4/30/06

MCGRATH, BOOKER, MUDRA, AGEN AND CHRISTIANO OPENING DAY WINNERS AT LANCASTER

The Lancaster Raceway Park began its 48th season of racing on a picture-perfect Sunday afternoon. For 2005 Modified track champion, Tom McGrath, his first step in defending his title was equally perfect.

McGrath started on the outside pole in the special 40-lap season opening Modified feature alongside Bill Chandler. McGrath took off from the drop of the green flag and led all 40 laps for the 14th win of his career.

Following the race McGrath only needed one word to describe his opening day ride, perfect.

McGrath’s lone challenge came after a lap nine restart as Buck Catalano tried to go after him. Catalano, however, fell away from McGrath’s back bumper as the race wore on and he settled for second place. Dave Wollaber, Lee Sherwood, and Larry Jackson completed the top five.

Sege Fidanza may have been factor in the race, but he was knocked out on lap eight. Fidanza was challenging Catalano on the outside for third place when he tagged the wall in turn two.

Frank Booker, Jr. was victorious in the SST Sportsman after beating out Nick Cappelli in a photo finish. Cappelli chased Booker for the entire race, but came up short as his attempt for a race-winning pass fell short by about half of a car-length.

 

For Booker it was just the second win of his career and first since 2003. He owed a lot of his success to Bruce Putney and Bandit Motorsports who helped get his ride ready for the season.

In the Jerry Gradl Motors Super Stocks, Jay Mudra and Wayne Bernhard renewed their rivalry with Mudra winning the battle after 20 laps. Mudra led from pole, but Bernhard was in his tire tracks the entire way. Mike Scott, Doug Evans and George Roesch rounded out the top five.

Tom Agen Sr. captured the opening day feature in the Glen Campbell Chevrolet Street Stocks. Agen took control of the lead on lap seven as he squeezed three-wide between a lapped car and leader Joe Mergl on the backstretch. Agen then held off a late-race challenge from Scott Mutka to secure the win.

It was Agen’s 17th career win, but first while racing against his son, Tom Agen Jr., who made his first career start. It was also his first win driving a car not numbered eight, which was number since 1998. Instead he had a three on the side of his car while his son’s car was numbered with an eight.

The T.Q. Midget made their first of seven appearances on Lancaster’s Ľ-mile inner oval. Vinny Christiano Jr. captured the 20-lap feature after inheriting lead on lap six. A.J. Hessler and Dave Wollaber were racing for the lead on lap six when they tangled and Hessler’s car rolled over. Both cars were knocked out of the race, but both drivers were uninjured.

Christiano took over from that point and led the rest of the way unchallenged. Chris Bandelian finished second while D.J. Sossong, Jamie Collard and Mark Schulz completed the top five.

Next week, May 7, is part two of Lancaster Raceway Park’s Sunday afternoon season opening races. The Bobcat of Buffalo Late Models take center stage with a 40-lap feature for their first race of the year. The SST Sportsman, Super Stocks, Street Stocks, and T.Q. Midgets will also be in action. Racing starts at 1:30 PM.

RESULTS

MODIFIEDS
Heat Winners – Buck Catalano, Bill Chandler

Feature –
1. (2) TOM MCGRATH #12
2. (7) Buck Catalano #4
3. (5) Dave Wollaber #45
4. (12) Lee Sherwood #95
5. (3) Larry Jackson #84
6. (11) Billy Putney #88
7. (13) Phil Slater #24
8. (4) Karl Hehr #59
9. (1) Bill Chandler #27x
10. (14) Bob Reis #10
11. (10) Brett Scherrer #8
12. (8) Chuck Frisbee #7x
13. (15) Sean O’Neill #7
14. (16) Daryl Lewis, Jr. #10L
15. (9) Bobby Holmes #22
16. (18) Mark Tychoniewicz #01
17. (17) Ron Martin #1
18. (6) Sege Fidanza #77

DNS:
Patsy Catalano #45C
Kevin Lewis #27

SST SPORTSMAN
Heat Winners – Frank Booker Jr., Eddie Murray

Feature –
1. (1) FRANK BOOKER, JR. #22
2. (3) Nick Cappelli #86
3. (4) Russ Gian #9
4. (7) Kirk Rutherford #11
5. (11) Bill Chandler, Jr. #45
6. (5) Justin Shepker #60
7. (9) Sherri Hogan #74
8. (8) Ed Weber #4
9. (14) Daryl Lewis, Jr. #1x
10. (15) Tom Wiest #35
11. (2) Eddie Murray #37
12. (13) Dick Kluth #27
13. (12) Bill Burd #20
14. (10) Craig Dolphin #98
15. (6) Jerry Gradl, Jr. #2
16. (16) Ed Grimmer #31

DNS:
Bill Bitterman #57
Mike Stevenson #1

JERRY GRADL MOTORS SUPER STOCKS
Heat Winners – Jay Mudra, Wayne Bernhard

Feature – JAY MUDRA, Wayne Bernhard, Mike Scott, Doug Evans, George Roesch, Frank Batista Jr., Ed Lechner, Jay Canonico, Paul Alberti, Rick Widmer, Kyle Sharpe and Jason Gwin.

GLEN CAMPBELL CHEVROLET STREET STOCKS
Heat Winners – Joe Mergl, Scott Mutka, Tom Agen

Feature – TOM AGEN, Scott Mutka, Joe Mergl, Jeff Madill, Mark Hoch, Mike Maggiore, Russell Knutsen, Jim Stein, Jim Bryant, Rich Hoch, Gary Light, Kevin Mendel, Bobby Hanel Jr., Andy Jankowiak, Gary Bartella, Pete Hackett, Rob Bulger, Joe Light, Kaz Toracek, Tom Agen Jr., Bob Blaszak, Cory Gallagher, Paul Tessier, Steve Cochran, Ed Nowak, Tom Deville, Tim Garlock, Matt Jurek, Tim Neis and Rob Dobuchi Jr. DNS: Don Deville.

T.Q. MIDGETS
Heat Winners – Dave Wollaber, Vinny Christiano Jr.

Feature – VINNY CHRISTIANO JR., Chris Bandelian, D.J. Sossong, Jamie Collard, Mark Schulz, Arik McGruder, Shaun Szejnar, James Michael Friesen, Dave Wollaber, Mike Blair, A.J. Hessler and Wayne Turnbull. DNS: Mel Raab, Erick Rudolph, Danny Lawrence.

Source: Dave Buchanan/Lancaster Raceway Park PR
Posted: May 1, 2006