BACHETTI CROSSES STRIPE FIRST - BUT DOES HE WIN AT ACCORD??
By Brett Deyo
ACCORD - Amidst a stream of controversy, Andy Bachetti crossed the checkered flag first Friday night at Accord Speedway.
Whether the Sheffield, Mass. star actually picked up the win in the night's 50-lap Bob Green Memorial remains another question.
Bachetti brought a pair of cars to the track for the special event - his usual Rene and Donnie Downes owned 2003 Bicknell and an older mount slated for use in the upcoming Fall Series, which was scheduled to partake in a test and tune session. Unfortunately, the black and white facts ended there.
After finishing second in the first heat, Bachetti tagged onto the end of the third qualifier with the back up car. He immediately took a liking to the former Keith Shoemaker entry, and following a pair of late race incidents, crossed the stripe fifth, putting him in the final transfer spot for the extra distance main event.
With that, Bachetti had two cars qualified for the night's action.
Immediately, track officials scurried for the DIRT Rule Book to find the answer. What they found did little to clear up the situation.
On page 77, the book reads "A driver may attempt to qualify only once during qualifying heats. A driver may attempt to qualify a second car in the consolation events. Driver must drive the last car qualified in the feature race."
In the feature, Bachetti took over the lead on lap 2 and led the rest of the event.
As of press time, track management and DIRT Headquarters were engaged in a discussion over the legality of Bachetti's win. He collected none of his $3,485 payday at the track.
Mike Van Pelt took advantage of a wet track surface to win the heldover 25-lap DIRT Sportsman main from August 15. The Pine Bush resident snatched the lead from Chris Grispin on the 12th circuit following six laps of wheel to wheel action.
David Towns topped the regularly scheduled 25-lapper for the DIRT Sportsman racers, keeping his dwindling title hopes alive with his fourth victory of the season.
Jeremy Quick of Kerhonkson pulled off an awe-inspiring late race pass of Todd Lapp to win the 20-lap Mini Sprint feature.
Dickie Colesanti of Poughquag outdueled Jimmy Langenback in the final laps to win the 20-lap Pro Stock feature. By finishing second, Langenback locked up his first Accord point title one week prior to the point season finale.
Greg Meola held off Mike Deyo on the final lap to win the heldover Pure Stock feature from August 15, handing him his first career victory.
Will Landrum worked the outside line to perfection in the 15-lap Pure Stock nightcap, driving around Joe DiStefano for the lead with 9 laps in the books.
Racing resumes at the Action Track on August 29
358 Modified Feature Finish: Andy Bachetti, Mike Ricci, Robbie Green, Tom Hindley, Rich Ricci, Jr., J.R. Heffner, Scott Ferrier, Barry Davis, Donnie Wilson, Jeremy Markle, Donnie Elliott, Joe Winne, Jr., Frank Cozze, Ken Baker, Bruce Leote, Jimmy Johnson, Hank Goranson, Allen Shiffler, Ken McGuire, John Sanders.
Did Not Qualify: Tony Kawalchuk, Fred Newkirk, Ryan Stortini, Bob Cancellieri, Will Robinson, Larry Hendershot, Mark Pullen, Jimmy Halpin.
DIRT Sportsman Feature Finish: David Towns, Harry Baldwin, Kevin Duryea, Larry Badarcco, Paul Minton, Danny Creeden, Tommy Laner, Chris Garrity, Keith Still, Jimmy Fugel, Dave Coene, Rich Oxford, Jay Haviland, Bill Van Inwegen, T.J. Pasko, Bill Papula, Henry Sherman, Jeff Hulseapple, Nicole Tracy, Ray See, Charles Hendrickson, Chris Grispin, Mike Van Pelt.
Did Not Qualify: John Hager, L.D. Smith, Dave Harris.
DIRT Sportsman Heldover Feature Finish: Mike Van Pelt, Jeff Hulseapple, Chris Grispin, Larry Badaracco, Bill Papula, Danny Creeden, Rich Oxford, Henry Sherman, Harry Baldwin, David Towns, Kevin Duryea, Paul Minton, Dave Coene, Bill Van Inwegen, Jimmy Fugel, Ray See, Jr., L.D. Smith, Jay Haviland, Keith Still, Tommy Laner, Howard Jarvis.
Did Not Qualify: Tom Tomasko, Nicole Tracy, T.J. Pasko, Chris Garrity, Poover Daley, Don Johnson.
Pro Stock Feature Finish: Dick Colesanti, Jimmy Langenback, Mike Manetta, Tom Kuck, Lenny Brice, Noel Osborne, Steve Murray, Al Cheney, Larry Ball, Norbert Bracklow, Hank Morin, Ray Williams, John Roese, Ron Rion, Butch Winnie, Chris Bottge, Terry O'Brien, Bill Liese, George Christiana, Larry Temple, Josh Henke.
Did Not Qualify: Lenny Helmich, Rob Hoar, Jerry Craig, John Rood.
Mini Sprint Feature Finish: Jeremy Quick, Todd Lapp, John Matrafailo, Rob Scaccio, Ed Burgess, Geoff Quackenbush, Peter Sindt, Mark Rogers, Kevin Kondelka, Randy Caruso, Kyle Lucas, Kevin Kondelka, Rich Sennett, Stephen LaPine, Bobby Lynt, James Tomlinson, John Lieto, Jesse Baum, John Parete, Clint Roehrs.
Pure Stock Feature Finish: Will Landrum, Joe DiStefano, Mike Deyo, Sharon Byrne, Jay Smalley, Mike DuBois, Don Carlson, James Goetchius, Joe Judge, Emerson Cargain, Jr., Charlie Houghtaling, Peter Warren, Pat Zimmer, Scott Kilmer, Chris Meola, Greg Meola, Jim Finnegan, Kevin Krusewski, Bill Judge, Bill Eveleth.
Pure Stock Heldover Feature Finish: Greg Meola, Mike Deyo, Emerson Cargain, Jr., Will Landrum, Jim Finnegan, Joe Judge, Joe DiStefano, Jay Smalley, Sharon Byrne, Kevin Krusewski, Mike DuBois, Bill Judge, Chris Meola, Pat Zimmer, Peter Warren, Scott Kilmer.
Did Not Start: Bill Eveleth, Scott Myers, Herb DeWitt, Paul Harding.