06/14/2003
MANGUS PUTS ON A MONSTER OF
A SHOW
By Dave Buchanan
Tim Mangus gave the folks from Wilbert’s Buick & GM
Parts a night to remember at Lancaster Motorsports Park last Saturday. Mangus
dominated the 30-lap Visteon Modified feature to grab his second win of the
season on Wilbert’s night at LMP. Wilbert’s has sponsored Mangus for over
a decade, but this was the first time he has won with Wilbert’s in the
house. “I’ve been trying to win this race for ten years,” exclaimed
Mangus in victory lane, “but we’ve always managed to screw up.”
Mangus’s win capped off an exciting night at Lancaster,
which featured the monster trucks of the WWE putting on an awesome
car-crushing show in the infield. With the monster trucks and the first taste
of summer-like temperatures in Western New York, the grandstands were filled
to capacity with race fans of all ages.
The Visteon Modified feature got off to a rocky start, with
the cars of Dave Wollaber, Matt Alix, and Rich
Littlefield getting tangled up in turn 2 on the opening lap. Alix and
Littlefield were able to continue, while Wollaber was in and out of the pits
for the rest of the race. Tim Mangus started fourth and didn’t waste any
time in getting to the front. By lap 4 he was in the tire tracks of
pole-sitter and race leader, Brett Scherrer and was knocking on the door for
the lead. Mangus saw that outside pole-sitter, Kenny Troyer, had no luck
trying to pass Scherrer on the inside earlier in the race, so he went to
outside lane. Mangus went to the outside and zoomed past Scherrer on lap 5.
Problems continued for Sege Fidanza, who can’t seem to buy
a break this season. On lap 7, he turned around Tom McGrath in turn 3 and was
sent tail for rough riding. Following the restart, Fidanza was caught in a
pile up in turn 1 when Jeff Ulrich and Chris Finocharrio got turned around.
Fidanza spun trying to avoid the wreck but plowed into Finocharrio.
After the restart on lap 8, the race would be taken over by
Mangus who took off like a rocket during the final 22 laps for the win.
Outside pole-sitter Kenny Troyer drove to a second place finish. Billy Putney,
who had his win streak snapped after two races, finished third.
John Julicher christened his brand new tube-framed Late
Model with a win in its first outing in the Tops Markets Late Models. Julicher
took the lead from long-time rival and defending track champion, Ron Nurmi,
and then drove away from the field for his first win of the year. It marked
Julicher’s 67th career win behind the wheel of a Late Model at Lancaster and
he celebrated it with a display of smoky doughnuts on the front stretch. Todd
Hoddick posted yet another top five finish with his second place finish.
Holland Speedway-regular Dan Domanowski finished third,
which gives him back-to-back top five finishes in his last 2 starts at
Lancaster.
Jerry Gradl Jr. made his second trip to victory lane in the
Bobcat of Buffalo Sportsman. Gradl wrestled the lead away from Ed Weber at the
halfway point of the 20-lap race to secure the win. Nick Cappelli chased down
Gradl in the closing laps but ran out of time, and had his win streak broken
after two. Ed Weber salvaged a third plave finish. All top 3 finishers
received a $100 bonus from the division’s sponsor, Bobcat of Buffalo. John
Frenschu from Bobcat was in victory lane to present Gradl with his bonus,
which came right out of his pocket.
In the Jerry Gradl Motors Super Stocks, Terry Weldy paced
the field for his second win of 2003. Weldy took the lead from outside pole
sitter Ed Collver, and then drove away from the field for his 12th career
Super Stock win. Doug Evans followed him across the start/finish line for his
second-straight second place finish. Evans has been a consistent top five
runner all season long but keeps coming up short in his search for a first
win. Jeff Merritt, Jay Mudra, and Wayne Bernhard completed the top five.
Jim Offhaus continues his unbeatable performance in the Glen
Campbell Chevrolet Street Stocks. “Awesome” Offhaus captured his
fifth-straight feature win in dominating fashion. He inherited the lead after
leaders Tom Agen and Frank Green tangled with the lap car of Lou Easterday on
lap 7. Bobby Hanel finished second to Offhaus once again, while Jason Lovell
finished third.
Next week, June 21st, Lancaster Motorsports Park will play
host to some of the biggest Modified drivers in New York as LMP hosts its
annual “Bud 75” for the Mods. Invaders from around
the state will try and take down the best of Lancaster in a 75-lap slugfest.
It’s the first leg of Lancaster’s “Big 4” Modified events this season
which include the Race of Champions tour “Firecracker 50” on July 3rd, the
Mr. Modified 50 on August 23rd, and the US Open 125 on September 28th. The
Mighty Modifieds will be part of a full card of racing that starts at 6 PM.
Sources: Dave
Buchanan/Lancaster Motorsports Park
Posted: June 15, 2003
