lap later to grab a lead he wouldn't relinquish.
Tracy continued her steady improvement, bringing a runner-up finish home to Danbury, Conn. Whitey Slavin, Jeff Geiges and Mike Ketcham rounded out the top five.
David Bush finished third on the track, but was disqualified in post-race tech for a weight infraction.
Former 358-Modified and Pro Stock standout Doug Tyler Jr. etched his name in the win column, as the Cottekill, N.Y., driver topped the 15-lap Spec Sportsman feature.
Wheeling a former Madsen Motorsports Teo-Pro car carrying the No. 20 on the doors, Tyler raced under D.J. Brooks at the halfway point to take command. Robbie Fairweather took second on the 10th go-round, but he couldn't catch Tyler, who joined his son Danny, a Pro Stock regular, as an Accord winner in '05.
Brooks held on for third, ahead of Al Archieri and Brett Graham.
Mike Manetta of Milan, N.Y., returned to Victory Lane in Pro Stock action, snatching the lead from Jerry Craig on lap four and pulling away for win number two of the season. Lenny Brice was second, with Craig, Bill Deak Sr. and Danny Tyler filling out the front five in an event slowed by only one caution.
Perennial frontrunner John Lieto scored his first victory since June 24 with an assertive performance in the 20-lap Mini Sprint feature.
Mt. Kisco, N.Y.'s Lieto took the lead from Mark Rogers on the seventh lap and pulled away for his fifth victory of '05. Newcomer Paul Corazzo rallied to second, ahead of Skip Travis, Clint Roehrs and Rogers, who re-assembled his No. 2R after a horrifying crash on July 29.
Easton, Conn.'s Mike Sabia won for the seventh time this season in the 15-lap Pure Stock feature. Sabia, who started 10th, worked by Joe Judge on the inside with five laps remaining, then fended off Judge on a lap-14 restart. Driving his father's No. 1J, Judge was a season-high second. Kevin Krusewski, Bill Deak Jr. and Jim O'Neil rounded out the top five.
Racing resumes on Fri., Aug. 12 with Camera and Autograph Night presented by Bob Gaydos Auto Body. The 358-Modifieds, Sportsman, Spec Sportsman, Mini-Sprints, Pro Stocks and Pure Stocks will be in action. Gates open at 4:30 p.m., with hot laps at 6:30 p.m. and racing at 7 p.m.
For more information, contact the track office at (845) 626-3478 or visit the website at: www.accordspeedway.com.
BIG A NOTES: Car counts stood at 26 358-Modifieds, 24 Sportsman, nine Spec Sportsman, 19 Mini-Sprints, 12 Pro Stocks and 20 Pure Stocks....
The track surface was nothing short of awesome: dust-free, tacky, fast and racy. It was so first-rate, in fact, that not even a drop of water was applied once the six-division program got underway....
The Winne family put together a fitting tribute, giving out memorial ribbons, stickers, glow sticks, and an enormous five-foot tall trophy to the 358-Modified winner. Lap sponsorships were also sold, with racers picking up extra cash.
On the pace lap, one of Joe Winne's restored cars led the field around on a trailer, and a dump truck released hundreds of black, white and teal balloons into the air....
2003 Joe Winne Memorial winner Tony Kawalchuk made his Accord return, wheeling the John Thew No. 314 Teo-Pro car. The 17-year-old finished 11th in the main after he was involved in a 23rd lap tangle....
Barry Davis was thrilled with his third-place finish, considering he wasn't confident in his back-up engine. "I didn't expect it to run this good," Davis, who picked up nearly $400 in lap money, said. "I'm pretty happy. My tires just gave up at the end."....
The Ricci team, led by "Papa" Rich Ricci Sr. nabbed Jeff Heotzler Jr. late in the afternoon to drive the Will Galm No. 55 Sportsman. Heotzler looked strong, finishing seventh....
PINE GROVE DUDE RANCH RACE SUMMARY
Fifth Annual Joe Winne Memorial 358-Modified Feature Finish: MIKE RICCI, Mark Flach Jr., Barry Davis, Rich Ricci Jr., Tom Hindley, Andy Bachetti, Robbie Green, Jimmy Johnson, Larry Hendershot, Jeremy Markle, Tony Kawalchuk, John Ferrier, Scott Ferrier, Rich Salisbury, Dom Roselli, Bill Papula, Ryan Stortini, John Sanders, Bobby Hentschel, Mel Schrufer, Rick Mill, Jackie Brown Jr.
Did Not Qualify: Bob Cancellieri, Jason Tompkins, Larry Badaracco, Mark Pullen.
Sportsman Feature Finish: JAMIE YANNONE, Nicole Tracy, Whitey Slavin, Jeff Geiges, Mike Ketcham, John Lieto, Jeff Heotzler Jr., Jesse Marks, L.D. Smith, Paul Minton, John Sundlof, Randy Banks Jr., Tom Tomasko, Danny Creeden, Ken Ferrier, Dave Coene, Ladd Yeomans, Steve Krom, Howard Jarvis.
Disqualified: David Bush.
Did Not Qualify: Keith Van Oyan, Warren Floyd, Jr., Chris Grispin, Anthony Vitale.
Spec Sportsman Feature Finish: DOUG TYLER JR., Robbie Fairweather, D.J. Brooks, Al Archieri, Brett Graham, Jeff Richardson, Mike Senecal, Mike Van Tassel, Ray Tarantino Jr.
Pro Stock Feature Finish: MIKE MANETTA, Lenny Brice, Jerry Craig, Bill Deak Sr., Danny Tyler, Scott Mill, John Roese, George Christiana, Ray See Jr., Steve Plumstead, Katie Nugent, Terry O'Brien.
Mini-Sprint Feature Finish: JOHN LIETO, Paul Corazzo, Skip Travis, Clint Roehrs, Mark Rogers, John Guarino, Jeremy Quick, Kevin Horton, John Lodini, Darrell Quackenbush, Marshall Gogg, Bubba Broderick, Dana Carey, Gary Reyer, Kevin Kondelka, Ralph Utter Jr., Hank Katz, Jason St. Clair.
Did Not Start: Jake Schlagel.
Pure Stock Feature Finish: MIKE SABIA, Joe Judge, Kevin Krusewski, Bill Deak Jr., Jim O'Neil, Jay Smalley, Sharon Byrne, Joe DiStefano, Mike Deyo, Bill Rion, Adam Douglas, Joe Narok, Paul Aragon Jr., Sam Dwy, Kyle Wright, Ralph Ronk, Chris Kanuk, James DeCicco III, Bobby Cutler, John Woinoski.