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J.R. Heffner's Opening Night Misfortune A Distant Memory



By BRETT DEYO

ACCORD, NY - J.R. Heffner's opening night misfortune is now a distant memory.

After crashing out early in the April 16 lid-lifter, Heffner rebounded in style last Friday night at Accord Speedway, topping the 30-lap Teo-Pro 358-Modified main event. It marked the first win for the Averill Park, N.Y., driver since teaming up with Capital District car owners Dave and Gina Goodermote late in 2003.

"They give me excellent equipment," Heffner said of his 2004 Teo-Pro mount. "It was just a matter of me figuring out how to make it go. Last week we struggled to qualify. That put us in the back where everything happens."

With the track's handicapping system in place, Heffner's heat race victory propelled him to a front row start in the main. He used the outside line to grab the lead on the start, then repelled a slew of different challengers through the caution-plagued feature.

Jackie Brown Jr. trailed Heffner early on, but spun in turn two with six laps complete, handing the spot over to Robbie Green.

The Wallkill, N.Y., driver battled with Andy Bachetti for 15 laps, trading the position back and forth with the Sheffield Mass., star, who found a home on the extreme outside of the quarter-mile oval in the Downes Racing No. 40. The duo remained within striking distance of Heffner, but neither could pull alongside.

"Bachetti was ready to do battle, I saw him a few times and Robbie was right up there too," Heffner remarked. "I kind of felt bad starting in the front, but they all came up and took a shot at me. I'd say we earned it."

The 32-year-old felt his restarts were pivotal in holding back all advances.

"Once I got it straight it really pulled," Heffner remarked, complimenting his JPM small-block powerplant. "From an idle to full throttle, I'd say it's the fastest car here. I know it's the fastest car I've ever driven."

The battle for the runner-up slot took a turn on lap 24 when Green made an inside run for the lead and spun his No. 69, collecting Bachetti.

That put Brown back into second, but he couldn't find room to slide under Heffner, who kept his mount glued to the inside through the corners.

"I adjusted in the car during the race to run right on the bottom," Heffner said.

For Brown, the up and down night resulted in a solid second place effort, as the Hurley, N.Y., driver returns after a year absence.

"The M17 (Phil Recchio) was leaking water and I got in it," he said. "That's how I spun out at the beginning. I knew I had a good enough car to get back to the top five, but I never thought I'd get up to second."

Rich Ricci Jr. finished third, just ahead of Mike Ricci and Tom Hindley.

Danny Creeden came from the back not once, but twice to score an impressive victory in the 50-lap Sportsman feature.

The Middletown, N.Y., second-generation driver was forced to stop for an early race melee, then got collected again on lap 20 but raced methodically back through the field to slide by Rich Coons for the lead on the 44th go-round.

The veteran Coons battled back to the inside with five laps remaining, making contact with Creeden, but the 21-year-old go-kart graduate wasn't shaken. He survived a final restart with three laps remaining to take the win.

"I really have to thank Ed Tauschman," Creeden exclaimed, referring to the owner of Greentown, Pa.'s Fabrications by Tauschman.

"I never raced on these American Racer tires before this year. Tonight is only my second time, and we weren't really sure what to do with the set-up. Ed was here in the pits and he helped us out a lot."

Coons settled for second, narrowly beating Jeff Hulseapple and Harry Baldwin to the line. Howard Jarvis rounded out the top five.

The race was red-flagged on lap one when a chain reaction incident sent Dave Coene's No. 12c onto its side in turn two. Coene walked away uninjured.

Al Cheney III of Cranbury, N.J., dominated the 20-lap Pro Stock main, grabbing the lead on the second lap and pulling away for the win. Cheney, a New Egypt (N.J.) regular, is in his second season of Accord competition, making the three-hour haul weekly for the 2004 campaign.

Norbert Bracklow, Lenny Brice, Doug Tyler Jr. and Ray See Jr. filled out the front five.

Longtime regular Rich Sennett of Parksville, N.Y., used his experience to win the 20-lap 1200cc Mini-Sprint feature. Sennett, who started second, fell back early only to motor by Jeremy Quick in lapped traffic on lap nine while the leaders raced through a heavy pack of slower cars.

Sennett then outdistanced Quick, Rob Scaccio, Todd Lapp and Clint Roehrs for the win, which left the personable victor thoroughly exhausted.

"Me going up against these kids is tough," he said. "I'm beat."

For the first time in his three-year career, Joe Judge of New Paltz, N.Y., topped the 20-lap Pure Stock feature, coming from eighth starting position, then pulling away for the breakthrough win.

The enthusiastic Judge celebrated on the roof of his No. 3J in victory lane.

Fourteen-year-old rookie Danny Tyler finished second, besting Joe DiStefano, Mike Deyo and Kevin Krusewski.

Racing resumes at the Action Track on Friday, May 7 with the return of the Vintage Modifieds, double points for the Mini-Sprints and a full program 358-Modifieds, Sportsman, Pro Stocks and Pure Stocks sponsored by B&P Homes.

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

NOTABLE: J.R. Heffner dedicated his win to the memory of "Porky" Bingham, the father of car owner Gina Goodermote who passed away after a battle with cancer in October 2003.

The win is the second open wheel checkered for the team; they picked up a 358-Mod win in 2003 at Lebanon Valley (N.Y.) Speedway with Eddie Marshall at the wheel….

Mike Ricci finished the feature fourth without the left front shock tower after a restart jingle with Robbie Green on lap six. Ricci was forced to manhandle the car, which also sported a severely bent right rear wheel….

What caused Robbie Green to relinquish the runner up spot on lap 24? "I spun out," he admitted. "I was just trying too damn hard." In the ensuing spin, contact with Bachetti broke the left front spindle, curtailing his night….

Rich Ricci Jr. filed a formal protest of the finish order, claiming he should have been placed in front of Jackie Brown Jr. on the lap 24 restart. After reviewing the video and examining the score sheets, his claim was refuted. The irony in the matter: Brown's car carried a powerplant borrowed from Rich Ricci Sr., as his is not yet ready….

L.D. Smith launched over Chuck Thomaschek's loose left rear wheel and executed a wild barrel roll on the frontstretch in the Sportsman consolation…


358-Modified Feature Finish: J.R. HEFFNER, Jackie Brown Jr., Rich Ricci Jr., Mike Ricci, Tom Hindley, Jeremy Markle, John Sanders, Scott Ferrier, Andy Bachetti, Marc Johnson, John McGill, Mark Pullen, Robbie Green, Larry Hendershot, Phil Recchio, Fred Newkirk, Ryan Stortini, Joe Winne Jr.

Sportsman Feature Finish: DANNY CREEDEN, Rich Coons, Jeff Hulseapple, Harry Baldwin, Howard Jarvis, Whitey Slavin, Larry Badaracco, Jesse Marks, Kenny Moulton, Don Johnson, Paul Minton, Mike Senecal, Bill Van Inwegen, Chris Grispin, Steve Krom, Tom Tomasko, Nicole Tracy, Kevin Duryea, Ryan Olsommer, Dave Coene.

Did Not Qualify: Jeff Hager, L.D. Smith, Chuck Thomaschek, Cliff Bush, Chuck Davis, Don Johnson, David Bush, Dave Archieri.

Pro Stock Feature Finish: AL CHENEY III, Norbert Bracklow, Lenny Brice, Doug Tyler Jr., Ray See Jr., John Roese, Mike Manetta, Butch Winnie, Bill Deak Sr., Scott Mill, George Christiana, Rob Hoar, Steve Plumstead, Tom Cole, Tony Santos, Pat Zimmer, Jerry Craig, Don Williams.

Did Not Start: Terry O'Brien, Steve Murray, Doug Chase, Larry Temple Jr.

Mini-Sprint Feature Finish: RICH SENNETT, Jeremy Quick, Rob Scaccio, Todd Lapp, Clint Roehrs, Bob Lynt, Marshall Gogg, Geoff Quackenbush, Ed Burgess, Jon Moore, Rich Ford, Joe Bergin, Duby Woodruff, Todd Bernier, John Lieto, Peter Sindt, Chet Hinkle, John Matrafailo, Gary Reyer, Chris Van Buren, John Parete.

Did Not Start: John Guarino.

Pure Stock Feature Finish: JOE JUDGE, Danny Tyler, Joe DiStefano, Mike Deyo, Kevin Krusewski, Sharon Byrne, Ryan Hover, Peter Warren, Bill Judge, Randy Myers, John Cole Jr., Scott Hornbeck, Joey Giachinta, Fred Davis Jr., Chris Meola, Mike DuBois, George Decker.

Did Not Start: Greg Meola.