5/25/08

ERICK RUDOLPH NOTCHES SST SPORTSMAN VICTORY AS RON NURMI TAKES LATE MODEL MAIN

 
Lancaster, NY: Erick Rudolph and Ron Nurmi stole the show on Military Appreciation Night at Dunn Tire Raceway Park. Rudolph dominated the 50-lap special for the Lorigo Insurance SST Modifieds while Nurmi captured the season-opening race for the Bobcat of Buffalo Late Models with an exciting three-wide pass. Rudolph, who just a day earlier recorded a career-best tenth place finish in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race at Stafford, got the luck of the draw as he started on the pole for the 50-lap SST feature. He quickly got the jump on outside pole-sitter Craig Dolphin to take the lead and never looked back. It's Rudolph's second-straight SST win at DTRP to kick off the 2008 season. Tom McGrath had to come through field after an early race incident to finish second. Kirk Rutherford finished third with Russ Gian and Sherri Hogan rounding out the top five.

Ron Nurmi used a combination of skill and fearlessness to capture the season-opening feature in the Bobcat of Buffalo Late Models. With five laps to go Nurmi squeezed between leader Scott Skora and a lapped car on the frontstretch to make the race winning pass. It was Nurmi's 41st career win in the Late Models, which is second most all-time in DTRP history. Skora had to settle for second. Matt Alix was third. Rich Skora and Todd Hoddick finished inside in the top five.

In the Able Agency Street Stocks it was John Julicher Jr. picking up the win after 25 laps of racing. Julicher passed Gary Denea for the lead after a restart on lap 10, and then pulled away from the pack to grab the victory. That move was setup by a crash on lap nine when Jim Bryant and Scott Mutka tangled in turn two while racing for the lead. Denea and Julicher inherited the top two spots after making it through the wreckage. Mike Maggiore finished second to Julicher. Matt Jurek, Bobby Hanel Jr., and Denea rounded out the top five.

Jesse Baker led all 15 laps from the pole to win the Thiel Motorsports Fast and Furious 4-Cylinder feature for his first win of the year.

Stock car racing continues next Saturday, May 31, at Dunn Tire Raceway Park. The Modifieds and Late Models will be running 50-lap features and the Super Stocks make their return on Monster Truck Madness night. Metal crushing monster trucks will excite fans of all ages as they tear up the infield at DTRP. Racing starts at 6:30 p.m. Log on to dunntireracewaypark.com for more information.

MILITARY APPRECIATION NIGHT OFFICIAL FINISHES:

FOUR CYLINDER 15
1. (6) JESSE BAKER #79
2. (9) Tim Haniszewski, Sr. #02
3. (11) Tim Haniszewski, Jr. #10
4. (5) Ken Hejna #9
5. (7) Matt Druar #37
6. (3) Tim Durfy #25
7. (10) Darren Lenhart #8
8. (13) Josh Prenatt #89
9. (4) Cassie McGrath #11
10. (12) Katie Clementi #29
11. (8) Kevin Morreale #14
12. (2) Mike Tedesco #77
13. (14) _ #97
DQ: (1) Don Roesch #69

Lap leader: Jesse Baker - laps 1-15

STREET STOCK 25
1. (12) JOHN JULICHER, JR. #9
2. (7) Mike Maggiore #28
3. (10) Matt Jurek #57
4. (16) Bobby Hanel, Jr. #33
5. (1) Gary Denea #33D
6. (3) Jim Bryant #49
7. (6) Gary Bartella #99
8. (14) Cory Gallagher #24
9. (9) Kris Hamann #8
10. (2) Jeff Guidotti #20
11. (15) Darryl McKay #13
12. (19) Jim Stein #21
13. (13) Steve Cochran #70
14. (22) Tim Neis #74
15. (5) Rick Ortwein #58
16. (18) Ed Nowak #96
17. (21) Debbie Jurek #65
18. (8) Paul Tessier #12
19. (20) Gary Light #18/#40
20. (11) Wayne Lavis #1
21. (4) Scott Mutka #23
22. (17) Kevin Mendel #77
DNS: Shane Porter #11, Dave Frieder #7

Lap leaders: Gary Denea - lap 1, Jim Bryant - laps 2-9, John Julicher, Jr. - laps 10-25
Heat winners: Jim Bryant, John Julicher,Jr.

LATE MODEL 25
1. (4) RON NURMI #2
2. (2) Scott Skora #56
3. (3) Matt Alix #72
4. (6) Rich Skora #56x
5. (1) Todd Hoddick #49
6. (5) Mark Pennell #54
7. (10) Frank Green #52
8. (7) Dan Habuda #15
9. (9) Richard Arndt #29
10. (8) Joey Brainard #98

Lap leaders: Scott Skora - lap 1, Todd Hoddick - lap 2, Scott Skora - laps 3-20, Ron Nurmi - laps 21-25
Heat winners: Rich Skora, Ron Nurmi

SST SPORTSMAN 50
1. (1) ERICK RUDOLPH #45
2. (4) Tom McGrath #12
3. (10) Kirk Rutherford #11
4. (3) Russ Gian #9
5. (8) Sherri Hogan #74
6. (11) Frank Batista, Jr. #97
7. (7) Jerry Harding , Jr. #57R
8. (12) Kevin Lewis #41
9. (2) Craig Dolphin #98
10. (6) Tom MacLeod #32
11. (5) Andy Jankowiak #57
12. (13) Eddie Murray #37
13. (9) Dave Tedesco #44
14. (14) Ron Williams #1
15. (15) Ed Schueler #18

Lap leader: Erick Rudolph - laps 1-50
Heat winners: Erick Rudolph, Tom MacLeod

Source: Dave Buchanan/Dunn Tire Raceway Park PR
Additions and corrections: Mark Southcott/NYRaceZone.com
Posted: May 25, 2008; updated: May 26 & 27, 2008