CONSISTENCY PAYS OFF IN RICH RICCI'S $3,000 ACCORD VICTORY
By BRETT DEYO
ACCORD, NY - Consistency paid off for Rich Ricci, Jr. Wednesday night at Accord Speedway.
Combining a pair of second place finishes with a third in the event's final segment, Ricci, of New Paltz, N.Y., came home victorious in the first Super Wednesday Small-Block Shootout at the quarter mile oval, collecting $3,000 for his efforts. The event's 75-lap distance was contested in three 25-lap segments with a redraw between each individual event - the overall finish order was determined by a cumulative point total.
Frank Cozze dominated, winning two of the three segments, but his chance for a victory ended with a flat tire in the third 25-lapper. That was the break Ricci needed.
"I wasn't very happy with the car," the six-time track champion remarked. "We've been battling carburetor problems since Friday. It was just flat coming off the corner; the motor just didn't have it for us tonight. In this type of race you've gotta be consistent, and you'll be there at the end. He (Cozze) had some bad luck in the last one and we were able to take advantage."
Ricci, in a 2003 Precision-powered Dirt Wheels car, chased Cozze's self-owned, M2-powered No. 44 for the first two segments, and watched closely as the Wind Gap, Pa. hot shoe battled fiercely with a left rear flat tire for some seven laps in the final segment.
"I could smell the rubber," Ricci exclaimed. "And I said to myself 'there's no way he can run the whole race on that flat tire.' A few laps after that, the caution came out and he pulled in."
After Cozze's demise, Ricci's biggest challenge came from older brother Mike.
"I knew Mike and I were one point apart and he was running second," he said. "And in the last race, the 42 car (Ed Strada, Jr.) was racing me hard for third - I knew if he got by Mike would have been tied with me, so I used all the track to keep him behind me."
While Ricci has been extremely successful in the weekly Friday night programs, his victory was the first high paying, extra distance victory since Gary Palmer took over the facility in 2001.
"We were leading the Turkey Chase and a two dollar condenser in the magneto broke," Ricci quipped. "Tonight, we finally got some luck in one of these big races - we made up that $3,000."
Mike Ricci's first Accord appearance in a Jim Winchell-owned '02 Teo-Pro car resulted in a solid runner up effort. The Rosendale, N.Y. native posted two third place runs and a runner up effort in the final segment to secure the position in the Gen-Plus No. 76.
"This is only the third race on this car," the 38-year old Ricci said. "Overall I was pretty happy with it - we need to do a little fine tuning with the handling, but it wasn't too far off. For these races, you've gotta come with your guns loaded. It's tough."
Robbie Green's final segment victory bolstered him into the final podium position. The popular Newburgh, N.Y. chauffeur finished fourth and fifth, respectively in the first two segments aboard the Gross Graphics/Woodard's Concrete No. 69.
Cozze, who rebounded for eighth in the final segment after the tire change, was credited with fourth position. He tied with Green in total points, but lost out on the tie-breaker - the third segment finish. Chris Shultz of Holmes, N.Y. completed the front five in Dale Shaver's Teo-Pro No. 47s off the strength of a fourth, seventh and sixth in the three segments.
In the first segment, Cozze worked from eighth starting position to the lead in just five laps, making an outside run on Rich Ricci, Jr. to take over the position. Ricci was second, ahead of Mike Ricci, Robbie Green and Rick Mill.
By luck of the draw, Cozze started on the pole of the second segment and led every lap for the victory. Rich Ricci, Jr., Mike Ricci, Chris Shultz and Robbie Green rounded out the top five.
Cozze took over the top spot with a bold sixth lap inside move on Green in the third segment only to relinquish the position three circuits later due to the flat left rear tire. That left Green and Mike Ricci to do battle through lapped traffic, with Green coming out on top after several three wide scrambles through the slower machines. Rich Ricci, Jr. fought off Ed Strada, Jr. for third and Tommy Meier rounded out the top five.
Heat races for the 24 cars in attendance went to Joey Grammes, Rich Ricci, Jr. and Rick Mill. Kenny Baker topped the consolation.
Jim Langenback dominated the 20-lap Pro Stock feature, leading the entire distance. Elwood Hewitt was second, ahead of Tommy Kuck, Scott Mill and invader Jim Hewitt.
In Pure Stock action, Highland, N.Y.'s Joe Narok fought off a determined Pat Zimmer in the late stages of the 15-lap event for the victory. Mike Deyo, Todd Houghtaling and Joe Judge filled out the front five.
Competitors were greeted by a smooth, tacky surface, which has become common at Accord. The entire program was in the books by 10 p.m.
Pit Notes: A surprise entry in the field was Bethel, Pa.'s Jeff Strunk aboard Don Keefer's No. 99K. Fresh off a victory for car owner Chad Sinon at the Penn Can (Pa.) Speedway, Strunk battled mechanical problems all night, missed the third segment and was scored 21st in the final rundown...
Frank Cozze was behind the wheel of his own car for the first time at Accord. In past events, he piloted the Craig Mitchell No. 93x, but the Wappingers Falls, N.Y. resident didn't have the car complete for Wednesday's action. "It's still on the jig," Mitchell laughed...
Joey Grammes, a Lake Moc-A-Tek (Pa.) Speedway regular, served notice he would be an Accord contender with an impressive come from behind triumph in the first heat race. It was the first time the Kunkletown, Pa. native had seen the track - as a spectator or racer. "This is a nice facility, especially for a small dirt track," Grammes said. "I wish it was a little closer to home." He was sixth in the final tally...
Ed Strada, Jr. passed more cars than anyone else all night, but finished seventh. In both of the first two segments, he was collected in early race incidents before charging through the field to collect respectable finishes (10th and 8th). He was fourth in the third 25-lapper - the only event he completed unscathed. "For the third segment I put more gear in the car," he said. "I was
waiting for the track to slick over and it never did." The Lake Ariel, Pa. resident will return for the remainder of the track's special shows...
While Chris Shultz had not competed at Accord in over three seasons, he wasn't totally new to the tight quarter mile layout. "I raced for or five times here in the Sportsman," Shultz said. "I know Jerry (Higbie) ran up here in some special shows with this car a few years back, too." Shultz's top five was a definite bright spot in an otherwise dismal start to 2003...
Sportsman regular Jim Winchell made the jump to the 358 Mod class for the night, but retired after the first segment due to a broken torque plate...
With an open tire rule in place, the majority of those in attendance opted for the softer American Racer brand used at the New Egypt (N.J.) Speedway. Others used the Southern Tier McMods while Rich Ricci, Jr. pulled some "vintage" soft Hoosiers out of his father's collection. Andy Bachetti, who was the only car on DIRT Hoosiers, pulled out after the first race. The reason: last Friday night's winner was not even a threat without soft rubber...
Super Wednesday Small-Block Shootout Finish: Rich Ricci, Jr., Mike Ricci, Robbie Green, Frank Cozze, Chris Shultz, Joey Grammes, Ed Strada, Jr., Rick Mill, Jimmy Johnson, Tommy Meier, Allen Shiffler, Tommy Perrego, Kenny Baker, Jeremy Markle, Scott Frack, Josh Beierle, Mike Murphy, John Finley, Jimmy Winchell, Jeff Strunk, Andy Bachetti.
Did Not Qualify: Pete Monroe, Dave Harris.
Segment No. 1: Cozze, R. Ricci, M.Ricci, Green, Mill, Johnson, Shultz, Grammes, Ferrier, Strada, Shiffler, Perrego, Winchell, Finley, Baker, Frack, Beierle, Markle, Murphy, Strunk, Meier, Bachetti.
Segment No. 2: Cozze, R. Ricci, M. Ricci, Shultz, Green, Grammes, Johnson, Strada, Meier, Mill, Perrego, Markle, Frack, Murphy, Ferrier, Baker, Beierle, Shiffler, Strunk, Finley.
Segment No. 3: Green, M. Ricci, R. Ricci, Strada, Meier, Shultz, Grammes, Cozze, Mill, Shiffler, Baker, Markle, Ferrier, Beierle, Murphy, Perrego, Finley, Frack, Johnson.
Pro Stock Feature Finish: Jim Langenback, Elwood Hewitt, Tom Kuck, Scott Mill, Jim Hewitt, John Roese, Butch Winnie, Larry Temple, Jr., George Christiana. DNS: Rob Johnson.
Pure Stock Feature Finish: Joe Narok, Pat Zimmer, Mike Deyo, Todd Houghtaling, Joe Judge, Sharon Byrne, Paul Jordan, Bert Long, Matt DuBois, Mike DuBois, Lee Gallant.