Rich Ricci Jr. Wins A Wild One At Accord
By BRETT DEYO
ACCORD, NY – A satisfied Rich Ricci Jr. leaned against his familiar red No. 55 in the pit area and smiled.
“15 laps or 30, the car’s still good!”
Ricci emerged victorious from a rugged, time-shortened 15-lap Apple Greens Golf Course 358-Modified feature last Friday night at Accord Speedway. The New Paltz, N.Y., native had impeccable timing: moments after he overtook a spinning Tom Hindley for the lead, track officials checkered the event due to time limitations.
For Ricci, it was a $1,700 payday. In addition to the feature win, he collected $200 for a victory in the Fabrications by Tauschman Dash-for-Cash.
Ricci started 11th in his Precision-powered Dirt Wheels mount and methodically worked forward as front-row starter Tom Hindley battled with Larry Badaracco for the top spot. Hindley took command on a lap-three restart.
“My plan was to be patient and keep a lookout,” Ricci said. “I waited a little in the beginning for them to thin out.”
As the laps clicked off, the 38-year-old found a home in the high groove. By lap eight, Ricci cracked the top three. One lap later, he powered around Ryan Stortini to take second and set his sights on Hindley.
“The middle (groove) started to ‘come to’ in (turns) one and two,” Ricci said. “I started working the outside in three and four and I had a good line going. That’s when I was catching him (Hindley).”
The eight-time champion had erased Hindley’s advantage when the field was red-flagged on lap 15.
Mike Ricci and Scott Ferrier (the reason for the initial yellow) engaged in a heated exchange of contact under caution before both cars became disabled. At that point, both drivers exited their cars and the conflict escalated to a frontstretch scuffle. Officials headed trackside to resolve the situation, but 20 minutes passed before the surface could be cleared.
When the race resumed, Hindley grazed the inner concrete wall in turn two, flattening the left-front tire on his No. 17H. He spun in front of the field and handed the lead - and the win - to Ricci as the caution and checkered were displayed simultaneously.
The race had passed the imposed 35-minute time limit, forcing the early conclusion. Scoring reverted to the last completed green flag lap, minus Hindley, who brought out the caution.
It marked Ricci's second trip to Victory Lane of ’05. He won the Southern Tier Open 50 at Five Mile Point (N.Y.) Speedway on April 17.
“This is great,” Ricci surmised. “This is what we want to do – run up front and win races. We were consistent last year. This year, the car’s awesome.”
The controversy overshadowed a fine run by Ryan Stortini. The Poughkeepsie, N.Y., native was credited with second in his Mike Petrucci-powered ’05 Troyer SLR mount.
“I tried to drive the car like I was on asphalt,” Stortini, 31, offered. “I’d shut it down early and drive it straight through the corners while everybody else was sliding.”
For Stortini, it was a satisfying effort after picking up a new chassis and engine builder over the off-season.
“I thought I was gonna win that race,” he said. “I got by Rich and Hindley, but they ended up getting back around me. Finishing second to Rich here, it’s like a win. I’m happy.”
John Ferrier of Middletown, N.Y., posted an Accord best third-place finish. Rich Salisbury and 17th-starter Andy Bachetti rounded out the top five.
Heat wins for the 27 358-Modifieds in attendance went to Rich Ricci Jr., Larry Badaracco and Mike Ricci. Scott Ferrier won the consolation.
Local favorite Howard Jarvis of Accord, N.Y., put a stop to Jamie Yannone’s win streak in the Sportsman division.
Looking for five straight victories, Yannone raced from 12th to the lead by lap eight and stretched out a large advantage on Jarvis, who was left to battle for second. Jarvis took over that position by the halfway point and immediately began to chip away at Yannone’s advantage.
Working the low line in his Jarvis Fuel Service No. 3J PMC chassis, Jarvis caught Yannone with five laps remaining. He took over the lead on lap 22 when Yannone was forced to slow momentarily behind the slower car of Chad Hadlick in turn three.
Jarvis picked up $600 for the win, his first since Aug. 15, 2003.
Yannone placed second, ahead of Somerville, N.J.’s Tom Tomasko, rookie Mike Ketcham and Whitey Slavin.
Pure Stock graduate D.J. Brooks of Oxford, Conn., won the 15-lap Spec Sportsman feature in dominant fashion.
Brooks dropped from the front row to fourth on the opening lap, but battled back on the outside line with his former Rick Mill Troyer. Brooks disposed of veterans Jeff Richardson and Alan Houghtaling, grabbing the lead by lap six.
He cruised to his first-ever win in a full-sized stock car over Houghtaling, Richardson, Mike Van Tassel and Joe Giachinta.
Danny Tyler spent half the season trying to reach Victory Lane in 2004, his rookie Pure Stock season. It didn’t take nearly as long in the Pro Stocks.
The 15-year-old driving sensation from Cottekill, N.Y., topped the 20-lap feature in only his second start. Tyler took the wheel of the family-owned No. 22 this year from father Doug Jr., who led the division with eight victories in ’04.
The youngest of the Tyler clan took command on a lap-six restart and fought off a host of challengers, including Opening Night winner Ray See Jr. to post the immensely popular triumph. See settled for second, ahead of Scott Mill, Mike Manetta and Bill Deak Sr.
It was more of the same for John Lieto in the Mini-Sprint division.
The veteran from Mt. Kisco, N.Y., took over the lead on the 12th circuit of the 20-lap main when race leader Ralph Utter Jr. tangled with the slower car of Gary Reyer and flipped wildly down the backstretch. Utter, a New Jersey native moving up from the 250cc Micro-Sprint ranks, was uninjured.
Lieto then raced on to his second consecutive victory. However, he was found light on the scales in post-race tech inspection and lost all accrued points and money.
Rob Scaccio, Clint Roehrs, John Lodini and Jon Moore rounded out the top five.
In the heldover 15-lap Pure Stock main from April 15, Mike Sabia broke a winless drought that stretched back to Sept. 1999 at the Riverside Park (Mass.) Speedway. The Easton, Conn., native waited less than six hours to post his second career Accord victory, winning the 15-lap nightcap.
Sabia dodged a bullet on lap two of the curfew-postponed feature when he tangled with a lapped car on the frontstretch. Despite significant contact, the 21-year-old raced on to the win, fighting off Bill Deak Jr., Kevin Krusewski, Jim O’Neil and Joe DiStefano.
The second win came a bit easier. Sabia drove his No. 55 past Kyle Wright on lap three and dominated the remainder of the distance. Krusewski finished second, ahead of 20th-starter Mike Deyo, DiStefano and O’Neil.
Racing resumes at the Action Track on Fri., May 6 with a program of 358-Modifieds, Sportsman, Spec Sportsman, Pro Stocks, Mini-Sprints, Pure Stocks and Vintage Modifieds presented by B. Millens and Sons. Gates open at 4:30 p.m., with hot laps at 6:30 p.m. and racing at 7 p.m.
For more information, visit the website at: www.accordspeedway.com or call the track office (845) 626-3478.
BIG A NOTES: The 358-Modified feature produced career-best Accord runs for John Ferrier and Rich Salisbury, both new to the track as regulars in ’05.
Ferrier (third) is an Orange County (N.Y.) Fair Speedway convert, while Salisbury (fourth) frequented the asphalt surface at Adirondack International (N.Y.) Speedway last year….
Car counts were solid for the season’s second race, run under dark, threatening skies. Twenty-seven 358-Modifieds, 27 Sportsman, six Spec Sportsman, 16 Pro Stocks, 22 Mini-Sprints and 20 Pure Stocks signed in for competition….
Hindley said his meeting with the inside wall was so slight it didn’t even bend the rim. “I just nicked it,” the dejected Fair Oaks, N.Y., racer said. “It just put a hole in the sidewall.”….
Opening Night winner Jimmy Johnson didn’t have a successful outing. He brought out the race’s first caution on lap three when contact with Mark Flach Jr. sent him hard into the backstretch wall. His No. 77 rolled onto its side momentarily before landing on its wheels….
APPLE GREENS GOLF COURSE RACE SUMMARY
358-Modified Feature Finish (Shortened to 15 laps): RICH RICCI JR., Ryan Stortini, John Ferrier, Rich Salisbury, Andy Bachetti, Jackie Brown Jr., Marc Johnson, Rick Mill, Larry Badaracco, Mark Pullen, Tom Hindley, John McGill, Phil Recchio, Bill Papula, Mark Flach Jr., Larry Hendershot, John Sanders, Jimmy Johnson, Mike Ricci, Scott Ferrier.
Did Not Qualify: Dom Roselli, Andy Schlagel, Dan Humes, John Howell, Mike Trautschold, Jeremy Markle, Barry Davis.
Sportsman Feature Finish: HOWARD JARVIS, Jamie Yannone, Tom Tomasko, Mike Ketcham, Whitey Slavin, Keith Leonard, Ken Ferrier, Jesse Marks, Ladd Yeommans, Chad Hadlich, L.D. Smith, Steve Krom, Mike Senecal, Jim Fugel, Matt Hitchcock, Jeff Geiges, David Bush, Dave Coene, Keith Still, Don Johnson.
Did Not Qualify: Jeff Hager, Paul Minton, Danny Creeden, John Sundlof, Chris Grispin, Nicole Tracy, Keith Van Oyan, John Lieto.
Spec Sportsman Feature Finish: D.J. BROOKS, Alan Houghtaling, Jeff Richardson, Mike Van Tassel, Joe Giachinta.
Did Not Start: Robbie Fairweather.
Pro Stock Feature Finish: DANNY TYLER, Ray See Jr., Scott Mill, Mike Manetta, Bill Deak Sr., Jerry Craig, George Christiana, Jim Hewitt, Jared Hayes, Larry Temple Jr., Rob Rowe, Steve Plumstead, Scott Liese, Terry O’Brien, John Roese.
Did Not Start: Katie Nugent.
Mini-Sprint Feature Finish: JOHN LIETO (DQ), Rob Scaccio, Clint Roehrs, John Lodini, Jon Moore, Mark Rogers, Tony Montesi, John Zych, Kevin Kondelka, Gary Reyer, Rich Ford, John Parete, Mel Lewis, Ralph Utter Jr., Todd Lapp, Peter Sindt, John Guarino, Skip Travis, Joe Bergin.
Did Not Start: Ed Burgess.
Did Not Qualify: Darrell Quackenbush, Marc Guerard.
Pure Stock Feature Finish: MIKE SABIA, Kevin Krusewski, Mike Deyo, Joe DiStefano, Jim O’Neil, Paul Aragon Jr., Joe Judge, Kyle Wright, Bill Rion, Bill Deak Jr., Hank Morin, Todd Houghtaling, Mike DuBois, No. 96, Steven Kanuk, Sharon Byrne, Bill Judge.
Did Not Start: James DeCicco, Herb DeWitt, John Woinoski.
Pure Stock Heldover Feature Finish From 4/15: MIKE SABIA, Bill Deak Jr., Kevin Krusewski, Jim O’Neil, Joe DiStefano, Bill Rion, Mike Deyo, Joe Judge, Kyle Wright, Todd Houghtaling, Mike DuBois, John Woinoski, Bill Judge, Sharon Byrne, Paul Aragon Jr., Chris Kanuk, Hank Morin.