NO FLUKE THIS TIME, JACKIE BROWN JR. WINS ACCORD
By BRETT DEYO
ACCORD, NY - This one was no fluke.
After being declared the winner of a time-shortened feature on July 9, Jackie Brown Jr. had to endure his share of questions from pit area cynics.
On Saturday night at Accord Speedway, Brown proved that earlier triumph was no flash in the pan by defeating seven-time track champion Rich Ricci Jr. in the Goldenarea Furniture 30-lap 358-Modified feature.
Brown's second victory of the 2004 season netted him a $1,500 payday.
"Last time I won (in an event curtailed on lap 23) they said I would have never made it to the next corner, Mike (Ricci) would have passed me," Brown said. "Tonight I earned it."
Coming from fifth on the grid aboard his No. 6x Teo-Pro car, the second-generation driver made his move early.
By lap four, he took over second. One lap later, he powered around the outside of Ryan Stortini on a double-file restart to assume the race lead.
"I got some breaks early. That helped out a lot," Brown admitted.
With nine laps complete, Rich Ricci Jr. burst into second, wheeling the No. J7 Teo-Pro car owned by John Finley. The New Paltz, N.Y., native attempted to set up Brown for a series of restarts (laps 12, 13 and 14), but the Hurley, N.Y., native proved to be up for the challenge.
"He (Ricci) was playing with me on those restarts," noted the 32-year-old Brown. "He was trying to fire first then I'd slow up. When I saw him slow up then I'd go. Any time you can beat Rich at Accord you know you're doing something right."
On the first try for the lap-13 restart, Brown bobbled momentarily, but a jingle deep in the field forced the caution quickly.
"That caution saved me," he admitted. "Just one time I messed up a little."
Only one yellow (on lap 23) slowed the remainder of the distance and Brown was on rails, never opening the door for Ricci, who managed to close within a car-length but could not pose a serious threat to the lead.
"We made a change after the heat race and the car was 200 percent better," Brown said.
"I've got to thank my parents, especially my Dad. I've been setting the car up the last few weeks and my Dad wasn't happy about it. This week he was in the garage and this car was awesome."
Incidentally, the victory came with a Sportsman powerplant the team purchased just about a month ago from Chuck Thomaschek.
Ricci, 38, settled for the runner-up effort.
"Those restarts were tough," he said. "I thought about driving it in up high (in turns one and two) but I was afraid he'd come up across the track. I figured finishing second was a lot better than nothing.
"I thought I might be able to try the outside on him but we had that long caution (on lap 13) and it cooled the tires. The car equaled out after that."
Mike Ricci finished third for the second consecutive week, ahead of Robbie Green and Bobby Hentschel in his first top five of the season.
Heat winners were Marc Johnson Joe Winne Jr. and Hentschel, while Mike Ricci won the consolation.
Larry Badaracco snapped a winless streak of 14 years in the 20-lap Sportsman main.
The 53-year-old Danbury, Conn., native, whose racing roots date back to the pavement at the extinct Danbury Racearena, emerged from an intense three-car fight for the lead in the final laps for the $600 score.
With his car heavily damaged one month ago, Badaracco took the controls of a 1997 Troyer owned by John Sundlof Sr. and Jr., his cousins.
Running firmly in the middle of the quarter-mile oval, Badaracco fought off the high-side bids of Jeff Hulseapple and the inside runs by Howard Jarvis simultaneously to record the victory, his first since 1990 when he took a 358-Modified feature win at Pennsylvania's Moc-A-Tek Speedway.
"It was all about using the track," an ecstatic Badaracco said. "It's really a lot of fun to race with Hulseapple, he's always good here and the 3J (Jarvis) did a good job with me."
Jarvis, of Accord, N.Y., beat Hulseapple to the stripe for second, with Dave Coene and Kevin Duryea rounding out the top five.
Gentleman racer John Roese took his first checkered of 2004 in the 20-lap Pro Stock feature. Following a season of consistent top five finishes, the Schoharie, N.Y., driver took advantage of a front-row starting position to lead the entire distance.
Norbert Bracklow emerged from a torrid second place finish ahead of Ray See Jr., Don Williams and Jerry Craig.
For the first time in his career, teenager John Guarino visited Victory Lane, topping the 15-lap Mini-Sprint feature.
The Go-Kart graduate from Nanuet, N.Y., charged from fifth starting position to the lead in just one circuit, then repelled the advances of 1996 champion Todd Lapp to post the breakthrough win, another highlight in his stellar rookie season.
Lapp settled for second, ahead of Peter Sindt, Geoff Quackenbush and John Matrafailo.
Denville, N.J.'s Mike Casario continued his romp of the 250cc Micro-Sprint division, posting his third consecutive victory and sixth of the year.
Casario worked by Rich McKay for the top spot on lap five and was never headed, besting Ralph Utter Jr., Rick Casario, McKay and Mark Palome.
The Pure Stock division's 15-lap feature fell to the 11 p.m. curfew and will be run on September 18. The heat victories went to Mike Deyo and Mike Sabia.
Mike Murphy of Verplanck, N.Y., won the 15-lap Vintage Modified feature.
NOTABLE: While the skies were sunny, weather was a major factor in the program as heavy rains during the week left the facility and track surface in shambles for the night's activities.
Promoter Gary Palmer was forced to disc the track after 3 p.m. to properly prepare it, leading to a late start. Mechanical difficulties that temporarily sidelined the water truck added to the delay.
The infield, parking lot and portions of the pit area remained thoroughly soaked….
Eight of the 25 358-Modifieds were non-regulars, with several competitors taking advantage of the Saturday program. Other car counts were 21 Sportsman, 15 Pro Stocks, 16 Mini-Sprints, nine 250cc Micro-Sprints, 21 Pure Stocks and 14 Vintage Modifieds….
Mod invaders included Ed Strada Jr., Joey Grammes, Tom Hindley, Don Elliott and second-generation driver Jeff Heotzler Jr. in his first Big A appearance….
Allan Kellogg of Mt. Cobb, Pa., made his Accord debut, picking up the ride in the Crackers Motorsports No. 73. Kellogg will run the TRC machine in the late-season shows, taking over the controls from Butch Tittle, who parted ways with the team….
Rich Ricci Jr.'s appearance at the track was surprising in that he skipped the 200 at Lebanon Valley (N.Y.) Speedway. Ricci said racing at Accord made financial sense, not to mention he is in the race for his eighth championship at the speedway just 20 minutes from home….
Racing resumes next Saturday, September 18 with a full program of 358-Modifieds, Sportsman, Pro Stocks, Mini-Sprints, 250cc Micro-Sprints and Pure Stocks, plus the Pure Stock heldover sponsored by Turco Machine Shop. 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.
GOLDENAREA FURNITURE RACE SUMMARY
358-Modified Feature Finish: JACKIE BROWN JR., Rich Ricci Jr., Mike Ricci, Robbie Green, Bobby Hentschel, Dom Roselli, Ed Strada Jr., Scott Ferrier, Ryan Stortini, Allan Kellogg, Joey Grammes, John McGill, Donnie Wilson, Jeff Heotzler Jr., Joe Winne Jr., Cliff Bush, Marc Johnson, Greg Morgan, Phil Recchio, Donnie Elliott.
Did Not Qualify: Barry Davis, Chris Johnson, Larry Hendershot, Kevin McCoy, Tom Hindley.
Sportsman Feature Finish: LARRY BADARACCO, Howard Jarvis, Jeff Hulseapple, Dave Coene, Kevin Duryea, Don Johnson, L.D. Smith, Jesse Marks, Paul Minton, Nicole Tracy, Chad Hadlick, Kenny Moulton Jr., Mike Senecal, Tom Tomasko, Chris Grispin, Jamie Yannone, Danny Creeden, Steve Krom, Jeff Hager, David Bush.
Did Not Qualify: Jim Rossell.
Pro Stock Feature Finish: JOHN ROESE, Norbert Bracklow, Ray See Jr., Don Williams, Jerry Craig, George Christiana, Doug Tyler Jr., Larry Temple Jr., Bill Deak Sr., Terry O'Brien, John Rood, Mike Manetta, Steve Plumstead, Butch Winnie.
Did Not Start: Steve Murray.
Mini-Sprint Feature Finish: JOHN GUARINO, Todd Lapp, Peter Sindt, Geoff Quackenbush, John Matrafailo, Kevin Horton, Michael Storms, Gary Reyer, Mark Rogers, Clint Roehrs, Mike Bosco, Kevin Kondelka, Rich Sennett, Jake Schlagel, James Tomlinson.
Disqualified: Rob Scaccio.
250cc Micro-Sprint Feature Finish: MIKE CASARIO, Ralph Utter Jr., Rick Casario, Rich McKay, Mark Palome, Michelle Conway, M.C. Bodick, Chris Kervatt.
Did Not Start: Ray Gillen.
Pure Stock Starting Lineup (Curfewed Until 9/18): John Davis, D.J. Brooks, Mike Deyo, Joe Giachinta, Joe Narok, Jim O'Neill, Christopher Kanuk, Bill Rion, Mike Sabia, Bill Deak Jr., Danny Tyler, Kevin Krusewski, Jay Smalley, Kyle Wright, Chris Meola, Greg Meola, Joe DiStefano, Mike DuBois, John Woinoski, Ronnie Blake.
Did Not Qualify: Joe Kasulis.