BARRY DAVIS HASN'T FORGOTTEN HOW TO WIN AT ACCORD
By BRETT DEYO
ACCORD, NY - Barry Davis showed the field at Accord Speedway that he hasn't forgotten how to win.
The 52-year-old veteran from Accord, N.Y., took advantage of a front-row starting position to score the victory in Saturday night's Bryant's Towing 30-lap 358-Modified main. For Davis, it marked his first feature triumph since September 3, 1999.
Davis grabbed the lead at the drop of the green with his Troyer Four-Link No. 9D, with Jackie Brown Jr. and Tom Hindley in tow. A lap-four restart eliminated both Hindley and Brown, as Rich Ricci Jr. took over second.
Davis, a longtime Accord regular, fended off the charges of Ricci on a lap-20 restart, then outdistanced Robbie Green, who took over second on lap 22, to grab the $1,500 victory, just two weeks after failing to qualify for the main.
Green, of Wallkill, N.Y., the current point leader in the 358-Mod ranks, settled for second, ahead Mike Ricci, Rich Ricci Jr. and Ryan Stortini.
Heat winners for the 23 Modifieds in attendance were Davis, Brown and Stortini, while second-generation driver Jeff Heotzler Jr. won the consolation.
Jamie Yannone's decision to skip the Sunoco Race Fuels Super DIRT Series race at Orange County (N.Y.) Fair Speedway proved to be a profitable one, as the Wallkill, N.Y., 24-year-old raced to his second victory of the season in the 25-lap Sportsman headliner.
Yannone, who started 10th, chased down a strong-running Nicole Tracy, making the winning move on lap 19. Once in front, Yannone cruised to the $600 victory.
The 18-year-old Tracy, of Danbury, Conn., matched her career-best finish with the runner-up effort after looking stout in her bid for victory number one.
David Bush finished third, ahead of Jesse Marks and Kevin Duryea.
The 11 p.m. curfew forced the postponement of the Pro Stock main. Heat winners were Mike Manetta and Ray See Jr.
A lap-12 restart proved to be pivotal for 14-year-old John Guarino in Mini-Sprint action.
The yellow flag with eight circuits remaining in the 20-lap contest allowed the Nanuet, N.Y., young gun to pull up on the rear bumper of early pacesetter James Tomlinson.
Guarino, a go-kart graduate who notched his first ever win on September 11, then proceeded to power by Tomlinson and race to his second consecutive victory.
Tomlinson, of Westport, Conn., finished second, ahead of Peter Sindt, Rob Scaccio and John Matrafailo.
Marc Palome of Long Valley, N.J., registered his first win of the season in the 15-lap 250cc Micro-Sprint main. Palome led the entire distance, breaking the three-race win streak of Mike Casario, who finished second. Frank Venezia, Ralph Utter Jr. and Rich McKay rounded out the top five.
After appearing on and off throughout the 2004 campaign, Fred Davis Jr. of Loch Sheldrake, N.Y., topped the 50-lap, $500-to-win Pure Stock feature.
Making his first run in a new car, Davis worked patiently from 15th starting position to take over the lead from Jim O'Neil on lap 44. It was Davis's first ever win at the Big A.
Mike DuBois charged hard in the final laps to finish second, ahead of O'Neil, rookie standout Danny Tyler and Joe Giachinta.
Former Sportsman regular Larry Ricci of High Falls, N.Y., won the 15-lap Vintage Modified main.
Racing will resume on October 2 with a full program of 358-Modifieds, Sportsman, Street Stocks, Pure Stocks, 250cc Micro-Sprints and Mini-Sprints. Gates open at 3 p.m. with hot laps at 5 p.m. and racing at 6 p.m.
For more info, contact the speedway office at (845) 626-3478 or check out the website: www.accordspeedway.com.
NOTABLE: Tom Perrego, a winner at the Big A in 2003 as a Sportsman, made his '04 as a 358-Modified, while Jeremy Markle and Tony Kawalchuk returned after long absences to bring the field to 23…
Also filling the pit area on the second Saturday event of the year were 22 Sportsman, 18 Pro Stocks, 21 Mini-Sprints, 13 250cc Micro-Sprints, 24 Pure Stocks and 10 Vintage Mods…
Jeff Heotzler Jr. is on the improve as he makes the switch from the larger OCFS to Accord, a track his father dominated in the 1980s….
BRYANT'S TOWING RACE SUMMARY
358-Modified Feature Finish: BARRY DAVIS, Robbie Green. Mike Ricci, Rich Ricci Jr., Ryan Stortini, Marc Johnson, Dom Roselli, Phil Recchio, Larry Hendershot, Jeff Heotzler Jr., Tom Perrego, John McGill, Mark Pullen, Andy Bachetti, Tony Kawalchuk, Scott Ferrier, Tom Hindley, Jackie Brown Jr., Jeremy Markle, Hank Goranson.
Did Not Qualify: Kevin McCoy, Chris Johnson, Cliff Bush.
Sportsman Feature Finish: JAMIE YANNONE, Nicole Tracy, David Bush, Jesse Marks, Kevin Duryea, Jeff Hager, Larry Badaracco, Dave Coene, Chris Grispin, Don Johnson, Jim House, Howard Jarvis, Chad Hadlick, Mike Van Tassel, Mike Senecal, Steve Krom, L.D. Smith, Paul Minton, Steve Kyzer, Jim Rossell.
Did Not Qualify: Dave Reynolds, Greg Morgan.
Curfewed Pro Stock Starting Lineup: Scott Mill, Steve Plumstead, Mike Manetta, Rob Hoar, Bill Deak Sr., Ray See Jr., Norbert Bracklow, Don Williams, John Roese, Doug Tyler Jr., John Davis, John Rood, Floyd Schmidt, Dave Slate, Jared Hayes, Terry O'Brien, James Devitt, Larry Temple Jr.
Mini-Sprint Feature Finish: JOHN GUARINO, James Tomlinson, Peter Sindt, Rob Scaccio, John Matrafailo, Geoff Quackenbush, Marshall Gogg, Jeremy Quick, Glenn Pressel, Mark Rogers, Todd Bernier, Kevin Kondelka, Bob Lynt, Gary Reyer, Clint Roehrs, Mike Storms, John Parete, Todd Lapp, John Lieto.
Did Not Start: Jeff Van Ben Schoten, Phil Beesmer.
250cc Micro-Sprint Feature Finish: MARK PALOME, Mike Casario, Frank Venezia, Ralph Utter Jr., Rich McKay, Ray Gillen, Brandon Igo, Michelle Conway, Doc Young, Mike Storms, Chris Kervatt, MC Bodick, Rick Casario.
Pure Stock Feature Finish: FRED DAVIS JR., Mike DuBois, Jim O'Neil, Danny Tyler, Joe Giachinta, Bill Deak Jr., Jay Smalley, John Woinoski, John Davis, Joe DiStefano, Mike Sabia, Sharon Byrne, Ira Landrum, Chris Meola, Ryan Hover, Joe Narok, D.J. Brooks, Mike Deyo, Bob Swanson, Hank Morin, Greg Meola.
Did Not Qualify: Kyle Wright, John Cole Jr., Joe Kasulis.