J.R. HEFFNER RIDES OUTSIDE GROVE TO ACCORD 358 MOD VICTORY

by Brett Deyo

ACCORD, NY- J.R. Heffner ran the outside groove to perfection last Friday night at Accord Speedway.

Using the extreme high side of the quarter mile oval, Heffner, of Averill Park, N.Y., charged from ninth position to a hard earned victory in the Reclamation, Inc. 30-lap DIRT 358 Modified feature. His fifth triumph of the season propelled him into the runner up position in the point standings on the final night of regular season competition.

"This car was great," the elated Heffner commented. "We have a good set up for when the track has a lot of bite...and it held a lot of moisture tonight which was good for us."

It took only eight laps for Heffner to complete his ascent through the field aboard his A Colarusso and Sons No. 74 Teo-Pro car. In fact, the soft spoken chauffeur made it look easy.

"It's never easy," Heffner said with a smile. "But this is about the best car I've had here all year. I could drive it on hard on the top and it stuck every time. It was a lot of fun to drive."

Eddie Haenelt jumped into the lead on the start from the outside pole while fifth starter Rich Ricci, Jr. charged forward, taking over the runner up position with three laps in the books.

Five cars stacked up in the second turn on the fourth go round, bringing out the caution and bunching up the field for a restart.

Again, Haenelt got the jump when the race got back underway, but the 30-year old Heffner was on the charge.

First, he blasted around the outside of Joe Winne, Jr. for third, then one lap later he powered past Rich Ricci, Jr. for second. With a bold slingshot move, Heffner took over the top spot from Haenelt on the eighth circuit. At that point, the race for the lead was effectively over.

Three caution periods at the race's midway point gave the field several chances to challenge Heffner, but the Lebanon Valley (N.Y.) Speedway regular had it all his way on this night powering away to nearly a half track advantage over runner up Rich Ricci, Jr. at the checkered.

"I didn't know how big of a lead I had," Heffner quipped. "But I knew I didn't here anyone for a while and I was catching the back of the field pretty quick."

Rich Ricci, Jr. broke out of his month-long streak of bad luck with a solid runner up effort in the Fall Fittings No. 55. Still, the six-time track champion said he had nothing for Heffner.

"J.R. was flying tonight," Ricci noted. "This is the best we've done in a while here, but he was just gone. I couldn't even get close."

Newly crowned track champion Mike Ricci made several late race moves to secure the third position after being involved in the third lap caution. Joe Winne, Jr. was a season best fourth and ageless Barry Davis completed the front five.

Heat victories for the 21 cars in attendance went to Mike Ricci, Ed Haenelt and Winne.

Jim Winchell of Stone Ridge, N.Y. dominated the 25-lap DIRT Sportsman feature. Winchell, a former track champion, took over the top spot on a second lap restart, then powered away from the field in his C&J Self Storage Teo-Pro mount. It was his second victory of the season.

"This is the best car I've had here all year," Winchell, who started fifth, said. "I've been fast, but not in the right place at the right time. Tonight I had both going for me."

Ladd Yeommans took over the runner up position midway through the event, but couldn't run down Winchell and came up a half-straightaway short at the finish. Jeff Hulseapple, a returning Glenn Daley and Tony Kawalchuk rounded out the top five.

Kevin Duryea of Wallkill, N.Y. collected his third triumph of the season in the heldover DIRT Sportsman 25-lap feature from August 23rd. Duryea jumped into the lead from his outside pole starting position on the start, then pulled away from the field with his potent K&M Sealcoating Troyer Four-Link.

"We've had a bad couple of weeks," Duryea said. "So it feels good to get a win. The car has been fast, it's just been one thing after another."

Jeff Hulseapple came home second, ahead of Pete Gardner in his best performance of the season. Poover Daley and Mike Van Pelt completed the top five.

For the third time in his career, Jeff Hulseapple of Bloomingburg, N.Y. was crowned DIRT Sportsman track champion. Joining his '02 title winning efforts are track championships at the Ulster County, N.Y. oval in 1998 and 1999.

Fonda Speedway regular Butchie Irwin made his first appearance of the season at the speedway and drove his No. 117B straight to victory lane in the 20-lap Pro Stock feature. Irwin, of Climax, N.Y. charged from twelfth starting position to the lead in just thirteen laps, taking advantage of a tangle in lapped traffic to grab the top spot.

Tom Kuck finished a solid second, ahead of John Roese, Jerry Craig and George Van Arsdall.

After coming close on several occasions, Elwood Hewitt of Saugerties, N.Y. picked up the first track championship of his career in the Pro Stock division.

Richard Sennett had been winless in the Mini Sprint division this season-until Friday night. The Parksville, N.Y. resident piloted his iSnack No. 9 to victory lane in both the heldover 15-lap main from August 2nd and the night's regularly scheduled 15-lapper.

In the heldover event, Sennett took the top spot on the first lap and was never seriously challenged, pulling away for the victory over John Matrafailo, Jeremy Quick, Steven Lapine and John Wullum.

Then, in the regularly scheduled main, Sennett held off a determined late race charge from Jeremy Quick for the hard earned victory. Quick, in search of his first career win, came just one car-length short in second spot. Darrell Quackenbush, Rob Scaccio and John Wullum rounded out the top five.

Peter Sindt of Stone Ridge, N.Y. picked up his second consecutive Mini Sprint championship by a mere 8 points over Steven Lapine after a classic season-long battle.

William Landrum of Mt. Arlington, N.J. earned his second win of the season in the 15-lap Pure Stock feature in a flag to flag run. Lake Moc A Tek (Pa.) Speedway regular Todd Houghtaling charged from 20th starting spot to second ahead of Greg Meola, Mike Deyo and John Hughes.

Dave Gerard of Ardonia, N.Y. took up his second consecutive track championship by 26 markers over Mike Deyo.

Night sponsor Bernie Smith of Reclamation, Inc. of Kingston, N.Y. put up extra purse money to the top three finishers in all divisions and also donated five bicycles which were given away to several lucky race fans.

Despite the two heldover feature events, track management did an excellent job running off the night's program, with the final checkered flag falling at 10:50 p.m.

Next Friday night, September 6th, will mark the first Fall Series Event of the season, kicking off an eight race point series that will run through October 25th.

The 358 Modifieds will race for $1500 weekly and the tire rule has been opened up so any 13"x 92" inch tire is legal. The body rules have also been relaxed and sail panels will be allowed. DIRT engine rules will be in effect. Joining the 358 Mods on a weekly basis will be DIRT Sportsman, Pro Stocks, Pure Stocks, Mini Sprints and Four Cylinder Stocks.

Gates open at 4:30 p.m. with hot laps at 6 p.m. and racing at 7 p.m. For more info, contact the track at (845) 626-3478 or check out the website at www.accordspeedway.com.

DIRT 358 Modified Feature Finish: J.R. Heffner, Rich Ricci, Jr., Mike Ricci, Joe Winne, Jr., Barry Davis, Ed Haenelt, Andy Bachetti, Rick Mill, Robbie Green, Jackie Brown, Jr., Keith Shoemaker, Fred Newkirk, Jeremy Matthies, Rich Hansen, Ken Baker, Phil Recchio, Donnie Wilson, Jeremy Markle, John Finley, Burt Irwin, Jr.

DIRT Sportsman Feature Finish: Jimmy Winchell, Ladd Yeommanns, Jeff Hulseapple, Glenn Daley, Tony Kawalchuk, Henry Sherman, Bill Deckelman, Pete Gardner, Tom Perrego, K.C. McCoy, Frank Doty, Howard Jarvis, Rich Oxford, Lem Atkins, Kenny Moulton, Jr., Poover Daley, Mike Van Pelt, Jim Barrett, Joe Worner, Kevin Duryea. Did Not Start: Harry Baldwin, Steven Williams.

DIRT Sportsman Heldover Feature Finish: Kevin Duryea, Jeff Hulseapple, Pete Gardner, Poover Daley, Mike Van Pelt, Rich Oxford, Jim Winchell, Tony Kawalchuk, Glenn Daley, Kenny Moulton, Jr., Ladd Yeommans, Joe Worner, K.C. McCoy, Bill Deckelman, Tom Perrego, Lem Atkins, Steve Williams, Harry Baldwin, Bill Martin, Ryan Hawkins.

Pro Stock Feature Finish: Butchie Irwin, Tom Kuck, John Roese, Jerry Craig, George Van Arsdall, Don Palmateer, George Christiana, Ray See, Jr., Ron Jablonka, Butch Winnie, Rob Hoar, Rich Suitter, Gene Temple, Scott Liese, Leonard Brice, Jim Langenback, Steve Murray, Henry Van Houten, T.J. Pasko, Larry Temple, Jr., Elwood Hewitt. Did Not Qualify: Larry Ball, John Rood, Hank Morin, Jim Potter, Josh Henke, Eddie Walters, John Odendahl.

Mini Sprint Feature Finish: Rich Sennett, Jeremy Quick, Darrell Quackenbush, Rob Scaccio, John Wullum, Peter Sindt, Steven Lapine, Mark DuPuis, Jesse Baum, Chet Hinkle, Joe Pravia, Rodney White, Ed Burgess, Mark Rogers, Pat Kuerner, Kyle Lucas, Bobby Lynt, Louis Dupuis. Did Not Start: John Matrafailo, Gary Reyer, John Parete.

Mini Sprint Heldover Feature Finish: Rich Sennett, Matrafailo, Jeremy Quick, Steven Lapine, John Wullum, Mark Dupuis, Peter Sindt, Bobby Lynt, Jesse Baum, Ed Burgess, Joe Pravia, Rodney White, Mark Rogers, Chet Hinkle, Louis Dupuis.

Pure Stock Feature Finish: William Landrum, Todd Houghtaling, Greg Meola, Mike Deyo, John Hughes, Chris Meola, Jay Smalley, Peter Warren, Scott Hornbeck, Bert Long, Joe Judge, Pat Zimmer, Kevin Krusewski, Lars Petri, Sharon Byrne, Joel Murns, Jr., Dave Gerard, Dan Rose, James Hobson, Andy Briggs, Matt Curry, Lee Gallant, Roger McDermott. Did Not Start: Paul Jordan