06/02/2003
"MONDAY, MONDAY" IS
GOOD TO BILLY PUTNEY AT LANCASTER
By Dave Buchanan
Lancaster Motorsports Park kicked off the month of June on a
dry and exciting note on Monday night. Back on May 24th the racing program was
halted due to water seeping through the asphalt in turn 3 after heavy rains.
The track was repaired and Mother Nature delivered some raceable weather so
that the program could be completed during another round of “Monday Night
Madness” at Lancaster.
In the Visteon Modifieds, Billy Putney finally received some
good luck, as he was able to win his first feature of the season. The
defending track champion had to deal with a tight-handling racecar and a last
lap challenge from Chuck Hossfeld, but managed to hang on. Putney had led
several times during the first 3 races of the season but always came up short
until Monday night.
The 30-lap feature was plagued by cautions, including one
serious incident. Donny Staubitz Jr. was driving back to one of the cautions
when he got tangled up with Brett Scherrer and hit the back stretch wall very
hard. The back end of his Don’s Auto Body #99 had significant damage but
Staubitz walked away having only been shook up and feeling some soreness. In
post-race inspection, Chuck Hossfeld was disqualified for an illegal
carburetor. Matt Alix was awarded with a second place finish, which is a
career-best for him.
Joe Carbone captured his second Tops Late Model feature of
2003. Carbone had to chase down Tom Macleod, who built up a large lead earlier
in the race, and then held off Todd Hoddick to secure the win. Carbone and
point-leader Bobby Weber have traded wins back and forth during the first 4
races of the season, giving them 2 wins each.
Reigning Bobcat of Buffalo Sports champion, Nick Cappelli,
visited victory lane for the first time in his title defense. Cappelli passed
rookie Bobby Holmes for the lead just around half way and then held off Kirk
Rutherford to take the win. Holmes wound up third and continues an impressive
start to his rookie season having finished in the top five in all 4 races.
Ed Lechner earned his second career feature win in the Jerry
Gradl Motors Super Stocks. Lechner held off a freight train of cars on his
back bumper during the closing laps. All the cars were having problems passing
on the outside and not one car could get under Lechner. The Super Stocks are
becoming one of the most competitive divisions at LMP, featuring some of the
closest racing of the season. There have already been 4 different winners, and
there are at least 6-8 different drivers every week that have the power to get
to victory lane.
Finally, Jim Offhaus the natural hat trick on Monday night
by winning his third-straight Glen Campbell Street Stock feature. After
battling with Bobby Hanel for the first 3 races, Offhaus this time went
head-to-head with defending track champion Frank Green. Hanel finished third
while Rick Widmer and Mike Maggiore finished in the top five for the
third-straight week.
Just as the temperature will hopefully rise during the month
of June in Western New York, so does the racing excitement at Lancaster
Motorsports Park. This Friday, June 6th, Molson Canadian presents the annual
Nitro Funny Car match race featuring Dale Creasy versus Vinny Arcadi. There’s
also a full program of IHRA drag racing beginning at 5 PM. Stock car racing
resumes on Saturday, June 7th, with a full card of racing plus the FM
Communications TQ Midgets, and a Demolition Derby to finish the evening.
Sources: Dave
Buchanan/Lancaster Motorsports Park
Posted: June 3, 2003
