8/23/2004

JEFF PRICE, MARK BLISS CAPTURE HOLLAND SPEEDWAY VICTORIES

Holland, NY: Mark Bliss of Arcade, NY led all 30 laps in capturing his second NASCAR Sunoco Late Model Pro Stock feature win of the season at Holland Speedway on Saturday evening, while Jeff Price of Orchard Park, NY rolled to the prestigious win in the Bob Bender Memorial 100 for the Cup Lites Series. 

In other Holland action, Steve Hoxie of Bliss, NY earned his second of the year in a thriller of a Pro Modified main, while Bob Slippy of East Concord, NY returned to his winning ways in the Pro Four division and Jerry Carpenter of Angola, NY took the win in a very competitive Challenger feature race. The husband-wife team of Marty and Sharon Hughes of Chaffee, NY also scored checkered flags, with Marty earning his first Charger win of the season and Sharon taking her second consecutive Figure 8 Car main. 

In the Late Model Pro Stock feature race, Mark Bliss outdragged Art Logsdon for the lead at the opening green, then simply drove away from the field in the caution-free event. Bliss at on point enjoyed a nearly full straightaway lead advantage in his Kayak Pools/Patrick Development Grand Prix. Eldon King III started making up ground on Bliss in the later stages of the race, but it was too little, too late, as King's Willey Well Drilling/D&H Excavating Monte Carlo finished about 5 car lengths behind Bliss at the checkers. 

Vern Bliss pulled into third place on lap 15, but had to contend with the ongoing challenges by Neil Hopkins over the last half of the race, edging Hopkins for the number three slot. George Skora III completed the top five. 

Dennis Tybor and Scott Wylie traded the lead early in the Cup Lites 100 lap event, before Tybor firmly settled into the top spot on lap 9. In the meantime, Jeff Price, who had started 12th in the field, was methodically moving his Lake Beverages/Price Trucking Chevy through the field claiming fifth on lap 15 and fourth by the 27th circuit. On lap 33, he edged by Wylie for second, and began his pursuit of Tybor. Price repeatedly tried inside moves, but was rebuffed each time until finally making the move stick and getting by Tybor on the 65th lap. Once out in front, Price overpowered the field, pulling away to earn the win and sweep all three 2004 Holland appearances by the Cup Lites Series. 

Wylie had a strong late race run, challenging Tybor for second in the late going, but fell half a car length short of gaining the spot at the checkers. Shane Riffel advanced from his 15th starting slot to claim fourth, while Bryan Weisenburg enjoyed a race-long run in the top five to grab fifth. Five caution flags slowed the action, the most serious for a lap 19 three car scramble in turn two which eliminated the Glenn Attanasio car for the night. 

The Pro Modified 25-lap race was a good one, as Steve Hoxie raced his Frey Electric/Barber Automotive mount by Jason Kline for the lead on lap 14, then checked the rear view mirror for Neil Hopkins steady advancement. Hopkins slipped by Kline for second on lap 22, then immediately put the pressure on Hoxie, drawing even with him and actually leading by a nerf bar at the white flag. However, on the last lap, Hoxie noted, "I drove as hard as I possibly could into three and four - and it stuck!" That gave Hoxie a run coming out of four, and he held on to beat Hopkins by all of 2 inches in a finish that had officials check the video replay before making the official determination. Kline completed a solid run with a third place finish, after leading the first 13 circuits. 

Marty Hughes raced his South Buffalo Auto Parts Chevelle by Tim Welshans on the third lap of the 20-lap Charger go, but could not shake Welshans. The only caution flag of the race occurred on lap 18 when Jason Dieter blew a radiator hose, setting up a two lap dash to the checkers. Welshans mounted an inside lane challenge, and when Hughes slipped high on the final turn, Welshans dove alongside for a drag race to the finish line - however, Hughes was able to hang on to win by less than 1/2 a car length. Ed Kicinski drove a strong race from his deep in the field starting spot to claim third, while Welshans chief rival for the divisional points lead, Dave Wilson, Jr., finished fourth. 

Earlier in the evening, Marty's wife Sharon Hughes inherited the lead in the 10 lap Figure 8 Car feature go after Greg Urban and Scott Pastorius came together while racing for the lead on lap 5. Sharon then drove on for the victory, her fourth of the year. 

In a race which featured two and three-wide racing in the front pack throughout, Jerry Carpenter played a patient waiting game, and when an opening occurred, jumped on it to grab the victory in the 15-lap feature race for the 8-cylinder strictly stock Challengers. Jim Mallaber crossed the line in second, with Jeff Madill placing third. 

Bob Slippy worked under his son Brian to grab the lead on lap 6 of the 10 lap Pro Four main en route to his ninth win of the season aboard the Slippy's Collision Nissan. Brian Slippy chased his father home in second place, with Michelle Roberts having her best run of the season with a third place showing. 

News and Notes - Eastern New York Late Model ace Chris Ross made an appearance driving the Don Foor Monte Carlo - Chris finished ninth in what amounted to a shakedown run. Points chases in the Late Model Pro Stock, Charger, and Figure 8 Car divisions all very tight as the season starts to wind closer to the double points season championship night on September 11th. 

The strictly stock 4-cylinder Hornets and the ladies-only Queen Bees will join the NASCAR Sunoco Late Model Pro Stocks, Pro Modifieds, Chargers, Pro Fours, and Figure 8 Cars on the Holland Speedway slate for Saturday, August 28. Pit gates will open at 3:30, spectator gates will open at 4:00, and racing will get underway at 6:00 pm. For more information, contact the Speedway office at (716) 537-2272. 

HOLLAND SPEEDWAY RESULTS SUMMARY - Saturday, August 21, 2004 

NASCAR Sunoco LATE MODEL PRO STOCKS - 30 Lap Feature Race: MARK BLISS, Eldon King III, Vern Bliss, Neil Hopkins, George Skora III, Art Logsdon, Bill Matuszak, Mike Fiebelkorn, Jr., Chris Ross, Bill Catania, Jeff Brown, Jr., Rich Higley, Jr., and Eric Sanders. 

Heat Race Winners - Vern Bliss, Bill Matuszak. 

CUP LITES SERIES presented by Graff General Tire: JEFF PRICE, Dennis Tybor, Scott Wylie, Shane Riffel, Bryan Weisenburg, Leo Becker, John Bosch, Kreig Heroth, John McClurg, Kevin Blakely, Dan Tybor, Dan Ulbright, Scott Fritz, Michael Czuprynski, Nelson Rung, Glenn Absolom, Jason Eiseman, Dave Whittaker, and Glenn Attanasio. 

Heat Race Winners - Dennis Tybor, Scott Wylie. 

PRO MODIFIEDS - 25 Lap Feature Race: STEVE HOXIE, Neil Hopkins, Jason Kline, Dave Hannahs, Sherri Hogan, Chuck Anderson, John West, Jim Loffredo, Jeff Ruddy, Steve Kreitzbender, and Randy Jazembak. 

Heat Race Winners - Neil Hopkins, Steve Hoxie. 

CHARGERS - 20 Lap Feature Race: MARTY HUGHES, Tim Welshans, Ed Kicinski, Dave Wilson, Jr., John Grandits, Rob Miszczak, Jerry Kosmowski, Joe Fetzer, Rich Calteaux, Chris Kline, Bill Wise, and Jason Dieter. 

Heat Race Winners - Joe Fetzer, Dave Wilson, Jr. 

PRO FOURS - 10 Lap Feature Race: BOB SLIPPY, Brian Slippy, Michelle Roberts, Mike Eckam, Steve Greenauer, Chad Pusloski, and Sharon Hughes. 

(No heat races run.) 

CHALLENGERS - 15 Lap Feature Race: JERRY CARPENTER, Jim Mallaber, Jeff Madill, Mike McDonald, Rick Roth, Sean Kirsch, Rich Hoch, George Urban, Matt Welshans, Tom Madill, Herschel Twoguns, John Conte, and Nick Schaefer. 

Heat Race Winner - Jim Mallaber. 

FIGURE 8 CARS - 10 Lap Feature Race: SHARON HUGHES, Nick Schaefer, Steve Greenauer, Scott Pastorius, Matt Bove, and Greg Urban. 

Heat Race Winner - Scott Pastorius. 

Source:  Rick Mooney/Holland Speedway PR
Posted:  August 23, 2004