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WINNE BEATS THE BEST TO WIN ACCORD



By BRETT DEYO

ACCORD, NY - To be the best, you have to beat the best.

Joe Winne Jr. took that saying to heart last Friday night at Accord Speedway, passing former track champion Mike Ricci on an early restart to win the night's Milford Suzuki 358-Modified 30-lap main.

For the second-generation driver, his fourth career victory carried special significance.

"This is sweet," said Kingston, N.Y.'s Winne, whose father Joe Winne Sr. was a rival of the Ricci family for many years. "To beat someone like Mike who's a champion here is really something to be proud of."

Winne, who started fourth, and eighth-starter Ricci quickly sliced forward, making it a three-car battle for the lead with John Sanders by the completion of the third go-round.

As Winne worked the inside, the elder Ricci powered around both to grab the lead on lap five. Winne took over the runner-up spot one circuit later.

A spin by Jeremy Markle brought out the caution on lap seven. That yellow set up the key restart for Winne.

Using a patented high-low cross, the 28-year-old pulled his Precision-powered '04 Teo-Pro car even with Ricci exiting turn two, then forged ahead at the stripe to take over the top spot.

"On that restart he (Ricci) went in hot," Winne said. "He skated up, I saw the whole and jumped in the throttle. This car was hooking up - when I got on it, the thing just went.

"I wasn't really concerned when Mike got around me. I was trapped behind that other guy (Sanders), and he rolled around the top. I felt like we were the class of the field tonight. We had awesome side bite and forward bite. It was phenomenal."

Once in front, Winne was forced to deal with heavy lapped traffic and a late race (lap 26) caution flag, both of which allowed Ricci to reel him back in.

"The lapped traffic was tough, they were skating up in my groove," he said. "I had to use the bumper a little to get around them. The last thing I wanted to see was that caution, I would have rather just run those last four laps under green."

As Winne celebrated the $1,500 win, Ricci sat perplexed in the pit area.

"I don't know what happened," he said. "The car was so fast in the beginning and in one lap it went away on us. I don't know if I overheated the right rear too early or what.

"It definitely got worse after that restart."

John Sanders of Newburgh, N.Y., earned his best finish since becoming an Accord regular prior to the 2003 season with a third place effort.

Dom Roselli raced from 10th to finish fourth and Scott Ferrier rounded out the top five.

For the first time in two decades, popular veteran Jim Fugel raced to victory in Sportsman competition, faring the best of a three-car battle for the win in the 25-lap main.

The 53-year-old inherited the lead on lap 17 when Danny Creeden and Kevin Duryea tangled while battling for the top spot. Then, the independent Olive Bridge, N.Y., driver had to survive two restarts and challenges from Jeff Hulseapple and Kenny Moulton Jr. to record the $600 victory.

Fugel held his No. 2 tight to the track's inside hub over the final laps, while Hulseapple struggled to find the bite in the high line. That decision led to Fugel's triumph.

"The bottom was the only place to be tonight," he said, noting it was the first feature of the '04 campaign he finished unscathed. "It feels really good."

While Fugel has been victorious in I.M.C.A. Modified competition in recent years, he believes his last victory in a Sportsman-type car occurred in 1985 at Lake Moc-A-Tek (Pa.) Speedway in the 320-Modified ranks.

Kenny Moulton Jr. grabbed second at the line from Hulseapple, who slid wide making a last ditch effort for the win. Rookie Mike Senecal of Accord, N.Y., finished fourth and consolation victor Jeff Hager rounded out the top five.

Lenny Brice of Ulster Park, N.Y., scored a green-to-checkered victory in the 20-lap Pro Stock main, which ran caution-free. It marked Brice's third win of the season. John Roese, Norbert Bracklow, Ray See Jr. and Al Cheney III rounded out the top five.

With big money available in the Mini-Sprint division, John Lieto made a trademark charge through the field to collect it.

Mt. Kisco, N.Y.'s Lieto raced from 12th starting spot to take command from early leader Rob Scaccio on the 11th circuit of the 25-lap main, then marched on to take the $750 top prize.

Lieto, who also picked up the PeerlessBoilers.com Hard Charger Award, is now a five-time winner at the Ulster County quarter-mile oval in 2004.

Scaccio held on to finish second, ahead of Jeremy Quick, Rich Sennett and Westport, Conn.'s James Tomlinson, who grabbed fifth on the final circuit.

Mike Casario of Denville, N.J., drove to his second 250cc Micro-Sprint victory of the season in the 15-lap main. Casario took over the lead on lap two, then repelled the advances of newcomer Greg Stevens to take the win.

Stevens, of Phillipsburg, N.J., settled for second, ahead of Marc Palome, Ralph Utter Jr. and Frank Venezia.

A season-high 16 Micros were in the pit area as the division grows each week.

Joe DiStefano and Luke Horning split the pair of Pure Stock features.

DiStefano, of Germantown, N.Y., recorded his second straight win in the caution-marred 20-lap heldover main from June 11, besting Horning, Joe Judge, D.J. Brooks and Bill Deak Jr.

Gloversville, N.Y.'s Horning, a Fonda (N.Y.) Speedway regular, worked by DiStefano on the ninth circuit to top the 15-lap nightcap over DiStefano, Brooks, Deak and Mike DuBois.

The Mardis Gras Monster Truck was on hand giving rides throughout the evening.

Racing resumes at the Action Track on June 25 with a six-division card of 358-Modifieds, Sportsman, Pro Stocks, Pure Stocks, 250cc Micro-Sprints and Mini-Sprints plus the popular Autograph and Camera Night sponsored by STS Tire and Auto Centers. 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: Mike Ricci pulled double-duty on the evening, running his 358-Modified and the No. 50 Mini-Sprint, an adjunct of the Roehrs team. Ricci finished seventh with the Mini-Sprint despite early mechanical troubles….

Winne dedicated the win to his grandmother, known at the track fondly as "Ma Winne" who is battling health problems….

With only two cautions in the 358-Modified headliner, Robbie Green and Rich Ricci Jr. weren't able to crack the top five….

New competitors boosting the 358-Modified field to 21 included journeyman Joe Uliana, Kevin McCoy and Jimmy Halpin. Piscataway, N.J.'s McCoy, a veteran of Moc-A-Tek, New Egypt (N.J.) and the silent East Windsor (N.J.) Speedway, plans to be a regular with his Troyer Four-Coil car….

Danny Creeden's 360-degree twirl while battling with Duryea for the lead in the Sportsman feature cost him only one spot on the track. However, the ensuing caution flag sent him to the tail for the restart….

Numerous competitors opted for the American Racer SD 48 right rear tire (the hardest compound) to account for the dry track surface….

In three Big A starts, Dom Roselli has posted a sixth and two fourth place efforts. The Middletown, N.Y., driver is happy to be "passing cars" after an absence of two years with the Van Sickle-owned machine….


358-Modified Feature Finish: JOE WINNE JR., Mike Ricci, John Sanders, Dom Roselli, Scott Ferrier, Robbie Green, Rich Ricci Jr., Jackie Brown Jr., Butch Tittle, Marc Johnson, Hank Goranson, Fred Newkirk, Barry Davis, Ryan Stortini, Jimmy Halpin, Jeremy Markle, Joe Uliana, Mark Pullen, Kevin McCoy, Phil Recchio, John McGill.

Sportsman Feature Finish: JIM FUGEL, Kenny Moulton Jr., Jeff Hulseapple, Mike Senecal, Jeff Hager, Danny Creeden, Dave Coene, Kevin Duryea, David Bush, Tom Tomasko, Nicole Tracy, Harry Baldwin, Will Galm, Paul Minton, Howard Jarvis, L.D. Smith, Larry Badaracco, Chad Hadlick, Don Johnson, Chris Grispin.

Did Not Qualify: Bill Van Inwegen, Dick Shaddock, Joe Pravia, Steve Krom, Dave Harris.

Pro Stock Feature Finish: LENNY BRICE, John Roese, Norbert Bracklow, Ray See Jr., Al Cheney III, Butch Winnie, Jerry Craig, Steve Murray, Mike Manetta, Eric Moon, Bill Deak, Terry O'Brien.

Did Not Start: Pat Zimmer, Rob Hoar.
Disqualified: Doug Tyler Jr., Don Williams.

Mini-Sprint Feature Finish: JOHN LIETO, Rob Scaccio, Jeremy Quick, Rich Sennett, James Tomlinson, Rick Hench, Mike Ricci, Peter Sindt, Bob Dance, Clint Roehrs, Kevin Kondelka, Rich Ford, John Matrafailo, Geoff Quackenbush, Mark Rogers, Kevin Horton, John Guarino, Bob Lynt, Todd Lapp, John Parete.

Did Not Qualify: Joe Bergin, Gary Reyer, Randy Caruso.

250cc Micro-Sprint Feature Finish: MIKE CASARIO, Greg Stevens, Marc Palome, Ralph Utter Jr., Frank Venezia, Mike Barrett, Phil Bessette, Chris Weiss, Stephanie Stevens, Jay Sisco, Rick Casario, Chris Kervatt, Joe Welch, Charles Redlich, Jordan Tittle, Michael Storms.

Pure Stock Feature Finish: LUKE HORNING, Joe DiStefano, D.J. Brooks, Bill Deak Jr., Mike DuBois, Joe Giachinta, Mike Deyo, Joe Judge, George Decker, Peter Warren, Bill Judge, Ryan Hover, Kyle Wright, John Cole Jr., Sharon Byrne, Mike Horkan, Steven Kanuk, Danny Tyler.

Did Not Start: Kevin Krusewski, Greg Meola.

Pure Stock Heldover Feature Finish: JOE DISTEFANO, Luke Horning, Joe Judge, D.J. Brooks, Bill Deak Jr., George Decker, Mike DuBois, Mike Deyo, Christopher Kanuk, Peter Warren, Joe Giachinta, John Cole Jr., Kyle Wright, Bill Judge, Sharon Byrne, Greg Meola, Danny Tyler, Ryan Hover, Kevin Krusewski.