6/3/07
NURMI, BERNHARD, JANKOWIAK, WYLIE & WOLLABER TAKE LANCASTER CHECKERS
Lancaster, New York: A hot, steamy night greeted racers and fans last Saturday night at Lancaster Raceway Park. The hot weather mirrored the hot racing action on the track as the Bobcat of Buffalo Late Models, Ray Laks Resale Super Stocks, McGard Street Stocks, Probity Group TQ Midgets and touring Cup Lite Series took to the track. Some drivers would be returning to Lancaster’s Victory Lane for the fourth or second time this season while others would rack up their first win of the 2007 season.
First up on the racing card for the features were the TQ Midgets. Sporting a new division sponsor this week – Probity Group – the TQ’s once again put on quite a show on LRP’s inner oval. AJ Hessler started on the pole for the race and immediately jumped out to a commanding lead. However the four-time TQ Champion Dave Wollaber was hot on the trail of the leader. Hessler seemed to be suffering from some mechanical issues as his car was smoking on and off during the race. By the halfway point of the race, Wollaber had managed to close the gap to leader Hessler and made the pass for the top spot. Hessler held onto to second place while Wollaber took home his second win this season.
Up next were the touring Cup Lite Series who were slated for a 35 lap feature. A first lap crash jumbled the field and put Dave Bitner in the lead. However on lap 4 Scott Wylie made the pass for the first running position and didn’t relinquish the spot for the rest of the race. Wylie continued his winning ways at Lancaster as his last win here was the Cup Lites appearance at the 2006 US Open in October.
The McGard Street Stocks were ready to roll as twenty-three cars took to the track. Gary Light jumped out to the initial lead on the start but Andy Jankowiak passed him to lead lap one. Behind the leader, a lot of fast cars were coming up through the field including last week’s feature winner Cory Gallagher, 2006 Street Stock Champion Jim Bryant, US Open winner Tim Garlock, and feature winners Jeff Madill and John Julicher Jr. As Jankowiak built a huge lead over the field, the pack of Gallagher, Bryant, Garlock, Madill, and Julicher caught the second through fourth place cars of Gary Light, Scott Mutka, and Tom Agen Sr. With five laps to go it looked like Jankowiak had smooth sailing while the pack behind him battled it out. However a late race caution on lap 16 bunched the field right back up again. The single file restart gave Jankowiak the edge and he was able to maintain his lead. Behind him it was a free for all as Gallagher, Garlock, Madill, and Julicher raced side by side for positions four on back. Taking the checkered flag though, for the second time this season, was 2006 US Open winner Andy Jankowiak.
The Ray Laks Resale Super Stocks once again put on a great show for the fans in the stands. At the drop of the green it was a drag race for the lead between Wayne Bernhard and Dave Johnson. Bernhard and Johnson stayed side by side, ever so slightly gaining the edge every couple laps or so, racing hard for the top spot. With the leaders occupied with each other, Frank Batista Jr. made up ground after starting tail on the field, catching the dueling duo of Bernhard and Johnson. A yellow flag on lap seven rearranged the field as Bernhard now took the low line while Johnson was forced to restart on the outside. Bernhard now had the advantage and after another brief side by side battle with Johnson took the lead for good. The win was Bernhard’s fourth in a row.
Finally the Bobcat of Buffalo Late Models took to the track for their 25 lap feature race. Cory Lischer, who started on the pole, quickly faded back as Joe Carbone took the lead from the outside starting spot on the first lap. A yellow flag on lap three brought the field together once again but just a few laps later another yellow flag would dictate the direction of the race. Carbone once again took the lead but Ron Nurmi was on the move. Nurmi was able to capture the lead from Carbone on lap nine and took off away from the field. Further back in the pack though some of the best racing action was to be had. Todd Hoddick began a march to the front as he dispatched Joe Carbone for third and Jeff Brown for second. Hoddick clearly had an extremely fast race car and after clearing Brown, set his sights for the leader Nurmi. However just three laps remained in the race by the time Hoddick had moved into second place and the laps expired before he was able to challenge Nurmi. Nurmi went on to win his first feature of the 2007 season.
Next week on Saturday, June 9th Lancaster Raceway Park, Wilbert’s Buick & GM Parts and the FOAR SCORE Club present the 4th Annual “Heroes Homecoming” Night. The reunion of past drivers, officials and employees is from 12-5 PM with group photos scheduled at 3 PM including an invitation to all past champions. Also on the schedule is a 75 Lap SST Sportsman feature along with the TQ Midgets, Street Stocks, Super Stocks, and Late Models plus the Canadian Vintage Modified Series with the racing action starting at 6:30 PM.
For more information visit www.lancasterracing.com or call the track office at 716-758-6818.
Probity Group TQ Midget Feature Finish:
1. (7) Dave Wollaber
2. (1) A.J. Hessler
3. (2) Chris Bandelian
4. (5) Mark Schulz
5. (6) Jamie Collard
6. (4) Vinnie Christiano, Jr.
7. (3) Arik McGruder
8. (9) Wayne Turnbull
9. (8) Dan Lawrence
10. (11) Camden Barber
11. (14) Shaun Szejnar
12. (13) Jim Fleishmann
13. (16) Joel Friesen
14. (15) Chris Issack
15. (12) Mel Raab
16. (10) Curtis Friesen
Lap Leaders: 1-13 Hessler; 14-20 Wollaber
Heat Winners: Wollaber, Hessler
Cup Lites Feature Finish:
1. (6) Scott Wylie #32
2. (5) Darin Spalti #13
3. (4) Billy Burd #3
4. (13) Dave Whittaker #2
5. (2) Dave Bitner #20
6. (3) Taylor Holdaway #41
7. (11) Dan Tybor #5
8. (1) Jason Keen #42
9. (7) Ken Heckler #17
10. (12) Ashley McCall #12
11. (8) Glenn Absolom #21
12. (10) Kreig Heroth #00
13. (9) Jeremy Ratajczyk #99
DNS: John McClurg #9
Lap Leaders: Laps 1-3 Bitner; Laps 4-35 Wylie
Heat Winners: Whittaker, Wylie
McGard Street Stock Feature Finish:
1. (4) Andy Jankowiak
2. (6) Scott Mutka
3. (5) Tom Agen
4. (8) Cory Gallagher
5. (9) Jeff Madill
6. (12) Tim Garlock
7. (11) John Julicher, Jr.
8. (2) Gary Light
9. (10) Jim Bryant
10. (14) Mike Maggiore
11. (22) Rob Bulger
12. (1) Steve Cochran
13. (13) Gary Bartella
14. (19) Tom Deville
15. (17) Gary Denea
16. (21) Matt Jurek
17. (18) Debbie Jurek
18. (20) Paul Tessier
19. (7) Rick Ortwein
20. (23) Bob Blaszak, Jr.
21. (16) Bob Hanel
22. (3) Joe Light
23. (15) Jim Stein
DNS: Jeff Sulzbach #11
Lap Leaders: Laps 1-20 Jankowiak
Heat Winners: Andy Jankowiak, Tom Agen Sr, and Scott Mutka
Ray Laks Resale Super Stock Feature Finish:
1. (3) Wayne Bernhard
2. (2) Dave Johnson
3. (6) Frank Batista, Jr.
4. (4) Jay Canonico
5. (5) James Kron ,III
6. (1) George Roesch
Lap Leaders: Lap 1 Johnson; Laps 2-3 Bernhard; Laps 4-5 Johnson; Laps 6-20 Bernhard
Heat Winner: Roesch
Bobcat of Buffalo Late Model Feature Finish:
1. (11) Ron Nurmi
2. (6) Todd Hoddick
3. (3) Jeff Brown, Jr.
4. (8) Matt Alix
5. (2) Joe Carbone
6. (10) Mark Pennell
7. (7) Tommy Reese
8. (1) Cory Lischer
9. (4) Dan Habuda
10. (5) Bobby Weber
11. (12) Scott Skora
12. (13) Phil Hayne
13. (9) Jason Petri
Lap Leaders: Laps 1-9 Carbone; Laps 10-25 Nurmi
Heat Winners: Hoddick, Carbone
Source: Lori Overdorf/Lancaster PR
Additions: Mark Southcott/NYRaceZone.com
Posted: June 3, 2007; photos added June 4, 2007
