RUSTY SMITH TAKES FIRST EVER WIN AT DTRP IN
ROC TOUR RACE
Druar, Christiano Jr., and Garlock round out the nights feature winners
Lancaster, New York – Rusty Smith garnered his first win at Dunn Tire Raceway Park as the Race of Champions Modified Tour rolled into the speedway, putting on a late race charge Victory Lane. Matt Druar continued his domination of the 4 Cylinder division with yet another win while Tim Garlock grabbed the checkered flag for the second time this season in the Street Stock division. Vinny Christiano Jr. emerged as the winner in the TQ Midget feature event.
Cassie McGrath started on the pole in the 4 Cylinder feature event but just one lap into the race a huge pileup in turn four that involved nearly half the field jostled up the running order. The restart put the incredibly fast Matt Druar into the third restart position from his original tenth place starting spot. At the drop of the green on the restart more bumping and banging happened while Druar took advantage and shot into the lead. Charles Buchanan, who had started fifth and who had also managed to steer clear of the carnage, followed in the second position. Buchanan was never able to challenge for the lead however as Druar set a torrid pace and went on to win yet again.
It was more inner oval action as the visiting TQ Midgets took to the track for their main event. As the race started, Cam Barber shot to the lead from the outside pole starting position. Barber set the pace and led the field over the half the distance of the event, but he had the members of the “Christiano Army” nipping at his heels. Vinny Christiano Jr., who had started fifth, led the way and was followed by teammates Jamie Collard, Bobby Holmes, and Mark Schulz. Christiano passed Barber for the lead on lap 13 and looked poised to cruise to the win. A last lap frontstretch wild crash involving Mike Blair and Barber, saw Blair’s TQ on its side, while Barbers had lost a wheel. A green white checkered finish was called for and Christiano now had his teammates, and the entire field, on his bumper. Christiano, however, was the man to beat and held onto the lead, capturing his first DTRP TQ Midget win of the season.
As always, the Street Stocks put on a show for the fans gathered at the speedway as they displayed the divisions penchant for side by side racing, three wide passing, and a field that has any number of potential winners in it. Debbie Jurek started the race on the pole and was followed by “Crazy” Steve Cochran, Dave Frieder, Rick Ortwein, Kris Hamman, and Tim Garlock. Jurek took control of the lead as the race began while Ortwein and Cochran ran side by side for second and Frieder, Garlock, and Kevin Mendel went three wide for third on back. The passing had just started as just a few laps later, on lap six, Garlock, Jurek, and Ortwein were three wide for the race lead. Garlock emerged the victor and took the top running position. The field continued to slice and dice behind the leader but Garlock maintained his lead on the field and by halfway had built a considerable distance between himself and the second place Mendel. Two late race yellows brought the field to Garlock’s back bumper but no one was able to challenge for the lead as Garlock was able to pull away on each restart. Behind him, a fierce battle waged between Mendel, John Hewson – who had started 19th – and Cochran. Garlock crossed the finish line first and was followed by Hewson, Mendel, Cochran, and Ortwein. However, following post race inspection, Hewson and Cochran were disqualified for technical infractions.
The feature event of the evening rounded out the nights events – the Race of Champions Modified Tour 75 lap event. Twenty-six cars were slated to start the feature, with the top twelve starters having redrawn after the qualifying heats. Mike Leaty started from the pole position and was joined on the front row by TJ Potrzebowski. With the drop of the green, Leaty and Potrzebowski raced side by side into turns one and two, with Leaty emerging at the leader by the time the field made a full circuit around the speedway. The field settled in for a long green flag run as Leaty paced the field. Leaty began opening up a lead on Potrzebowski while Eric Beers, Earl Paules, Jim Storace, Chuck Hossfeld, and Tom McGrath were strung out behind him. Lap 26 saw the first yellow flag of the night as Wilbur Hebing spun in turn one.
The caution period saw literally half the field pit for a fresh right rear tire. Mike Leaty emerged back out on the track first, beating the other 12 cars that had pitted. Up front however, Potrzebowski had opted to stay on track and had inherited the race lead. Paules, Storace, and Matt Hirschman followed in second, third, and fourth. The field looked a little bit more restless as they approached the halfway point of the race and teams prepared for their second half race strategy.
However, before the race could reach the halfway point, a large backstretch crash on lap 33 changed the complexion of the race for some competitors. Involved in the crash were McGrath, Erick Rudolph, Dave Wollaber, Billy Putney, and numerous other teams. After a lengthy clean-up the race resumed with a single file restart with Potrzebowski, Paules, Hossfeld, Jimmy Zacharias, Sege Fidanza, Jan Leaty, and Rusty Smith leading the way.
At the halfway point, Potrzebowski, Paules, and Hossfeld had started to separate from the rest of the pack, while the teams that had taken tires on lap 26 had started to move up through the pack. Hossfeld ran in third while Jan Leaty took control of third, Mike Leaty followed in fourth, and Rusty Smith ran fifth. A brief yellow flag on lap 43 saw the rest of the competitors who had not pitted for a tire head pitside. At this point in the race the only car that hadn’t pitted was the leader Potrzebowski. On older tires than the rest of the field Potrzebowski had quite a task ahead of him to stay in the lead. Hossfeld began applying heavy pressure to the leader but was unable to complete the pass as Potrzebowski hung onto the top spot.
Behind the top two, a battle for position was being waged by Jan Leaty, Mike Leaty, and Rusty Smith. As Mike Leaty looked for a way around his father, Smith was all over the younger Leaty for position. Smith managed to get by Mike Leaty on lap 55 and set his sights towards the front of the pack. Just three laps later Smith passed Jan Leaty and now ran third, with just Hossfeld and Potrzebowski ahead of him.
With just under ten laps to go in the feature, Smith passed Hossfeld for second and was challenging for the lead when the yellow flag came out on lap 69 for Rick Kluth who had struck the backstretch wall. After a lengthy yellow flag cleanup period, the race was restarted with a single file lineup. Potrzebowski, Smith, Hossfeld, Jan Leaty, and Mike Leaty lead the field to the green, but temporarily as another yellow flag appeared on lap 69.
The ensuing restart turned out to be the last of the night though. Just one lap later, on lap 70, Smith dove under Potrzebowski and took command of the race. Hossfed and Jan Leaty quickly did the same, relegating Potrzebowski back to fourth. With just two laps to go, Smith had checked out on the field and went on to capture his first ever win at Dunn Tire Raceway Park.
Next week at Dunn Tire Raceway Park is “Spirit Night” – fans are encouraged to dress up in their favorite drivers colors and number! On the racing card is the TQ Midgets, 4 Cylinders, Street Stocks, SST Sportsman, and Modifieds in a 50 lap main event. For more information visit
www.dunntireracewaypark.com or call Director of Stock Car Events Lori Overdorf at 716-207-2824.
RACE OF CHAMPIONS MODIFIED TOUR FEATURE FINISH (7/18/09): RUSTY SMITH, Chuck Hossfeld, Jan Leaty, TJ Potrzebowski, Mike Leaty, Eric Beers, Earl Paules, Daren Scherer, Matt Hirschman, Jimmy Zacharias, John Markovic, Jim Storace, Mark Tychoniewicz, Jeff Hamman, Daryl Lewis Jr., Rick Kluth, Billy Putney, Sege Fidanza, Doug Reaume, Karl Hehr, Erick Rudolph, Tom McGrath, Dave Wollaber, Wilbur Hebing, Ricky Knapp
Heat Winners: J. Leaty, M. Leaty, Paules
STREET STOCK FEATURE FINISH (7/18/09): TIM GARLOCK, Kevin Mendel, Rick Ortwein, Kris Hamman, Scott Mutka, Joe Haley, Mike Maggiore, Nate Straus, Ed Nowak, Joe Light, Gary Denea, Gary Bartella, Chip Wood, Debbie Jurek, MikWeston, Jim Stein, Dave Frieder, Matt Jurek, Mike Nash
Lap Leaders: 1-6 D. Jurek; 7-25 Garlock
Heat Winners: Garlock, Frieder
TQ MIDGETS FEATURE FINISH (7/18/09): VINNY CHRISTIANO JR., Jamie Collard, Bobby Holmes, Mark Schulz, Paul Faleski, Justin Mapes, Dave Wollaber, Mel Rab, Jonathan Reid, Dan Lawrence, Dean McConnaughey, Charlie DiRosa, Driver 83, Junior Haywood, Driver 4, Driver 00, Mike Blair, Camden Barber, Driver 10
Lap Leaders: 1-12 Barber; 13-20 Christiano Jr.
Heat Winners: Christiano Jr., Schulz
4 CYLINDER FEATURE FINISH (7/18/09): MATT DRUAR, Charles Buchanan, Cassie McGrath, Dean Siminski, Kevin Morreale, Jayme Thompson, Driver 35, Eric Greenleif, Ken Hejna, Derek Wagner, Dan Roesch, Tim Durfy
Lap Leaders: 1 McGrath; 2-20 Druar