Hindley Noses Out Davis In Accord 358-Modified Thriller
By BRETT DEYO
ACCORD, NY – A relieved Tom Hindley climbed from his car, took a deep breath and uttered just four words.
“Man, that was close.”
Hindley squeaked out a victory in Friday night’s Campers Barn 358-Modified feature at Accord Speedway, fending off a hard-charging Barry Davis in the waning circuits of a 30-lap thriller.
For the Fair Oaks, N.Y., driver, it marked his second victory of 2005.
It took Hindley only six laps to charge from 10th to the lead. As Mark Flach Jr. and John Sanders diced for the top spot, Hindley pounced in his Precision-powered Teo-Pro car.
He wheeled around Flach on the topside with four laps complete, then set his car high entering turn three, dropped low on Sanders and won the drag-race to the stripe on lap six to grab the top spot.
“There’s no nobody on the top,” Hindley said of his quick run to the front. “They’re all sucking the hub and I can roll right around him.
“This thing is excellent. It pulls off the corners. That’s the trick here, two drag-races.”
By the halfway point, the 38-year-old had a full straightaway lead on Flach as he started to dice through the back-markers.
At that point, it appeared Hindley’s lead was insurmountable.
But Barry Davis had other ideas.
Wheeling his Turco’s Machine-powered Troyer four-link, Davis took third on lap 19, caught Flach on the 25th circuit executed a slick inside pass to take second.
The complexion of the race changed dramatically on lap 26.
Several lapped cars tangled directly in the path of Hindley in turn four. Jimmy Johnson’s No. 77 got turned sideways. John Ferrier attempted to miss Johnson and inadvertently forced Hindley to the infield.
Momentarily out of control, Hindley avoided the inner retention pond by less than five feet. He darted back onto the track amidst a cloud of dust unfazed – directly in front of Davis.
What was Hindley’s reaction to the scramble?
“I mashed the gas,” he laughed. “I saw the 77 (Johnson) sideways, then Ferrier kind of straightened him out, but he forced me in the infield. Once you get tangled, you’re done, so it was better off I went down there.”
As Hindley attempted to regain his composure, Davis made his move on lap 28. He dove to the inside, and pulled even with Hindley as the pair raced to the white flag.
With the slower car of Hank Goranson directly in the path of the leaders, Hindley made the right decision. He opted for the outside entering turn one, leaving Davis trapped behind Goranson.
Davis had to brake, and Hindley picked up the $1,500 triumph.
“I knew if I kept him (Davis) down, I’d be alright,” Hindley offered. “The only way that wouldn’t have worked is if he (Goranson) slid up.
“I had to work hard for that one.”
Davis, 52, of Accord, N.Y., posted his third consecutive top-five finish in second.
“My car’s set right when the track is smooth,” said Davis, who had problems seeing when his shield became covered in a mixture of clay and raindrops.
“I saw him (Hindley) when he came out of the infield but it was tough with the lapped cars. Those guys are racing too.
“We both raced as hard as we could!”
Mark Flach Jr. finished third for his best finish at the quarter-mile oval driving the John “A.J.” Lutes Sr.-owned No. 21L. Jeremy Markle and Andy Bachetti rounded out the top five.
Heat winners for the 22 358-Modifieds in attendance were Flach, Hindley and Mark Pullen. Phil Recchio won the consolation.
Hometown favorite Howard Jarvis became the first repeat winner of 2005 in the Sportsman division.
Accord, N.Y.’s Jarvis raced from ninth to the lead in five laps, sliding under New Jersey’s Jeff Geiges in turn two. That would be the final change for the lead. Jarvis motored away in his PMC-chassied No. 3J to score the $600 victory.
Geiges, a New Egypt (N.J.) Speedway regular in his first full Big A season, held off Danny Creeden by a nose at the line for second. It marked his career-best Accord finish.
Tom Tomasko and Whitey Slavin rounded out the top five.
When Robbie Fairweather was penalized for jumping the original start, Jeff Richardson moved to the front row of the Spec Sportsman feature. That was all he needed, as the longtime open wheel driver from Goshen, N.Y., dominated the 15-lap distance to win over Fairweather, Mike Van Tassel, Alan Houghtaling and Dan Archieri.
Ray See Jr. returned after a one-week absence and drove straight to Victory Lane in Pro Stock action. See rallied from 10th position to the lead en route to his third win of ’05, over Bill Deak Sr., defending champion Norbert Bracklow, Scott Mill and Mike Manetta.
Clint Roehrs made a statement with his first Mini-Sprint win of the season: his championship bid is for real.
The New Paltz, N.Y., teenager has been near the top of the point standings all season. On Friday night, he picked up an impressive victory, leading the entire 20-lap distance. John Lieto, Ralph Utter Jr., Kevin Horton and Hank Katz finished second through fifth, respectively.
A lap-11 tangle worked to the advantage of Jim O’Neil, who posted his first win of the season in the Pure Stock 15-lapper. O’Neil, of Elizaville, N.Y., sat fourth when contact sent leader Mike DuBois spinning in turn one.
He was the only driver in the top five to emerge unscathed and held off Kevin Krusewski over the final four circuits. Krusewski matched his career-best finish after starting 20th. Todd Houghtaling, Kyle Wright and John Woinoski trailed.
Mike Brown came out on top of a crowd-pleasing battle with Jimmy Halpin to win the Northeastern Vintage Dirt Modified Racing Club 15-lapper. The High Falls, N.Y., driver passed Halpin with six circuits remaining.
Racing resumes at the Action Track on Friday, June 10 with a full six-division show of 358-Modifieds, Sportsman, Spec Sportsman, Mini-Sprints, Pro Stocks and Pure Stocks sponsored by Minnewaska Motors.
It will also be Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts Night. All scouts in uniform, under age 12, will be admitted free when accompanied by an adult.
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 speedway office at (845) 626-3478 or visit the website: www.accordspeedway.com.
NOTABLE: Dark clouds hung over the track all night, but only a light rain appeared during the evening’s final three events. Nevertheless, the weather kept the crowd and car counts down. 22 358-Modifieds, 27 Sportsman, 14 Pro Stocks, six Spec Sportsman, 14 Mini-Sprints, 21 Pure Stocks and 16 Vintage Modifieds signed in….
Rich Ricci Jr. pulled to the infield on lap 17 with rear-end gear problems. Ricci’s 15th-place finish was enough to maintain a two-point lead over Jackie Brown Jr. in the standings….
Ryan Stortini utilized a back-up engine in his No. 7 358-Mod after breaking a lifter and cam during the May 20 show. Stortini finished ninth….
The 358-Modified feature was slowed by only one caution. It came on lap one when Bill Papula’s No. 1 limped to a stop and Bruce Leote spun simultaneously….
Defending Pro Stock champion Norbert Bracklow made his first ’05 start, finishing third….
CAMPERS BARN RACE SUMMARY
358-Modified Feature Finish: TOM HINDLEY, Barry Davis, Mark Flach Jr., Jeremy Markle, Andy Bachetti, Rick Mill, Jackie Brown Jr., Mark Pullen, Ryan Stortini, Jimmy Johnson, John Ferrier, Dom Roselli, Hank Goranson, John Sanders, Rich Ricci Jr., Phil Recchio, Andy Schlagel, Bill Papula, Bruce Leote, Larry Badaracco.
Did Not Qualify: Rich Salisbury, Larry Hendershot.
Sportsman Feature Finish: HOWARD JARVIS, Jeff Geiges, Danny Creeden, Tom Tomasko, Whitey Slavin, Dave Coene, Chris Grispin, Ken Ferrier, Keith Leonard, Steve Krom, Jesse Marks, Jim Fugel, John Lieto, Chad Hadlick, Nicole Tracy, David Bush, Paul Minton, Mike Ketcham, Ladd Yeomans.
Did Not Start: Jamie Yannone.
Did Not Qualify: Kenny Moulton Jr., John Sundlof, Don Johnson, Jeff Hager, Mike Senecal, Dave Harris, Keith Van Oyan.
Spec Sportsman Feature Finish: JEFF RICHARDSON, Robbie Fairweather, Mike Van Tassel, Alan Houghtaling, Dan Archieri, D.J. Brooks.
Pro Stock Feature Finish: RAY SEE JR., Bill Deak Sr., Norbert Bracklow, Scott Mill, Mike Manetta, Jerry Craig, Rob Rowe, Danny Tyler, Terry O’Brien, George Christiana, John Roese, Jared Hayes, Katie Nugent, Steve Plumstead.
Mini-Sprint Feature Finish: CLINT ROEHRS, John Lieto, Ralph Utter Jr., Hank Katz, Kevin Horton, Marshall Gogg, Gary Reyer, Kevin Kondelka, John Wullum, Mel Lewis, Mark Rogers, John Guarino.
Pure Stock Feature Finish: JIM O’NEIL, Kevin Krusewski, Todd Houghtaling, Kyle Wright, John Woinoski, Herb Dewitt, Bill Deak Jr., James DeCicco, Mike Deyo, Sharon Byrne, Joe DiStefano, Bill Judge, Mike DuBois, Darin Ploss, Mike Sabia, Bill Rion, John Cole Jr., John Davis Jr.
Disqualified (Black Flag): Joe Judge.