STORTINI IS LUCKY AND GOOD AT ACCORD, TAKES WIN NUMBER ONE

By BRETT DEYO

ACCORD, NY - Sometimes, it's better to be lucky than good.

Last Friday night at Accord Speedway, Ryan Stortini was both.

Sitting in third position on the final circuit of the Saunderskill Farms 30-lap 358-Modified feature, the Poughkeepsie, N.Y., underdog took advantage of a tangle involving the race leaders and motored on to his first career victory.

"I'll take it," exclaimed Stortini following the upset win. "Usually, I'm in the wrong place at the wrong time. Not tonight!"

Joe Winne Jr. started on the pole and spent much of the distance battling with a hard-charging Barry Davis for the lead. Davis trailed Winne lap-after-lap, looking for any opening to grab the top spot. Winne kept his Teo-Pro car glued to the inside hub, fending off Davis's every move.

On lap 27, Davis jumped on the binders in turn three and executed a half-spin, collecting Mike Ricci. That opened the door for Robbie Green to challenge for the win.

Following the restart, Green took his No. 69 to the outside of the quarter-mile oval in search of his second victory of the season.

The Wallkill, N.Y., veteran built momentum on the topside and pulled even with Winne as the pair crossed the stripe with the white flag in the air. However, with both drivers fighting for the bottom in turn one, side-to-side contact ensued and the two cars went spinning.

That handed the lead over to Stortini in his Utica Boilers No. 7, who watched the action unfold from third.

"We had a good car, I mean this thing stuck right to the bottom," Stortini said of his H.P. Autotech-powered Troyer SLR mount. "Robbie and Joe were racing hard.

"I knew it could happen. I thought it was pretty unlikely with two veteran drivers, but I was patient and stayed where I was. I was the lucky one in that deal."

Once he inherited the lead, the 30-year-old was left to repel a hungry Marc Johnson on one lap dash to the checkered.

Johnson, also in search of his career first win, tried an outside run coming to the stripe, but Stortini marched on to the $1,500 payday.

"I heard Johnson coming," Stortini added. "He was quick, too."

Johnson, 24, brought his Teo-Pro No. 3J home just a car-length shy for his best career finish. In the process, he added another highlight to his breakout sophomore season.

"That was a good one," said Albany, N.Y.'s Johnson.

"On that restart I didn't know if I should try the bottom or the top. I tried for five laps before that caution to get around him on the bottom and I couldn't get next to him.

"The next one will be a win," he smiled.

John Sanders of Newburgh, N.Y., authored another strong drive to finish third, ahead of Dom Roselli and Butch Tittle.

Danny Creeden appeared to collect his second Sportsman win of the season in unlikely fashion, but was disqualified in post-race tech inspection.

The Middletown, N.Y., second-generation driver lost all accrued money and points.

Creeden, who started 11th, was involved in a pair of incidents midway through the 25-lap main and headed pitside to change a left-rear flat tire on lap 13. At that point, his team bolted on a DIRT Hoosier, instead of the Accord-mandated American Racer.

The 21-year-old then raced back through the field, sweeping to the inside of Paul Minton and Howard Jarvis in the final two circuits to take the win, but track officials disqualified him for the unapproved rubber.

Paul Minton came home a career-best second, just fighting off L.D. Smith. Tom Tomasko was fourth and Howard Jarvis filled out the front five.

The race was marred by a ten-car pileup on lap 13 when Nicole Tracy, who led from the outset in a stout performance, got tagged by Chris Grispin on the frontstretch. Tracy's No. 86 spun in turn one, collecting much of the field. Grispin was sent to the rear for his involvement in the melee.

Pat Zimmer of Saugerties, N.Y., notched his first ever Pro Stock win in the 20-lap feature, leading from wire-to-wire. The Pure Stock graduate started from the pole and was never headed en route to the triumph in the event, which was slowed by only two caution flags.

Lenny Brice rallied in the final laps for second, with Butch Winnie, Jerry Craig and Elwood Hewitt in tow.

Peter Sindt of Stone Ridge, N.Y., came from deep in the field to win the 20-lap Mini-Sprint main, his second of the season.

Sindt worked by early pacesetter Rob Scaccio on lap 13 as the leaders encountered lapped traffic, then fought off the late race advances of Bobby Lynt to record the win after a two-month absence from victory lane.

Lynt was third, just ahead of John Matrafailo, who was disqualified for not reporting to the scales after the feature. James Tomlinson and John Parete rounded out the top five.

Lex Burritt snapped his string of bridesmaid efforts with a breakthrough Big A victory in the 15-lap 250cc Micro-Sprint feature. The personable Reading, Conn., resident, who was already a winner at Whip City (Mass.) Speedway this season, dominated the event, pulling away from Ralph Utter Jr. in the final laps.

Utter, Pat Potter, Mike Casario and Mark Palome followed Burritt across the stripe.

Ralph Utter Jr. scored his third '04 victory the 15-lap 250cc Micro-Sprint heldover feature from July 2. The West Milford, N.J., driver assumed the lead on a lap four restart when leader Mike Casario temporarily slowed on the frontstretch. Utter then outdistanced Lex Burritt, Mark Palome, Casario and Michael Storms.

Joe DiStefano of Germantown, N.Y., worked by Mike DuBois on lap 11 and raced on to his third victory of the season in the 15-lap Pure Stock feature.

New Milford, Conn.'s Bill Deak Jr., came on strong to finish second, ahead of DuBois, Mike Deyo and Joe Judge.

Fourteen-year-old rookie Danny Tyler topped the 15-lap heldover Pure Stock feature from July 9. Tyler, the fourth-generation of the Cottekill, N.Y., racing clan, swapped the lead with Mike DuBois before taking command for good with five laps remaining.

DuBois settled for second, with Mike Deyo, Joe Giachinta and Jay Smalley trailing.

Jeff Richardson of Goshen, N.Y., made a three-wide move on lap 11 and raced on to win the 15-lap Vintage Modified feature.

Racing resumes at Accord Speedway on July 23 with a full program of 358-Modifieds, Sportsman, Pro Stocks, Mini-Sprints, 250cc Micro-Sprints and Pure Stocks sponsored by Van Kleek's Tire. 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 official website: www.accordspeedway.com.

NOTABLE: Andy Bachetti retired early in the 358-Modified feature with a broken left-rear brake caliper on the Downes Racing No. 40. The Sheffield, Mass., driver headed pitside on a lap six caution….

Butch Tittle was behind the wheel of a TRC car for the first time this season. The Crackers Motorsports team temporarily pushed the trusty 1992 Kneisel to the back burner in favor of the mount built in Ed Tauschman's shop.

Despite steering box troubles, the Saylorsburg, Pa., grizzled veteran said he felt "more comfortable" in the car….

Sportsman point leader Jeff Hulseapple spun on lap 12 of the feature when the engine on his machine went sour….

John McGill was in contention for the 358-Modified win until spinning in turn one with four laps left in the headliner….

358-Modified Feature Finish: RYAN STORTINI, Marc Johnson, John Sanders, Dom Roselli, Butch Tittle, Scott Ferrier, Rich Ricci Jr., Jeremy Matthies, Mike Ricci, Bruce Leote, John McGill, Barry Davis, Bob Cancellieri, Robbie Green, Joe Winne Jr., Jim Winchell, Phil Recchio, Bob Hentschel, Jackie Brown Jr., Andy Bachetti.

Did Not Qualify: Kevin McCoy, Fred Newkirk.

Sportsman Feature Finish: DANNY CREEDEN (DQ), Paul Minton, L.D. Smith, Tom Tomasko, Howard Jarvis, Kevin Duryea, Jamie Yannone, Don Johnson, Harry Baldwin, Jesse Marks, Steve Krom, Dave Coene, Jim Fugel, Will Galm, Mike Senecal, Nicole Tracy, Chris Grispin, David Bush, Jeff Hager, Larry Badaracco, Jeff Hulseapple.

Pro Stock Feature Finish: PAT ZIMMER, Lenny Brice, Butch Winnie, Jerry Craig, Elwood Hewitt, Ray See Jr., George Christiana, Don Williams, John Roese, Mike Manetta, Norbert Bracklow, Scott Mill, Steve Plumstead, Larry Temple Jr., Bill Deak Jr., Terry O'Brien, Steve Murray.

Mini-Sprint Feature Finish: PETER SINDT, Bobby Lynt, John Matrafailo (DQ), James Tomlinson, John Parete, Jeremy Quick, Geoff Quackenbush, John Guarino, Clint Roehrs, Todd Lapp, Marshall Gogg, Rich Sennett, Mark Rogers, Gary Reyer, Rob Scaccio, John Wullum, Rich Ford, Kevin Kondelka, Jeff Van Ben Schoten.

Did Not Start: Chris Van Buren, Jeff Van Steenburg.

250cc Micro-Sprint Feature Finish: LEX BURRITT, Ralph Utter Jr., Pat Potter, Mike Casario, Mark Palome, Rick Casario, Joe Welch, Phil Bessette, Chris Weiss, Jay Sisco, Michael Storms, Mike Barrett, Chris Kervatt.

250cc Micro-Sprint Heldover Feature Finish (7/2): RALPH UTTER JR., Lex Burritt, Mark Palome, Mike Casario, Michael Storms, Mike Barrett, Phil Bessette, Chris Kervatt, Chris Weiss, Jay Sisco, Rick Casario, Joe Welch, Pat Potter.

Pure Stock Feature Finish: JOE DISTEFANO, Bill Deak Jr., Mike DuBois, Mike Deyo, Joe Judge, Sharon Byrne, Jay Smalley, Ryan Hover, Will Landrum, Danny Tyler, Joe Giachinta, Matt DuBois, Jim O'Neill, Kyle Wright, Hank Morin, Jim Baxter, John Cole Jr., George Decker, Peter Warren, D.J. Brooks, Chris Kanuk.

Did Not Start: Bill Rion.

Pure Stock Heldover Feature Finish (7/9): DANNY TYLER, Mike DuBois, Mike Deyo, Joe Giachinta, Jay Smalley, Joe Judge, George Decker, Ryan Hover, Jim O'Neill, Bill Judge, Hank Morin, Sharon Byrne, Steven Kanuk, Jim Baxter, Kyle Wright, D.J. Brooks, Bill Deak Jr., Joe DiStefano, Will Landrum, Bill Rion.

Did Not Qualify: John Cole Jr., Tony Polemeni