7/22/07

KIRK RUTHERFORD GARNERS SST MODIFIED TOUR 75

 
Lancaster, New York: Kirk Rutherford has been on quite a roll this season, especially at Lancaster Raceway Park where he has visited Victory Lane four times to date. This past Saturday, debuting a new car, he lead from green to checkered flag in the 75 Lap SST Tour Race after starting from the pole position. Also notching wins and capturing Mid Season Championship Trophies were 2006 TQ Midget Champion Vinny Christiano Jr., Jeff Madill who last week had a substitute driver take the checkered flag in his Street Stock, and George Roesch who captured his second win of the season. The Cup Lite Series was also on hand and former US Open winner Dennis Tybor took home the win.

Starting the night's action were the Probity Group TQ Midgets racing on Lancaster’s inner oval. Starting from the third position Vinny Christiano Jr. worked over pole sitter Dan Lawrence for the better part of eight laps until he managed to dive to the inside of the leader and make the pass for the top spot. Lawrence stayed with the former TQ champion, waiting for the slightest of mistakes to capitalize on and retake the lead. A top notch racing battle raged behind the leaders as Jamie Collard and Arik McGruder fought for the third running position. Collard was finally able to maneuver by McGruder on lap 21 of the 25 lap feature and immediately set his car after Lawrence in second. Collard made a last lap effort to get by the second place runner but was unsuccessful. Up in front Christiano cruised home to his first win of the 2007 season.

The touring Cup Lites racing series was next up on the card with a 35 lap feature. Dennis Tybor started from the fifth spot on the grid and found his way to the front after just seven laps. Tybor held on to the lead throughout the race which ran clean and single file throughout.

Twenty eight cars took to the track for the McGard Street Stock feature and at the drop of the green it was the Street Stock patented three wide racing around the track. Scott Mutka, who had started fifth took advantage of the slicing and dicing and grabbed the lead. However some of the top cars in the division were on the move through the field and would soon be knocking on Mutka’s door. Tom Agen Sr., Jeff Madill, and Andy Jankowiak ran directly behind Mutka and after eight laps, Mutka relinquished the lead to Agen. Further back Tim Garlock and Cory Gallagher were working their way through the field and had cracked the top ten by the halfway point of the race. Lap 15 saw a leader change as Madill was able to finally power by Agen using the lap traffic to his advantage. The close quarters of the leaders and lap traffic led to contact between Agen and Jankowiak with both being sent to the tail of the field. The ensuing restart bunched the field back up together, allowing Madill, John Julicher Jr., Wayne Lavis, Mutka, and Garlock to even out. On the start Julicher bobbled allowing Lavis to go by into second, while Garlock and Gallagher passed Mutka for the fourth and fifth positions respectively. Madill held on for his first win of the season. It was his car’s second trip to Victory Lane in as many weeks as Mark Hoch won in the same car last week subbing for Madill.

As always, the Ray Laks Resale Super Stocks put on quite a racing show for the fans in attendance. Wayne Bernhard jumped out to an early lead and immediately had Dave Johnson, George Roesch, and Frank Batista Jr. on his tail. A series of yellow flags repeatedly regrouped the field together although Bernhard was able to hold to the lead. With Johnson occupied with finding a way around Bernhard, Roesch and Batista Jr. raced side by side, with Batista looking for any way around Roesch. Just passed the half way point in the race, Johnson and Bernhard got a little too close for comfort which resulted in Bernhard losing his grip on the lead and spinning in turn three. No yellow flag was shown as Bernhard got the car up and going right away. Johnson fell back a bit after the contact which propelled Roesch into the top running position. With the laps clicking away Roesch maintained his lead against Batista Jr. and a recovered Johnson. However, taking the checkered flag for the second time in 2007 was George Roesch.

With the rest of the features in the books, it was time for the nights headline event – the 75 Lap SST Tour Race. Kirk Rutherford redrew the pole position and Eddie Murray started to his outside. Nick Cappelli started third while Sherri Hogan and Luke Wozniak rounded out the top five starters. At the drop of the green Rutherford immediately jumped into sole possession of the lead while Cappelli slotted into second. After an early yellow on lap three, the field sorted themselves into single file running order with Rutherford and Cappelli leading the way. Tom MacLeod held onto the third spot while a spirited battle for the fourth running position took place between Murray and Billy Burd. A series of yellow flags plagued the field from lap 30 to the half way point of the race, bunching up the field each and every time on the restart. However Rutherford was able to power into the lead each time. At the halfway point in the race the top five had spread out with Rutherford leading Cappelli, MacLeod, Burd, and Murray. The leaders had quite a lead on fifth place Murray who was leading the charge of Frank Booker Jr., Sherri Hogan, Ed Weber, and Luke Wozniak who were each scrambling for position. Back up front Rutherford held his line and his lead as Cappelli just couldn’t keep up with the leader. Burd began looking a little racy as his began challenging MacLeod for the third position. A lap 54 and 56 caution bunched the field back up once again and gave Cappelli and Burd their best chances of the night to get by Rutherford and MacLeod respectively. As the laps clicked away the leaders once again spaced themselves out with Rutherford and Cappelli about ten car lengths ahead of MacLeod and Burd, who in turn had a straightaway lead on fifth place Murray. With ten to go it was time to show whatever the drivers had been saving for a last run at advancing their position. However, Rutherford maintained his lead as Cappelli had no challenge for the top spot. Taking his second SST Tour Race in a row, and the second win in two nights, was Kirk Rutherford.

Next week on Saturday, July 28th the stock cars will take the week off, but will return on Saturday, August 4th as the New York State Fraternal Order of Police Present the Tommy Druar & Tony Jankowiak Modified Memorial Race. The 50 lap feature will showcase the top Modified talent in the area as they compete for the prestigious win and RoC qualifying spot. For more information visit www.lancasterracing.com or call the track office at 716-758-6818.

Cup Lites Feature Finish:
1. (5) DENNIS TYBOR #3
2. (6) Scott Wylie #32
3. (10) Dave Whittaker #13
4. (13) Nelson Rung #31
5. (4) Taylor Holdaway #41
6. (12) Glenn Attanasio #25
7. (8) Glen Absolom #21
8. (9) Ken Heckler #17
9. (7) Amanda McCall #12
10. (1) Jeremy Ratajczyk #99
11. (3) Jason Keen #42
12. (2) Dan Tybor #5
13. (11) Pete Koschuk #46

Lap Leaders: Laps 1-3 Ratajczyk, Laps 4-6 Dan Tybor, Laps 7-35 Dennis Tybor

Heat Winners: Wylie, Dennis Tybor

Probity Construction T.Q. Midget Feature Finish:
1. (3) VINCE CHRISTIANO, JR. #2
2. (1) Danny Lawrence #7
3. (6) Jamie Collard #3
4. (4) Arik McGruder #21
5. (2) A.J. Hessler #11
6. (8) Mark Schulz #X
7. (7) Wayne Turnbull #31
8. (12) Dave Wollaber #1
9. (9) Jim Fleischman #41
10. (5) Chris Bandelian #34
11. (10) Mike Blair #8
12. (11) Shaun Szejnar #14
13. (13) Chad Haywood #42
14. (14) Curtis Friesen #68
15. (15) Joel Friesen #33
DNS: James Michael Friesen #52

Lap Leaders: Laps 1-8 Lawrence, Laps 9-20 Christiano, Jr.

Heat Winners: Hessler, Lawrence

McGard Street Stock Feature Finish:
1. (14) JEFF MADILL #6
2. (15) Wayne Lavis #1
3. (8) John Julicher, Jr. #9
4. (11) Tim Garlock #88
5. (10) Cory Gallagher #24
6. (5) Scott Mutka #23
7. (12) Kaz Tarasek #183
8. (7) Gary Light #40
9. (16) John Hewson, Jr. #58H
10. (26) Rick Ortwein #58
11. (3) Gary Denea #33D
12. (21) Mike Maggiore #28
13. (24) Jeff Guidotti #20
14. (18) Rob Bulger #32
15. (1) Matt Jurek #57
16. (13) Andy Jankowiak #73
17. (17) Bob Blaszak #56
18. (25) Tim Neis #74
19. (19) Ed Nowak#96
20. (6) Tom Agen #3
21. (20) Paul Tessier #12
22. (22) Gary Bartella #99
23. (27) Tom DeVille #61
24. (9) Bobby Hanel, Jr. #33
25. (28) Debbie Jurek #65
26. (23) Steve Cochran #70
27. (2) Bob Blaszak, Jr. #53
28. (4) Jim Bryant #49

Lap Leaders: Laps 1-8 Mutka, Laps 9-15 Agen, Laps 16-20 Madill

Heat Winners: Bryant, Garlock, Julicher

Ray Laks Resale Super Stock Feature Finish:
1. (2) GEORGE ROESCH #61
2. (4) Frank Batista, Jr. #37
3. (6) Jay Canonico #13
4. (8) James Kron, III #31
5. (3) Dave Johnson #52
6. (7) J.W. Flagler #27
7. (1) Wayne Bernhard #23
8. (5) Jason Gwin #30

Lap Leaders: Laps 1-11 Bernhard, Laps 12-20 Roesch

Heat Winner: Bernhard

Lorigo Insurance SST Sportsman Feature Finish:
1. (1) KIRK RUTHERFORD #11
2. (5) Tom MacLeod #32
3. (6) Billy Burd #20
4. (2) Eddie Murray #37
5. (8) Frank Booker, Jr. #22
6. (4) Sherri Hogan #74
7. (11) Dave Tedesco #44
8. (7) Luke Wozniak #57
9. (10) Russ Gian #9
10. (3) Nick Cappelli #86
11. (12) Scott Reece #16
12. (14) Ed Weber #4
13. (15) Dick Kluth #27
14. (9) Jim Pierce #26
15. (16) Doug Yeo #36
16. (13) Butch Crawford #72
DNS: Mike Stevenson #1

Lap Leader: Laps 1-75 Rutherford

Heat Winners: MacLeod, Rutherford

Source: Lori Overdorf/Lancaster PR
Additions: Mark Southcott/NYRaceZone.com
Posted: July 22, 2007; photos & updates added: July , 2007