BACHETTI CONTINUES GREAT WEEK WITH GREEN MEMORIAL WIN
By BRETT DEYO
ACCORD, NY - A whirlwind week for Andy Bachetti continued last Friday night at Accord Speedway.
The red-hot Sheffield, Mass., star roared to victory in the 3rd Annual Bob Green Memorial, a 50-lap 358-Modified feature presented by Pine Grove Dude Ranch.
The extra-distance event was run to celebrate the life of Bob Green. The patriarch of the Green family was one of the finest 320-Modified drivers in the history of the quarter-mile oval and remains a legend for his ingenuity and talent.
For Bachetti, the win in the high-profile event came on the heels of the birth of his first child, Blake Andrew, on Wednesday and a huge $10,000 victory on Thursday night at Lebanon Valley (N.Y.) Speedway in the big-block Modified Ultimate Showdown.
"It's a high right now," smiled Bachetti, who earned $2,000 for his second consecutive Green Memorial triumph. "It's just awesome."
Bob Hentschel set the early pace before Rich Ricci Jr. swept around him on a lap seven restart to take command.
The lead duo of Ricci and Hentschel broke away from the rest of the field until, on lap 25, Bob Cancellieri turned sideways in their path. Ricci quickly darted to the infield, while Hentschel executed a half-spin and stopped, bringing out the caution.
That incident was a break for seventh-starter Bachetti, who had claimed third in a three-wide move on lap 16. He inherited the runner-up position for the restart.
"We fell back early because the car was so tight," Bachetti noted.
"I think we were back to about 17th or so before the track started to come to us. This car is always good on a slick track - that's when we're best here."
When the green flew, the 28-year-old immediately began to stalk Ricci.
Working both grooves in his A&C Performance-powered Bicknell, Bachetti made a pair of bids for the lead (laps 32 and 37) only to have the New Paltz, N.Y., seven-time champion shut the door.
"I knew what I had to do," Bachetti said. "I could see his weak points."
The winning move came with ten laps remaining. Bachetti powered the Downes Racing No. 40 to the outside in turn two, building momentum, and won the drag race down the backstretch, grazing the boiler plate wall in the process.
"I was on the wall," Bachetti said. "But I said 'I'm not backing off now' because I knew those guys (the rest of the top five) were catching us.
"Rich is tough here. That was my chance and I had to go."
Bachetti steadily checked out over the final ten circuits, racing to his third triumph of the 2004 season at Accord.
Ricci was left to do battle with an emerging Robbie Green, who charged from the tail of the field after being collected in a pair of early skirmishes (laps six and seven).
On lap 49, the determined Green, of Wallkill, N.Y., whipped around the outside of Ricci in turn four to take second in his Precision-powered '04 Teo-Pro car.
"I wish what happened early didn't," Green said.
"I was up to the top five or six when I got turned around. I thought I had a shot at it. We were junk in the heat race and Dave (Green, his brother and crew chief) made some changes and the car was a lot better.
"It I had gotten to second earlier, I don't know if I would have had something for him. I used a lot up coming through."
Ricci, 38, settled for third despite dominating the first half of the event.
"If it was a 30-lap race it would have been mine," Ricci said. "The car just left me. I could feel it starting to go away about halfway through. I knew Andy was faster and I raced him clean. I gave him the room."
Jackie Brown Jr. of Hurley, N.Y., finished a stout fourth and Saylorsburg, Pa.'s Butch Tittle rounded out the top five.
Thirty 358-Modifieds signed in for competition. Heat wins went to Tittle, Mike Ricci and Joe Winne Jr., while Dom Roselli topped the 15-car consolation.
The Sportsman feature event was halted at the 11:30 p.m. curfew and will resume on August 13 with five laps complete. Kevin Duryea is the leader over Chris Grispin, Nicole Tracy, L.D. Smith and Paul Minton.
Sportsman heat winners were Nicole Tracy, Jamie Yannone and Danny Creeden.
Returning after a two-week hiatus, Doug Tyler Jr. of Cottekill, N.Y., powered to victory in the 20-lap Pro Stock feature. Tyler started the main in 12th and charged up the outside groove before clearing Scott Mill on lap 17 for the lead.
Don Williams broke into second with two laps remaining, but could offer nothing for the high-flying Tyler, who earned his third victory of the season. Mill, Ray See Jr. and George Christiana trailed.
Rob Scaccio finally returned to Victory Lane in Mini-Sprint competition.
Scaccio, who has been plagued with sour luck for the past month, jumped out to the early lead and literally dominated the 15-lap headliner, as the Suffern, N.Y., driver recorded his second '04 win.
Rich Sennett narrowly fended off teenager Geoff Quackenbush for second, with John Guarino and Peter Sindt completing the front five.
Mike Casario of Denville, N.J., topped the 15-lap 250cc Micro-Sprint feature event, taking advantage of a lap three restart, then pulling away for the win over newcomer Pat Bealer. Mark Palome, Brayden Winters and Ralph Utter Jr. were third through fifth, respectively.
In Pure Stock competition, Mike Deyo of New Windsor, N.Y., emerged victorious after a side-by-side battle with D.J. Brooks during the first half of the 15-lap main.
Deyo cleared Brooks on lap seven, then motored on to his second win of the season over Mike DuBois, Jim O'Neill, Joe DiStefano and Danny Tyler.
Kevin Krusewski crossed the line fifth but was penalized for contact that sent Brooks spinning on the final lap.
Racing resumes at the Big A on Friday, August 13 with Banner Night and a full program of 358-Modifieds, Sportsman, Pro Stocks, Mini-Sprints, 250cc Micro-Sprints and Pure Stocks sponsored by Mid-Hudson Concrete, along with the remainder of the August 6 Sportsman feature.
Gates open at 4:30 p.m., with hot laps at 6:15 p.m. and racing at 7 p.m. For more information, contact the office at (845) 626-3478 or check out the website: www.accordspeedway.com.
NOTABLE: A broken left-rear torsion bar hampered Mike Ricci's efforts, as the Rosendale, N.Y., veteran wrestled the car home seventh….
Bachetti was happy to report that wife Natalie and Blake Andrew were at home resting comfortably. The happy father was a late arrival to the track after picking them both up from the hospital in the afternoon….
New powerplants were under the hood of the Butch Tittle, Dom Roselli and Scott Ferrier 358-Modifieds….
A broken fuel pump sidelined the Barry Davis No. 9D, as he picked up the ride in Cliff Bush's No. 06 for the feature….
Janet Green was on hand to present a trophy to the Bob Green Memorial winner….
Bob Green Memorial 358-Modified Feature Finish: ANDY BACHETTI, Robbie Green, Rich Ricci Jr., Jackie Brown Jr., Butch Tittle, Marc Johnson, Mike Ricci, Ryan Stortini, Bob Hentschel, Tony Kawalchuk, John Sanders, Hank Goranson, Joe Winne Jr., Mark Pullen, Bob Cancellieri, Jim Winchell, Dom Roselli, Phil Recchio, Scott Ferrier, Barry Davis.
Did Not Qualify: Chris Johnson, John McGill, Kevin McCoy, Cliff Bush, Larry Hendershot, Jimmy Halpin, Mike Van Tassel, Bruce Leote, Greg Morgan, Les Andrews.
Sportsman Running Order (After Five Laps): Kevin Duryea, Chris Grispin, Nicole Tracy, L.D. Smith, Paul Minton, Howard Jarvis, Dave Bush, Jeff Hager, Mike Senecal, Danny Creeden, Chuck Davis, Dave Harris, Steve Krom, Don Johnson, Dave Coene, Harry Baldwin, Jesse Marks, Larry Badaracco, Will Galm, Jamie Yannone, Jeff Hulseapple.
Pro Stock Feature Finish: DOUG TYLER JR., Don Williams, Scott Mill, Ray See Jr., George Christiana, Norbert Bracklow, John Roese, Steve Murray, Jerry Craig, Steve Plumstead, James Devitt, Terry O'Brien, John Rood, Mike Manetta, Rob Hoar, Butch Winnie.
Did Not Start: Bill Deak Sr., Jeff Gallo.
Mini-Sprint Feature Finish: ROB SCACCIO, Rich Sennett, Geoff Quackenbush, John Guarino, Peter Sindt, Marshall Gogg, John Matrafailo, James Tomlinson, Philippa Melrose, Michael Storms, Mark Rogers, Duby Woodruff, Kevin Horton, John Parete, Kevin Kondelka, Gary Reyer, Clint Roehrs, Todd Lapp, Randy Caruso.
250cc Micro-Sprint Feature Finish: MIKE CASARIO, Pat Bealer, Mark Palome, Brayden Winters, Ralph Utter Jr., Lex Burritt, Jason Von Dohren, Rick Casario, Chris Kervatt, Charles Redlich, M.C. Bodick, Jeremy Redlich.
Pure Stock Feature Finish: MIKE DEYO, Mike DuBois, Jim O'Neill, Joe DiStefano, Doug Tyler Jr., Chris Meola, Sharon Byrne, Bill Deak Jr., Ryan Hover, Kyle Wright, D.J. Brooks, Kevin Krusewski, John Cole Jr., Mike Horkan, John Davis, Bill Rion, Luke Horning, John Goodrich.
Did Not Start: Phil Goetschius, Joe Giachinta.