9/27/2004

TOM MCGRATH TOPS THE FIELD IN U.S. OPEN MODIFIED 125

The 2004 edition of the U.S. Open attracted the largest car count ever in the event's 16-year history at Lancaster Raceway Park. About 225 race teams from across four states and Canada jammed the pits of the Western New York race facility for LRP's signature season ending event. The large fields in all seven of the divisions in competition made for close racing from the heats right through the features. 

In the weekend's main event, the "U.S. Open 125" for the Sunoco Race of Champions Modified Tour, 41 drivers would attempt to qualify for the 26-car starting field. Young track champions would share the front row as Spencer Modified Champion, Patsy Catalano, and Lancaster champ, Dave Wollaber, led the field to the green flag. Wollaber would take the early lead with Catalano falling in behind. Tyler Haydt and Alex Hoag would join them in four car breakaway from the rest of the field. 

Two pre-race favorites to win, Sege Fidanza and Tim Mangus, would spin on lap three to bring out the race's first caution. Neither car was damaged and both rejoined the race at the rear of the field. Most of the field was satisfied with hanging back early on, as only a few drivers were making moves early on. One driver that did was Matt Hirschman. Hirschman started eighth and was up to fourth by lap 19. 

Catalano continued to follow in the tire tracks of Dave Wollaber until the race's third caution period. After a spin by Daryl Lewis Sr. brought out a yellow on lap 44, Catalano would head to the pits with engine problems and would not return. On the restart, Brett Scherrer, Earl Paules, and Rick Kluth would stack up on the frontstretch with Scherrer winding up in the Thermal Foam. Once the race got back up to speed, Tom McGrath would be the man on the move. 

With the race at halfway the drivers now knew that is was time to start making moves and McGrath was moving up quickly from the fourth spot. He passed Hirschman and Hoag to slide into second. McGrath was about to go after Wollaber for the lead when the caution flag would fly again on lap 70. This time it was for Rich Littlefield who hit the backstretch wall. Littlefield was racing three-wide with Karl Hehr and John Markovic when Hehr and Littlefield touched tires, sending Littlefield out of control and into the wall. 

This caution period would signal wholesale pit stops as half of the drivers in the top 20 made pit stops. McGrath was the first of those drivers, along with Zane Zeiner, Fidanza, Hirschman, Pete Brittain, Hehr, Tony Hanbury, T.J. Potrzebowski, and Markovic. This would reshape the front of the field with Wollaber and Hoag now followed by the Kent family, George and J.R. The race restarted with less than 50 laps to go and the Kents would quickly work by Alex Hoag to move into second and third. 

George and J.R. Kent would get under Wollaber going into turn one on lap 90 to take control of the race. Wollaber's tires were heavily worn after leading the race's first 89 laps and he would pit during the next caution period. That moved Tom McGrath back to third after coming back through the field following his pit stop 20 laps earlier. Tony Hanbury and Larry Jackson would fill out the top five. 

On lap 99, George Kent slipped up the track in turn four allowing J.R. Kent to take the lead. With less than 25 laps remaining, McGrath would go after both Kents as he first dispatched of George on lap 106. Three laps he would get by J.R. to take the lead. On lap 110, Pete Brittain and Rick Kluth would hop each other's tire in turn four. This derailed the Race of Champions Modified Tour championship hopes of Brittain who began the event with a 9-point lead over Tony Hanbury. 

The race's final caution would happen on lap 117 as Daryl Lewis Jr., Dave Wollaber, and Alex Hoag tangled on the frontstretch. When the race restarted on lap 122, McGrath would pull away to score his second career U.S. Open victory. The Kent family would hang to second and third place, with J.R. in second and George in third. Tony Hanbury and Sege Fidanza rounded out the top five. 

With his U.S. Open victory, Tom McGrath captured wins in three out of the four prestigious extra-distance Modified races. He collected wins in the "Budweiser 50" in June and the RoC Tour "Firecracker 75" in July but would could only manage a 13th place finish in the "Mr. Modified 50." McGrath would finish the year with five feature wins which was the most of any driver at Lancaster this season. 

With his fourth place finish, Tony Hanbury sews up the Sunoco Race of Champions Modified tour overall championship. He snaps the four year winning streak of George Kent as well as the Kent family's six-year strangle hold on the RoC tour. Either George or J.R. Kent had won the tour title in each of the last six years. The last person outside of the Kent family to win the RoC championship was Chuck Hossfeld in 1997. 

In the Late Models, more than 30 drivers attempted to qualify for the 75-lap main event with 30 cars starting the feature. Shawn Dunning took the early lead from the front row. Dunning led until lap five when he pulled off the track just as Joe Brainard was challenging for the top spot. Brainard would lose the lead following a restart on lap nine as Todd Hoddick outraced him into turn one. 

Bobby Weber came from the eleventh starting spot to challenge Hoddick for the lead. He would take control on lap 20 and begin to set a torrid pace. As Weber would dominate the middle portion of the race, the Bliss brothers, Mark and Vern, would start working their way to front after sharing row 10 to start the race. Mark Bliss got to the front in a big hurry as he was already running fifth by lap 19. Vern would be a little more patient as he wouldn't land in the top ten until around lap 25. Mark Bliss was running third on lap 43 when he went to the pits, moving Vern into the top five. 

Vern Bliss would move into second on lap 55 and then wrestle with Bobby Weber for the lead. After saving his tires early on, Bliss was able to get by Weber easily after Weber had led for 40 laps. With less than 10 laps to go, Mark Bliss was coming back through the field with fresh rubber. Mark Bliss passed Weber for second on lap 68 giving the Bliss Brothers the top two spots. 

Vern would hold off Mark for his second-straight US Open Late Model victory. Both brothers celebrated with synchronized burnouts on the front stretch to the delight of the crowd. Weber would hang on for third place, with Brainard and George Skora III completing the top five. 

In the Super Short Track Series Sportsman feature on Saturday night, Bill Hebing led all 50 laps to score the unofficial win. However, following post-race inspection Hebing was disqualified. Earl Paules of Kunkletown, PA was awarded the win. Neal Dietz Jr. would finish second. Wayne Lent, Bill Chandler Jr., and Kirk Rutherford completed the top five. 47 drivers entered with 30 starting the feature. 

The top three finishing drivers in the Sportsman race that were driving a Troyer chassis were made eligible for the U.S. Open Troyer Chassis giveaway. Dietz, Lent, and Chandler would join the top five finishing Troyer Modified drivers in the drawing for a brand new Troyer chassis that was donated by Billy Colton Jr. Tom McGrath, George Kent, J.R. Kent, Sege Fidanza, and Tony Hanbury would qualify for the drawing in the Modified race. Following the race, all eight drivers were given an envelope with one containing the word "winner" inside. When the envelopes were opened, George Kent was the one holding the winning card. 

Doug Evans led all 30 laps of the Jerry Gradl Motors Super Stock feature. Evans claims his first U.S. Open victory after holding off Wayne Bernhard and John Durso for most of the race. Rich Skora and Tom Carney would complete the top five. 

In the Glen Campbell Chevrolet Street Stock 30, Dave Johnson claimed his first victory in racing since 1995. Johnson battled Rob Bulger for the lead during the first half of the race, but would dominate the second half. He would win by a large margin over Frank Batista. Russell Knutsen, Bulger, and Tom Agen would finish in the top five. 

A.J. Hessler survived a pair of late race restarts to win the TQ Midget 25 feature. Hessler took the lead from Craig Mackereth on lap 9 and would lead the final 16 for the victory. Dave Wollaber applied heavy pressure in the final restarts but would be denied the win and finish second. Can-Am Midget Club champion, Paul Smith, finished third. D.J. Sossong and Vinny Christiano Jr. closed out the top five. 

On Saturday night, the Cup Lite Racing Series closed out their season schedule with a 50-lap feature. Dennis Tybor claimed the victory for his second career US Open win. He would then announce his retirement from racing in victory lane. Scott Wylie would finish second to clinch the Cup Lite series season championship. 

RESULTS 

SUNOCO RACE OF CHAMPIONS MODIFIED TOUR 

Heat Winners - Tim Mangus, Dave Wollaber, George Kent, Matt Hirschman, Tom McGrath 

B-Main Winners - Zane Zeiner, Larry Jackson 

Feature - TOM MCGRATH, J.R. Kent, George Kent, Tony Hanbury, Sege Fidanza, T.J. Potrzebowski, Zane Zeiner, Larry Jackson, Billy Putney, Tyler Haydt, Earl Paules, John Markovic, Karl Hehr, Tim Mangus, Matt Hirschman, Ron Williams, Pete Brittain, Rick Kluth, Alex Hoag, Daryl Lewis, Dave Wollaber, Daryl Lewis Jr., Rich Littlefield, Brett Scherrer, Patsy Catalano, and Buck Catalano. 

LATE MODELS 

Heat Winners - Bobby Weber, Ron Nurmi, Joe Carbone, Todd Hoddick 

B-Main Winner - Terry Weldy 

Feature - VERN BLISS, Mark Bliss, Bobby Weber, Joe Brainard, George Skora III, Bill Adamczyk, Mark Pennell, Chris Ross, Terry Weldy, Will Thomas, Dan Domanowski, T.J. Johnson, Don Irving, Dan Habuda, Mike Catalano, Mike Stahl, Bill Matuszak, John Julicher, Todd Hoddick, Mike Ticco, Dave Russell, Bill Catania, Glenn Gault Jr., Ron Nurmi, Eldon King III, Tom MacLeod, Shawn Dunning, Bob Nye, Joe Carbone, and Jason Petri. 

SUPER SHORT TRACK SERIES SPORTSMAN 

Heat Winners - Jim Flanigan, Pete Brittain, Neal Dietz Jr., Jerry Gradl Jr., Bill Hebing 

B-Main Winners - Ed Weber, Gene Sharpsteen 

Feature - EARL PAULES, Neal Dietz Jr., Wayne Lent, Bill Chandler Jr., Kirk Rutherford, Mike Shields, Justin Shepker, Gene Sharpsteen, Paul Jorgensen, Rick Kluth, Steve Krietzbender, Jim Flanigan, Ricky Knapp Jr., Frank Booker, Randy Jazembak, Mike Florio, Pete Brittain, Dick Kluth, Phil Johnson, Ed Weber, Patti Pruitt, John Barber, Steve Hoxie, Richie Vanderpool, Brian Bowen, Ed Grimmer, Jerry Gradl Jr., Billy Ray Pruitt, and Russ Gian. DQ: Bill Hebing 

JERRY GRADL MOTORS SUPER STOCKS 

Heat Winners - Craig Orr, Ed Lechner, Jeff Merritt 

Feature - DOUG EVANS, Wayne Bernhard, John Durso, Rich Skora, Tom Carney, A.J. Cole, Ed Lechner, Jay Mudra, Bobby Lippa Jr., Mark Hoch, Mike Scott, Craig Orr, Joe Fetzer, Ben Harms, and Jay Canonico. DNS Jeff Merritt, J.W. Flagler, Jason Gwin. 

GLEN CAMPBELL CHEVROLET STREET STOCKS 

Heat Winners - Tom Agen, Frank Batista Jr., Jim Offhaus, John Shurmatz 

B-Main Winner - Kyle Sharpe 

Feature - DAVE JOHNSON, Frank Batista Jr., Russell Knutsen, Rob Bulger, Tom Agen, Rick Widmer, Jeff Madill, Jim Offhaus, John Shurmatz, Kyle Sharpe, Jim Mallaber, Tim Garlock, Jim Stein, Jerry Carpenter, Pete Hackett, Don Deville, Mike Maggiore, Kyle Volk, Dennis Pieczynski, Mike Mitchell, Joe Light, Gary Bartella, Tom Deville, Tim Geary, Tim Offhaus, Paul Tessier, Bob Blaszak, Zach Myers, John Kraemer, and Wayne Lavis. 

TQ MIDGETS 

Heat Winners - Jamie Collard, Dave Wollaber, Wayne Turnbull 

Feature - A.J. HESSLER, Dave Wollaber, Paul Smith, D.J. Sossong, Vinny Christiano Jr., Kenyon Zitzka, Craig Mackereth, Jim Fleischman, Mike Blair, Chris Bandelian, Jamie Collard, Tyler Mackereth, Wayne Turnbull, James Michael Friesen, Chris Ralph, Joe Brzezowski, Chad Haywood, Curtis Friesen, Dan Lawrence, Bob Reis, Arik McGruder, Jared Turnbull, Shawn Szejnar, and Mel Raab. 

CUP LITES RACING SERIES 

Heat Winners - Glenn Attanasio, Scott Wylie 

Feature - DENNIS TYBOR, Scott Wylie, Bill Burd, Jeff Price, Bryan Weisenburg, Dan Tybor, Dave Rigan, Kreig Heroth, Scott Fritz, Nelson Rung, Dave Whittaker, Jason Eiseman, Michael Czuprynski, Kevin Blakeley, Glenn Absolom, Leo Becker, and John Bosch. DQ: Glenn Attanasio 

Source:  Dave Buchanan/Lancaster Raceway Park PR
Additions and corrections: Mark Southcott/NYRaceZone.com
Posted:  September 27, 2004