9/11/2004

MATUSZAK TAKES HOLLAND LM FINALE, BLISS CAPTURES 4TH STRAIGHT TITLE

Holland, NY: In Holland Speedway's double point finale for the five weekly NASCAR-sanctioned divisions on Saturday evening, Bill Matuszak of Arcade, NY rolled to his third NASCAR Sunoco Late Model Pro Stock feature win of the season, while Vern Bliss of Arcade clinched his fourth consecutive and fifth overall track championship in Holland's premier division. 

Steve Kreitzbender of Springville, NY outdueled Neil Hopkins for his sixth Pro Modified feature win of the season, while Marty Hughes sped to his second Charger feature victory on the year. Bob Slippy survived a close one for his tenth Pro Four min event win of '04, while Greg Urban notched Figure 8 Car feature win number six. 

With the feature events lined up heads up by points, Vern Bliss and George Skora III shared the front row at the start of the 30-lap Sunoco Late Model Pro Stock main. Matuszak moved up from his fourth starting spot to join Bliss and Skora in a three car break from the field, but the tight three car battle turned sour on lap 19, when contact between Bliss and Skora sent the Skora Monte Carlo for a turn 1 spin, and resulted in both drivers restarting at the rear of the field. Matuszak's Upstate Automotive/Beechler Construction/Crabb Oil Monte Carlo inherited the lead at this point, and kept a fast-closing Eldon King III at bay over the remaining laps for the victory. King had to settle for a close second place finish, with Mike Fieblekorn, Jr. placing third. Skora recovered to grab a fourth place finish, with Neil Hopkins rounding out the top five. 

Vern Bliss, finishing the event without power steering, placed sixth to wrap up the divisional points championship. 

In the 25-lap Pro Modified feature race, Kreitzbender took advantage of a lap 10 restart following a Jeff Ruddy spin to get a good run to the outside of Neil Hopkins and grab the top slot. Kreitzbender then kept his Rendell Logging/Bar-Chel/PitStop Pizzeria mount ahead of a constantly challenging Hopkins and Chuck Anderson to record the victory. With his second place finish, Hopkins wrapped up his fourth career Holland Pro Modified title. Anderson placed third in the race, with Steve Hoxie edging Randy Jazembak at the line for fourth place. 

Marty Hughes fired his South Buffalo Auto Parts Chevelle from the third starting spot in the 20-lap Charger main to get by Dave Wilson, Jr. and Tim Welshans for the lead on the first lap, then led the distance in the caution-free event. Hughes set a new divisional 20-lap track record in the process, finishing the race in 6:04.75, shaving nearly a second off the previous record set by Rich Skora in July, 2002. Ed Kicinski chased Hughes home in second, with Welshans, Wilson, and John Grandits completing the top five. The fourth place finish gave Dave Wilson, Jr. his first career Holland track title. 

The 15-lap Pro Four main was an exciting affair, as Bob Slippy led the distance in his Slippy's Collision Nissan, but Damian Fisher made a valiant effort to take the win, pulling even with Slippy with two to go. They ran side-by-side over the final two laps, Fisher low and Slippy high, and crossed the stripe at the checkers in a virtual dead heat. A review of the video replay of the finish showed Slippy edging Fisher by an inch for the victory. Bob's son Brian Slippy finished third, with Damian's brother Alan Fisher taking fourth. Michelle "Pinky" Roberts completed the top five. By merely starting the feature race, Bob Slippy wrapped up the Pro Four season title. 

Greg Urban led start-to-finish in the Biggs Auto Recovery Honda in the caution-free 10-lap Figure 8 Car feature, and wrapped up his second consecutive track title in the process. Rich Perkins placed second, with Nick Schaefer finishing third. 

On-track action at Holland Speedway will wrap up on Saturday, September 18th, with double point season championships for the strictly stock divisions at the speedway. The 8-cylinder Challengers, and the 4-cylinder Stingers, Hornets, and Queen Bees will be featured on the card. Pit gates will open at 3:30, spectator gates will open at 4:00, with racing getting underway at 6:00 p.m. For more information, contact the Speedway office at (716) 537-2272 or visit the website at www.hollandspeedway.com. 

HOLLAND SPEEDWAY RESULTS SUMMARY - Saturday, September 11, 2004 

NASCAR Sunoco LATE MODEL PRO STOCKS - 30 lap Season Championship Race: BILL MATUSZAK, Eldon King III, Mike Fiebelkorn, Jr., George Skora III, Neil Hopkins, Vern Bliss, Eric Sanders, and Bill Catania. (DNS: Art Logsdon) 
Heat Race Winners - Bill Matuszak, Vern Bliss. 
2004 CHAMPION: VERN BLISS. 

PRO MODIFIEDS - 25 lap Season Championship Race: STEVE KREITZBENDER, Neil Hopkins, Chuck Anderson, Steve Hoxie, Randy Jazembak, Sherri Hogan, Jason Kline, Dave Hannahs, Jim Loffredo, John West, and Jeff Ruddy. 
Heat Race Winners - Neil Hopkins, Chuck Anderson. 
2004 CHAMPION: NEIL HOPKINS. 

CHARGERS - 20 lap Season Championship Race: MARTY HUGHES, Ed Kicinski, Tim Welshans, Dave Wilson, Jr., John Grandits, Joe Fetzer, Jerry Kosmowski, Rob Miszczak, Jason Dieter, Al Grimmer, Bill Wise, Chris Kline, Chris Ford, and Rich Calteaux. 
Heat Race Winners - Jerry Kosmowski, Al Grimmer. 
2004 CHAMPION: DAVE WILSON, JR. 

PRO FOURS - 15 lap Season Championship Race: BOB SLIPPY, Damian Fisher, Brian Slippy, Alan Fisher, Michelle Roberts, "Big Dave" Zimmer, "Mad Mike" Eckam, Sharon Hughes, Dave Kirsch, Chad Pusloski, Jason Adams, Rich Carnes, James Steins, Waylon Price, and Mark Myers. 
Heat Race Winners - Damian Fisher, Bob Slippy. 
2004 CHAMPION: BOB SLIPPY. 

FIGURE 8 CARS - 10 lap Season Championship Race: GREG URBAN, Rich Perkins, Nick Schaefer, James Steins, Sharon Hughes, Ron Shisler, Jason Adams, and Mark Myers. 
Heat Race Winner - Greg Urban. 
2004 CHAMPION: GREG URBAN. 

Source:  Rick Mooney/Holland Speedway PR
Posted:  September 12, 2004