6/17/06

BILL HEBING CAPTURES “BUD 50” MODIFIED SPECIAL AT LANCASTER

 
It had been seven weeks since the Modifieds competed at Lancaster Raceway Park. Thanks to rain outs and nights off the Mods never even raced at LRP during the month of May, just making one start on April 30 for opening day.

The time off made the drivers impatient in their return to the ½-mile oval for the “Bud 50”, as some drivers pushed each other to the breaking point by race’s end.

Following the heats, Karl Hehr and Sege Fidanza drew the front row starting spots for the 50-lap feature. Both drivers battled for the lead in the opening laps, before Fidanza took command on lap three.

Lee Sherwood took over second from Hehr on lap five just before the race’s first caution. On the ensuing restart Sherwood and Hehr tangled in turn two with Sherwood spinning as a result. The field stacked up behind Sherwood with several cars getting damaged in the process. Dave Wollaber and Phil Slater got the worst of the damage. Slater was done for the night, but Wollaber returned after going down five laps in the pits.

Tom McGrath moved into second behind Fidanza after the ensuing restart, and they pulled away from the rest of the field. McGrath challenged fiercely for lead, and on lap 21 tried to pass Fidanza on the inside in turn one. The cars collided and both cars spun out, bringing out the yellow flag once again.

With the top two cars now at the rear of the field, Bill Hebing inherited the lead. Hebing was piloting the Kenny Troyer-owned #66, as Troyer is unable to race after suffering a back injury during the off-season.

Hebing had Bobby Holmes and Lee Sherwood lined up behind when racing resumed around the halfway point. The leader pulled away from the pack, while Holmes had his hands full trying to hold off Sherwood, plus McGrath and Billy Putney.

On lap 36, Holmes and Putney spun in turn four to create another caution putting Sherwood back in second and McGrath in third. As the laps wore down, Hebing to continued to find a way to stretch out his lead, and was only held up by lap traffic.

McGrath moved into second with just nine laps to go, and began to reel in Hebing while working through the lapped cars. McGrath, however, was unable to catch “Wilbur” as Hebing captured his first career Lancaster Modified victory.

Part of the key to Hebing’s success was keeping his car out of trouble as he was just about the only car in field not be involved in any incidents during the race.

“I’m used to these little 20, 30 lap shots,” said Hebing, “these guys have really been teaching me a lot on the long races especially at Oswego and here (Lancaster).”

The car owner, Troyer, was equally happy for his driver; as the former track champion brought home his first win as an owner. “I think we made the right choice,” said Troyer.

Helping Troyer’s operation was a “donation” from DeLange Racing who provided for the Troyer team to buy tires for the race. “We probably wouldn’t even be here tonight if he (Dave DeLange) didn’t step up and buy tires,” Troyer said.

McGrath brought home his ride in the runner up spot. Sherwood, Fidanza, and Putney closed out the top five.

Bobby Weber is off to a terrific start in the Bobcat of Buffalo Late Models. Weber won his third feature out of four races run this season, and second in a row. He track down pole sitter Mark Pennell, who led from the drop of the green flag, and took the lead away on lap 12 of 25.

Pennell held on for second. TJ Johnson, Scott Skora, and Ron Nurmi finished the top five. George Skora III finished sixth, for his first finish outside the top three this season.

The SST Sportsman had a first time winner for the second week in a row, and for the second-straight week it was a former Cup Lites Racing Series champion getting the win. Eddie Murray led all 20 laps from the pole to capture his first Sportsman race at LRP. Murray’s win came a week after another former Cup Lite champ, Bill Burd won his first SST race.

Frank Booker Jr. was right in the tire tracks of Murray in the closing laps but settled for second. Jerry Gradl Jr. finished third ahead of Sherri Hogan and Nick Cappelli.

Doug Evans got his season turned around as he picked up his first win of 2006 in the Jerry Gradl Motors Super Stocks. Evans had not finished better than fourth before leading all 20 laps of the race to score the victory. Dave Johnson, Wayner Bernhard, Rick Widmer, and Kyle Sharpe rounded out the top five.

In the Glen Campbell Chevrolet Street Stocks, Tom Agen Sr. took advantage of a restart with two laps to go to become the first repeat winner in the class this season. Agen was running second to Mike Maggiore on a lap 18 restart, when he ducked under Maggiore at the drop of the green flag and took the lead.

Maggiore came home second for his best run of the season to date. Bobby Hanel Jr. finished third after leading early in the 20-lap feature. Joe Mergl and Jeff Madill finished fourth and fifth respectively.

Fifteen-year-old Erick Rudolph led all 20 laps of the TQ Midget feature to nab his second win of the season (first one was at Holland). Jamie Collard pressured Rudolph for the win following a late race restart, but came up short.

The Lucas Oil Canadian Vintage Modified Series was on hand as part of the “Heroes Homecoming” celebration that took place before the races. Phil Shaw of Orangeville, ONT won the 15-lap feature after starting towards the rear of the field. Shaw passed Ray Hughes at the midway point of the event to take over the lead.

Before the races over 75 former Lancaster racers and employees gathered in the main concourse for a reunion complete with memorabilia and vintage racecars. WNY racing legends like Art Clark, Dutch Hoag and Chuck Boos were some of the drivers on hand. Former Lancaster Speedway owners Ed Serwacki and Jim Vollertsen were also in attendance. Motorsports icon Linda Vaughn (Ms. Hurst Shifters) made an appearance as part of the opening ceremonies before the race program. Conditions were perfect for the event with plenty of sunshine and temperatures in the 80s.

Next week, June 24, LRP switches from old school to new school with an Extreme Freestlye Motorcycle show along with a full card of racing featuring all divisions. It’s also Motorcycle Riders Appreciation Night with special deals and parking for bikers. Racing starts at 6:30 PM.

RESULTS

MODIFIEDS
Heat Winners – Bobby Holmes, Billy Putney

BUD 50 FINISH –
1. (6) BILL HEBING #66
2. (14) Tom McGrath #12
3. (3) Lee Sherwood #95
4. (2) Sege Fidanza #77
5. (5) Billy Putney #88
6. (1) Karl Hehr #59
7. (7) Bobby Holmes #22
8. (8) Rick Kluth #44
9. (11) Sean O’Neill #7
10. (15) Mark Tychoniewicz #01
11. (12) Dave Wollaber #45
12. (10) Bob Reis #10
13. (16) Brett Scherrer #8
14. (9) Chuck Frisbee #07
15. (13) Kevin Lewis #44x
16. (17) Ron Martin #1
17. (4) Phil Slater #24

BOBCAT OF BUFFALO LATE MODELS
Feature – BOBBY WEBER, Mark Pennell, T.J. Johnson, Scott Skora, Ron Nurmi, George Skora III, Tommy Reese, Dave Rigan, Scott Nurmi, Mike Ticco, Rich Skora and Darryl McKay. DNS: Tim Windnagle.

SST SPORTSMAN
Feature – EDDIE MURRAY, Frank Booker Jr., Jerry Gradl Jr., Sherri Hogan, Nick Cappelli, Russ Gian, Bill Hebing, Justin Shepker, Bill Burd, Ed Weber, Craig Dolphin, Ed Grimmer, Bill Bitterman, Mike Stevenson and Luke Wozniak.

JERRY GRADL MOTORS SUPER STOCKS
Feature – DOUG EVANS, Dave Johnson, Wayne Bernhard, Rick Widmer, Kyle Sharpe, Mike Scott, George Roesch, Jason Gwin, Frank Batista Jr., Jay Canonico and Mark Hoch.

GLEN CAMPBELL CHEVROLET STREET STOCKS
Feature – TOM AGEN SR., Mike Maggiore, Bobby Hanel Jr., Joe Mergl, Jeff Madill, Tim Garlock, Jim Bryant, Kevin Mendel, Wayne Lavis, Gary Light, Rich Hoch, Andy Jankowiak, Kaz Toracek, Scott Mutka, Pete Hackett, Dennis Pieczynski, Andy Cryan, Tom Agen Jr., Rick Ortwein, Bob Blaszak, Tom Deville, Mike Fedele, Matt Jurek, Steve Cochran, Rob Bulger, Joe Light, Ed Nowak, Paul Tessier, Russell Knutsen, Bob Hanel Sr., Jim Stein, Cory Gallagher and Gary Bartella.

TQ MIDGETS
Heat Winners – Wayne Turnbull, Erick Rudolph

Feature – ERICK RUDOLPH, Jamie Collard, Wayne Turnbull, Chris Bandelian, D.J. Sossong, A.J. Hessler, Dave Wollaber, Arik McGruder, Bobby Holmes, Charlie DiRosa, Vinny Christiano Jr., Shaun Szejnar, Jared Turnbull, Dan Lawrence and Mike Blair.

CANADIAN VINTAGE MODIFIEDS
Heat Winner – Phil Shaw

Feature – PHIL SHAW, Ray Hughes, Steve Trendell, Steve Lyons, Nic Weirsma, Rick Warnes, Daryl Henwood, Jody Chubbs, John Karley, Ron Easton and Rich Farraway.

Source: Dave Buchanan/Lancaster Raceway Park PR;
Additions: Mark Southcott/NYRaceZone.com
Posted: June 18, 2006