MIKE RICCI KICKS OFF FALL SEASON WITH A WIN
By BRETT DEYO
ACCORD, NY - Though he came up short in the regular season point battle, Mike Ricci kicked off the Fall Series in style.
Taking full advantage of the liberal rules for the "post season" events, the Rosendale, N.Y. chauffeur dominated the Goldenarea Furniture 30-lap 358 Modified feature Saturday night at Accord Speedway. With sail panels and soft rubber on his No. 76 Teo-Pro car, Ricci took the lead early and was never headed, pulling away to the $1,500 victory.
"I had a tough Friday night at Afton," remarked Ricci, who looked to be a contender on the new four-tenths mile layout only to suffer mechanical problems. "The crew worked their tails off today. I owe this to those guys."
Polesitter Joey Grammes led the first three laps of the feature, but lost the top spot to Ricci with an inside maneuver.
From that point on, Ricci's main challenge was a slew of mid race restarts.
"The restarts were kind of tricky," he said. "There was a little water coming up in turn four. I couldn't hit my line just right coming off the corner."
Grammes and Ferrier traded the runner up position until, on lap 17, the Lake Moc-A-Tek (Pa.) Speedway Sportsman champion slipped by to take the spot away. Grammes couldn't make a serious run on the strong-running Ricci, however.
"The car was good, but Mike was real fast," quipped the 25-year old, who was in just his second start at the Ulster County, N.Y. quarter mile oval. "I'm happy with second tonight."
Ferrier finished third, but it didn't come without controversy.
Contact with Joe Winne, Jr. sent the second generation driver into a pair of barrel rolls down the backstretch on lap 21. Winne quickly exited his car and ran toward Ferrier's No. 20 before promoter Gary Palmer intervened.
Robbie Green rebounded from a pair of incidents to finish fourth and Allen Shiffler completed the front five.
21 cars entered the program.
In his second start of the season, Tom Perrego of Newburgh, N.Y. won the 25-lap DIRT Sportsman feature.
Perrego found a home in the outside groove of the quarter mile oval, keeping his
momentum up in the final circuits while battling David Towns for the top spot. At the stripe, the veteran bested Towns for the $600 triumph aboard his Precision-powered Olsen car.
"I'm glad to win here because I've had a lot of problems in the past," said Perrego, who splits his time between Afton (N.Y.) Speedway and Orange County (N.Y.) Fair Speedway. "The car was working really good and the track was great. It had a lot of bite and didn't slick over at all."
Towns finished second, ahead of Howard Jarvis, Larry Badaracco and Rich Coons.
What appeared to be a runaway victory for Norbert Bracklow ended in disaster when the lapped car of Ron Rion clipped the left rear of his No. 33 on the 19th circuit of the 20-lap Pro Stock feature. That handed the lead, and the win, to Scott Liese. The Port Ewen, N.Y. resident bested Steve Murray, George Christiana, Mike Manetta and Mark Lathrop.
Todd Lapp won the 20-lap Mini Sprint heldover feature, collecting his first win since 1997. John Matrafailo, Peter Sindt, Stephen LaPine and Rob Scaccio completed the front five.
Sindt topped the night's regularly scheduled 20-lapper, crossing the stripe ahead of Matrafailo, LaPine, Scaccio and Rich Sennett.
The 250cc Micro Sprints returned for the first time since July 4 and Rob Trafford picked up the victory over Greg Stevens, Stephanie Stevens, Frank Venezia and Rich McKay.
Pat Zimmer split the pair of Pure Stock mains.
In the heldover 15-lapper, he took a dominant win over Chris Meola, Scott Kilmer, Greg Meola and Emerson Cargain, Jr.
In the nightcap, the Saugerties, N.Y. driver took over the top spot from Jim Finnegan on lap 6 and raced on for the win. Emerson Cargain, Jr., William Landrum, Mike DuBois and Greg Meola followed.
Racing continues at the speedway on September 13 with a full show of 358 Modifieds, DIRT Sportsman, Pro Stocks, Pure Stocks, 250cc Micro Sprints and Mini Sprints. Gates open at 1 p.m. with hot laps at 3 p.m. and racing at 4 p.m.
358 Modified Feature Finish: Mike Ricci, Joey Grammes, Scott Ferrier, Rob Green, Allen Shiffler, Jimmy Johnson, Tony Kawalchuk, Chic Chandler, Larry Hendershot, Fred Newkirk, Bruce Leote, Donnie Wilson, Everett Haubrich, Tom Hindley, Donnie Wilson, Joe Winne, Jr., Mike Murphy, Jeremy Markle, Phil Recchio, Kirk Horton.
DIRT Sportsman Feature Finish: Tom Perrego, David Towns, Howard Jarvis, Larry Badaracco, Rich Coons, Jesse Marks, Chuck Thomaschek, Don Johnson, Jimmy House, Dave Coene, Jamie Yannone, Randy Banks, L.D. Smith, Nicole Tracy, Bill Papula, Mike Van Pelt, Danny Creeden, Dave Harris, Charles Hendrickson, Paul Minton, Tommy Laner.
Pro Stock Feature Finish: Scott Liese, Steve Murray, George Christiana, Mike Manetta, Mark Lathrop, Rob Hoar, Terry O'Brien, Norbert Bracklow, Larry Temple, Lenny Helmich, Jerry Craig, Ray Williams, Brian McElheny, Bill Liese.
Disqualified: Ron Rion
Heldover Mini Sprint Feature Finish: Todd Lapp, John Matrafailo, Peter Sindt, Stephen LaPine, Rob Scaccio, Jeremy Quick, Ed Burgess, Rich Sennett, Marshall Gogg, Clint Roehrs, Bobby Lynt, Charlie Castle, Kevin Kondelka, John Parete, Geoff Quackenbush, Gary Reyer, Mark Rogers.
Mini Sprint Feature Finish: Peter Sindt, John Matrafailo, Stephen LaPine, Rob Scaccio, Rich Sennett, James Tomlinson, John Parete, Bobby Lynt, Ed Burgess, Todd Lapp, Ed Burgess, Todd Lapp, Clint Roehrs, Charlie Castle, Randy Caruso, Marshall Gogg, Gary Reyer, Kevin Kondelka, Jeremy Quick, Mike Bosco.
250cc Micro Sprint Feature Finish: Rob Trafford, Greg Stevens, Stephanie Stevens, Frank Venezia, Rich McKay, Mike Storms, James Tomlinson, Doc Young, Ralph Utter, Jr., Chris Weiss, Don Colaluce, Charlie Redlich.
Heldover Pure Stock Feature Finish: Pat Zimmer, Chris Meola, Scott Kilmer, Greg Meola, Emerson Cargain, Jr., Joe DiStefano, Jay Smalley, Billy Deak, George Decker, Mike Deyo, Mike DuBois, Charlie Houghtaling, Joe Judge, Will Landrum, Jim Finnegan.
Pure Stock Feature Finish: Pat Zimmer, Emerson Cargain, Jr., Will Landrum, Mike DuBois, Greg Meola, Scott Kilmer, Chris Meola, Joe Judge, Mike Tholin, Jay Smalley, Billy Deak, Scott Hornbeck, Bill Judge, Roy Crespo, Tony Polemeni, Mike Deyo, Joe DiStefano, Jim Finnegan, Charlie Houghtaling.