7/16/07

MARK BLISS CAPTURES LATE MODEL MID SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP

 
Lancaster, New York: Lancaster Raceway Park decided to try something new this year and allowed stock car drivers to have a substitute driver fill in for them one time during the season. This past Sunday two of the substitute drivers brought home the checkered flag for their teams. Mark Bliss, subbing for Bobby Weber in the Late Model Division, and Mark Hoch, subbing for Jeff Madill in the Street Stock Division, both found themselves in Victory Lane at the end of their respective features. Brandon Hirsch and Frank Batista Jr. notched another win in their season tallies while Tom MacLeod finally grabbed his first SST feature win in the rest of the night’s racing action.

Starting the nights action were the wild and zany Thiel Motorsports Fast & Furious 4 Cylinders. Brandon Hirsch started on the pole and would not relinquish the top spot for the entire race. However, behind him it was a battle for every position on Lancaster’s inner oval. Don Roesch, Tim Haniszewski Sr., Brad Julicher and Margaret McDonald waged a war for second place on back. As Hirsch built a commanding lead on the field, Haniszewski Sr. moved into the second slot while Roesch, Julicher, and McDonald rounded out the top five. Eventually Julicher overtook the second spot by was unable to gain ground on the dominant Brandon Hirsch. Hirsch recorded his second win of the season.

In a change of the normal running order to accommodate those Street Stocks that raced at Wyoming County International Speedway in a special race, the Ray Laks Resale Super Stocks were next up on the card. Starting on the outside pole, Frank Batista Jr. immediately jumped into the lead at the drop of the green flag. Soon Dave Johnson had moved up from his fourth starting spot to second and began challenging Batista for the top spot. However Batista was able to pull away and left Johnson to race side by side with George Roesch for second. Johnson and Roesch traded spots numerous times, each trying the inside lane and outside lane, before Johnson was able to secure the second place spot. With just five laps to go, Johnson tore up the track gaining ground on leader Batista. Johnson was right on Batista’s tail and coming out of turn four on the last lap, Johnson dove low on the leader. Coming down to the checkered flag side by side, Batista would just edge out Johnson for the win by a bumper.

Next up were the fan favorite McGard Street Stocks with a strong thirty car field. Matt Jurek, who started on the pole, was able to jump right into the lead on the start by a caution on the first lap resulted in a complete restart. Again Jurek grabbed the lead on the start by soon Scott Mutka, using the outside line, gained possession of the top spot. Mark Hoch, who was substituting for Jeff Madill, began his charge to the front as he and Mutka raced side by side, door handle to door handle. A slight bobble on Mutka’s part just before the half way mark allowed Hoch to take the lead. Behind Hoch, Andy Jankowiak had raced his way up from his twelfth starting position to second place. Hoch and Jankowiak sliced and diced their way through lap traffic as Jankowiak began applying heavy pressure to Hoch for the lead. However, Hoch managed to hang on and grabbed the win.

The Mid Season Championship Trophy was on the line for the Bobcat of Buffalo Late Models as seventeen cars competed in the extra distance fifty lap feature. Mark Bliss, who was substituting for Bobby Weber, started on the outside pole and at the beginning of the race immediately took command of first place. The field stretched out single file as Ron Nurmi, Matt Alix, Jeff Brown, and Will Thomas ran in the top five slots. A lap 21 yellow flag bunched the field together for a restart, putting Alix, Nurmi, Brown, and Todd Hoddick on Bliss’s tail. However Bliss was up the challenge and maintained his lead. Matt Alix soon began having problems and Hoddick began to surge forward grabbing the third position and looking towards second place Nurmi. A yellow flag allowed Alix to go pitside for repairs and he rejoined the field for a single file restart. Again Bliss held the top spot and was followed by Nurmi, Hoddick, Thomas, and Brown at the halfway mark of the race. Just one lap later Hoddick moved up to second and relegated Nurmi to the third position. Bliss was intent on building a sizable lead over the field but another caution on lap 28 bunched the field up again. The single file restart had the top three of Bliss, Hoddick, and Nurmi holding their position while Matt Alix had worked his way back up through the field for fourth. With twenty laps to go, Bliss and Hoddick pulled away from the field. Hoddick was gaining ground on Bliss as further back Alix grabbed third from Nurmi. A couple of late race yellow flags once again brought the field together although Bliss was able to hold off the charges of those behind him. With just one lap to go, Hoddick had reached the back of Bliss’s bumper but Hoddick ran out of laps to try to make the pass as Mark Bliss captured the Late Model Mid Season Championship. Bliss dedicated the win to Bob Weber Sr. who passed away on Friday, July 13th.

Last but certainly not least were the newly sponsored Lorigo Insurance SST Sportsman. Fifteen cars took the green flag and Tom MacLeod, who had started in the outside pole position, slotted into the lead on the first circuit around the track. However, a first lap caution necessitated a complete restart and MacLeod would have to do it all over again. Grabbing the lead MacLeod led Nick Cappelli, Sherri Hogan, Jeff Evans, and Mike Fiebelkorn Jr. MacLeod seemed to be leaving a lot of room coming out of the corners for Cappelli to sneak in, but soon MacLeod began to build a lead over the second place car of Cappelli. By the halfway point in the race MacLeod and Cappelli had separated themselves from a second pack containing Hogan, Evans, Fiebelkorn Jr., and Billy Burd who was pulling double duty racing his Sportsman and a Late Model. Evans was looking over Hogan for third and looked to have the advantage with just five laps to go but it was not meant to be. MacLeod cruised to his first career SST Sportsman feature win while Nick Cappelli finished second. Hogan, Evans, and Fiebelkorn Jr. crossed the line third on back and nose to tail.

Next week on Saturday, July 21st all divisions will be competing for the coveted Mid Season Championship trophies as Fleet Maintenance and Hot Head Hair Salon Present Trucker Appreciation Night. In addition there will also be a SST 75 Lap Tour Race and Cup Lites. The Bobcat of Buffalo Late Models will have the night off.

For more information visit www.lancasterracing.com or call the track office at 716-758-6818.

Thiel Motorsports Fast & Furious 4 Cylinder Feature Finish:
1. (1) BRANDON HIRSCH #17
2. Tim Haniszewski #02
3. Brad Julicher #9x
4. Margaret McDonald #33
5. Dan Wieland #40
6. Don Roesch #77
7. Kevin Morreale #14
8. Luke Wozniak #74
9. Ken Hejna #9
10. Russ Bulger #32x
11. Mike Jurek #57
12. Dan Roesch #69
13. Driver #32
DNS: Tim Haniszewski, Jr. #10

Lap Leader: Laps 1-20 Hirsch

McGard Street Stock Feature Finish:
1. MARK HOCH #6 (subbing for Jeff Madill)
2. (12) Andy Jankowiak #73
3. John Julicher, Jr. #9
4. Tom Agen Sr. #3
5. Bobby Hanel, Jr. #33
6. Scott Mutka #23
7. Russell Knutsen #93
8. Cory Gallagher #24
9. Tim Garlock #88
10. Kaz Tarasek #18
11. Gary Light #40
12. Wayne Lavis #1
13. (1) Matt Jurek #57
14. Doug Evans #28 (subbing for Mike Maggiore)
15. Rick Ortwein #58
16. Gary Bartella #99
17. Gary Denea #33D
18. Brian Porebski #58x
19. Rob Bulger #32
20. Joe Light #44
21. Bob Blaszak #53 (subbing for Bob Blaszak, Jr.)
22. Jason Dieter #56 (subbing for Bob Blaszak)
23. Steve Cochran #70
24. Tom DeVille #61
25. Ed Nowak #96
26. Paul Tessier #12
27. (2) Debbie Jurek #65
28. Darryl McKay #13
29. Jim Bryant #49
DNS: Tim Neis #74

Lap Leaders: Lap 1 M. Jurek; Laps 2-6 Mutka; Laps 6-20 Hoch

Heat Winners: Bryant, Gallagher, Julicher

Ray Laks Resale Super Stock Feature Finish:
1. (2) FRANK BATISTA JR. #37
2. (4) Dave Johnson #52
3. (3) George Roesch #61
4. (5) James Kron, III #31
5. (1) Jay Canonico #13
6. (7) Tim Bernhard #23 (subbing for Wayne Bernhard)
7. (8) Dave Wilson, Jr. #21
8. (6) Jason Gwin #30

Lap Leader: Laps 1-20 Batista Jr.

Heat Winner: Johnson

Lorigo Insurance SST Sportsman Feature Finish:
1. (2) TOM MACLEOD #32
2. (4) Nick Cappelli #86
3. (1) Sherri Hogan #74
4. (6) Jeff Evans #91
5. (8) Mike Fiebelkorn, Jr. #10
6. (5) Billy Burd #20
7. (7) Frank Booker, Jr. #22
8. (10) Dave Tedesco #44
9. (14) Eddie Murray #37
10. (12) Jon Price #13
11. (11) Ed Weber #4
12. (3) Russ Gian #9
13. (15) Scott Reece #16
14. (9) Craig Dolphin #98
15. (13) Mike Stevenson #1

Lap Leader: Laps 1-20 MacLeod

Heat Winners: Fiebelkorn Jr., Cappelli

Bobcat of Buffalo Feature Finish:
1. (2) MARK BLISS #11 (subbing for Bobby Weber)
2. (7) Todd Hoddick #49
3. (5) Matt Alix #24
4. (8) Will Thomas #9
5. (3) Ron Nurmi #2
6. (6) Scott Skora #56
7. (15) Tommy Reese #54
8. (9) Cory Lischer #3L
9. (16) Frank Green #52G
10. (4) Jeff Brown, Jr. #3
11. (1) Mark Pennell #18
12. (10) Dave Rigan #24x
13. (14) John McClurg #20
14. (12) Mike Ticco #65sr
15. (11) Scott Nurmi #20x
16. (17) Jeff Merritt #61
17. (13) Billy Burd #49x

Lap Leader: Laps 1-50 Bliss

Heat Winners: Alix, Nurmi

Source: Lori Overdorf/Lancaster PR
Additions: Mark Southcott/NYRaceZone.com
Posted: July 16, 2007; photos & updates added: July , 2007