GREEN ALL SMILES AFTER ACCORD 358-MODIFIED VICTORY

By BRETT DEYO

ACCORD, NY - As Robbie Green climbed from his car in Victory Lane last Friday night at Accord Speedway, his smile said it all.

Green turned around a month of frustration with a much-needed triumph in the Albany Avenue Garage 30-lap 358-Modified headliner, leading the entire distance for his second victory of the season at the Ulster County quarter-mile oval.

The Wallkill, N.Y., driver was understandably thrilled, considering a last-lap tangle with Joe Winne Jr. cost him a win on July 16.

"Last week I thought I had the car to win. After the race we had, losing it on the last lap was devastating," said Green, who collected $1,500 for the win.

"I like to win from that back, but we needed this, so hey, I'll take it, especially the way the last month has gone. It's been brutal for us."

Green's recent misfortune handicapped him to the outside pole aboard his Reclamation, Inc. No. 69, and the 25-year dirt Modified veteran outgunned Winne to assume the lead entering turn one on the first lap.

>From that point on, the battle was for second.

On lap seven, Dom Roselli slipped under Winne to secure the runner-up spot. Andy Bachetti and Mike Ricci following him through just two circuits later.

The trio ran nose-to-tail, with Middletown , N.Y. 's Roselli keeping his car firmly planted on the track's inner hub.

Following the final caution with three laps remaining, Bachetti pulled the Downes Racing No. 40 alongside Roselli in turn two, then forged ahead on the backstretch. With the white flag flying, Ricci muscled to the inside of Roselli entering turn three and grabbed third.

Neither driver could seriously challenge Green in the late stages, as the 41-year-old cruised to the win by a half-straightaway in his Precision-powered Teo-Pro car.

"My brother Dave had the car hooked up tonight," Green gushed.

"The car got excellent bite - it was perfect. I honestly think we could have won this from the back, the car was that good."

Sheffield , Mass. , standout Bachetti collected $1,000 for his second place effort.

"We were working the 23 (Roselli) on the bottom for a while," the 28-year-old Bachetti remarked. "I found just enough room after that caution to get under him.

"I didn't have enough time then to make a run at Robbie."

Ricci, of Rosendale , N.Y. , settled for third, ahead of Roselli and Winne.

A season-high 29 358-Modifieds signed in for competition.

Harry Baldwin snapped a three-year win drought in Sportsman competition.

The former Street Stock champion from Willow , N.Y. , inherited the lead on lap four, then raced on for the $600 payday, his first since May 4, 2001 .

Baldwin 's break came during the lap four yellow, as early pacesetter Jesse Marks received a two-spot penalty for jumping a restart on lap one. Baldwin then gained the top spot, which he would not relinquish.

"It's been a long time," said Baldwin, 40, the Police Chief in Woodstock , N.Y. "We tightened the car up after the heat race, put a (American Racer SD) 44 on the right rear and the car was great."

Jeff Hulseapple motored by Jesse Marks on the final circuit for second. Will Galm and Howard Jarvis rounded out the top five.

When Ray See Jr. and Lenny Brice made contact with two laps remaining in the 20-lap Pro Stock feature, Don Williams saw an opportunity. The High Falls , N.Y., driver jumped to the high side and drove around both en route to his second victory of the 2004 season.

The dramatic victory came after Williams started the event in ninth position.

See, who paced the field after taking the lead on lap six, settled for second, with Brice, Steve Murray and Pat Zimmer in tow.

Todd Lapp of Accord, N.Y., scored his first Mini-Sprint victory of the season in a rough-and-tumble, time-shortened main.

Lapp, the 1996 champion, took over the lead aboard John Parete's back-up No. 20x coming to the stripe for the 18th lap after running the extreme outside in an intense battle with Rob Scaccio.

Immediately after Lapp took command, Scaccio executed a half-spin in turns one and two, resulting in a flip by Rich Sennett. At that point (the fifth flip of the main), track officials threw the checkered, with Lapp the winner.

Clint Roehrs was second, ahead of John Matrafailo, Geoff Quackenbush and Scaccio.

Joe DiStefano took advantage of a front-row start and dominated the 15-lap Pure Stock feature. For the Germantown , N.Y., driver, it marked his fourth win of the '04 season. Bill Rion, Mike DuBois, Jim O'Neill and Joe Giachinta trailed.

Racing resumes at Accord Speedway on August 6 with the 3rd Annual Bob Green Memorial, a 50-lap 358-Modified main paying $2,000 to win. Also on the Pine Grove Dude Ranch card will be the Sportsman, Pro Stocks, Pure Stocks, Mini-Sprints and 250cc Micro-Sprints.

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 speedway office at (845) 626-3478 or check out the website: www.accordspeedway.com.

NOTABLE: The night's "longest distance towed" honors undoubtedly went to teenager Philippa Melrose, who made the trip from New Zealand to compete in the Mini-Sprint division.

Melrose accompanied Rick Hench on the trip to the Big A. She is in the midst of a two week stint in the U.S. after coming to pick up a new chassis from Hench. Melrose competes regularly in Mini-Sprint competition at a track in Auckland , New Zealand , near her home. That track is in its off-season….

Greg Morgan made his first start at the speedway in seven years. The Newfoundland , Pa. , pilot competed in his self-owned No. 21 small-block….

Mike Ricci's crew scrambled to prepare his No. 406 after blowing out the seal on the transmission on the final lap of his heat race. They immediately went to work, tearing out the drive shaft and torque arm, in addition to the tranny repairs….

Ricci, incidentally, was surprised by a fan club presentation at intermission commemorating his quarter-century of competition….

Marc Johnson's car picked up a severe push midway through the 358-Mod main, as Johnson got together with Jim Winchell, bending the heim ends and possibly a shock on his Teo-Pro car….

The track surface had multiple grooves and held moisture, with just one coat of water put down midway through the program….

358-Modified Feature Finish: ROBBIE GREEN, Andy Bachetti, Mike Ricci, Dom Roselli, Joe Winne Jr., Rich Ricci Jr., Jim Winchell, Barry Davis, Marc Johnson, Bobby Hentschel, John McGill, Bob Cancellieri, Ryan Stortini, Greg Morgan, Butch Tittle, Cliff Bush, John Sanders, Jeremy Matthies, Hank Goranson, Phil Recchio, Jimmy Halpin, Jackie Brown Jr.

Did Not Qualify: Bruce Leote, Mark Pullen, Chris Johnson, Larry Hendershot, Les Andrews, Scott Ferrier, Mike Van Tassel.

Sportsman Feature Finish: HARRY BALDWIN, Jeff Hulseapple, Jesse Marks, Will Galm, Howard Jarvis, Kevin Duryea, Danny Creeden, Rich Rutski, Jim Fugel, David Bush, Steve Krom, Paul Minton, Larry Badaracco, Don Johnson, Mike Senecal, Nicole Tracy, L.D. Smith, Jamie Yannone, Jeff Hager, Dave Coene.

Did Not Qualify: Jim Rossell, Chuck Davis, Dave Harris.

Pro Stock Feature: DON WILLIAMS, Ray See Jr., Lenny Brice, Steve Murray, Pat Zimmer, Scott Mill, Butch Winnie, George Christiana, Norbert Bracklow, Mike Manetta, Jerry Craig, John Roese, Elwood Hewitt, Rob Rowe, Bill Deak Sr., Terry O'Brien, Steve Plumstead, John Rood.

Mini-Sprint Feature Finish: TODD LAPP, Clint Roehrs, John Matrafailo, Geoff Quackenbush, Rob Scaccio, Rich Sennett, Rick Hench, Peter Sindt, John Guarino, Bob Lynt, Philippa Melrose, Chris Van Buren, Marshall Gogg, John Parete, Kevin Kondelka, Todd Bernier, Jeremy Quick, Mark Rogers, John Wullum, Gary Reyer.

Did Not Qualify: Kevin Horton, Michael Storms, Rich Ford, Tom Richard, Jeff Van Steenburg.

Pure Stock Feature Finish: JOE DISTEFANO, Bill Rion, Mike DuBois, Jim O'Neill, Joe Giachinta, Bill Deak Jr., Ryan Hover, Danny Tyler, Kevin Krusewski, Kyle Wright, Joe Narok, D.J. Brooks, Chris Kanuk, Jim Baxter, Mike Deyo, Jay Smalley, Hank Morin.

Disqualified: Joe Judge.