9/4/2004

DAVE WOLLABER AND BOBBY HOLMES CAPTURE DIVISION CROWNS

Lancaster Raceway Park crowned its first two track champions of the 2004 season as the open-wheeled divisions finished up their respective regular seasons. In the Bobcat of Buffalo Sportsman, Bobby Holmes only needed to start the final feature to clinch his first career track title. However, the Advance Auto Parts Modified title was still up for grabs between three drivers. Twenty-three points separated Dave Wollaber, Tim Mangus, and Buck Catalano at the top of the standings with one last race yet to be run. 

With no drivers earning points during the heat races, the 30-lap feature would be Mangus and Catalano's last chance to reel in Wollaber. Wollaber and Mangus would start in row five for the feature, with Catalano starting second last. The race would get off to a shaky start with the caution flag flying at the completion of each of the race's first three laps. Once the pace picked up, Patsy Catalano would take control of the race after passing pole sitter, Eddie Murray, for the lead on lap three. 

Quickly moving through the field from his seventh starting spot was Tom McGrath. By lap eight he was on Catalano's tail and took the lead from him one lap later. McGrath would pull away from the field as everyone began to monitor the progress of the championship contenders. All three drivers ran together during the early stages of the race, but Mangus and Wollaber would have an easier time working through the field as the laps wore down. With a little more than 10 laps to go they were running at the tail end of the top five. 

A caution on lap 20 brought the field together for a final 10 lap dash. After the restart, Mangus's car would not hold on to the race track. He would save the car from spinning on two separate occasions but lost precious track position to Wollaber. Despite his championship hopes fading away, Mangus would salvage a seventh place finish. He secured a second-straight runner up finish in the final point standings. 

As for the leaders, McGrath was able to stay in front of Karl Hehr and Matt Alix through two more late-race restarts to record his fourth win at Lancaster in 2004. For Hehr and Alix it would be their best runs of the season. Wollaber would finish fourth to clinch his first career Lancaster Raceway Park Modified track championship. He now has three career titles at Lancaster, with a pair of TQ Midgets titles in 2000 and 2003. Wollaber can add one more as he leads the Midget standings with one race to go this year. During the 2004 campaign, he scored three Modified feature wins and no DNFs. Twice during the season he managed to win a Midget and a Modified feature in the same night. 

The usually quiet and reserved Wollaber was emotional and jubilant during his celebration in victory lane. "It's the biggest day of my life, it's the biggest accomplishment for this team," said Wollaber, "I'm just blessed to be on a team that's so good." At at the ripe old age of 21, Wollaber now puts his name on the list of Lancaster Modified champions and is now joins the ranks of some of the greatest Modified drivers, past and present. "When you can beat names like Sege Fidanza, Tim Mangus, Buck Catalano.... It really means a lot to us." 

In the Bobcat of Buffalo Sportsman, Justin Shepker would win his second feature of the year as he led 16 of 20 laps. With the win, he secured second place in the final point standings ahead of Jerry Gradl Jr., who finished third. Bobby Holmes completed his championship season with a second place run. Holmes becomes the first third-generation track champion in LRP history. His Grandfather, Bob, was the 1962 Super Modified (now Modified) track champion in the final year of Lancaster being a dirt track. His Uncle, Ross, was the 1973 Street Stock (now Late Model) champion and went on to have a successful career racing dirt and asphalt Modifieds. Holmes, 19, racked up six wins during 2004, adding to the three from his rookie season the year before. He failed to finish in the top five only once. 

Bobby Weber dominated the 25-lap Late Model feature for his third win of the year. While Weber dominated, the points chase for the Late Models took a dramatic turn as Tom MacLeod crashed on the front stretch on lap 14. MacLeod began the night, 17 markers behind John Julicher for the division points lead. MacLeod gained six points when he won his heat race but would lose the ground he made up with his tenth place finish. Julicher finished seventh and his lead went back to 17 points, unofficially. 

It was another down to the wire, last lap winning pass to decide the Jerry Gradl Motors Super Stock feature. Mark Hoch led the first 19 laps, but would fall short to Rich Skora at the end of the final circuit. Skora and Hoch battled side by side for the final five laps before Skora pulled ahead at the line by just inches. The win, coupled with a third place finish by Wayne Bernhard, gives Skora an unofficial six-point lead in the division standings. 

Jim Stein captured his first career checkered flag in the Glen Campbell Chevrolet Street Stocks. Stein started on the pole and led all 15 laps but it wasn't an easy win for "Kid Lightning." Points leader, Frank Batista Jr., hounded Stein for 10 of those laps including a late race restart that set up a four lap dash to the finish. Stein stayed strong for the last remaining laps to secure the victory. Jim Offhaus, Tim Garlock, and John Shurmatz completed the top five. 

The Late Models, Super Stocks, and Street Stocks will conclude their seasons next week, September 11, on "Fabulous 50s night." All three classes will run 50-lap features to wrap up the regular season, with guaranteed starting spots for the Race of Champions at Oswego Speedway on the line for the race winners. The TQ Midgets will also complete their season as well with racing getting underway at 6 PM. 

RESULTS 

ADVANCE AUTO PARTS MODIFIEDS 

Heat Winners - Sege Fidanza, Patsy Catalano 

Feature - TOM MCGRATH, Karl Hehr, Matt Alix, Dave Wollaber, Bill Putney, Rich Littlefield, Tim Mangus, Nick Cappelli, Sege Fidanza, Eddie Murray, Sean O'Neill, Buck Catalano, Brett Scherrer, Bill Mislin, Patsy Catalano, Bill Kosachook, Rich Littlefield, and Bill Torrisi. 

LATE MODELS 

Heat Winners - Mark Pennell, Tom MacLeod 

Feature - BOB WEBER, Bill Adamczyk, Dave Russell, Ron Nurmi, Mike Ticco, Joe Brainard, John Julicher, Dan Habuda, Darryl McKay, Tom MacLeod, Terry Weldy, Mark Pennell, Jerry Hruby, Tim DiPasquale, Tim Windnagle, and Paul Madsen. 

BOBCAT OF BUFFALO SPORTSMAN 

Heat Winners - Frank Booker, Neal Dietz Jr. 

Feature - JUSTIN SHEPKER, Bobby Holmes, Jerry Gradl Jr., Neal Dietz Jr., Ed Weber, John Barber, Jeff Hammon, Ed Grimmer, Russ Gian, Frank Booker, Ken Heckler, Mike Shields, Don Wylie, Moose Rutherford, and Jim Pierce. DNS: Mike Rogers 

JERRY GRADL MOTORS SUPER STOCKS 

Heat Winners - Craig Orr, Mark Hoch 

Feature - RICH SKORA, Mark Hoch, Wayne Bernhard, Craig Orr, Doug Evans, A.J. Cole, Mike Scott, Ed Lechner, Tom Carney, Jay Mudra, Jim Nowinski, Jason Gwin, Ben Harms, Jeff Merritt, and Paul Alberti. 

GLEN CAMPBELL CHEVROLET STREET STOCKS 

Heat Winners - Gary Light, Kyle Sharpe  

Feature - JIM STEIN, Frank Batista Jr., Jim Offhaus, Tim Garlock, John Shurmatz, Gary Light, Tom Agen, Pete Hackett, Rick Widmer, Kyle Volk, Scott Mutka, Mike Mitchell, Tim Offhaus, Kevin Mendel, Paul Tessier, Dennis Pieczynski, John Kraemer, Jim Stroehlein, Lou Easterday, Bob Blaszak, Gary Bartella, Mike Maggiore, Joe Mergl, Dave Johnson, Bobby Hanel Jr., Joe Light, and Kyle Sharpe. DNS: Russell Knutsen 

Source:  Dave Buchanan/Lancaster Raceway Park PR
Posted:  September 11, 2004