Orange County Fair Speedway

May10th - Modified Results

1 74 Brett Hearn2 24 Chris Shultz3 71 David Van Horn4 4* Mike Storms5 47 Jerry Higbie6 19 Chuck McKee7 88 Steve Dodd8 10 Rich Eurich9 66 Jeff Heotzler10 33 1/3 Tommy Meier11 6n Eric Palmer12 21M Bob McGannon13 73 Rick Mill14 9 Johnny Guarino15 93x Craig Mitchell16 1 Dave Werber17 7 Donnie Wilson18 7K Kirk Horton19 53 Ric Hill20 244 Chris Whitehead21 jr17 Jeff Heotzler Jr.22 55 Gary Edwards Jr.23 7X1 Billy Wilson24 21 Clinton Mills25 93K Bruce Kline26 Z Butch TittleDNQ 44B Jim BobbittDNQ 923 Colin JacksonDNQ 79 Jeremy MarkleDNQ 25 Mike KolkaDNQ 8 Rich ScagliottaDNQ 8J Corey ZieglerDNQ 27 Jerry WildrickDNQ 6 Darrell Ford

Ronca ends long winless streak at Albany-Saratoga

May 9, 2008

MALTA - If Don Ronca's smile had been any bigger Friday night, his face probably would have cracked. But the veteran driver from Clifton Park had a good reason to be happy.

Using a front-row starting position to his advantage, Ronca won Friday night's 35-lap 358-modified feature at Albany-Saratoga Speedway, finding his way to victory lane for the first time in nearly 11 years.

How long is 11 years? Consider that the last time Ronca won a feature at Albany-Saratoga, on June 6, 1997, Bill Clinton was president, the World Trade Center was still standing and Ronnie Johnson was a rookie in the sportsman division on the Champlain Valley Racing Association.

It was Johnson who was Ronca's biggest threat early in Friday night's feature, charging from his 12th starting position and chasing Ronca around the Malta track like a cat chasing a mouse. Johnson took over the No. 2 position on lap seven and began to run side-by-side with Ronca, who was sticking to the cushion in his Scott Noel-powered small block.

Thanks to a restart on lap 13, Johnson managed to put his nose in front and actually lead a lap, but Ronca regained the advantage on lap 14.

If they had had rear-view mirrors, they would have seen Brett Hearn sitting right on their rear bumper in the Vinny Salerno-owned modified. Hearn was following Johnson around the race track, and every time Johnson tried to make a move on Ronca, Hearn attempted to pounce on Johnson for second.

Hearn made the move stick on lap 23, taking over the No. 2 spot, and when Ronca had to break his rhythm for a lapped car with two laps to go, Hearn moved in for the kill. But Ronca hit the throttle just in time, and beat Hearn to the finish line by a half-second for his 11th career victory at Albany-Saratoga.

“I'm really lucky to even be racing again, after blowing my engine in practice (in mid-April),” said Ronca, a two-time modified point champion at Albany-Saratoga (1989 and 1992). “I really can't believe it.”

Almost as happy as Ronca was his father, Nick, who watched what his son had to go through years ago when he was forced to retire after breaking his back in an accident at the family's garage.

“You work so hard at it, realizing that you may never win again,” said Nick Ronca. “I am so happy for him.”

Hearn and Johnson finished second and third, respectively, but Johnson was later disqualified when he came up three pounds light on the post-race run over the scales. That moved Ken Tremont Jr. up to third, with A.J. Romano fourth and Jack Johnson fifth.

Completing the top10 were Marc Johnson, Todd Stone, Keith Flach, Tony Kawalchuk and Ron Proctor.

Rob Langevin picked up his first win of the year in the25-lap sportsman feature. Langevin started 10th, but inherited the lead on lap 18 when Mike Ketchum, who was on the point, was forced to drop out. Ken Anatriello finished second, followed by Matt Depew, Chis Busta and Kory Sandstedt.

Alex Bell held off Scott Duell to take the checkered flag in the budget sportsman feature, ending the two-race winning streak of Frank Hoard !!!. Bell started in the front row and set the pace for the first 19 laps, before Duell moved out in front. But Bell made a last-lap pass to get the win.

Kim Duell nailed down his first win of the year in the pro-street stock division, taking the lead on lap nine and outrunning Jeff Washburn, and Ken Conroy charged from his 11th starting position to pick up his first win on the season in the limited division.

The mini-stock features were won by Ray Galusha (six-cylinder) and Jason Dickson (four-cylinder).

A full card of racing is scheduled for Friday, May 16, which will also be CDL Night at the track.

MODIFIEDS: DON RONCA, Brett Hearn, Ken Tremont Jr., A.J. Romano, Jack Johnson, Marc Johnson, Todd Stone, Keith Flach, Tony Kawalchuk, Ron Proctor, Jim Ryan, Mike Perrotte, Matt DeLorenzo, Vince Quenneville Jr., Dustin Delaney, Dave Camara, Gene Munger, John Proctor, Robert King, Jimmy Cottrell, Jim Becker, Don Mattison, Elmo Reckner, Robert Allen, Jeff Trombley. DQ: Ronnie Johnson.

Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series Races #2 & #3 – Rolling Wheels Raceway Park, May 4, 2008 Ferris Mowers presents ‘28th DIRT Challenge Cup Twin 50s’ Big-Block Modified Event Summary
Feature #1
FIN STR CAR# DRIVER
1 2 91 Billy Decker/Unadilla,NY($3,000)
2 1 20 Brett Hearn/Sussex,NJ
3 6 98h Jimmy Phelps/Baldwinsville,NY
4 4 84 Gary Tomkins/Clifton Springs,NY
5 5 9s Matt Sheppard/Waterloo,NY
6 3 fx1 Frankie Caprara/Watertown,NY
7 8 99 Ryan Phelps/Fulton,NY
8 12 77x Dale Planck/Cortland,NY
9 13 27j Danny Johnson/Rochester,NY
10 7 3 Justin Haers/Phelps,NY
11 11 7x Steve Paine/Waterloo,NY
12 25 10 Alan Johnson/Middlesex,NY
13 9 29 Jeff Brownell Jr./Waterloo,NY
14 15 6 Pat O'Brien/Kingston,ONT
15 10 42b Kevin Bates/Lake Ariel,PA
16 21 56 Vince Vitale/Phoenix,NY
17 19 99b Chuck Bower/Lansing,NY
18 20 16 Mike Bowman/Baldwinsville,NY
19 26 21 Derrick Podsiadlo/Penn Yan,NY
20 22 79 Mike Storms/Wantage,NJ®
21 23 8 Rob Bellinger/Dexter,NY
22 28 43 Keith Flach/Ravena,NY
23 27 5 Jason Potter/Pulaski,NY
24 16 49 Billy Dunn/Watertown,NY
25 18 88 Steve Hulsizer/Bridgeport,NY
26 14 62s Tom Sears Jr./Clay,NY
27 24 18 Sean Beardsley/Central Square,NY
28 29 99L Larry Wight/Phoenix,NY®
29 30 44 Shannon Whaley/Pavilion,NY
30 17 48too Dave Rauscher/Waterloo,NY
LAP LEADER: Decker (1-50).
CAUTIONS: 3 (lap 9, lap 31, lap 42).
HEAT WINNERS: Planck, Decker, Hearn, Tomkins.
DIG SAFELY NEW YORK LAST CHANCE RACE WINNERS: Vitale, Storms.
BICKNELL RACING PRODUCTS WINNER AWARD: Billy Decker.
CRANE CAMS WINNER AWARD: Billy Decker.
RISLONE OIL STABILIZER & TREATMENT WINNER AWARD: Billy Decker.
BARS LEAKS RUNNER-UP AWARD: Brett Hearn.
CRANE CAMS RUNNER-UP AWARD: Brett Hearn.
SYRACUSE RITE AID 200 QUALIFIER: Billy Decker (G).
HALFWAY LEADER: Billy Decker.
BERT/KSE RACING PRODUCTS HARD CHARGER AWARD: Alan Johnson.
HOLLEY HARD LUCK AWARD: Billy Dunn.
PENSKE POWER POSITION AWARD (25th): Steve Hulsizer.
INTEGRA SHOCKS FAST TIME AWARD: Dale Planck (20.094sec/111.974mph).
TOTAL PURSE: $13,785
CARS ENTERED: 39.

Feature #2
FIN STR CAR# DRIVER
1 5 77x Dale Planck/Cortland,NY ($3,000)
2 2 7x Steve Paine/Waterloo,NY
3 4 27j Danny Johnson/Rochester,NY
4 11 20 Brett Hearn/Sussex,NJ
5 10 98h Jimmy Phelps/Baldwinsville,NY
6 1 10 Alan Johnson/Middlesex,NY
7 3 3 Justin Haers/Phelps,NY
8 7 fx1 Frankie Caprara/Watertown,NY
9 9 84 Gary Tomkins/Clifton Springs,NY
10 12 91 Billy Decker/Unadilla,NY
11 6 99 Ryan Phelps/Fulton,NY
12 24 49 Billy Dunn/Watertown,NY
13 8 9s Matt Sheppard/Waterloo,NY
14 16 56 Vince Vitale/Phoenix,NY
15 13 29 Jeff Brownell Jr./Waterloo,NY
16 17 99b Chuck Bower/Lansing,NY
17 20 79 Mike Storms/Wantage,NJ®
18 28 99L Larry Wight/Phoenix,NY®
19 21 8 Rob Bellinger/Dexter,NY
20 23 5 Jason Potter/Pulaski,NY
21 22 43 Keith Flach/Ravena,NY
22 15 42b Kevin Bates/Lake Ariel,PA
23 19 21 Derrick Podsiadlo/Penn Yan,NY
24 18 16 Mike Bowman/Baldwinsville,NY
25 26 62s Tom Sears Jr./Clay,NY
26 29 44 Shannon Whaley/Pavilion,NY
27 *27 18 Sean Beardsley/Central Square,NY
28 14 6 Pat O'Brien/Kingston,ONT
DNS 25 88 Steve Hulsizer/Bridgeport,NY
DNS 30 48too Dave Rauscher/Waterloo,NY
*#18 Beardsley started rear in #11j Alan Fink car.
LAP LEADERS: Paine (1-31), Planck (32-50).
CAUTIONS: 2 (lap 37, lap 42).
BICKNELL RACING PRODUCTS WINNER AWARD: Dale Planck.
CRANE CAMS WINNER AWARD: Dale Planck.
RISLONE OIL STABILIZER & TREATMENT WINNER AWARD: Dale Planck.
BARS LEAKS RUNNER-UP AWARD: Steve Paine.
CRANE CAMS RUNNER-UP AWARD: Steve Paine.
SYRACUSE RITE AID 200 QUALIFIER: Dale Planck (G).
HALFWAY LEADER: Steve Paine.
BERT/KSE RACING PRODUCTS HARD CHARGER AWARD: Billy Dunn.
HOLLEY HARD LUCK AWARD: Sean Beardsley.
PENSKE POWER POSITION AWARD (22nd): Kevin Bates.
TOTAL PURSE: $13,785.
NEXT EVENT: Cayuga County Fair Speedway "Hall of Fame 76" - May 25, 2008.
DID NOT QUALIFY(9)
09-Kyle Lewis/Pennellville,NY
1-Darwin Greene/Susquehanna,PA
7-Paul Guererri/Geneva,NY®
7j-Joe Isabell/Pennellville,NY
11j-Alan Fink/Pennellville,NY®
13-Tony Steiner/Jamesville,NY®
14r-Ryan Odasz/Ballston Spa,NY
19h-Chris Higgins/Syracuse,NY®
37c-Eric Fisher/Bluff Point,NY®

QUALIFYING
FAST AVE
TIME MPH CAR# DRIVER
1 20.094 111.974 77x Dale Planck/Cortland,NY
*$100 Integra Shocks Fast Qualifier Award
2 20.197 111.403 91 Billy Decker/Unadilla,NY
3 20.376 110.424 20 Brett Hearn/Sussex,NJ
4 20.384 110.381 98h Jimmy Phelps/Baldwinsville,NY
5 20.414 110.218 7x Steve Paine/Waterloo,NY
6 20.417 110.202 99 Ryan Phelps/Fulton,NY
7 20.558 109.446 6 Pat O'Brien/Kingston,ONT
8 20.581 109.324 84 Gary Tomkins/Clifton Springs,NY
9 20.664 108.885 42b Kevin Bates/Lake Ariel,PA
10 20.690 108.748 29 Jeff Brownell Jr./Waterloo,NY
11 20.711 108.638 3 Justin Haers/Phelps,NY
12 20.719 108.596 9s Matt Sheppard/Waterloo,NY
13 20.768 108.340 8 Rob Bellinger/Dexter,NY
14 20.816 108.090 56 Vince Vitale/Phoenix,NY
15 20.845 107.940 fx1 Frankie Caprara/Watertown,NY
16 20.887 107.723 49 Billy Dunn/Watertown,NY
17 20.898 107.666 48too Dave Rauscher/Waterloo,NY
18 20.917 107.568 62s Tom Sears Jr./Clay,NY
19 20.954 107.378 99b Chuck Bower/Lansing,NY
20 20.993 107.179 16 Mike Bowman/Baldwinsville,NY
21 21.051 106.883 27j Danny Johnson/Rochester,NY
22 21.052 106.878 88 Steve Hulsizer/Bridgeport,NY
23 21.065 106.812 11j Alan Fink/Pennellville,NY®
24 21.071 106.782 79 Mike Storms/Wantage,NJ®
25 21.079 106.741 19h Chris Higgins/Syracuse,NY®
26 21.095 106.660 14r Ryan Odasz/Ballston Spa,NY
27 21.096 106.655 18 Sean Beardsley/Central Square,NY
28 21.143 106.418 44 Shannon Whaley/Pavilion,NY
29 21.191 106.177 99L Larry Wight/Phoenix,NY®
30 21.249 105.887 10 Alan Johnson/Middlesex,NY
31 21.253 105.867 21 Derrick Podsiadlo/Penn Yan,NY
32 21.305 105.609 43 Keith Flach/Ravena,NY
33 21.445 104.920 37c Eric Fisher/Bluff Point,NY®
34 21.450 104.895 5 Jason Potter/Pulaski,NY
35 21.465 104.822 7 Paul Guererri/Geneva,NY®
36 21.492 104.690 7j Joe Isabell/Pennellville,NY
37 21.543 104.442 09 Kyle Lewis/Pennellville,NY
38 21.802 103.202 13 Tony Steiner/Jamesville,NY®
39 21.878 102.843 1 Darwin Greene/Susquehanna,PA

Heat Races (10 laps, top 5 finishers transferred to feature, top 3 went to re-draw)
#1: Planck, Paine, Bates, D.Johnson, Rauscher, Bellinger, Higgins, Wight, Lewis, Fisher.
#2: Decker, R.Phelps, Brownell, Sears, Hulsizer, Potter, Odasz, Steiner, A.Johnson, Vitale.
#3: Hearn, Haers, Caprara, O’Brien, Bower, Beardsley, Podsiadlo, Fink, Greene, Guererri.
#4: Tomkins, Sheppard, J.Phelps, Dunn, Bowman, Storms, Flach, Isabell, Whaley.
Dig Safely New York Last Chance Races: (10 laps, top 5 finishers transferred to feature)
#1: Vitale, Bellinger, A.Johnson, Potter, Wight, Higgins, Steiner, Fisher, Lewis, Odasz.
#2: Storms, Beardsley, Podsiadlo, Flach, Whaley, Isabell, Fink, Guererri, Greene.

Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series Race #1 – Bill Sawyer’s Virginia Motor Speedway, May 1, 2008 Paul Sawyer Memorial presented by Thurston Spring Service, Inc. Big-Block Modified Event Summary
FIN STR CAR# DRIVER
1 5 9s Matt Sheppard/Waterloo,NY ($10,000)
2 6 4 Duane Howard/Oley,PA
3 9 20 Brett Hearn/Sussex,NJ
4 13 7x Steve Paine/Waterloo,NY
5 *12 91 Billy Decker/Unadilla,NY
6 24 84 Gary Tomkins/Clifton Springs,NY
7 17 98h Jimmy Phelps/Baldwinsville,NY
8 10 99L Larry Wight/Phoenix,NY
9 14 1w Billy Pauch/Frenchtown,NJ
10 22 85 Wade Hendrickson/Lawrenceville,NJ
11 7 27j Danny Johnson/Rochester,NY
12 2 15x Billy Pauch Jr./Frenchtown,NJ
13 4 71 David VanHorn/Phillipsburg,NJ
14 25 14 Rick Laubach/Quakertown,PA
15 18 3 Justin Haers/Phelps,NY
16 3 fx1 Frankie Caprara/Watertown,NY
17 27 14j Alan Johnson/Middlesex,NY
18 8 77x Dale Planck/Cortland,NY
19 1 20r Josh Richards/Shinnston,WV
20 29 99 Ryan Phelps/Fulton,NY
21 26 79 Mike Storms/Wantage,NJ
22 28 39w Steve Downs/Georgetown,DE
23 20 357 Stewart Friesen/Niagara-o-t-Lake,ONT
24 30 49 Billy Dunn/Watertown,NY
25 16 19 Tim Fuller/Edwards, NY
26 11 6 Pat O'Brien/Kingston,ONT
27 23 43 Jim Horton IV/Neshanic Station,NJ
28 15 42b Kevin Bates/Lake Ariel,PA
29 21 777 Kevin Bolland/New Brighton,PA
30 19 29 Jeff Brownell Jr./Waterloo,NY
DNS 31 29h Kenny Wallace/St.Louis,MO
*#91 Decker started in rear with back-up car.

Orange County Fair Speedway

April 26th - Modified Results

Feature: 1. Brett Hearn; 2. Jerry Higbie Jr.; 3. Jesse Kline; 4. Jeremy Markle; 5. Gary Edwards Jr.; 6. Colin Jackson; 7. Rick Mill; 8. Dave Werber; 9. David Van Horn Jr.; 10. Craig Mitchell; 11. Butch Tittle; 12. Bob McGannon; 13. Chris Whitehead; 14. Jeff Heotzler Sr.; 15. Mike Kolka; 16. Kirk Horton; 17. Michael Storms; 18. Jeff Heotzler Jr.; 19. Jared Petruska; 20. Eric Palmer; 21. Tommy Meier; 22. Donnie Wilson; 23. Ric Hill; 24. Bruce Kline; 25. Richie Eurich; 26. Chuck McKee.

Heat 1: 1. Hill; 2. Jackson; 3. McKee; 4. Mitchell; 5. B. McGannon; 6. Eurich; 7. Clinton Mills; 8. Joe Puzzella; 9. Jim Bobbitt.
Heat 2: 1. J. Kline; 2. Higbie Jr.; 3. Horton; 4. Edwards Jr.; 5. Kolka; 6. Meier; 7. Heotzler Jr.; 8. Tim Hindley; 9. Billy Wilson.
Heat 3: 1. B. Kline; 2. Markle; 3. D. Wilson; 4. Tittle; 5. Heotzler Sr.; 6. Mill; 7. Danny Creeden; 8. John Guarino; 9. Chris Shultz.
Heat 4: 1. Werber; 2. Hearn; 3. Van Horn Jr.; 4. J. Petruska; 5. Palmer; 6. Whitehead; 7. Storms; 8. Steve Dodd.
Consolation: 1. Eurich; 2. Meier; 3. Whitehead; 4. Mill; 5. Heotzler Jr.; 6. Storms; 7. Hindley; 8. Creeden; 9. Guarino; 10. Dodd; 11. Mills; 12. B. Wilson; 13. Shultz; 14. Puzzella.

 

Albany Saratoga Speedway

4/25/08

Heats - Mike Ronca, Keith Flach, Brett Hearn

1 - Ronnie Johnson
2 - Mike Perrotte
3 - Todd Stone
4 - Tony Kawalchuk
5 - Dave Camara
6 - Elmo Reckner
7 - Brett Hearn
8 - Matt Delorenzo
9 - Ken Tremont
10 - AJ Romano