TRACK CONDITIONS PLAY INTO BACHETTI'S HANDS AT ACCORD
By BRETT DEYO
ACCORD, NY - Slick track conditions played into the hands of Andy Bachetti Friday night at Accord Speedway.
The Sheffield, Mass. star took full advantage of a dominant car to win the evening's Interstate 86 Equipment 30-lap DIRT 358 Modified feature. It was the second victory of the 2003 season for Bachetti, who regained the point lead with the $1,500 score.
"I love a slick track," the 26-year old explained. "We've got a good setup when it's like this. The car was awesome tonight - I could go anywhere I needed to."
Bachetti started sixth and moved quickly to the front of the field. He broke into the runner up position by lap 3 and chased down the veteran Barry Davis, who led from the outset. On the fifth go round, Davis slipped off the bottom and Bachetti pounced on the opportunity, moving his A&C Performance No. 40 Bicknell into the top spot in turn four.
Mike Ricci muscled into second position by the sixth circuit, but couldn't keep pace with the high-flying Bachetti, who easily powered away on each of the mid race restarts, then negotiated a heavy pack lapped traffic with ease.
"I was a little skeptical about moving up a groove with Mike behind me," Bachetti admitted. "But the car had tremendous side bite and drive, even in the black slick part of the track. That gave me an advantage in lapped traffic because I could just drive around them on the top."
A spin by Donnie Wilson brought out the race's final caution on lap 26, and caused a bit of controversy over the second position. Coming to the stripe, Ricci slowed to avoid the spinning car and Robbie Green shot by on the inside line. Green was then placed in front of Ricci for the restart.
The change had little effect on Bachetti, however. He raced on to a comfortable advantage, and a popular victory for car owners Rene and Donnie Downes.
What makes Bachetti so good on a slick track?
"You've gotta go slower to go faster," he smiled. "It's easier for me to get around the slower, less experienced drivers - you've got to have some patience to stay on the bottom and not slip up."
Green crossed the stripe second, but after further review was moved back to third, pushing Ricci back into second in the official order of finish.
Ricci admitted his Gen-Plus Teo-Pro mount had little for Bachetti. During a lap 2 skirmish in the second turn, an infield cone became wedged behind the left-front tire of his No. 76, cutting the brake line. For the remainder of the distance, the Rosendale, N.Y. racer had his hands full.
"I just didn't have the corner speed," he said. "I was protecting the bottom.."
Green was third, just in front of Kirk Horton, who rebounded from a pair of early race incidents for a fine fourth place finish. It was the best effort of the campaign for the personable Eldred, N.Y. resident, in his first full Accord season. Jimmy Johnson came home fifth, slipping past Tony Kawalchuk on the final lap.
27 358 Modifieds signed in for competition. Heat wins went to Mike Ricci, Green and Davis. Scott Ferrier topped the consolation.
David Towns emerged victorious in the 25-lap DIRT Sportsman feature after a cat and mouse battle through lapped traffic with Kevin Duryea.
Towns, of Rotterdam, N.Y., piloted his unique Troyer Four Link/Coil Over combination to the lead on lap 2, whipping around Henry Sherman on the outside groove. One lap later, point leader Duryea broke into second and put pressure on the American Tent Rental No. 6.
A long stretch of green flag racing that began on lap 6 made lapped traffic a factor for the lead duo. Duryea closed to within a car length of Towns on several occasions, including lap 20, but couldn't negotiate the slower machines quickly enough to make a run for the lead, allowing Towns to pick up his second victory of the season, worth $600.
"This slick stuff is for me," Towns exclaimed. "And I'm good at lapped traffic. That was perfect for me tonight."
Duryea, of Wallkill, N.Y., maintained the point lead with a stout second place finish. Jeff Hulseapple came on strong for third, ahead of Glenn Daley and Henry Sherman.
Tom Kuck's extensive racing experience paid off in the 20-lap Pro Stock feature. The Mahopac, N.Y. full-fender veteran executed a brilliant pick and roll three wide maneuver around the slower car of Terry O'Brien to snatch the lead from Jim Langenback with four laps remaining.
He then fought off Langenback's challenges for the $400 triumph.
Norbert Bracklow charged from 14th starting position for third, with Ken Hartshorn and Scott Mill in tow.
Stephen LaPine returned for the first time after losing an engine in late May and raced to an impressive win in the 15-lap Mini Sprint feature. The 17-year old sensation made a bold move past perennial track champ Peter Sindt on lap 8.
Rob Scaccio came on strong for second, nipping Jeremy Quick for the position.. Sindt fell to fourth and Rich Sennett was fifth.
Scott Kilmer of Millerton, N.Y. earned his second victory in a slam-bang 15-lap Pure Stock feature. Emerson Cargain, Jr., in his first Accord start of the year, was second, ahead of Joe Narok, Chris Meola and Greg Meola. Pat Zimmer finished the event second, but failed post race tech inspection and was disqualified.
Jeff Richardson topped a solid 16-car field of Vintage Dirt Modifieds.
A huge fireworks extravaganza by Telstar thrilled the capacity crowd at intermission.
Racing resumes at the Action Track on July 4th with the K&W Car Wash Independence Day Spectacular, featuring Double Points for the 358 Modifieds, DIRT Sportsman, Pro Stocks, Pure Stocks and Mini Sprints. The KARS 360 Sprints will make their first ever trip to the speedway, as will the NEETS Enduro Tour. Vintage Modifieds, a chicken barbecue and live music will fill out the full day of racing. Gates open at 10 a.m. with hot laps at 2 p.m. and racing at 3 p.m.
For further information, contact the speedway office at (845) 626-3478 or check out the official website: www.accordspeedway.com.
Notable: Al Cheney III, the popular New Egypt Speedway Pro Stock standout, made the three hour tow from his Cranbury, N.J. home to Accord. Cheney, who previously campaigned at the defunct East Windsor Speedway, is looking for a Friday night home. He may have found it. "I just want to race. I used to run two nights a week, that went down to one, and with all the rain I haven't had a chance to race." Cheney stumbled upon the facility while picking up a car from Tom Cannizzaro's shop, which rests just minutes up Route 209...
Donnie Wilson's misfortune continued. A Wilson had climbed from mid-field into the front five only to suffer a right front flat on lap 11 when Barry Davis got turned around in turn four. Davis was done for the night with a broken right side radius rod...
Chris Shultz made a surprise Accord appearance in the Dale Shaver owned No. 47s. Shultz, who recently settled into a new home in Pawling, N.Y., plans to run infrequently at the speedway for the remainder of the season. "With all the rain and the limited schedule at Orange County, we hadn't raced in almost a month," Shultz said. "So we decided to come up here tonight." Shultz was strong, but bad luck relegated him to 12th in the rundown...
Donnie Elliott debuted a new paint scheme, with his longtime No. 49 changed to No. 2. Elliott hoped it would bring a change in his luck. He finished seventh...
In qualifying action, Butch Winnie's Pro Stock, Todd Lapp's Mini Sprint and Joey Worner's Sportsman all flipped. None of the drivers were injured...
The feature win for David Towns came less than a week after his June 22 wedding...
Jay Haviland returned to the speedway aboard the former Jimmy Lord Sportsman car. It was the first Accord start by Haviland in over a year. His return was successful - he finished sixth...
358 Modified Feature Finish: Andy Bachetti, Mike Ricci, Robbie Green, Kirk Horton, Jimmy Johnson, Joe Winne, Jr., Donnie Elliott, Rick Mill, Tony Kawalchuk, Rich Ricci, Jr., Scott Ferrier, Chris Shultz, Allen Shiffler, Donnie Wilson, Mark Pullen, Jeremy Markle, Ken Baker, Barry Davis, John Sanders, Fred Newkirk.
DNQ: Ken McGuire, Ryan Stortini, Larry Hendershot, Bruce Leote, Phil Recchio, Will Robinson, Jim Introne.
DIRT Sportsman Feature Finish: David Towns, Kevin Duryea, Jeff Hulseapple, Glenn Daley, Henry Sherman, Jay Haviland, Tommy Laner, Tom Tomasko, Harry Baldwin, Keith Still, Don Johnson, Nicole Tracy, Jim Fugel, Larry Badaracco, Poover Daley, Larry Ricci, Chris Grispin, Mike Van Pelt, Danny Creeden, Bill Papula.
DNQ: Howard Jarvis, T.J. Pasko, Ray See, Dave Coene, Paul Minton, L.D. Smith, Bill Van Inwegen, Rich Oxford, Joe Worner, Dave Harris, Jim House, Chris Garrity.
Pro Stock Feature Finish: Tom Kuck, Jim Langenback, Norbert Bracklow, Ken Hartshorn, Scott Mill, Noel Osborne, Jerry Craig, Scott Liese, Don Palmateer, George Christiana, Lenny Brice, Terry O'Brien, Rob Hoar, Hank Morin, Al Cheney III, Rob Johnson, Dickie Colesanti, Bryan McElheny, Pedro Portalatin, Steve Murray.
DNQ: Butch Winnie, Gene Temple, Chris DeCiel, Mike Manetta, John Rood.
Mini Sprint Feature Finish: Steven Lapine, Rob Scaccio, Jeremy Quick, Peter Sindt, Rich Sennett, Todd Lapp, Duane Koskey, Ed Burgess, John Matrafailo, Rich Wood, Louis DuPuis, Brian Baxter, Todd Bernier, Dave Haskell, Kevin Kondelka, Chris Haskell, Marshall Gogg, Mark Rogers, Mark DuPuis, Jesse Baum, Gary Reyer, Geoff Quackenbush, John Parete.
Pure Stock Feature Finish: Scott Kilmer, Emerson Cargain, Jr., Joe Narok, Chris Meola, Greg Meola, Joe DiStefano, Jim Baxter, Mike Houghtaling, Peter Weigand, Will Landrum, Jay Smalley, Chris Hardenberg, Kevin Krusewski, James Goetchius, Mike Deyo, Mike DuBois, Matt DuBois, Tony Polemeni, Joe Judge.
Disqualified: Pat Zimmer, Charlie Houghtaling.