Hindley’s Misfortune Is Over With Accord Win
By BRETT DEYO
ACCORD, NY – It was only three weeks into the 2005 season and Tom Hindley was ready to call it quits.
The Fair Oaks, N.Y., veteran had endured it all in a horrendous kickoff to the year: a spin while leading on the final lap, a trip on the business end of the wrecker, a black flag and a serious highway accident.
The affable competitor righted that misfortune at Accord Speedway on Friday night. Using a front-row start to his advantage, Hindley outraced a determined Barry Davis to win the 30-lap Amsoil 358-Modified main by the narrowest of margins.
“The first three weeks here, everything I did was wrong,” Hindley admitted. “It was just horrible. I was about ready to give up.”
Hindley bolted into the lead on the start in his Precision-powered Teo-Pro car, but nearly saw his race end before lap one was complete. He got sideways momentarily in turn three. He gathered it back, but a jam-up that ricocheted back through the field necessitated a caution.
When the race resumed, the 38-year-old regained command over a stout Rick Mill, wheeling Peter Reynolds’ TRC No. 73.
Hindley and Mill checked out running one-two until a yellow on lap 11 for John Ferrier changed the complexion of the event. Entering turn three when the race resumed, Jeremy Markle made contact with Mill, sending both cars spinning wildly in front of the field.
Twelve cars were collected in the ensuing incident, including point leader Rich Ricci Jr., and the red flag was displayed.
Hindley held command in his Smykla Trucking No. 17H for the restart over Jackie Brown Jr., but Barry Davis was the man to watch. Running his Troyer four-link high and low, the Accord, N.Y., veteran took third on lap 19, then powered around Brown for second on lap 24.
Davis immediately erased the advantage Hindley had accrued and made his presence felt with five laps remaining.
“My car was great for the first 10 or 15 laps,” offered Hindley. “But then I burnt it up. The right rear tire (a 44 compound American Racer) was gone. Barry surprised me there, and I knew I had to hold the bottom.”
Coming to the line with two laps remaining, Davis pulled a high-low maneuver to the inside of Hindley. The leaders raced side by side across the stripe, but Hindley muscled back to the inside entering turn one.
With the white flag in the air, Davis set up a final bid. However, a one-lap dash to the finish emerged when Mark Flach Jr. spun, bringing out the yellow on lap 29.
A restart jingle forced a second restart with Davis poised to make a move. The 30-year veteran followed Hindley through one and two, saving his bid for the final set of corners. Entering the third turn high, Davis shot low and nearly beat Hindley back to the stripe.
“It was close,” Hindley said.
“My car was loose coming off and I was worried about spinning the tires. I was a little more careful that lap than I had been and he must have made a diamond out of the corner. I came off on the bottom and he got under me.”
The 52-year-old Davis settled for a runner-up effort in his orange No. 9D.
“I thought I had a shot at him” offered Davis. “The car was really working for us tonight.
“I think I had the car to beat him, but I couldn’t get under him when I needed to.”
Jackie Brown Jr. of Hurley, N.Y., continued his solid season, finishing third, ahead of Hank Goranson and 21st-starter Jimmy Johnson.
Heat victories for the 26 358-Modifieds in attendance went to Rich Ricci Jr., Rick Mill and Tom Hindley. Mark Pullen won the consolation.
An ironic twist handed Danny Creeden the Sportsman win.
It appeared that Creeden was headed for victory on May 6, only to spin from the lead after contact from Chris Grispin. Middletown, N.Y.’s Creeden trailed Grispin across the stripe in Friday night’s 25-lap main, but post-race tech inspection made the ultimate decision.
Grispin, a longtime open wheel racer from South Salem, N.Y., led the entire event after starting from the pole, but came up 51 pounds light on the scales and was disqualified. Creeden, 22, inherited the $600 victory.
“He had me beat,” noted Creeden, adding appreciation for sponsors Fabrications by Tauschman and Complete Forklift Service. “He was pulling me off the corners. I honestly couldn’t run with him.
“It all worked out, though!”
Whitey Slavin was credited with second, ahead of Jesse Marks, Steve Krom and 17th-starter John Lieto, a talented Mini-Sprint racer making the move into the Sportsman ranks.
Jeff Richardson became the first repeat winner in the Spec Sportsman division. The Goshen, N.Y., driver led the entire 20-lap distance after starting second in his No. 50 Bicknell. Mike Van Tassel, Brian Houghtaling, D.J. Brooks and Robbie Fairweather finished second through fifth, respectively.
Ray See Jr. posted his second Pro Stock victory of the season in the 20-lap feature. The Patterson, N.Y., native grabbed the lead from Jerry Craig on lap seven, then motored away for the triumph by a straightaway.
Craig held off Danny Tyler by a nose to post his second consecutive runner-up finish. Tyler rebounded from a lap-four spin for third, with Bill Deak Sr. and Mike Manetta in tow.
The anticipation is over for Ralph Utter Jr.
After being agonizingly close to victory in the first three events, Utter finally broke into Mini-Sprint Victory Lane. The West Milford, N.J., racer made his move on lap one, driving inside polesitter Peter Sindt to take command and led the remainder of the 20-lap distance.
However, it wasn’t clear sailing for Utter. A damaged wing hampered the handling of his 19J, allowing Marc Guerard to close in the final circuits. Utter, a former champion in the 250cc Micro-Sprint ranks, held on to post his first career Mini-Sprint win.
Weathersfield, Conn.’s Guerard settled for second, ahead of John Lieto, Clint Roehrs and James Tomlinson.
Mike Sabia remains undefeated in the Pure Stock division, as the Easton, Conn., racer drove to his fourth straight feature victory. It took Sabia only four circuits of the 15-lap distance to grab the lead after starting 12th. He cruised home for the win over Bill Rion, John Woinoski in a career run, Joe Judge and Kyle Wright.
For his efforts on double-points night, Sabia earned a $100 bonus courtesy of KB’s Racing Photos.
Racing resumes on Fri., May 20 with a full program of 358-Modifieds, Sportsman, Spec Sportsman, Pro Stocks, Mini-Sprints, Pure Stocks and Vintage Modifieds presented by Turco’s Machine. Bars-for-Less will sponsor a Sportsman Dash-for-Cash. 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 check out the website: www.accordspeedway.com.
BIG A NOTES: Car counts for the season’s fourth event stood at 26 358-Modifieds, 28 Sportsman, six Spec Sportsman, 11 Pro Stocks, 19 Mini-Sprints and 20 Pure Stocks….
With the engine not yet repaired in the Downes Racing No. 40, Andy Bachetti piloted the Robert Albreada-owned No. 4 Teo-Pro car for the second week. Bachetti brought the car home ninth….
Hank Goranson, whose career in dirt Modified racing spans nearly three decades, returned to the 358-Modified field and finished a solid fourth….
The crowd was vocal in its support of Barry Davis, the gentleman racer in his 30th season of competition….
AMSOIL RACE SUMMARY
358-Modified Feature Finish: TOM HINDLEY, Barry Davis, Jackie Brown Jr., Hank Goranson, Jimmy Johnson, Ryan Stortini, Larry Hendershot, Dom Roselli, Andy Bachetti, Cliff Bush, Rich Ricci Jr., Rich Salisbury, Mark Pullen, Mark Flach Jr., John Sanders, Phil Recchio, Bill Papula, Larry Badaracco, Jeremy Markle, Rick Mill.
Disqualified (Black Flag): John Ferrier.
Did Not Qualify: Bob Cancellieri, Mike Murphy, Jim Halpin, Andy Schlagel, John Howell.
Sportsman Feature Finish: DANNY CREEDEN, Whitey Slavin, Jesse Marks, Steve Krom, John Lieto, Jim Fugel, Don Johnson, Mike Ketcham, Howard Jarvis, Nicole Tracy, Jeff Geiges, John Sundlof, L.D. Smith, Tom Tomasko, Dave Coene, Jamie Yannone, Kenny Moulton, Jr., Keith Leonard.
Disqualified (Tech): Chris Grispin.
Disqualified: (Black Flag): Paul Minton.
Did Not Qualify: David Bush, Keith Van Oyan, Eric Moon, Jeff Warren, Chad Hadlick, Ken Ferrier, Ladd Yeomans, Christopher Christ.
Spec Sportsman Feature Finish: JEFF RICHARDSON, Mike Van Tassel, Brian Houghtaling, D.J. Brooks, Robbie Fairweather, Al Archieri.
Pro Stock Feature Finish: RAY SEE JR., Jerry Craig, Danny Tyler, Bill Deak Sr., Mike Manetta, Scott Liese, Scott Mill, George Christiana, Terry O’Brien, Katie Nugent, Steve Plumstead.
Mini-Sprint Feature Finish: RALPH UTTER JR., Marc Guerard, John Lieto, Clint Roehrs, James Tomlinson, John Guarino, Bob Lynt, Rob Scaccio, John Lodini, Mark Rogers, Hank Katz, Kevin Kondelka, Mel Lewis, Skip Travis, Kevin Horton, Gary Reyer.
Disqualified (Tech): Peter Sindt.
Did Not Start: Joe Bergin, Chet Hinkle.
Pure Stock Feature Finish: MIKE SABIA, Bill Rion, John Woinoski, Joe Judge, Kyle Wright, Joe DiStefano, Kevin Krusewski, Sharon Byrne, Ryan Hover, Bill Judge, Paul Aragon Jr., Mike Deyo, James DeCicco, Herb Dewitt, Jim O’Neil, Bill Deak Jr., Todd Houghtaling, Mike DuBois, Darin Ploss.
Did Not Start: Joe Narok.