7/8/06

HOLMES, WEBER, CAPPELLI, BATISTA JR. AND BRYANT VISIT LANCASTER VICTORY LANE

 
Race fans at the Lancaster Raceway Park got up close and personal with their favorite stars that drive the cars on Autograph Night at the races featuring an on-track autograph session during intermission. All the kids in attendance were also treated to a free Autograph Night t-shirt compliments of Signworks and Bobcat of Buffalo.

As for the on-track action that did not involve pens or Sharpies, Bobby Holmes found himself in victory lane for the second-straight race in the Modifieds.

One week after winning the RoC Tour Firecracker 75, Holmes captured his first regular 30-lap feature win of the season over DeLange Racing teammate, Dave Wollaber.

Holmes started on the pole and quickly took command of the race from pole sitter, Brett Scherrer. Scherrer would have his hands full trying to keep his track position, while Holmes began pulling away from the pack.

Billy Putney moved past Scherrer for second on lap three. Dave Wollaber and Sege Fidanza moved in to the top four by the race’s fifth lap as well.

On lap eight, Scherrer and Tom McGrath tangled in turn four bringing out the race’s only yellow flag. This wiped out the lead Holmes had built up over Putney, Wollaber, and Fidanza.

On the restart, Wollaber moved ahead of Putney for second giving the DeLange team the top two spots in the field.

Things remained that way right through the end of the race as Holmes drove to his second win of 2006. Wollaber kept it close, but had to settle for second. It was the first time this season that the Dave and Laura DeLange-owned cars finished first and second.

Sege Fidanza finished a close third to the DeLange rides. McGrath bounced back from his spin to finish fourth. Billy Putney rounded out the top five.

In the Bobcat of Buffalo Late Models, Bobby Weber once again denied George Skora III’s quest for his first Lancaster win by picking up his fourth checkered flag of the season.

A restart just before the halfway point put Weber on the outside of Skora, who was leading at the time. Weber was able to inch ahead of Skora while racing side by side before a yellow flag put him out in front of the field for good a few laps later.

Nick Cappelli became the first repeat winner of the season in the SST Sportsman. Cappelli snapped the six-race streak of a different feature winner in victory lane.

Cappelli was able to get under pole sitter, Ed Weber, for the lead on lap three. He then held off a late race charge from Justin Shepker. Shepker went on to finish second over Sherri Hogan, Bill Burd, and Russ Gian.

Frank Batista Jr. claimed victory for the first time in the Jerry Gradl Motors Super Stocks. Batista started on the front row and led all 20 laps, but not without a challenge. Wayne Bernhard and Dave Johnson were all over Batista before he pulled away in the later stages.

Batista was a two-time Street Stock champion before moving up to the Super Stock division this season. He previously raced in the division in the 1980s & '90s.

In the Glen Campbell Chevrolet Street Stocks, Jim Bryant earned his first feature win of the season. Bryant worked his way through the field to catch pole-sitter, Scott Mutka, with less than five laps to go. With three to go, he took over the lead for good after a side-by-side battle.

Tim Garlock used a late caution to make a charge at Bryant in the final two laps, but came up short. Garlock finished second ahead of Mutka, Rob Bulger, and Mike Maggiore. Jeff Madill finished eighth ending his chance to win his third feature in a row.

Next week, July 15, the legendary Robosaurus returns to Lancaster for his fire-breathing, car-eating thrill show. It’s the family-favorite show of the season as kids love to see the giant metal-munching dinosaur. All divisions except the Modifieds will be in competition as well. Racing starts at 6:30 PM. The rain date for the Robosaurus show is Sunday, July 16 at 4 PM.

RESULTS

MODIFIEDS
Heat Winners – Brett Scherrer, Bobby Holmes

Feature –
1. (2) BOBBY HOLMES #22
2. (3) Dave Wollaber #45
3. (5) Sege Fidanza #77
4. (6) Tom McGrath #12
5. (4) Billy Putney #88
6. (8) Lee Sherwood #95
7. (7) Karl Hehr #59
8. (10) Bob Reis #10
9. (1) Brett Scherrer #8
10. (12) Sean O’Neill #7
11. (9) Mark Tychoniewicz #01
12. (11) Ron Martin #1.

BOBCAT OF BUFFALO LATE MODELS
Heat Winners – George Skora III, Ron Nurmi

Feature –
1. (6) BOBBY WEBER #11
2. (1) George Skora, III #65
3. (4) Ron Nurmi #2
4. (3) Rich Skora #75
5. (2) Mark Pennell #18
6. (12) Mike Ticco #65sr
7. (8) Bill Matuszak #1
8. (7) T.J. Johnson #99
9. (11) Darryl McKay #22
10. (5) Tim Windnagle #61
11. (10) Scott Skora #56
12. (9) Tommy Reese #54
DNS: Richard Arndt #29.

SST SPORTSMAN
Heat Winners – Kirk Rutherford, Nick Cappelli

Feature – NICK CAPPELLI, Justin Shepker, Sherri Hogan, Bill Burd, Russ Gian, Frank Booker Jr., Craig Dolphin, Ed Grimmer, Jerry Harding Jr., Mike Stevenson, T.J. Petrie, Kirk Rutherford, Luke Wozniak, Ed Weber, Eddie Murray and Jerry Gradl, Jr.

JERRY GRADL MOTORS SUPER STOCKS
Heat Winners – Frank Batista Jr., Wayne Bernhard

Feature – FRANK BATISTA JR., Wayne Bernhard, Dave Johnson, Kyle Sharpe, Jay Mudra, George Roesch, Ed Lechner, Jason Gwin, Rick Widmer, Jay Canonico, Paul Alberti, Doug Evans and Mike Scott.

GLEN CAMPBELL CHEVROLET STREET STOCKS
Heat Winners – Joe Mergl, Tom Agen Sr., Jim Bryant

Feature – JIM BRYANT, Tim Garlock, Scott Mutka, Rob Bulger, Mike Maggiore, Tom Agen Sr., Joe Mergl, Jeff Madill, Wayne Lavis, Kaz Toracek, Gary Bartella, Tom Agen Jr., Jim Stein, Rick Ortwein, Gary Light, Bob Hanel Sr., Dennis Pieczynski, Andy Jankowiak, Andy Cryan, Tom Deville, Bob Blaszak, Paul Tessier, Ed Nowak, Cory Gallagher, Matt Jurek, Rich Hoch, Kevin Mendel, Mike Fedele, Steve Cochran, Jeff Guidotti and Tim Neis was 31st.

Source: Dave Buchanan/Lancaster Raceway Park PR
Additions: Mark Southcott/NYRaceZone.com
Posted: July 10, 2006