RICH RICCI, JR. IS BACK IN FORM -- WINS COMPETITIVE ACCORD MAIN
By BRETT DEYO
ACCORD, NY - Six time track champion Rich Ricci, Jr. is back in form at Accord Speedway.
After an upgrade in equipment over the winter months, the New Paltz, N.Y. resident collected a second place finish on opening night, then raced to a dominant victory in Friday night's D&J Racing Collectibles DIRT 358 Modified main. Starting from 11th position, Ricci grabbed the top spot from Jeremy Markle on the 14th circuit of the 30-lap contest, then powered away for the$1,500 victory, his first of 2003.
"I said it last week and I'll say it again, this car is awesome," Ricci remarked of his 2000 Olsen chassis. "We bought it from J.R. Heffner over the winter, made a few changes and it's just hooked up. I can run the top, bottom, anywhere - it's one of the best cars I've ever raced here."
Young Tony Kawalchuk jumped into the early lead for the second consecutive week, but the 14-year old 358 Modified rookie's run at the front of the field lasted only three laps, when he got turned around in front of the field, collecting nine cars in the first turn. That handed the lead over to Jeremy Markle, and the likable 23-year old made the most of the opportunity.
Running an updated '99 Bicknell chassis, Markle kept the field at bay as Ricci made a patient ascent through traffic. By the ninth go round, he advanced to third spot with his Fall Fittings No. 55. One lap later, took second away from Scott Ferrier and set his sights on the powerful Markle.
Running the extreme outside of the speedway, Ricci pulled even with Markle on the 11th circuit and the duo ran side by side for three laps around the quarter mile oval before Ricci was able to take sole possession of the number one position. From that point on, he powered away from the field, despite a rash of caution flags in the final ten circuits.
"I couldn't believe Markle," Ricci remarked. "He ran a good race; we ran side by side there for a bunch of laps. He ran me clean on the bottom, man I was really impressed with him tonight."
So exactly how did Ricci take over the position from Markle?
"I got momentum going on the top groove. This car loves the top - I built up steam on the top and he was spinning the rear tires on the bottom. I was pretty lucky to be running at all - I actually thought I was done after that wreck in the beginning of the race - the tire looked like it was back by the door, but I backed up and it turned back and forth, so I figured it was okay. Once I got going at speed it was fine."
Coming home a solid second was Scott Ferrier in the J.Baum Truck Parts No. 20. It was by far one of the best performances for the Bloomingburg, N.Y. talent since making the jump from the Sportsman ranks early last season.
Tenth starter Robbie Green of Wallkill, N.Y. rallied for a stout third place finish, just ahead of two-time track champion Rick Mill. After two separate early race incidents, Andy Bachetti rebounded for fifth in the Downes Racing No. 40.
Markle's strong run was hampered by a spin on lap 22 after contact with Ferrier, but the Port Jervis, N.Y. resident rebounded for seventh in the final run down.
Heat races for the 21 cars in attendance went to Mill, Ferrier and Kawalchuk.
After a pair of late season starts last season, David Towns made the decision to become an Accord Speedway regular in 2003. That decision paid off Friday, as the Rotterdam, N.Y. resident raced to a dominant victory in the 25-lap DIRT Sportsman feature.
Towns started eighth and patiently worked forward in his Troyer chassied No. 6, taking over the lead from former track champion Jimmy Winchell with a brilliant inside maneuver on lap 10. From that point on, he checked out on the field, opening nearly a half-track margin on the battle for second. Only a caution with two laps remaining bunched the field, but Towns was unphased.
He got the jump on the restart and drove to his first career Accord victory, worth $600.
"I was just trying to take my time coming up through the pack," Towns stated. "I didn't want to get caught up in something early and have to go to the back. Once I got up to the 17 on that restart I knew it was time to make a move. He slid off the bottom enough and I went for it."
Winchell, battling an engine problem, held on for second.
"It was breaking up on me," the Stone Ridge, N.Y. pilot quipped. "It was a matter of time."
Rich Oxford put together a stellar performance for third, his best finish in nearly a year. Henry Sherman was a solid fourth and Jeff Hulseapple completed the front five.
In a thrilling 20-lap Pro Stock feature, Tommy Kuck picked up a hard earned victory. Kuck came out on top of a heated three way battle for the lead, making the move past John Roese on lap 11, then fighting off the late race advance of defending champion Elwood Hewitt for the win, worth $400. Roese was third, ahead of Noel Osborne and John Odendahl.
Steven Lapine came out on top of a rough and tumble 15-lap Mini Sprint main. After an early race scramble in turn two, Lapine picked his way back to the front, powering his No. 33 to the lead for the final time with five laps remaining. Following Lapine across the stripe in his first start of the season was Old Bridge N.J.'s Joe Sanfillippo. Ed Burgess, Rob Scaccio and 16-year old Geoff Quackenbush completed the front five.
Joe Narok charged from 17th starting position to win the 15-lap Pure Stock feature. Narok took over the top spot on a lap 11 restart from Scott Kilmer. Pat Zimmer was second, ahead of Kilmer, Greg Meola and William Landrum.
Car counts for the second event of 2003 increased dramatically. Joining the 21 Modifieds were 27 DIRT Sportsman, 23 Pro Stocks, 26 Mini Sprints and 23 Pure Stocks. A near capacity crowd packed the grandstand on an ideal Spring evening.
Racing resumes at the Action Track on Friday, May 2 with a full program of 358 Modifieds, DIRT Sportsman, Pro Stocks, Pure Stocks, 1200cc Mini Sprints and Pure Stocks sponsored by Apple Greens Golf Course. The Mini Sprints will be competing for double points. Gates open at 4:30 p.m. with hot laps at 6 p.m. and racing at 7 p.m.
Round Two Notes: Southern Tier standout Mike Schane made his first ever 358 Modified start at Accord. Schane, who has victories to his credit at Moc-A-Tek, Thunder Mountain and Redline Raceway, charged from 20th after a rear end problem in his heat race to the top six before contact on a lap 26 restart cut his right front tire. The Lake Ariel, Pa. resident, who took Best of Show honors at January's Motorsports Expo in Ft. Washington, Pa., will return next Friday...
Mike Ricci's No. 76 sustained a broken left rear spindle after being collected in a lap 4 incident with Andy Bachetti. He returned to the race six laps down and finished fourteenth. His Mini Sprint debut was cut short by a clutch problem in the No. 50 on the final lap of the heat race...
Jeremy Markle was all smiles after his best run in several years. Markle's Ford-powered No. 79 was strong all night, just missing out on a win in his heat race, then leading the feature through the halfway point. "Rich was so fast on the outside - he blew by me. I think we might've had second until I got spun in the third turn, but I was happy about the way the car was going."
Dave Green, brother and mechanic for 358 Mod standout Robbie Green was left scratching his head midway through Friday's events. "The car is the same and the driver's the same; I can't figure out why the car's not right. I don't want to throw too much at it because we're not too far off, but it's not as fast as a couple of those guys." Green finished third for the second time in '03.
Handicapper and race coordinator Paul Szmal has adapted well to the speedway. Szmal, a veteran race official who drives nearly two hours one way to work at the track, brings with him a wealth of experience and objectivity...
Tom Hindley made his first start of the season, and despite a plethora of on track incidents, was eighth in the final run-down. Hindley used the same Teo-Pro car that he has found success with at Orange County (N.Y.) Fair Speedway...
358 Modified Feature Finish: Rich Ricci, Jr., Scott Ferrier, Robbie Green, Rick Mill, Andy Bachetti, Mark Pullen, Jeremy Markle, Tom Hindley, Jimmy Johnson, Bruce Leote, Tony Kawalchuk, Larry Hendershot, Michael Schane, Mike Ricci, Kenny McGuire, Barry Davis, J.R. Heffner, Allen Shiffler, Phil Recchio.
Did Not Start: Fred Newkirk, John Sanders.
DIRT Sportsman Feature Finish: David Towns, Jimmy Winchell, Rich Oxford, Henry Sherman, Jeff Hulseapple, Kevin Duryea, Tommy Tomasko, Tommy Laner, George Johnson, Jim Fugel, Howard Jarvis, Glenn Daley, Harry Baldwin, Keith Still, Ray See, Jr., Larry Badaracco, Larry Ricci, Mike Van Pelt, Jimmy Lord, L.D. Smith.
Did Not Qualify: T.J. Pasko, Jim House, Don Johnson, Bill Van Inwegen, Nicole
Tracy, Paul Minton, Dave Coene.
Pro Stock Feature Finish: Tommy Kuck, Elwood Hewitt, John Roese, Noel Osborne, John Odendahl, George Christiana, Jimmy Langenback, Don Palmateer, Chris Bottge, Scott Mill, Ken Hartshorn, Josh Henke, Butch Winnie, John Hynes, Don Williams, Rob Johnson, Dave Colwell, Chris Adams, Terry O'Brien.
Did Not Qualify: Chris DeCiel, Lenny Brice, Gene Temple.
Mini Sprint Feature Finish: Steven Lapine, Joe Sanfillippo, Ed Burgess, Geoff Quackenbush, Glenn Grossjung, Kyle Lucas, Louis DuPuis, Steve Diffendorf, Woody Woodruff, Matt Rozsitch, Jesse Baum, David Haskell, John Matrafailo, John Wullum, Jeff Lamothe, Clint Roehrs, Jeremy Quick, Sammy Rogers, Rich Sennett, Denny Lamke, Marshall Gogg, Mark Rogers, Peter Sindt.
Did Not Start: Mike Ricci, Riki Likowski, Car No. 2.
Pure Stock Feature Finish: Joseph Narok, Pat Zimmer, Scott Kilmer, Greg Meola, William Landrum, Matt DuBois, Mike DuBois, Joe Judge, Peter Warren, Bert Long, Car No. 17, James Goetchius, Mike Deyo, Steve Adams, Jay Smalley, Sharon Byrne, Shannon Cole, Chris Meola, Don Ingrham, Todd Houghtaling, Tony Polemeni.
Did Not Start: Lee Gallant, Carl Ackerley, Paul Jordan.