9/6/2004

"PISTOL PETE" BRITTAIN POWERS TO VICTORY IN RoC MOD TOUR "LABOR DAY 75"

The Sunoco Race of Champions Modified Tour returned to Wyoming County International Speedway for their annual event at the 1/3-mile bullring. The RoC Tour highlighted a great weekend of entertainment at WCIS as part of the "Labor Day Party Weekend" which also included the Speed Country Jamboree on Saturday night. Twenty-four of the best Modified drivers in the Northeast would do battle to decide the "Labor Day 75" and the 2004 RoC Tour North Region champion. 

Pete Brittain of Oakhurst, NJ started on the pole for the 75-lap feature, just one week after clinching the RoC Central Region championship at Mahoning Valley Speedway. Brittain was not behind the wheel of his familiar #99 car, but instead was instead driving the Terry Zacharias-owned Sunoco Race Fuels #71. While it was Brittain's first time driving that car at WCIS, the car was driven by Chris Zacharias in three the previous Modified races at WCIS. 

Brittain quickly established that he was the car to beat. He hooked up with Rusty Smith to pull away from the field during the first 15-20 laps of the race. Eric Beers would run third during that time. Beers made a surprise appearance in the Horwith Racing #19, after competing in the NASCAR Modified event at Waterford, CT the night before. 

Zane Zeiner of Bath, PA came into the event fourth in the RoC North Region standings. He was in a tight points battle with Tony Hanbury, George Kent, and TJ Potrzebowski for the regional title. Zeiner won the first heat, but would be unlucky in the redraw selecting the 12th starting spot. He would emerge from the sixth row on the starting grid and quickly work through the top ten. Zeiner would crack the top five by lap 17 and would pass Rusty Smith for second on lap 24. 

After a stretch of green flag laps early on, a series of cautions would bring the race to almost a halt during the middle stages. Brittain and Zeiner would test each other during the string of restarts that followed each yellow. Brittain would remain in front of Zeiner, while George Kent and Tony Hanbury moved up to third and fourth respectively. 

Kent and Hanbury were not only racing for track position, but also the regional championship. Following a lap 37 restart, they would make contact entering turn three. Kent spun and hit the wall. While RoC officials tried to handle the situation, the drivers took matters into their own hands and were both parked for the rest of the race. Hanbury and Kent would be credited with finishing just outside of the top 15 which hurt their chances for the title. The points picture would change again on lap 38 when TJ Potrzebowski plowed into the turn three wall with Matt Wentz. Potrzebowski would go several laps down in the pits while making repairs. 

This left Zeiner as the only driver in the title hunt that was still on the track and on the lead lap. He continued to follow Brittain around the track as the race drew closer to the end. Zeiner tried to make several attempts to take the lead but was unsuccessful. Alex Hoag came storming through the field on fresher tires and was able to pass Zeiner for second with less than five laps to go. He then went at Brittain in the final two laps to try and steal the win. Hoag pulled down the inside of Brittain coming off turn four as they raced to the checkered flag, but would come up short by a car length. "Pistol Pete" Brittain survived all the challenges and would lead from green to checkered for his first win of the year in the Race of Champions tour. 

Alex Hoag would earn his best ever finish on the tour with the second place effort. Zane Zeiner would manage to finish third, but it wouldn't be enough to secure the RoC Tour North Region Championship as Tony Hanbury won the title. Matt Hirschman and Billy Putney benefited from fresher tires late in race to record top five finishes. Hanbury and Brittain will now be tied for the lead in the overall point standings heading into the two combined region events that complete the RoC Tour schedule. 

The SST Sportsman competed in a special 50-lap feature which was also a qualifier for the Race of Champions at the Oswego Speedway. Richard Thomas started on the pole and led through the first 35 laps of the race. Ron Williams would get by Thomas to take lead and would lead the final 15 laps to secure yet another win at WCIS. Thomas would take home second, with Dick Kluth finishing third. Tioga Motorsports Park regular, Wayne Lent, finished fourth to acquire some bonus points for the SST Series. Tom Wiest completed the top five. 

Ken Barber dominated the 20-lap Street Stock feature.for his sixth win of the season. Richard Thomas filled in for Bob Herman driving the WYCO #1 and finished second after great battle with Don Pringle. Wayne Semmel and Fred Siebert completed the top five. 

Mike Burley was awarded his first career 4-Cylinder WASP feature win after the race was ended after 13 laps. WCIS officials ended the race following a wild wreck by Shane Lisk and Bill Verwys as they battled for the lead. 

Dave Wollaber returned to victory lane in the Casey's Midget Series. Wollaber dominated the race, leading 17 of 20 laps after taking lead from Dan Daswell on lap three. D.J. Sossong, Jim Fleischman, Chad Haywood, and Dadswell finished in the top five. Charlie DiRosa clinched the Casey's Midget Series championship just by taking the green flag. 

Next week, September 12, WCIS will wrap up the regular season with the 2004 Season Championships. It will be the final points races for the SST Sportsman, Street Stocks,and 4-Cylinder WASPs. It will also be the fourth race in the Late Model Madness series. Racing starts at 2:30 PM. 

RESULTS 

SUNOCO RACE OF CHAMPIONS MODIFIED TOUR "LABOR DAY 75" 

Heat Winners - Zane Zeiner, Rusty Smith, George Kent 

Feature - PETE BRITTAIN, Alex Hoag, Zane Zeiner, Matt Hirschman, Bill Putney, Eric Beers, Mark Tychoniewicz, Rusty Smith, Jeff Ulrich, John Markovic, Bill Kosachook, Kevin Lewis, T.J. Potrzebowski, Kenny Troyer, J.R. Kent, Matt Wentz, Bobby Osgood, Tony Hanbury, George Kent, Earl Paules, Wesley Swartout, Rick Kluth, John DeMinck, and Tyler Haydt. DNS: Terry Zacharias. 

SST SPORTSMAN 

Heat Winners - Richard Thomas, Patti Pruitt 

Feature - RON WILLIAMS, Richard Thomas, Dick Kluth, Wayne Lent, Tom Wiest, Ricky Knapp Jr., Dan Hoag, Mike Logsdon, Billy Ray Pruitt, Patti Pruitt, Tim Gullo, Steve West, Paul Jorgensen, Butch Harris, and Mike VerWeire. DQ: Jim Love. 

STREET STOCKS 

Heat Winner - Ken Barber 

Feature - KEN BARBER, Richard Thomas, Don Pringle, Wayne Semmel, Fred Siebert, Steve Vinyard, Joe Mooney, John VanHooydonk, and Duane Evans. 

4- CYLINDER WASPS 

Heat Winner - Bill Verwys 

Feature - MIKE BURLEY, Nick Welshans, Rory Walker, Bill Tierson, and Josh Beardsley. DQ: Shane Lisk, Bill Verwys. DNS: Emily Bixby, Tim Welshans. 

CASEY'S MIDGET SERIES 

Heat Winners - Dan Dadswell, Dave Wollaber 

Feature - DAVE WOLLABER, D.J. Sossong, Jim Fleichmann, Chad Haywood, Dan Dadswell, Justin Mapes, Gordon Steffan, Corey Graves, Joe Brzezowski, Charlie DiRosa, A.J. Hessler, Mel Raab, and Vinny Christiano Jr. 

RACE OF CHAMPIONS MODIFIED TOUR NORTH REGION FINAL TOP 15 DRIVER POINT STANDINGS after 9/5/04
Pos. Driver North Points Combination Points
1. Tony Hanbury______ 212/510
2. Zane Zeiner_______ 197/495
3. T.J. Potrzebowski__ 185/465
4. George Kent______ 183/475
5. Matt Hirschman____ 177/465
6. Pete Brittain______ 175/450
7. Rusty Smith_______ 161/415
8. J.R. Kent_________ 156/395
9. Billy Putney_______ 154/380
10. Alex Hoag_______ 135/365
11. Earl Paules______ 132/365
12. John Markovic____ 130/350
13. Lee Sherwood____ 115/320
14. Rick Kluth________ 100/320
15. Matt Wentz________ 94/310
* Combination points are based on position breakdown, heat wins and a 15 point bonus for attending all central and north region events.

Source:  Dave Buchanan/Wyoming County International Speedway PR
Additions/corrections by Mark Southcott/NYRaceZone.com
Posted:  September 6, 2004