06/23/2003
FIDANZA TAKES TOP HONORS IN “BUD
75”
By Dave Buchanan
It was surprising to see Sege Fidanza
with a goose egg in the win column after almost 2 full months of racing at the
Lancaster Motorsports Park. A
streak of bad luck during the last 3 races has kept Fidanza out of victory
lane and dropped him from first to fifth in the points.
But during Monday night’s “Bud 75” at Lancaster, Sege Fidanza
proved that he could still live up to the nickname, “Super."
Rainy conditions last Saturday forced
the “Bud 75” to be postponed for the second-straight year, which set up
another edition of “Monday Night Madness” at Lancaster.
Twenty-six modifieds were in the pits, with a handful of outsiders
trying to steal a win from the LMP regulars.
The most notable invaders came from the Southern Tier.
The “Duke” George Kent of Horseheads, NY returned to Lancaster,
where he has won several major races. RoC
tour regular, TJ Potrzebowski, arrived from Elmira, NY with the backup car of
his teammate, Pete Brittain. Plus,
Binghamton-native and RoC tour North Region points leader, Lee Sherwood, made
his first start at Lancaster in almost 10 years in preparation for the RoC
tour race next week.
Ryan Holland drew the pole for the
75-lap main event with former track champion, Kenny Troyer, to his outside.
Holland would lead lap 1, but that would be the only one as Donny
Staubitz took the lead away on lap 2. It
was Staubitz’s first race back after suffering a concussion in a nasty
accident 3 weeks ago.
Fidanza started from the sixth spot
and had worked his way up to second by lap 12 when the first caution of the
race flew. After a couple
attempts at the restart, racing finally resumed and Fidanza took the lead from
the outside of the front row. The
only multi-car pileup of the race came on lap 14, when Tom McGrath got tangled
with another car going into turn 1. McGrath
spun forcing the rest of the field to take evasive actions.
Pole-sitter Ryan Holland wound up in the Thermal Foam in turn 1, ending
his night. Several other cars
spun but everyone else was able to continue.
After that caution there would be a
long stretch of green flag laps, which allowed Fidanza to drive away from the
field. Staubitz hung on to second
while Chuck Hossfeld settled into third. Billy Putney and Kenny Troyer rounded out the top five at
that point. During this time
several drivers managed to creep forward from the middle of the pack. The trio of Kent, Potrzebowski, and Sherwood were running
right behind the top five and were looking to make a late-race run.
Defending race winner, Danny Knoll Jr., was also nearing the front
after starting 24th. It
was Knoll’s first start of the season, as he decided to run a limited
schedule in 2003.
A spin by Karl Hehr on lap 53 brought
the field back together with less than 25 laps to go.
On the restart, it was obvious that points-leader Billy Putney was
having handling problems with his car and began dropping back through the
field. This allowed George Kent to temporarily get into the top five. Putney
would head to the pits during the next caution on lap 65, when Tim Mangus spun
and went into the foam in turn 2. The
88 of Putney would salvage a ninth place finish.
In the closing laps it was obvious
that this race was going to be decided by Fidanza and Staubitz.
Both drivers were excellent during several late-race restarts with less
than 5 laps to go, however Fidanza’s car showed signs of tire wear.
Staubitz pressed hard but the slick veteran proved why he has more wins
than anyone else at Lancaster. Fidanza
held the low line and cruised to his first win of 2003 and his 104th
in a Modified at Lancaster. “Super
Sege” also secures a guaranteed starting spot for the US Open in September.
Staubitz was a close second, and Hossfeld third.
The one driver who might have been
under everyone’s radar for most of the night was Chris Finocchario.
Finocchario started 17th but managed to hang out in the top
ten for most of the race and saved his tires to make some key moves later on.
The strategy paid off as he recorded a fourth place finish, which is
his best ever at Lancaster.
Three of Lancaster’s support
divisions were also in action Monday night, with two having first time feature
winners. Bobby Holmes of
Lockport, NY was a first-time winner in the Bobcat of Buffalo Sportsman.
It was further proof that this rookie was for real after posting top
five finishes in almost every race this year.
He inherited the lead after fellow rookie, Mike Rogers, blew a tire
while leading with less than 4 laps to go.
The other first time winner was Kyle
Sharpe in the Glen Campbell Chevrolet Street Stocks.
Sharpe held off the only other feature winners in the division this
season, Jim Offhaus and Bobby Hanel, to capture his first win.
Sharpe had a large lead over the duo until a late race caution cut lead
down to nothing. When the race
restarted Offhaus and Hanel were all over his back bumper but neither could
get by. Sharpe also snapped the
5-race win streak of Jim Offhaus, who fell one spot short of a sixth win.
In the Jerry Gradl Motors Super
Stocks, Wayne Stevens led all 20 laps of a caution-free race to win his first
win in almost a year. Cory Sawyer
rode in Stevens’s tire tracks all race long but could not get around him and
finished second. Wayne Bernhard,
Jeff Merritt, and Doug Evans completed the top five.
The
fun never stops at the Lancaster Motorsports Park as the month of June comes
to a close. This Friday, Mighty
Taco presents our annual “Night of Fire” featuring the jet-powered funny
cars of Al and Rich Hanna. Along
with a full night of IHRA drag racing there will also be wheelstanders and a
huge fireworks display. Time
trials start at 5 PM with eliminations at 7 PM.
Saturday night is Autograph Night for the stock cars starting at 6 PM. Come meet the stars that drive the cars in a special on-track
autograph session. The Late
Models will rejoin the racing program that is presented by Stockmohr Roofing.
Sources: Dave
Buchanan/Lancaster Motorsports Park
Posted: June 24, 2003
