FATHER KNOWS BEST -- RICCI, SR., LEADS SON TO VICTORY
By BRETT DEYO
ACCORD, NY - No one has a better knowledge of Accord Speedway than Rich Ricci, Sr.
When a heavy thunderstorm midway through Friday's racing program changed track conditions drastically, the longtime driver and mechanic made the right setup changes on his son's car. As a result, Rich Ricci, Jr. powered to his third victory of the season in the K&W Car Wash DIRT 358 Modified feature, besting older brother Mike Ricci.
Ricci started ninth, but wasted little time moving forward.
By lap 5, he vaulted into the lead with a bold outside move on Jeremy Markle in turn four.
"The car was awesome during the daytime conditions," Ricci, of New Paltz, N.Y., exclaimed. "Then the rain came and the track was completely different. It went from dry and slick to wet and tacky like it is in August. We had to make a bunch of changes."
With the track lights on and the support divisions running their features, Ricci, Sr. was busy in the pit area.
"Rich said to me ‘what do you think we should do?' so I got out the book," the
family patriarch said. "I changed the whole set up - that's what's great about this car, it's very adjustable."
When the green flag flew, Ricci's Precision-powered Dirt Wheels car was unstoppable.
Only a slew of restarts and a red flag on lap 5 for track electrical problem brought the field close to Ricci.
"I was pretty good from the start anywhere on the track," he said. "At the end, I held it on the bottom - I didn't want to open the door for my brother."
The battle for second took center stage in the race's second half. Mike Ricci and newcomer Donnie Elliott battled side by side for nine laps, swapping the runner up position in every turn. Running the extreme outside of the speedway, Elliott cleared Ricci by lap 20, but a turn two bobble handed the position back to the Rosendale, N.Y. veteran for good.
One final restart on lap 22 gave Mike Ricci one final shot, but Rich was too strong, pulling away for the $1,500 victory.
Elliott, of Middletown, N.Y. was a season high third in the Elliott's Auto Sales No. 2. It was just the third start of 2003 for the former Orange County (N.Y.) Fair Speedway regular.
Andy Bachetti raced from 16th to fourth and Donnie Wilson broke his streak of bad luck with a fifth place effort.
25 cars entered the holiday program.
Howard Jarvis earned his first DIRT Sportsman victory the hard way.
The Accord, N.Y. resident lost the lead to Mike Van Pelt on lap 9, but he didn't give up. Using the extreme outside of the quarter mile oval, Jarvis battled side by side with the multi-time feature winner for ten laps before regaining the top spot on lap 19.
From that point on, he marched on to the popular victory.
"My car was good on the top," an ecstatic Jarvis said. "So I kept it up there."
Van Pelt was second, ahead of a returning Jay Haviland, point leader Kevin Duryea and Glenn Daley.
In the first ever appearance by the KARS Sprints, Dale Hammaker took a liking to Accord.
Hammaker started seventh in the 18-car field and steadily moved forward, slipping by early leader Keith Prutzman on the 7th circuit of the 25-lap main. Once in front, he opened up a sizable advantage, negotiating lapped traffic with ease for the win.
"This is a racy little track," Hammaker said. "I really enjoyed it."
Kevin Nagy broke free from traffic late in the event and finished second, ahead of local Mini Sprint standout John Lieto. Nate Hammaker and 15th starter Dan Richcreek rounded out the top five.
Tom Kuck forced into the lead on lap 15, then raced on to victory in the 20-lap Pro Stock main. For the Mahopac, N.Y. resident, it marked his third victory of the 2003 campaign. Dickie Colesanti, who led from the outset, settled for second. John Roese, Norbert Bracklow and Noel Osborne completed the front five.
Rob Scaccio dominated the 15-lap Mini Sprint feature.
Scaccio, of Suffern, N.Y. opened up a straightaway advantage in the early laps and went unchallenged en route to his first win of the season.
Rich Sennett was second, with Stephen LaPine, Geoff Quackenbush and Jeremy Quick in tow.
The 250cc Micro Sprints were a last minute addition to the program and Harmony, N.J.'s Stephanie Stevens raced to the win in her Stevens Brothers Fabrications No. 20. The Lake Moc-A-Tek (Pa.) Speedway regular led from green to checkered, dominating the 13-car field.
Richard Crooker battled past Greg Stevens late in the going for second. Kevin Horton and Pat Potter completed the front five.
Pat Zimmer nosed ahead of William Landrum at the stripe to win the 15-lap Pure Stock main in a photo finish. Track officials reviewed the video before officially declaring a winner.
Joe DiStefano, Chris Meola and Sharon Byrne trailed.
Jeff Richardson won the 15-lap Vintage Modified feature.
The 100-lap NEETS Enduro was postponed due to time constraints.
A heavy thunderstorm at 6 p.m. and a power outage during the 358 Modified feature prolonged the day's events. The final checkered fell over 10 hours after the starting time.
200 cars jammed the pit area for the program, forcing track management to use the spectator lot for the Vintage Dirt Modifieds.
Racing resumes at the Action Track on Friday, July 11 with a full program of 358 Modifieds, DIRT Sportsman, Pro Stocks, Pure Stocks and Mini Sprints. It will be a double point night for the Pro Stock division. 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 website: www.accordspeedway.com.
358 Modified Feature Finish: Rich Ricci, Jr., Mike Ricci, Donnie Elliott, Andy Bachetti, Donnie Wilson, Jimmy Johnson, Barry Davis, Joe Winne, Jr., Kirk Horton, Jeremy Markle, Allen Shiffler, Mark Pullen, Scott Ferrier, Tony Kawalchuk, John Sanders, Jim Introne, Rick Mill, Fred Newkirk, Hank Goranson, Robbie Green, Tom Hindley.
DNQ: Ken McGuire, Bruce Leote, Steve Kyzer, Larry Hendershot, Will Robinson.
DIRT Sportsman Feature Finish: Howard Jarvis, Mike Van Pelt, Jay Haviland, Kevin Duryea, Glenn Daley, Keith Still, Jeff Hulseapple, Larry Badaracco, Chris Grispin, Bill Papula, Harry Baldwin, David Towns, Tommy Laner, Joe Worner, Kenny Moulton, Nicole Tracy, Henry Sherman, Larry Ricci, Ray See, Jr., Rich Coons, T.J. Pasko.
Did Not Qualify: Don Johnson, Bill Van Inwegen, Dave Coene, Paul Minton, Danny Creeden, Ladd Yeommans.
250cc Micro Sprint Feature Finish: Stephanie Stevens, Richard Crooker, Greg Stevens, Kevin Horton, Pat Potter, Wade Mattesen, Michelle Conway, Joe Welsh, Bubba Broderick, Darrell Quackenbush, Phil Bassette, Charlie Redlich, Joe Buchanan.
Mini Sprint Feature Finish: Rob Scaccio, Rich Sennett, Stephen LaPine, Geoff Quackenbush, Jeremy Quick, Duane Koskey, John Matrafailo, Ed Burgess, Dave Haskell, Riki Likowski, Mark DuPuis, Clint Roehrs, Bob Dance, Joe Pravia, Mark Rogers, Kevin Kondelka, Kyle Lucas, Todd Lapp, Brint Hockenberry, Jon Moore, Gary Reyer, Peter Sindt, Jeff Lamothe, P.J.Peworchik, Jesse Baum.
Pro Stock Feature Finish: Tom Kuck, Dickie Colesanti, John Roese, Norbert Bracklow, Noel Osborne, Rob Johnson, Scott Mill, Jim Langenback, George Christiana, Mike Manetta, Rob Rowe, Rob Hoar, Steve Murray, Josh Henke, Ron Rion, Lenny Helmich, Scott Liese, Butch Winnie, Al Cheney III, Chris Bottge.
Did Not Qualify: Hank Morin, Bryan McElheny, Jerry Van Tassel, John Rood, Dave Colwell.
Pure Stock Feature Finish: Pat Zimmer, Will Landrum, Joe DiStefano, Chris Meola, Sharon Byrne, George Decker, Jay Smalley, Scott Kilmer, Greg Meola, Mike DuBois, Joe Judge, Roy Crespo, Peter Weigand, Morgan Bernas, Matt DuBois, Mike Deyo, Kevin Krusewski, Emerson Cargain, Jr., Tony Polemeni, Shawn Maher, Joe Narok, Jim Smith, Paul Harding, Shannon Cole, Jim Hewitt, Peter Warren, Bert Long.