June
1st, 2007
McMULLEN
BREAKS DRY SPELL IN NASCAR MODS, T.J. BACK IN SST HEAVEN,
AMY RETURNS TRIUMPHANTLY
By Gary M.
Spaid
WILLIAMSON,
NY…It was a strange night last Friday at Spencer
Speedway. The full moon, a “blue moon”, and the skies
overcast with heavy humid air seemed to have a eerie
effect. But on track the racing was fast and furious.
In the
NASCAR Modifieds Tim McMullen finally broke his long dry
spell of making it into victory lane, by pulling away from
the rest of the field in the final laps to claim the
30-lap NASCAR Modified feature. McMullen’s last time in
the Spencer victory lane was September 2, 2005.
“I am
glad to be back after that dry spell,” stated McMullen.
“We have a good car this year and if the track title
falls our way that would be ok. But if it doesn’t, that’s
ok too as we are out to have fun this year.”
The STT
feature saw an unusual number of yellow flags. In the end
it was T.J. Potrzebowski taking the 25-lap feature win.
The week before Potrzebowski had claimed the checkers but
fallen prey to a post race technical infraction that saw
him put back to the last car on the lead lap. This week
all went well and T.J. picked up the victory.
“This
car is even faster after making the change we needed to do
last week,” elated Potrzebowski. “This number 51 crew
has done a great job.”
Amy
Catalano made her return to the Street Stocks a memorable
one as she easily claimed the feature win. Catalano later
stated she would be back on a limited schedule this year.
“I want
to thank Bob (Minacapelli) for giving me this ride
tonight,” she related. “I’ll be able to make about
six more races this season. Currently three of my four
children are racing microds and that takes up a lot of my
time.”
In the
Super Six division it was Kris Hillegeer picking up his
third feature win of the season. A special appearance by
the Legend Cars saw Justin Petkosky earn his second
Spencer Legend Car victory of the year.
The 30-lap
NASCAR feature saw outside pole sitter Patsy Catalano grab
the lead at the drop of Larry Woodruff’s green flag. A
spin in the third turn allowed the lap to be completed but
the race went yellow immediately. On the restart it was
Tim McMullen who was able to use the outside line to take
the lead from Catalano.
A second
spin in the third turn saw the second yellow flag of the
event come out. Involved in this melee were Mark
Tychoniewicz and Dean DeMarree.
On this
restart Patsy tried the outside but fell short down the
back stretch as McMullen was able to defend his lead. The
third yellow of the race came on lap eight when newcomer
Sege Fidanza, driving a brand new Troyer, was touched from
behind by Buck Catalano entering the third turn. Both cars
slide off the turn, but returned to the back of the field
for the restart.
McMullen,
Patsy Catalano and Mike Leaty were now able to break free
from the rest of the field. Within ten more laps, McMullen
broke free of Catalano and Leaty, to build a five car
advantage in the lead.
A late
race caution, lap 22, came when Tom Kinsella and Buck
Catalano came together exiting the fourth turn. Kinsella
was sent spinning across the infield grass and back out on
the main straight away. Both cars were able to return to
the race.
As the
checkers fell it was McMullen with the victory followed by
Leaty, Patsy Catalano, T.J. Potrzebowski and Fidanza
rounding out the top five.
A full
field of 24 SST Modifieds took the green flag in what was
going to turn out to be a lengthy feature. Before a lap
could be completed the field of 24 was down to 22, as a
multi car accident between turns three and four took
place. A second attempt to start the race saw last week’s
winner Kirk Rutherford spin into the infield in the second
turn. He was able to return to the back of the pack.
Finally
the race was green with Dean DeMarree in the lead ahead of
Chris Meyn and Daryl Lewis Jr. Meyn saw his race become
much more difficult on lap six when he spun in the second
turn to bring out the third yellow of the race. The
restart cost DeMarree as Jeff Hamman slide by for the
lead.
On the
move was former SST track champion Bill Hebing. Hebing
moved into fourth before the yellow flew, lap eight when
Andy Lewis spun in the fourth turn. The restart saw a wild
melee take place in the second turn. Seven cars were
directly involved in the accident. Three of these cars
could not return immediately; Rutherford, rookie Phil
Wehrheim and Chris Finocchario.
T.J.
Potrzebowski was able to take the lead on the restart from
Hamman. Hebing then passed Hamman for second. But before
any dicing between these three leaders the yellow flew for
the sixth time. A five car incident took place in the
fourth turn triggered by contact between Kevin Timmerman
and Toad Bradshaw.
The race
looked to go green for the next few circuits with
Potrzebowski leading Hebing and Hamman. Two more yellows
slowed the race, laps 19 and 20 for minor spins.
The race
finally came to the wire with Potrzebowski taking the
victory. Hamman inched out Hebing for second. Lewis Jr.
and DeMarree rounded out the top five finishers.
In Street
Stock action the 20-lap feature would go green-to-checkers
with Amy Catalano taking the lead from Roger Worden on lap
three. Amy then stretched out her lead to nearly a
three-quarter of a straight away over Bobby Lippa Jr.. At
the checkers it would be Amy with the win followed by
Lippa Jr., Worden, Jim Steffenhagen Jr. and Don Stevens.
The Super
Six 15-lap feature saw Billy Semmler and Kris Hillegeer
break away from the rest of the pack to nearly a half lap
advantage. On lap eight, leader Semmler slowed, allowing
Hillegeer to take the lead for good. Patti Davenport, who
has finished third during the first three features run
this year at Spencer, was able to take second at the
checkers. She was followed by Cassandra Johnstone, Keith
Butler and Frank Parsons.
The second
special appearance of Legend Cars this year saw a small
field of just four cars on hand. Up front in the 15-lap
feature the racing was hot and heavy between Justin
Petkosky, the winner of the division’s first outing at
Spencer, and Brad Salatino. Petkosky was able to claim his
second win of the year at Spencer.
This
Friday, June 8, NASCAR racing returns to the fast half
mile Spencer oval with NASCAR Modifieds, SST Modifieds,
Street Stocks and Super Sixes. Joining these four
divisions on the race card that night will be the NORA 360
Supermodifieds. Race time starts at 7 p.m. sharp.
SPENCER
NOTES: The National Guard Nextel Cup Show Car was on
display behind the grandstands….A National Guard Humvee,
complete with the American flag flying paced the first
race out of the pit area for the evening…The field of
SST’s keeps growing weekly at the speedway. This week 25
cars were on hand. Alva English was unable to take the
green for the feature…Sege Fidanza made his first
appearance at Spencer since running in a fifty lap ROC
qualifier a few year ago.
Spencer
Speedway is located just fifteen minutes east of
Rochester, NY , along Route 104, in the Town of
Williamson.
USG
DRYWALL-NATIONAL GUARD NIGHT SUMMARY
SUPER SIX
HEAT: B.
Semmler, K. Hillegeer, P. Davenport, C. Johnstone, F.
Parsons.
FEATURE
(15-laps): KRIS HILLEGEER, Patti Davenport, Cassandra
Johnstone, Keith Butler, Frank Parsons, Bunny Bennett,
Billy Semmler.
LEGEND
CARS
HEAT: B.
Salatino, J. Petkosky, J. Decker, C. Bolhman.
FEATURE
(15-laps): JUSTIN PETKOSKY, Brad Salatino, Chris Bolhman,
Jeff Decker
STREET
STOCKS
HEAT: A.
Catalano, R. Worden, B. Lippa Jr., J. Steffenhagen Jr., D.
Stevens.
FEATURE
(20-laps): AMY CATALANO, Bobby Lippa Jr., Roger Worden,
Jim Steffenhagen Jr., Don Stevens, John VanHooydonk,
Willie Strusz, Ryan Corso, Jeff Parent, Tommy Carino Jr.
(DNS)
SST
MODIFIEDS
HEAT 1:
T.J. Potrzebowski, D. Lewis Jr., J. Polaski, J. Hamman, J.
Pringle.
HEAT 2: B.
Hebing, D. DeMarree, K. Meyn, T. Hanbury, M. Lees.
HEAT 3: T.
Cheetham, C. Finocchario, K. Rutherford, R. Beeman, S.
Malin.
FEATURE
(25-laps): T.J. POTRZEBOWSKI, Jeff Hamman, Bill Hebing,
Daryl Lewis Jr., Dean DeMarree, Terry Cheetham, Tony
Hanbury, Matt Lees, Andy Lewis, Kris Meyn, Kevin
Timmerman, Jeff Pringle, Scott Combs, Kirk Rutherford,
Ryan Beeman, Fred Taylor, Chris Finocchario, Jeff Polaski,
Phil Wehrheim, Steve Malin, Mike Florio, Toad Bradshaw,
Ron Wildey II, Tom Fecteau, Alva English (DNS).
NASCAR
MODIFIEDS
HEAT 1: B.
Catalano, T. McMullen, T. Smith, M. Tychoniewicz, D.
DeMarree.
HEAT 2: P.
Catalano, E. Hawkins, S. Fidanza, T. Kinsella, M. Leaty.
FEATURE
(30-laps): TIM McMULLEN, Mike Leaty, Patsy Catalano, T.J.
Potrzebowski, Sege Fidanza, Eddie Hawkins, Todd Smith,
Buck Catalano, Mark Tychoniewicz, Tom Kinsella, Dean
DeMarree, Terry Cheetham.
APPLEJACK
FEHRENBACH MEMORIAL NIGHT SUMMARY
SUPER SIX
HEAT: B.
Semmler, K. Hillegeer, P. Davenport, F. Parsons, C.
Butler.
FEATURE
(15-laps): KRIS HILLEGEER, Billy Semmler, Patti Davenport,
Craig Butler, Cassandra Johnstone, Courtney “Bunny”
Bennett, Frank Parsons.
STREET
STOCKS
HEAT: T.
Carino Jr., J. VanHooydonk, B. Lippa Jr., R. Worden, R.
Corso.
FEATURE
(20-laps): BOBBY LIPPA JR., Tommy Carino Jr., Jim
Steffenhagen Jr., Willie Strusz, Don Stevens, John
VanHooydonk, Ryan Corso, Roger Worden
SST
MODIFIEDS
HEAT 1: M.
Florio, D. DeMarree, M. Lees, K. Rutherford, C.
Finocchario.
HEAT 2:
T.J. Potrzebowski, J. Hamman, T. Cheetham, K. Meyn, A.
Lewis.
HEAT 3: D.
Lewis Jr., B. Hebing Jr., K. Timmerman, T. Bradshaw, A.
English.
FEATURE
(25-laps): KIRK RUTHERFORD, Mike Florio, Chris Finocchario,
Jeff Hamman, Daryl Lewis Jr., Dean DeMarree, Terry
Cheetham, Kevin Timmerman, Kris Meyn, Andy Lewis, Alva
English, Phil Wehrheim, Ryan Beeman, Scott Combs, Jeff
Polaski, Tom Fecteau, Toad Bradshaw, Jeff Pringle, T.J.
Potrzebowski, Steve Malin, Bill Hebing Jr., Matt Lees.
NASCAR
MODIFIEDS
HEAT: P.
Catalano, M. Leaty, B. Catalano, T.J. Potrzebowski, E.
Hawkins
FEATURE
(30-laps): MIKE LEATY, Patsy Catalano, Tim McMullen, T.J.
Potrzebowski, Buck Catalano, Todd Smith, Eddie Hawkins,
Mike Tychoniewicz, Dean DeMarree, Scott Bleskoski, Jimmy
Zacharias.
