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By Jim Fremouw, DIRT Pro Stock Series Reporter
Elbridge, NY — September 18, 2005 — The Stacker 2® Pro Stock Super DIRT Series made
its second appearance of the 2005 campaign at “The Fast Track,” Rolling Wheels
Raceway, and when the checkers flew a familiar face appeared in victory lane. For
the fourth time in the series' 21 visits to the speedway, “The Ransomville Rocket”
Jipp Ortiz bested all drivers to earn the 30-lap victory and collect the $1000
payday behind the wheel of his Original Pizza Logs-Empro Niagara-North Country
Deli-Pogo Racing Engines #0 Chevrolet Monte Carlo/Stinger chassis. It was the second
straight victory for Ortiz after he grabbed the checkers in the 100-lap “King of the
Hill” $2,000 to win Pro Stock Championship at Ransomville Speedway on the previous
evening securing his third Stacker 2® Pro Stock Super DIRT Series of the '05 season.
“He (Henry) must have made a mistake on that restart. I don’t know…I got a good run
on the bottom. He was taking off a little early so I didn’t want to let him get
away. I knew we’d be going single file on the next restart and I didn’t want to get
in that position so I gave it one last shot and it worked…I was able to get out in
front of him,” Ortiz explained of the move to take over the lead which he never
relinquished.
With the victory and the fourth-place finish of Clayton Benedict, Ortiz was also
able to pull into a tie with the 2005 Cornwall Motor Speedway points champion in the
quest for his third Hoosier Tire-Sunoco Race Fuels Mr. DIRT Pro Stock Championship.
Ortiz raced to the point’s title in 2000 and '03 and is the only driver who has been
able to secure more than one overall Mr. DIRT title.
James Henry and Mike Williams led the 24-car starting field to the green flag for
the 30-lap contest with Henry able to race to the front of the pack. The battle
heated up behind the leader almost immediately as Ortiz was in Henry’s tire tracks
with Williams, Chad Homan, Allen Peters and Pete Stefanski swapping paint for
position in the top-five.
A rash of caution flag fever took control on lap 10 as yellow lights came on five
times over the next six laps. The first caution appeared for Jon Kuleszo as he spun
in turns one and two. On the restart, several competitors made contact on the
frontstretch sending Lee Burnett sideways resulting in a lap 11 caution. One lap
later, a multi-car tangle took place between turns one and two involving Frank
Guererri Jr., Johnny Yandow Jr., Ricky Breed, Bill Trego and Mitchell Jock. Despite
sheet metal damage on each car, all were able to continue. Kuleszo brought the
caution out again on lap 13 as he sat idle in turn two ending his race.
Through each of these caution periods and restarts, Ortiz tested the Henry machine
but couldn’t get enough of a run to better his position. Finally on the lap 13
restart, Ortiz was able to fire a little quicker than Henry pulling his mount in
front as the two entered turns one and two. By the time the pair made it around one
more lap, Ortiz was scored the leader. Henry continued to pressure Ortiz, but the
2005 Canandaigua Speedway points champion was able to thwart off Henry’s efforts.
As the two leaders motored away on each restart with Williams in tow, several
competitors were making moves to gain position in the front-five including
Stefanski, Allen Peters, Clayton Benedict, Louis Jackson, Homan and Joey Ladouceur.
Each driver scratched and clawed their way around the very fast 5/8-mile oval hoping
to get an advantage to move closer to the front.
Frank Guererri Jr. brought out the next caution on lap 15 as he spun in turn one.
He was able to refire and join the field but once again had to start from the back
of the pack.
When racing resumed, Benedict and Jackson carried their momentum towards the front
of the pack as they easily raced into the first five. Jackson proved to have the
quickest car on the speedway as he rim rode around the high side of the track from
his 24th-place starting position to put his mount into the heat of battle.
Racing action slowed again on lap 19 for the spinning car of Bob Buono between turns
one and two. Buono, who had earned his first career Pro Stock victory several weeks
ago at Fulton Speedway, was able to continue, but would never be a factor the rest
of the way despite the fact he was a top-10 car early in the event.
Ortiz continued to lead Henry and Williams at the front of the pack on each restart,
but all eyes started to focus on the great run turned in by Benedict and Jackson as
the pair moved through the field. Benedict raced by Stefanski on lap 22 solidifying
his points advantage over the 2005 Ransomville Speedway points champion, but he
would have to gain several more positions to hold his grip on the points lead over
Ortiz.
The final caution flag of the event flew on lap 25 for the spun car of Doug Smith.
As the green flag flew for the restart, Jackson saw his hopes for victory evaporate
as he did a complete 360-degree spin between turns one and two. Jackson continued
on without bringing out a caution, but lost many positions in the process.
Henry and Williams tried to make it a three car battle for the victory, but Ortiz
had everything going his way as he raced in for his 16th career Stacker 2® Pro Stock
Super DIRT Series triumph with Henry, Williams, Benedict and Allen Peters following
to the wire to round out the top-five.
Canandaigua Speedway is next on the Stacker 2® Pro Stock Super DIRT Series agenda
with the running of the 7th Annual Top Gun #1 Shoot-Out, a 25-lap Combined Series
event. The Stacker 2® Pro Stock SDS now becomes even more intense as the season
winds down with at least one race per weekend scheduled up to Super DIRT Week XXXIV.
The overall 2005 Hoosier Tire-Sunoco Race Fuels Mr. DIRT Pro Stock Champion will be
crowned at the famed Syracuse Mile after the running of the 25-lap Pro Stock
Championship.
Stacker 2® Pro Stock Super DIRT Series – Rolling Wheels Raceway, September 18, 2005
[*Official box score posted on www.dirtmotorsports.com by selecting DIRT Northeast
then clicking 'Stacker 2' logo on homepage]
FEATURE
FIN STR CAR# DRIVER
1 4 0 Jipp Ortiz/Ransomville,NY ($1,000)
2 1 21 James Henry/Middlesex,NY
3 2 6m Mike Williams/Tuscarora Nation,NY
4 10 12 Clayton Benedict/Cornwall Island,ONT
5 5 73a Allen Peters/Massena,NY
6 3 91 Chad Homan/Macedon,NY
7 9 94 Lee Burnett/Waterloo,NY
8 6 2 Pete Stefanski/Wheatfield,NY
9 15 73 P.J. Peters/Akwesasne,QUE
10 22 14 Mitchell Jock/Akwesasne,NY
11 7 92.1 Joey Ladouceur/Alexandria,ONT
12 11 31 Bill Trego/Moscow,PA
13 24 18 Louie Jackson/Akwesasne,NY
14 13 98t Jack Terrell/Jamesville,NY
15 8 113jr Frank Guererri Jr./Ovid,NY
16 12 64 Bob Buono/Wayne,NY
17 19 67 John Panattoni/Niagara Falls,NY
18 17 2k Ricky Breed/Memphis,NY
19 16 3d Doug Smith/Rushville,NY
20 21 69 Jody Swamp/Akwesasne,NY
21 14 4 Roch Aubin/Alexandria,ONT
22 23 19k Jon Kuleszo/Ovid,NY
23 20 04 Johnny Yandow,Jr./Winthrop,NY
24 18 77g Robbie Grant/Malone,NY
Lap Leaders: Henry (1-13), Ortiz (14-30).
Cautions: 7 (lap 10, lap 11, lap 12, lap 13, lap 15, lap 19, lap 25).
Stacker 2® Pro Stock Championship Syracuse Qualifier: Lee Burnett.
Heat Races (8 laps, top 3 finishers redraw for starting position, all others
transferred to feature)
#1: Ortiz, Stefanski, Guererri Jr., Burnett, Buono, Aubin, Panattoni, Breed.
#2: Williams, Ladouceur, Henry, Benedict, P.J. Peters, Grant, Yandow Jr., DQ’d Jock
(no radio).
#3: Homan, A. Peters, Trego, Terrell, Smith, Swamp, DQ’d: Jackson (no radio),
Kuleszo (light at scales).
2005 Overall Hoosier Tire-Sunoco Race Fuels Mr. DIRT Pro Stock
Point Standings (thru Rolling Wheels - 9/18)
No.Driver RegionalHome TraCombined Total Diff
1 0 Jipp Ortiz 980 1000 430 2410 0
2 12 Clayton Benedict 1000 1000 410 2410 0
3 2s Pete Stefanski 1000 1000 385 2385 -25
4 6m Mike Williams 970 980 393 2343 -67
5 73 P.J. Peters 960 1000 349 2309 -101
6 92 Joey Ladouceur 980 980 338 2298 -112
7 73aAllen Peters 960 980 325 2265 -145
8 21 James Henry 950 970 322 2242 -168
9 18 Louis Jackson 970 970 300 2240 -170
10 69 Jody Swamp 946 950 237 2133 -277
11 4r Rock Aubin 942 930 255 2127 -283
12 77gRobbie Grant 934 924 225 2083 -327
13 14 Mitchell Jock 926 970 184 2080 -330
14 67 John Panattoni 942 960 152 2054 -356
15 98 Jack Terrell 934 970 147 2051 -359
16 99sSteve Miller 946 950 146 2042 -368
17 32 Rick Spencer 938 918 122 1978 -432
18 12bBeamer Guzzardi 930 1000 40 1970 -440
19 u02Ricky Thompson 928 946 92 1966 -444
20 0B Don Barnes 938 946 76 1960 -450
21 91 Chad Homan 902 980 76 1958 -452
22 113Frank Guererri 924 938 92 1954 -456
23 11sSteve Lewis 912 946 85 1943 -467
24 17 Marc Therrien 902 970 68 1940 -470
25 27 Dennis Kirkpatrick 934 930 72 1936 -474
26 6x Travis Back 924 938 72 1934 -476
27 22 Dan Shoop 916 970 43 1929 -481
28 44 Casey Swamp 904 922 94 1920 -490
29 40 Derek Boyle 928 946 44 1918 -492
30 99 Mike Martin 908 970 40 1918 -492
31 7 Rob Yetman 918 1000 0 1918 -492
32 12gEric Greenlief 926 930 42 1898 -512
33 1 John Pietrowicz 916 980 0 1896 -514
34 76 Kevin Arnold 916 980 0 1896 -514
35 04 Johnny Yandow 920 930 41 1891 -519
36 49 Greg Ezard 930 920 40 1890 -520
37 50 Scott Kocher 908 928 50 1886 -524
38 25 Jeremy Clark 922 920 44 1886 -524
39 29dMichel Dupuis 908 914 62 1884 -526
40 6 Butch Zimmerman 920 960 0 1880 -530
41 28 Tom Kemp 900 980 0 1880 -530
42 10JBrian Thompson 908 926 45 1879 -531
43 78 Paul LaRochelle 912 960 0 1872 -538
44 0z John Zimmerman 918 928 0 1846 -564
45 17JJeremy Wilson 904 926 0 1830 -580
46 27JNick Micallef 910 918 0 1828 -582
47 94 Lee Burnett 0 926 167 1093 -1317
48 64 Bob Buono 0 946 135 1081 -1329
49 6 Stephane Lebrun 0 1000 46 1046 -1364
50 55 George Renaud 0 946 85 1031 -1379
FAST TRACK FAST FACTS
* Ortiz’s victory was his 12th of the 2005 campaign putting him four behind Pete
Stefanski. Ortiz is peaking at just the right time as it appears with three shows
left on the Stacker 2® Pro Stock Super DIRT Series schedule, he has a distinct
advantage over both Benedict and Stefanski. Two of the three tracks remaining
(Canandaigua & the NYS Fairgrounds) are tracks that Ortiz has conquered in the past
with victories at both venues. In fact, Ortiz has more Pro Stock victories at
Canandaigua Speedway (38) than any other driver and has just been crowned the
Canandaigua Speedway point’s champion for the third straight season and fourth time
overall. Meanwhile, Stefanski has one Stacker 2® Pro Stock Super DIRT Series victory
at Fulton (9/28/01). The odd man out in this whole scheme appears to be Benedict,
but he has proven time and again that although young and not as familiar with the
speedways on the schedule his talent has allowed him to make up for the
inexperience. The point race for the Hoosier Tire-Sunoco Race Fuels Mr. DIRT Pro
Stock Championship looks like it may be tight right down to the wire.
* Middlesex, NY James Henry's second-place finish was his best of the 2005 campaign
on the Stacker 2® Pro Stock Super DIRT Series and the highest since his lone series
victory at Genesee Speedway on September 6, 2003. Behind the wheel of his Geneva
Design-Honeoye Auto Parts-Naples Valley Auto Supply #21 Chevrolet Monte
Carlo/Stinger chassis, Henry was happy with his runner-up finish. “I’ll take second.
We had a really bad night last night at the “King of the Hill” so second is a lot
better way to finish. The win would have been nice, but our car just started
flubbering and Jipp was able to take advantage and get by us,” Henry explained
following the race. Henry currently sits eighth in overall points towards the
Hoosier Tire/Sunoco Race Fuels Mr. DIRT Pro Stock Championship.
* Pete Stefanski, the winningest driver in the Pro Stock ranks (16) as well as on
the Stacker 2® Pro Stock Super DIRT Series (4) in 2005 had his problems behind the
wheel of his Sunrise Bakery-JoshComp Corp-Bob Weaver Motorsports & Marine #2
Chevrolet Monte Carlo/Cannizzaro chassis on this day and ended up eighth at the
checkers. “The springs are bad in the car and we just can’t get the car to handle on
the track in it’s hard, dry condition so we know that we’ll be having problems
before we even start the feature,” the 2005 Ransomville Speedway point’s champion
explained following his heat race. Unfortunately, it also resulted in Stefanski
dropping to third in the overall points towards the Hoosier Tire/Sunoco Race Fuels
Mr. DIRT Pro Stock Championship behind Benedict and Ortiz who are tied at the top
with 2410 points. Stefanski now sits third with 2385 points with Mike Williams and
P.J. Peters rounding out the top-five with 2343 and 2309 respectively.
* Tuscarora Nation, NY’s Mike Williams finished in the show position for the second
straight night at the controls of his Mighty Taco-G&J Contracting-Gray Furnace-Rhino
Linings #6m Chevrolet Monte Carlo/Stinger chassis elevating him to fourth in overall
series points. “He (Henry) gave me plenty of room on the bottom of the track today
and we showed him the nose of the car a few times. We got some bite under him on
the bottom, but just couldn’t get enough of a run on him to take the spot away,”
Williams stated regarding his finish at “The Wheels.” Williams also earned his first
career Stacker 2® Pro Stock Super DIRT Series victory at Ohsweken Speedway on July 1
in what is turning out to be a very successful season for the rising full-fender
superstar.
* With RACEceiver now recognized as the Official Driver Communicator of DIRT
MotorSports™ in 2005, fans, as well as the competing drivers, were able to hear
first hand everything that was happening throughout the entire Rolling Wheels
Raceway show. A compact radio receiver that conveniently fits into a driver’s
pocket, a RACEceiver allows each driver to hear directions from series officials,
which greatly enhances the safety and timeliness of events. A similar version
available to fans allows RACEceiver users to hear what information series officials
are relaying to the drivers. For more information about RACEceiver, visit
www.raceceiver.com, call 866/301-7223, or look for their sales trailers at various
events.
2005 STACKER 2® PRO STOCK SUPER DIRT SERIES SCHEDULE (19)
Day-Date Track (Laps)
Location/Winner
Sun-May 15 Rolling Wheels Raceway (25L-C)...................... Joe Stefanski
Fri-Jun 3 Thunder Alley Speedpark (25L-E)......................Clayton Benedict
Sun-Jun 5 Cayuga County Fair Speedway (25L-W)............Pete Stefanski
Fri-Jun 10 Brewerton Speedway (25L-E)….........................Louie Jackson
Sun-Jun 12 Humberstone Speedway (30L-W)......................Pete Stefanski
Fri-Jun 24 Ransomville Speedway (30L-W)........................Pete Stefanski
Fri-Jul 1 Ohsweken Speedway (25L-W)……………….….Mike Williams
Sat-Aug 20 Frogtown Int’l Speedway (35L-E)………………. Joey Ladouceur
Sun-Aug 21 Cornwall Motor Speedway (50L-C)…………..…Roy Delormier
Wed-Aug 24 Canandaigua Speedway (25L-W)………………Jipp Ortiz
Fri-Sep 2 Autodrome Edelweiss (50L-E)…………………...Joey Ladouceur
Sun-Sep 4 Genesee Speedway (40L-W)…………………….Steve Miller
Fri-Sep 9 Lebanon Valley Speedway (25L-E)……………..Rob Yetman
Sun-Sep 11 Can-Am Motorsports Park (30L-C)………………Pete Stefanski
Sat-Sep 17 Ransomville Speedway (100L-C)………………..Jipp Ortiz
Sun-Sep 18 Rolling Wheels Raceway (30L-C)………………..Jipp Ortiz
Sat-Sep 24 Canandaigua Speedway (25L-C)………………..Canandaigua,NY
Fri-Sep 30 Fulton Speedway (30L-C)…………………………Fulton.NY
Sun-Oct 9 New York State Fairgrounds (25L-C)……………Syracuse,NY
E=East Region(5), W=West Region(6), C=Combined(8).
STACKER 2® PRO STOCK SERIES SPONSORS
The DIRT MotorSports™ Stacker 2® Pro Stock Series is brought to fans across the
Northeast by several sponsors and partners, including series sponsors Stacker 2®,
Advance Auto Parts, Hoosier Racing Tire, Sunoco Race Fuels and DART Machinery.
Promotional Partners include AMB i.t., RACEceiver, Zippo Lighters and F.X. Caprara
Car Companies and the contingency sponsors are Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein
Shocks, MSD Ignitions and Wrisco Industries.