August
24th, 2007
BUCK DEDICATES HIS WIN TO JOHN BLEWETT III, TIMMERMAN TOPS
SST RUN..IT WAS BACK-AND-FORTH IN THE SS POINT RACE - by Gary M.
Spaid
WILLIAMSON,
NY…A full night of racing was rushed along when
lightening was spotted to the south of the speedway. Buck
Catalano won his second NASCAR Modified 30-lapper and then
taking a Polish Victory lap with the checkers. For
Catalano it was his 37th feature win in the NASCAR
Modifieds, just two wins short of tying George Kent, who
sits fourth on the all time win list with 39 victories.
“I want
to dedicate this win to John Blewett III. I raced with him
on many occasions. He will be missed by all of the
competitors and fans alike,” stated Catalano in victory
lane.
The
caution filled SST Modified feature was won by Kevin
Timmerman. Timmerman also dedicated his win, only this
time for his grandmother who recently passed away.
In Street
Stock action there were double features, with the first
20-lapper being held over from August 10. In the first
20-lapper it was Bobby Lippa Jr. taking the win, his fifth
of the year. His win allowed him to take the points lead
temporally. Lippa indicated he had power steering problems
in his victory lane interview.
The second
20-lapper was won by Jim Steffenhagen Jr., who dedicated
his win to Sherri Kline, the wife of the owner of the
number 81 SST Modifieds. Sherri recently lost a battle
with cancer. Steffenhagen’s win surged him back into the
points lead by one point over Lippa Jr, who dropped out
early with steering problems.
The Super
Six division ran a 12-lap main event for double points.
Billy Semmler won his eighth feature win of the season.
The 30-lap
NASCAR Modified feature started off under yellow as Cody
Jenkins looped his number 92 in the third turn. Up front
T.J. Potrzebowski was leading followed by Eddie Hawkins,
Patsy Catalano and Buck Catalano. Both Catalanos
maneuvered into second and third. Then on lap 11, with
Buck leading the way, they both shot under Potrzebowski
down the backstretch.
The
remainder of the race saw Buck leading the way followed by
his son Patsy and Potrzebowski. Mike Leaty moved into
fourth with Tim McMullen taking up fifth. One final yellow
flew with one lap remaining, again for a spin by Jenkins.
This set up a green-white-checker finish that saw the
running order remain the same.
The 25-lap
SST Modified feature saw a number of yellows slow the race
as 23 cars started the event. Jeff Polaski lead the way
until lap nine, when Kevin Timmerman got by him on a
restart. Timmerman would remain the leader though he had
to restart, and hold the lead of the race, eight more
times due to the yellow flags.
Most of
the yellow flags were for minor spinning around the track.
Involved in spin outs were Polaski, Gary Walker, Jeff
Pringle, Tom Fecteau, Alva English, Phil Wehrheim, Ron
Wildey II, Andy Lewis and Scott Combs.
Up front
Jeff Hamman tried as he may to get by Timmerman. Hamman
was able to pull along side of Timmerman on several
occasions, but was not able to complete his pass. A battle
also ensued for third between Tony Hanbury and T.J.
Potrzebowski. Ryan Beeman ran one of his best races of the
year running in fifth.
At the
finish line it was Timmerman taking his second SST feature
win of the year, followed by Hamman, Potrzebowski, Hanbury
and Beeman.
The first
20-lap Street Stock feature, held over by curfew, from
August 10, saw a yellow flay as the field completed the
first lap. Roger Worden bounced off the wall exiting the
fourth turn and into the path of points leader Jim
Steffenhagen Jr. Both cars sat out the remainder of the
race,
Bobby
Lippa Jr. saw the opening he needed to take the points
lead and went on to win the 20-lapper. Following Lippa
across the finish line were Willie Strusz, Ryan Corso, Don
Stevens and Tommy Carino Jr.
“My
power steering let go with five laps remaining,” stated
Lippa in victory lane, setting the stage for a points
reversal in the second feature.
The second
20-lap Street Stock feature saw Steffenhagen get his car
back into action, starting fifth.
By lap
seven Lippa’s steering issued raised their ugly head.
Lippa slowed on the backstretch and the yellow flew. Lippa
limped his car pit-side and out of the event to record a
last place finish. Steffenhagen then saw his opportunity
to get back the points.
Steffenhagen
had just taken the lead from Phil Alhart Jr, who had lead
from the start of the race. It was now Steffanhagen’s
race to lose. Amy Catalano locked on to the rear bumper of
Steffenhagen as these two pulled away from the rest of the
field. No other yellows flew and it would be Steffenhagen
taking the win, his third win of the year at Spencer.
Catalano finished second followed by a distant Don Stevens
in third. Ryan Corso and Willie Strusz rounded out the top
three finishers.
Double
points were on the line in the Super Six division. Billy
Semmler was able to pass Patti Davenport for the lead on
lap four and shot out to an almost insurmountable lead.
Kris Hillegeer took up the challenge and passed Davenport
for second on lap six. Hillegeer then started to close the
gap on Semmler. By lap nine Hillegeer was on Semmler’s
rear bumper. The final three laps saw Semmler hold off
Hillegeer. On the final lap Hillegeer made an inside move
off the fourth turn but fell short by a few feet of
completing the pass.
Semmler
took the win followed by Hillegeer. Patti Davenport
finished a distant third, nearly a full straight away back
of the lead duo. Cassandra Johnstone and Craig Butler
rounded out the top five.
SPENCER
SPATTER: Racers passed the helmet during the intermission
to raise money for the Blewett children’s educational
fund. A total of just over $911 was collected by the
racers…Threatening weather saw a tremendous lightening
display to the south of the speedway. Officials moved the
program along ending the racing at 10:10 p.m. All victory
lanes were then staged Rains finally hit the area around
10:40 p.m….Jody London returned to the SST ranks for the
first time in 2007…Dean DeMarree allowed Todd Smith the
use of his number 90 modified to help Smith maintain his
point standings.
This
coming Friday will feature a full program of NASCAR
Modifieds, SST Modifieds, Street Stocks and Super Six
machines. Added to the night are the Legend Cars and the
Kids’ Bicycle Races. Kids need to be registered by 6:45
p.m. and have a helmet with them to participate. The SST
Modifieds will also be running a 75-lap feature, their
final extra distance event of the 2007 racing season. Race
time is slated for 7 p.m., just following the Kids’
Bicycle Races.
Spencer
Speedway is located just 15 minutes east of Rochester, NY,
along Route 104 in the Town of Williamson. Each and every
Friday, Spencer is the “NASCAR Place to Race” in the
Upstate New York.
WHELEN
ALL-AMERICAN SERIES NIGHT SUMMARY
SUPER SIX
HEAT: K.
Hillegeer, B. Semmler, P. Davenport, C. Johnstone, F.
Parsons
FEATURE
(12-laps): BILLY SEMMLER, Kris Hillegeer, Patti Davenport,
Cassandra Johnstone, Craig Butler, Frank Parsons, Courtney
Bennett.
STREET
STOCKS
HEAT 1: R.
Corso, A. Catalano, P. Alhart Jr., J. Parent, J.
VanHooydonk.
HEAT 2: D.
Stevens, W. Strusz, J. Steffenhagen Jr., B. Lippa Jr., D.
Burdick.
FEATURE
(20-laps): JIM STEFFENHAGEN JR., Amy Catalano, Don
Stevens, Ryan Corso, Willie Strusz, Phil Alhart Jr., Jeff
Parent, Tommy Carino Jr., Dean Burdick, John VanHooydonk,
Bobby Lippa Jr., Roger Worden (DNS)
HELD OVER
FROM 8/10 FEATURE (20-laps): BOBBY LIPPA JR., Willie
Strusz, Ryan Corso, Don Stevens, Tommy Carino Jr., Jeff
Parent, Amy Catalano, Phil Alhart Jr., John VanHooydonk,
Dean Burdick, Jim Steffenhagen Jr., Roger Worden.
SST
MODIFIEDS
HEAT 1: C.
Finocchario, J. Polaski, T.J. Potrzebowski, T. Cheetham,
F. Taylor.
HEAT 2: J.
Hammon, R. Beeman, D. Lewis Jr., K. Meyn, S. West.
HEAT 3: M.
Lees, K. Timmerman, T. Hanbury, A. Lewis, P. Wehrheim
FEATURE
25-laps): KEVIN TIMMERMAN, Jeff Hamman, T.J. Potrzebowski,
Tony Hanbury, Ryan Beeman, Matt Lees, Chris Finocchario,
Daryl Lewis Jr., Terry Cheetham, Fred Taylor, Steve West,
Andy Lewis, Jeff Polaski, Ron Wildey II, Jeff Pringle, Tom
Fecteau, Scott Combs, Kris Meyn, Alva English, Gary
Walker, Phil Wehrheim, Eric Stritzel, Jody London.
NASCAR
MODIFIEDS
HEAT 1: B.
Catalano, P. Catalano, E. Hawkins, M. Tychoniewicz, T.
Smith.
HEAT 2: T.
McMullen, M. Leaty, T.J. Potrzebowski, T. Kinsella, C.
Jenkins.
FEATURE
(30-laps): BUCK CATALANO, Patsy Catalano, T.J.
Potrzebowski, Mike Leaty, Tim McMullen, Tom Kinsella,
Eddie Hawkins, Todd Smith, Mark Tychoniewicz, Terry
Cheetham, Tom Wiest, Cody Jenkins, Scott Bleskoski.
