9/24&25/05

BEERS, BLISS, AND HEBING LEAD LIST OF U.S. OPEN WINNERS

The Lancaster Raceway Park closed out its 2005 stock car racing schedule with its signature event, the 17th annual U.S. Open. The event has become one of the most prestigious racing weekends in asphalt racing in the Northeast as it attracts drivers and teams from across several states and Canada.

The marquee event of the weekend is the 125-lap series finale for the Sunoco Race of Champions Modified Tour. Eric Beers of Northampton, PA took the lead from Tim Mangus with six laps to go to pick up his first win ever at Lancaster after starting 20th.

 

Former LRP track champs, Billy Putney and Chuck Hossfeld, attempted the bring the field to the initial green flag, however, disaster struck as the race got underway. JR Kent got turned around on the front stretch and plowed head first into the Thermal Foam blocks that line the concrete wall. Kent walked away from the incident, but would be unable to continue. The beginning of the race was marred by a total of five caution periods before the race’s eighth lap. Buck Catalano and Karl Hehr spun to bring out the yellow flag on lap two. Then on lap seven, Sege Fidanza spun in turn four. On the ensuing restart, Tommy Cloce looked to have a missed a shift and was sent into the foam and large tire that protect the beginning of the outside front stretch wall.

The race then resumed on lap eight, with Chuck Hossfeld passing Billy Putney for the lead, however, just moments later Tony Hanbury was launched off the right front wheel of Earl Paules into the third turn wall. Both cars collided into the foam with Hanbury airborne for a moment and almost going over the wall. Thankfully, Hanbury emerged from the car on his own and looked to be uninjured.

The field finally settled down at this point with Hossfeld leading Putney, Bobby Holmes, Jan Leaty, and Tim Mangus. Hossfeld was eight days removed from his second career win in the Race of Champions 200 at Oswego and seemed to be riding that momentum as he dominated the race early on.

George Kent’s day came to an end on lap 28 as he dropped out with mechanical problems. Kent was driving the Ryerse Racing entry, which is usually piloted by Bill Hebing. He had been working way to the front with Eric Beers, Sege Fidanza, and Hebing just before dropping out.

Sege Fidanza seemed to develop a problem in his car at lap 34 as his momentum slowed and he gave up several positions just as he was running 12th. He along with 13 others would take advantage of a caution on lap 47 to make a pit stop. Among those who pitted with Fidanza were Eric Beers, Tim Mangus, Pete Brittain, Danny Knoll Jr., Tommy Cloce, Bobby Holmes, and TJ Potrzebowski.

These wholesale pit stops reshaped the lead pack as the race restarted with Hossfeld leading Putney, Leaty, Zane Zeiner, Lee Sherwood, Dave Wollaber, Ron Williams, and Tom McGrath. McGrath, who was the defending race winner and 2005 LRP Modified track champion, began surging to the front at this point. McGrath moved from eighth to fifth by lap 56, but would be penalized one position during the next caution period for passing before the green flag.

Hossfeld and Putney continued to show the way as the halfway point of the race came and went. More teams decided to pit on lap 72 after Pete Brittain brought out the caution by spinning. Zeiner, Leaty, Wollaber, Brittain, and McGrath all stopped for service leaving Hossfeld, Putney, and Lee Sherwood as the only cars not to pit.

Those three led the race as it went back to green. Sege Fidanza led the charge of the cars that did pit as he picked his way through the top five and was on Hossfeld’s back bumper by lap 77. Both he and Beers got under Hossfeld on lap 82 to move into the top two spots. Tim Mangus and Danny Knoll Jr. joined them at the front of the field as the four cars broke from the pack.

Mangus got by Fidanza for the lead on lap 88 and Beers would keep second, which relegated Fidanza to third. Hossfeld, Putney, and Sherwood all went backwards through the field after being overtaken, but got a break on lap 91 when the yellow flag came out and were able to pit.

Mangus pulled out to a comfortable lead as the race reached the century mark. Beers held on to second, while Danny Knoll moved into third as Fidanza slipped back into the middle of the top ten.

There were two more major wrecks inside the final 20 laps of the race. On a lap 105 restart, Chuck Hossfeld spun sideways on the front stretch, which piled up Brett Scherrer, T.J. Potrzebowski, and Terry Cheetham. Scherrer got the worst of it as he was sent airborne temporarily, but would be uninjured. Hossfeld cut a tire and returned, but eventually dropped out with mechanical problems. The second incident occurred on lap 109 when Sege Fidanza and Jan Leaty tangled while racing out of turn four, which sent Leaty hard into the wall.

In the end, the race came down to Mangus and Beers. Beers was able to keep pace with the leader as Mangus looked to be developing a push. His car drifted up the track through the turns leaving the inside lane open. Beers caught Mangus and took advantage of the open lane as he drove by him to take the lead on lap 119.

Beers pulled away in the final six laps to pick up his the US Open 125 victory. “Timmy (Mangus) was so fast,” Beers said, “I think his right rear gave up there with a couple to go and we ended up sneaking by him.”

It was Beers’ first win ever at Lancaster in only his fourth start at the Western New York half mile. “This place is an incredible race track,” Beers said, “these guys that run here weekly are tough.”

Beers was forced to run the B-main on Sunday afternoon after a mechanical problem kept him from finishing his heat race Saturday night. “I must’ve ate too many Wheaties,” Beers said, “I ripped the shifter handle out at the start of the heat race.” He then made it up to eighth before making a stop on lap 47. “We had to pick and choose our spots so we didn’t kill the tires,” Beers said, “Joe (crew chief Joe Skotnicki) did a great job calling when we should come in.”

Mangus finished second in what will be his final race as he is retiring after this season. Danny Knoll Jr. had a remarkable run in third. “I was using a setup from 1999,” Knoll said, “and everything worked except for a few new bumps in the track.”

Knoll also won the Troyer chassis giveaway as the top four finishing Troyer drivers from the RoC Modified and SST Sportsman features were put in a random drawing along with a wild card from each class for a chance to win a brand new chassis from Troyer Race Cars.

Lee Sherwood and Tom McGrath completed the top five finishers.

Matt Hirschman finished sixth after starting 29th as a heat race crash with Dave Wollaber forced him to make the field through the B-main. The sixth place run gave him enough points to clinch the 2005 Sunoco Race of Champions Tour overall championship. Hirschman, the North region champ, started the day 13 points ahead of Central champ Zane Zeiner who finished 14th. It’s Hirschman's first tour title.

In the Late Model feature, Mark “Bushy” Bliss led all 75 laps from the pole to score his third win of the year at Lancaster. Todd Hoddick and Glenn Gault Jr. were on the heels of Bliss in the final laps, but they could not get close enough to challenge him.

The win closes out a great year for Bliss who also won the track championship at Holland driving his own car while driving for Bobby Weber in his Lancaster appearances. The Bliss family has won four out of the last five US Open Late Model races with Mark’s brother Vern winning the other three. Ironically, the one driver besides Vern or Mark Bliss to win is Weber. Weber had to sit out the 2005 season with a shoulder injury and let Bliss and Matt Alix drive for him.

Hoddick started 15th before finishing second. Gault scores his career best finish at Lancaster with the third place run. Joe Carbone and Vern Bliss rounded out the top five. Joey Brainard was the hard charger after moving up from the 27th starting position to place 6th.

Three-time Super Stock champion, Wayne Bernhard, finally added a US Open win to his resume as he won the 30-lap feature that went caution-free. Bernhard battled side by side with Doug Evans for the first five laps before taking the lead on his own. Mike Scott tried to chase him down late in the race, but was unable to make a challenge.

Bernhard becomes the 16th different driver to win the Super Stock US Open race as only one driver has won the event more than once. Jay Mudra, Mark Hoch, and Jeff Merritt also finished in the top five.

In the Street Stocks, Tim Garlock won a hard-fought battle with Jim Offhaus to take the lead on lap 12 and led the final 18 laps to take the win. It’s Garlock’s first win of the 2005 season coming just a week after finishing second at Oswego in the Race of Champions.

Dave Johnson ran second as he was on Garlock’s back bumper as he crossed the finish line. Jim Offhaus, Kyle Volk, and Rick Widmer closed out the top five.

Veteran Wayne Turnbull of Paris, Ontario won the 25-lap TQ Midget feature. Turnbull ducked under Erick Rudolph going into turn one on lap 18 to take the lead. As he made the pass, Turnbull’s car actually went airborne for a moment as ran over a bump in the road on the far left side of turn one entrance to Lancaster’s quarter-mile inner oval.

On Saturday night, the SST Sportsman Modified Series took center stage with a 75-lap event. Bill Hebing came from the 22nd starting position to take the win driving Brian Bowen’s backup car.

It was Hebing’s brother, Chuck Hebing, starting on the pole for the feature. Moose Rutherford was scheduled to start on the outside of row one, but had to go to the pits during pace laps as his gas cap was not fully tightened and spilled fuel all over the track.

Chuck Hebing led until lap 10 when Justin Shepker got by him to take the lead. Hebing then ran second to Shepker until lap 27 when he dropped out with mechanical problems. Shepker then had to contend with Earl Paules who followed him until lap 55.

On lap 55, Paules was looking to go to the outside of Shepker on the front stretch when the car got loose and he bounced off of Shpeker’s right rear tire into the wall. The car took a hard hit, but luckily had some of the blow cushioned by the foam blocks.

Bill Hebing moved into second after Paules’s wreck and took the lead on lap 60. Shepker dropped out of the race shortly after that with a mechanical failure. Hebing the held off a hard charging Kirk Rutherford in the closing laps to pick up the win.

Hebing’s car owner for the race, Brian Bowen, finished third behind Hebing and Rutherford. Rick Zacharias and Ed Weber finished fourth and fifth respectively.

The Cup Lite Racing Series ran twin 25-lap features to close out their season on Saturday night. Scott Wylie dominated the first race and was looking to do the same in the second one until a broken chain took him out of contention with less than five laps to go. Dennis Tybor inherited the lead and cruised to the victory.

Dave Whittaker of Orchard Park, NY was crowned series champion as he gained enough points to clinch by starting both races.

RESULTS

SUNOCO RACE OF CHAMPIONS MODIFIED TOUR
Heat Winners – Jan Leaty, Tommy Cloce, Tim Mangus, Chuck Hossfeld

B-Main Winners – Buck Catalano, Eric Beers

Feature –
1. (20) ERIC BEERS #9
2. (8) Tim Mangus #93
3. (24) Danny Knoll, Jr. #70
4. (10) Lee Sherwood #95
5. (11) Tom McGrath #12
6. (29) Matt Hirschman #52
7. (9) Pete Brittain #99
8. (1) Billy Putney #88
9. (3) Bobby Holmes #22
10. (4) Tommy Cloce #69
11. (27) John Markovic #95M
12. (30) Karl Hehr #59
13. (28) Terry Cheetham #11
14. (16) Zane Zeiner #76
15. (18) Rusty Smith #34
16. (19) Sege Fidanza #77
17. (31) Larry Jackson #84
18. (12) T.J. Potrzebowski #72
19. (2) Chuck Hossfeld #20
20. (5) Jan Leaty #6
21. (26) Brett Scherrer #80
22. (15) Bill Hebing #66
23. (17) Ron Williams #1
24. (25) Dave Wollaber #5
25. (22) Buck Catalano #40
26. (23) George Kent #98 <#99>
27. (21) Todd Burley #89
28. (6) Tony Hanbury #71
29. (7) Earl Paules #8
30. (14) Jeff Ulrich #75
31. (13) J.R. Kent #26

DNQ:
Mark Tychoniewicz #01
Chaz Surman #33
Daren Scherer #3
Rick Zacharias #85 <#80>
Phil Slater #24
Daryl Lewis, Jr. #10
Wesley Swartout #25s

DNS heat:
Bill Torrisi #7

Lancaster U.S. Open Modified Lap Program Pays Off to 24 Drivers

Following the running of the 17th Annual U.S. OPEN, the Lucky 15 Bill Colton Memorial lap money was distributed to 24 Modified teams.
“It’s a great program that helps out almost every team,” stated Jennifer Fidanza, Marketing Director for LRP. “This year we raised $12,168.00 for the Modifieds with the help of a lot of businesses and individuals as well as some big contributors like Hooker Motorsports who gave $2,000 to three different laps, and Bob Druar who posted $370 on lap 37 in honor of his late brother Tommy Druar, a past LRP Modified champion.

The following is how the program paid out this year:

Car Number/Driver/Lap Money Earned

#1 Ron Williams - $719.00
#5 Dave Wollaber - $200.00
#6 Jan Leaty - $200.00
#8 Earl Paules - $49.00
#9 Eric Beers - $400.00
#11 Terry Cheetham - $200.00
#20 Chuck Hossfeld - $100.00
#22 Bobby Holmes - $100.00
#34 Rusty Smith - $400.00
#52 Matt Hirschman - $2,300.00
#59 Karl Hehr - $400.00
#66 Bill Hebing - $100.00
#69 Tommy Cloce - $2,000.00
#70 Danny Knoll, Jr. - $100.00
#75 Jeff Ulrich - $100.00
#76 Zane Zeiner - $600.00
#77 Sege Fidanza - $300.00
#80 Brett Scherrer - $200.00
#84 Larry Jackson - $200.00
#88 Billy Putney - $200.00
#93 Tim Mangus - $200.00
#95 Lee Sherwood - $2,400.00
#95m John Markovic - $100.00
#99 Pete Brittain - $400.00

The Troyer Chassis was awarded to Danny Knoll, Jr.

BOBCAT OF BUFFALO LATE MODELS
Heat Winners – George Skora III, Eldon King III, Mark Bliss

Feature –
1. (1) MARK BLISS #0
2. (15) Todd Hoddick #99
3. Glenn Gault, Jr. #32
4. (4) Joe Carbone #31
5. Vern Bliss #03 <#0>
6. (27) Joe Brainard #98
7. Will Thomas #9
8. (18) Don Irving #09x
9. (3) Mike Ticco #65sr
10. (14) Brandon Metz #25
11. (29) Mike Fiebelkorn, Jr. #50
12. (19) Craig Orr #51
13. T.J. Johnson #99tj
14. (26) Mark Pennell #18
15. Scott Skora #56
16. (17) Jeff Brown, Jr. #3
17. Eldon King, III #28
18. (23) Scott Wylie #97 <#99>
19. (21) Tim Windnagle #61
20. (25) Lou Carbone #31x
21. Dave Wollaber #51
22. (16) Jason Petri #53
23. George Skora, III #65
24. (13) John Julicher #09
25. (20) Rich Skora #75
26. (2) Bob Nye #41
27. (28) Darryl McKay #22
28. (24) Dave Russell #93
29. (22) Dan Habuda #47

SST SPORTSMAN MODIFIED SERIES
Heat Winners – Justin Shepker, Neil Hopkins, Eddie Murray, Chuck Hebing, Ed Weber

B-Main Winners – Kevin Lewis, Kirk Rutherford

Feature –
1. (22) BILL HEBING #7 <#47 backup>
2. (20) Kirk Rutherford #11
3. (10) Brian Bowen #47
4. (12) Rick Zacharias #27z
5. (13) Ed Weber #4
6. (18) Neal Deitz, Jr. #84x
7. (21) Kevin Lewis #24 <#27>
8. (16) Ed Grimmer #31
9. (4) Neil Hopkins #40
10. (31) Phil Slater #44
11. (25) Russ Gian #9
12. (28) Billy Ray Pruitt #88
13. (14) Tom Wiest #35
14. (24) Chuck Frisbee #07 <#7>
15. (9) Frank Booker, Jr. #22
16. (7) Richard Thomas #15
17. (27) Paul Jorgensen #68
18. (29) Dick Kluth #27
19. (5) Justin Shepker #60
20. (30) Moose Rutherford #77
21. (15) Ricky Knapp ,Jr. #1
22. (2) Earl Paules #8
23. (17) John Barber #01
24. (6) Jerry Gradl, Jr. #2
25. (1) Chuck Hebing #10
26. (3) Wayne Lent #94
27. (8) Tony Hanbury #84
28. (11) Steve Kreitzbender #99
29. (26) Jim Flanigan #62
30. (23) Mike Mitchell #29
31. (15) Eddie Murray #37

DNQ:
Steve Hoxie #00
Don Wylie #97
Bill Burd #20
George Kent #21
Jim Pierce #26
Jerry Harding, Jr. #57
Sherri Hogan #74
Andy Lewis #65
Pete Yasses #71
Craig Dolphin #98
Patti Pruitt #88 (turned car over to Billy Ray for consi)

DQ heat: Tim Mangus #64

PROBITY CONSTRUCTION SUPER STOCKS
Heat Winners – Rick Widmer, Mike Scott

Feature –
1. WAYNE BERNHARD #23
2. Mike Scott #59
3. Jay Mudra #16
4. Mark Hoch #07
5. Jeff Merritt #49
6. (1) Doug Evans #57
7. A.J. Cole #7
8. Ed Collver #74
9. J.W. Flagler #27
10. Bobby Lippa, Jr. #15
11. Rick Widmer #25
12. John Durso #68
13. Ed Lechner #8
14. Ed Kicinski #19
15. Wayne Bukowski #42
16. Ben Harms #20
17. Jay Canonico #31
18. Jason Gwin #30
19. John Kraemer #77
20. Mark Loveland #02
DNS: Charles Urbino #00

GLEN CAMPBELL CHEVROLET STREET STOCKS
Heat Winners – Jim Bryant, Kyle Volk, Jim Offhaus, Joe Mergl

B-Heat Winner – Frank Batista, Jr.

Feature – TIM GARLOCK, Dave Johnson, Jim Offhaus, Kyle Volk, Rick Widmer, Frank Batista Jr., Don Deville, Mike McDonald, Shane Porter, Andy Jankowiak, Joe Light, Gary Light, Rich Hoch, Rick Ortwein, Tom Agen, Wayne Lavis, Dennis Pieczynski, Kaz Toracek, 44x, Billy Weiss, Tom Deville, Jim Bryant, Jason Beswick, Mike Maggiore, Scott Mutka, Mike Fedele, Bob Blaszak, Pete Hackett, Russell Knutsen, Jim Stein, Rob Bulger, and Joe Mergl. DNS: Mark Hoch.

CUP LITES RACING SERIES
Heat Winners – Ken Heckler, Dave Whittaker

Feature #1 – SCOTT WYLIE, Dan Tybor, Kreig Heroth, Ken Heckler, Nelson Rung, John McClurg, Dave Bittner, Kris Martin, Dave Rigan, Dave Whittaker, Phil Hayne, Rob McCall, Dennis Tybor, Leo Becker, Taylor Holdaway, Jeremy Eiseman, Michael Czuprynski, Glenn Absalom, Glenn Attanasio, and Bryan Weisenburg.

Feature #2 – DENNIS TYBOR, Kris Martin, Glenn Attanasio, Dave Rigan, Bryan Weisenburg, John McClurg, Kreig Heroth, Dan Tybor, Ken Heckler, Nelson Rung, Dave Bittner, Rob McCall, Phil Hayne, Jeremy Eiseman, Michael Czuprysnki, Glenn Absalom, Scott Wylie, Dave Whittaker, Leo Becker, and Taylor Holdaway.

TQ MIDGETS
Heat Winners – Chris Bandelian, Dan Lawrence

Feature –
1. (3) WAYNE TURNBULL #1x
2. (1) Erick Rudolph #20
3. (2) Vinny Christiano, Jr. #2
4. (11) Jamie Collard #3
5. (9) Dave Wollaber #1
6. (14) Curtis Friesen #68
7. (10) Chris Bandelian #34
8. (5) Darren McLennan #48
9. (8) D.J. Sossong #9
10. (17) Kirk Sherwood #5
11. (6) Mark Schulz #22
12. (13) Shaun Szjenar #14
13. (16) Joe Brzezowski #90
14. (7) Dan Lawrence #7
15. (12) James Michael Friesen #11
16. (4) Jared Turnbull #31
17. (15) Arik McGruder #21

Source: Dave Buchanan/Lancaster Raceway Park PR
Additions: Mark Southcott/NYRaceZone.com
Posted: September 26, 2005; Updated: September 28-30, 2005