BURD, HEWSON & JUREK GRAB MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND CHECKEREDS AT DTRP
By Dave Buchanan
One week after Mother Nature washed out racing at Dunn Tire Raceway Park, she made up for it with a gorgeous evening for racing during Memorial Day weekend in WNY. While two familiar faces returned to victory lane in the Sportsman and Street Stocks, there was a new face and another name in the record books in the 4 Cylinders.
In the Sportsman Modified feature, Andy Jankowiak started on the pole and quickly established himself as the top dog early on. Jankowiak built up a sizable lead while the rest of the field was left to battle for position.
Opening day feature winner and defending track champion, Billy Burd, started fourth in the Rutherford/Johnson Racing #11. He worked his way to second by lap 5 of 35 but then had to make up the distance between himself and Andy J. By halfway he was closing in on Jankowiak and Burd would catch and pass him for the lead with just six laps to go.
Burd drove on to his second-straight win to begin the 2010 season. Jankowiak would settle for second with Sege Fidanza, Tom McGrath and Russ Gian rounding out the top five.
John Hewson visited victory lane in the 25-lap Able Agency Street Stock feature. Hewson started on the pole but handed the lead to Mike Nash at the drop of the initial green flag. Nash led the first 14 laps but Hewson followed closely behind as the handling went away for the leader.
Hewson waited patiently until lap 14 when he got underneath Nash to take the lead. He then had to hold off Kevin Mendel who came up from the eighth starting spot to challenge for the lead late in the race. Mendel pulled alongside Hewson on the final lap but Hewson held on for the win by barely a car length.
History was made in the Fast & Furious 4-Cylinders as Debbie Jurek became just the fourth female in DTRP history to win a feature race. Jurek earned the win after Cassie McGrath bobbled coming off turn two with less than three laps to go and Jurek was able to pass her by.
McGrath dominated the first 17 laps of the race after she started on the pole and pulled out to nearly a half-track lead over Jurek. That lead was wiped out when Derrick Brant’s car expired on the front stretch and forced the yellow flag to come out. McGrath settled for fourth while Jurek went on to win. Charles Buchanan was second, Dan Roesch was third and Mike Maggiore rounded out the top five.
RESULTS
SPORTSMAN MODIFIED
Heat Winners – Sherri Hogan, Billy Burd
Feature – BILLY BURD, Andy Jankowiak, Sege Fidanza, Tom McGrath, Russell Gian, Frank Batista, Jr., Sherri Hogan, Kevin Lewis, Glenn Attanasio, Matt Jurek, Tommy Reese, John Julicher, Jr. , Rob Bulger.
ABLE AGENCY STREET STOCKS
Heat Winners – Mike Nash, Nate Straus
Feature – JOHN HEWSON, JR., Kevin Mendel, Mike Nash, Nate Straus, Kris Hamann, Scott Mutka, Mike Maggiore, Cory Gallagher, Joe Haley, Rick Ortwein, Gary Bartella, Chip Wood, Jim Stein, Joe Light, Matt Druar, Keith Flanigan, Mike Weston, Kevin Tarbox, Paul Tessier, Gary Denea.
FOUR CYLINDERS
Heat Winners – Cassie McGrath, Dan Roesch
Feature – DEBBIE JUREK, Charles Buchanan, Dan Roesch, Cassie McGrath, Mike Maggiore, Tim Durfy, Nate Straus, Dean Siminski, Kenny Hejna, Kalie Clementi, Jayme Thompson, Mike Hossfeld, Chris Foote, Derrick Brant, Roger Jones.
