September
7th, 2007
TRACK CHAMPIONS CROWNED AND FIVE FEATURES RUN ON ALLSTATE
INSURANCE FINALS NIGHT
by Gary M.
Spaid
WILLIAMSON,
NY… The 2007 NASCAR season came to close last Friday at
Spencer Speedway. Mike Leaty was able to repeat as the
NASCAR Modified track champion finishing second to Tim
McMullen in the 30-lap feature. McMullen did everything he
could possibly do to try and wrench the title form Leaty.
“I’ll
take my one or two wins a year, and pick up the
championship”, related Leaty when asked about his
driving style. “I want to dedicate this championship to
the memory of John Blewett III, who lost his live running
for the lead with his brother at Thompson a few weeks
back.”
The SST
Modified division saw T.J. Potrzebowski claim the track
title following a 25-lap feature.
The Street
Stock points ran entered the night with Bobby Lippa Jr.
leading Jim Steffenhagen Jr. by a point. Following the
heat races and heat points it was Steffenhagen in the lead
by three points. Steffenhagen then went on to win the
20-lap feature and claimed his first championship.
The Super
Six division saw Kris Hillegeer take the feature win but
lose the track title to Billy Semmler. Both Hillegeer and
Semmler stopped at the end of the race and performed a
nose-to-nose burnout with their front wheel drive cars.
The
Legends made the fifth appearance of the year, with David
Polenz winning his third feature in three starts at
Spencer.
The 30-lap
NASCAR Modified main started off with a surprise as Buck
Catalano brought out the first yellow when he drifted high
in the third turn and slowed exiting off the speedway
surface. He was able to work his way to the back of the
field for the restart.
Up front
the race was all Tim McMullen, who passed Tom Kinsella on
the opening lap to take the lead. McMullen was able to
pull away to a three car advantage over Kinsella, until
Mike Leaty passed Kinsella, on lap eight, to take second.
A yellow,
on lap 19, flew when Eddie Hawkins spun to the inside of
the fourth turn. This bunched the field together for the
final ten laps. Young Erick Rudolph had been running third
since lap eight. That ended when Buck Catalano drove under
the youngster through the fourth turn on lap 23 to take
third.
Catalano
was not able to close the gap that McMullen and Leaty held
over him as the checkers flew. Rudolph and Kinsella
rounded out the top five finishers.
“We
probably need to work more on the chassis this year,”
stated McMullen, who was trying to earn his second track
championship. “This is a great way to celebrate my
birthday, with a win, even if we fell short in the point
deal.”
The 25-lap
SST Modified feature saw the green remain out for the
first 15 circuits. Chris Finocchario passed Jeff Polaski
for the lead on lap three. Two laps later Jeff Hamman
challenged Finocchario as these two raced side-by-side.
Hamman, who was looking to make enough points on point
leader T.J. Potrzebowski, fell short and settled back into
second. The yellow flew on lap 15 when Scott Combs slid
off the fourth turn.
The
restart saw Hamman try the outside of Finocchario. Three
laps later Finocchario suddenly turned high between the
third and fourth turn and spun in fluids his car laid
down. This moved Hamman into the lead.
A red flag
flew on lap 20 when Tom Fecteau slid off the first turn
and slammed heavily into the tire wall. Fecteau was
uninjured, but his car was finished for the race.
The final
five laps saw Hamman pull away and take the victory. Kevin
Timmerman came home in second after a last lap pass on
Polaski for the position. Polaski, Potrzebowski and Terry
Cheetham rounded out the top five.
Potrzebowski
earned enough points for his fourth place finish to take
the SST championship.
“T.J.
just had a little better year then us,” declared Hamman.
“We’ll see him next season”
When asked
about the Finocchario spin Hamman recalled, “The 8
slowed and then moved to the top of the track. It was then
I though we could possibly win this one.”
As for
Potrzebowski he said,” At the beginning of the night I
was really nervous. Once we were racing I just tucked in
and played it safe. I was going for a championship
tonight.”
Don
Stevens lost the early lead of the Street Stock 20-lapper
to Jim Steffenhagen Jr. in a race that would run
green-to-checkers. Steffenhagen was not going to be denied
as he took the victory and the 2007 Street Stock title.
Stevens finished second followed by point chaser Bobby
Lippa Jr. Ryan Corso and Willie Strusz rounded out the top
five finishers.
“I have
to thank the ‘James Gang’, I couldn’t have won this
title without them,” declared Steffenhagen Jr.
Also on
hand were the Legend cars for their final point race. The
cars stayed in a pack the entire 15-lap distance. This
close racing allowed for four lead changes between four
different drivers. Dave Polenz took over the lead on lap
nine, as he raced side-by-side with Jason Urso. Urso tried
to regain the front spot, but fell short. Justin Petkosky’s
third place finish earned him the first Legend’s title
at Spencer.
SPENCER
SPATTER: Kevin Timmerman won a special “Allstate
Insurance Hard Charger Award for improving the most
positions in any division. Timmerman moved from 15th to
second, improving 13 spots….Todd Smith was proud to help
present Dean DeMarree with an Allstate Good’s Guys
trophy. DeMarree, who has been out of racing for a month
on doctor’s orders, has lent his car to Todd Smith after
Smith crashed heavily at Spencer. With DeMarree’s help,
Smith was able to finish fifth in track points…Look for
more information about the upcoming Spencer banquet,
scheduled for early October, on the
www.spencerspeedway.org website.
ALLSTATE
INSURANCE 2007 SEASON FINALE NIGHT SUMMARY
SUPER SIX
2007 Track
Champion BILLY SEMMLER
HEAT: K.
Hillegeer, B. Semmler, F. Parsons, K. Butler, P.
Davenport.
FEATURE
(12-laps): KRIS HILLEGEER, Bill Semmler, Keith Butler,
Patti Davenport, Cassandra Johnstone, Bunny Bennett, Frank
Parsons
LEGENDS
2007 Track
Champion: JUSTIN PETKOSKY
HEAT: D.
Polenz, J. Urso, B. Salatino, C. Behlman, J. Petkosky
FEATURE
(15-laps): DAVID POLENZ, Jason Urso, Justin Petkosky, Brad
Salatino, Chris Behlman.
STREET
STOCKS
2007 Track
Champion: JIM STEFFENHAGEN JR.
HEAT 1: J.
Steffenhagen Jr., W. Strusz, D. Burdick, R. Worden, J.
Parent.
HEAT 2: R.
Corso, D. Stevens, B. Lippa Jr., P. Alhart Jr., J.
VanHooydonk.
FEATURE
(20-laps): JIM STEFFENHAGEN JR., Don Stevens, Bobby Lippa
Jr., Ryan Corso, Willie Strusz, Dean Burdick, Phil Alhart
Jr., Roger Worden, John VanHooydonk, Jeff Parent, Tom
Carino Jr. (DNS)
SST
MODIFIEDS
2007 Track
Champion: T.J. POTRZEBOWSI
HEAT 1: J.
Hamman, J. Polaski, M. Lees, R. Beeman, T. Hanbury.
HEAT 2:
T.J. Potrzebowski, C. Finocchario, A. Lewis, J. Pringle,
D. Wildey II.
HEAT 3: T.
Cheetham, E. Stritzel, T. Bradshaw, S. West, S. Combs.
FEATURE
(25-laps): JEFF HAMMAN, Kevin Timmerman, Jeff Polaski, T.J.
Potrzebowski, Terry Cheetham, Tony Hanbury, Toad Bradshaw,
Andy Lewis, Ryan Beeman, Fred Taylor, Jeff Pringle, Matt
Lees, Erich Stritzel, Steve West, Ron Wildey II, Scott
Combs, Tom Fecteau, Jody London, Chris Finocchario, Phil
Johnson.
NASCAR
MODIFIEDS
2007 Track
Champion: MIKE LEATY
HEAT 1: T.
Kinsella, P. Catalano, M. Tychoniewicz, T. Smith, D. Lewis
Jr.
HEAT 2: B.
Catalano, M. Leaty, T. McMullen, E. Rudolph, T. Wiest.
FEATURE
(30-laps): TIM McMULLEN, Mike Leaty, Buck Catalano, Erick
Rudolph, Tom Kinsella, Patsy Catalano, Todd Smith, Mark
Tychoniewicz, Eddie Hawkins, Daryl Lewis Jr., Chris
Ridsdale, Tom Wiest, Scott Bleskoski, T.J. Potrzebowski
(DNS)
*eof
