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By Don Post, DIRT Sportsman Series Reporter
Elbridge, NY – September 17, 2005 – Overall Sportsman Super DIRT Series point leader
Russ Hefti of Jordan, N.Y. recently purchased a former John Wight Bicknell Chassis
recently piloted by Modified standout Billy Decker. Racing in the final point race
of the season two weeks ago, Hefti was hit by invader Tim Hindley in the feature
race at Cayuga County Fair Speedway. The result sent Hefti over the third turn wall
ending his night. After a shakedown run at Ransomville and a fifth place tally at
Genesee Hefti put the proven car in victory lane Saturday at Rolling Wheels Raceway.
The 19th Annual Dynomax World Series of DIRT Track Racing Weekend at Rolling Wheels
was event 13 in the 20-race Sportsman Super DIRT Series, with 30 laps the feature
distance on the fast five-eighths miler. Forty-three teams lined pit road on an
overcast damp day in Central New York, as heavy rains from Friday along with a day
long drizzle pushed the starting time back more than two hours.
The foul weather that moved into the area on Friday forced officials at the
Brewerton Speedway to cancel their own 40-lap Combined Series event on the fast
three-eighths miler. The race will not be re-scheduled as a result leaving the
schedule at 20 races on the season.
It took five heat races to trim the field to 30 starters on the unusually heavy
surface at Rolling Wheels as the top four drivers transferred with the top two
finishers going to a redraw. The front row was comprised of Western N.Y. standouts
Mark Potter and Jeff McGinnis, a former Series winner at Ransomville Speedway.
Starter Matt Burdick turned the field loose but on the initial circuit the first
yellow flag flew when Cayuga County winner Jeremy Pitcher spun entering turn one
making hard contact with the inside Jersey barrier. McGinnis in his No Blanket Smoke
Shop-Sterling Lubricants/Bicknell entry once again moved to the front as the
Ransomville native had immediate company from Series points leader Hefti. On lap six
pole-sitter from Lockport had a tire go down in turn four slowing the event for the
second time. On the ensuing restart the only lead change of the race came as Hefti
raced to the front out of turn two depositing McGinnis to the runner-up slot. East
Region champion Greg Doust from Jamesville, NY in the Honeoye Auto Parts-MED
Construction Troyer had his hands full of Brian Sage of Brockport and Lake Ariel,
Pa. standout Kevin Bates in the early going.
Lance Willix ll currently in the overall Hoosier Tire-Sunoco Race Fuels Mr. DIRT
top-10 in points came to a stop in turn four after having trouble in his heat with
drive line problems. The Theresa, N.Y pilot was forced to retire the Theresa
Redemption Company Bicknell after having to use a provisional to get in the field.
At the halfway mark the yellow was displayed on the field as Roy Bresnahan spun off
turn one after making contact with Scott Just. The top-five showed Hefti in his
Clearview Windows-Sunsetter Awnings/Bicknell at the point with Brian Sage closing
ground in the Sweeting Asphalt and Paving-Hulway Landscape/Troyer in the runner-up
slot. McGinnis, Joe Williams and Bates rounded out the front-five ahead of Doust and
RWR Labor Day winner Scott Schrader. Western N.Y. racer Scott Kerwin and Series
second-place runner Kevin Wills along with Rob Bellinger completed the top-10.
On lap 19 the sixth caution of the race was displayed as Scott Just stopped in turn
four as a race long rash of tires going down slowed the event. The top-five would
not change as again the heavy surface slowed the action, this time on lap 24 as Greg
Doust saw his night end with a disabled mount in turn four. The final yellow of the
combined event came when Loren Lincoln and Chris Higgins made contact on the front
straight ending their drive to the front.
At the checkers Hefti clinched his second straight Rolling Wheels season
championship and increased his series points lead as he picked up the decisive win
over Brian Sage, who has mounted a strong drive in the last three outings. Williams
from Scotia, N.Y. did an outstanding job bringing his Williams Auto Parts-Advance
Auto Parts/Troyer with Grosky power home on the podium. The top-five was filled by
Cayuga Co. Fair and Fulton Speedway points champion Bates, who drove a steady race
in the Blaise and Green Racing, Bicknell Racing Prod., Joanne Strada Beauty
Salon/Bicknell and Kerwin, who rallied from 25th to fifth in the no. 7 Mark Cerrone
Inc.-Good Guys Transmission/Bicknell machine.
The top-10 was completed by the #58 of Schrader in his Fox’s Auto-Dar’s
Auto-Manchester Mart/Bicknell, with young Brett Tonkin of Carbondale, Pa. in the
Grim Construction-Wash Me Car Wash/Bicknell seventh. The hard charger award for the
event had to go to young 16 year-old Rob Bellinger in his AJ Missert Inc.- JT
Construction/Troyer as he came from 28th to 8th in the 30 lap headliner. Ransomville
Speedway points champion Wills raced to a ninth-place finish in the Wills
Farms-Philpac Packing Bicknell #111 as he gave up ground to Sage in the overall race
for the Mr. DIRT Sportsman title. Sammy Reakes of Fulton in the Goodwrench-Whittaker
Trophy Bicknell finished tenth.
Hefti said, “This car was really good tonight, the last 8 laps or so it started to
slide around a bit but otherwise I think it’s back to where we need it after going
over the wall at Weedsport “ The win solidified the Jordan, N.Y. Sportsman veteran's
point lead over Sage by some 29 markers.
Sportsman Super DIRT Series – Rolling Wheels Raceway, September 17, 2005 Event
Summary [*Official box score posted on ww.dirtmotorsports.com and can be viewed by
first choosing 'DIRT NorthEast' on the corporate homepage then selecting Sportsman
SDS and clicking 'Sunoco/Aplus' logo]
FEATURE
FIN STR CAR# DRIVER
1 4 0 Russ Hefti/Jordan,NY ($1,500)
2 8 11j Brian Sage/Brockport, NY
3 5 1j Joe Williams/Scotia,NY
4 10 42b Kevin Bates/Lake Ariel,PA
5 22 7 Scott Kerwin/Newfane,NY
6 9 58 Scott Schrader/Shortsville,NY
7 25 15 Brett Tonkin/Carbondale,PA
8 28 8 Rob Bellinger/Dexter,NY
9 6 111 Kevin Wills/Ransomville,NY
10 19 17k Sammy Reakes IV/Fulton,NY
11 12 66 Dan Wiesner/Geneva,NY
12 27 20k Kyle Inman/Darien,NY
13 14 p38 Rob Pratt/Brockport,NY
14 29 19jr. Rob Ledingham/Port Colborne,ONT
15 1 71m Mark Potter/Lockport,NY
16 7 87 Walt McArdell/Baldwinsville,NY
17 24 29j Rob Hile/Syracuse/NY
18 18 99c Nick Cupolo/Thorold,ONT
19 16 19h Chris Higgins/Syracuse,NY
20 20 2L Loren Lincoln/Bristol Springs,NY
21 3 67 Greg Doust/Jamesville,NY
22 17 54jr Scott Just/Ransomville,NY
23 2 20 Jeff McGinnis/Ransomville,NY
24 26 8c Wayne Conn Jr./St. Catharines,ONT
25 13 88 Roy Bresnahan/Palermo,NY
26 23 56s Steve Schumacker/Lockport,NY
27 15 17t Joe Isabell/Pennelville,NY
28 30 16w Lance Willix II/Theresa,NY
29 21 d28 Shawn Donath/Syracuse,NY
30 11 14 Jeremy Pitcher/Fulton,NY
DID NOT QUALIFY(13)
06j-Jordan Bennett/Pennellville,NY
2-Steve Babicek/Binghamton,NY
2k-Rob Knapp/St.Catharines,ONT
9-Mike Entwistle/Auburn,NY
13j-Jim Peters/Jasper,ONT
19j-John Juhl/Auburn,NY
20x-Kevin Ridley/Geneva,NY
t21-Roger Chyrsler/Lewiston,NY
27-Stewart Garrison/Fulton,NY
32-James Strassburg/Niagara Falls,NY
34-Henry Desormeau/Weedsport,NY
54j-Dave Just/Ransomville,NY
67g-Eric Giguere/Geneva,NY
Lap Leaders: McGinnis (1-6), Hefti (7-30).
Heat Races: (Top 4 Qualify – Top 2 Redraw)
#1: Sage-Williams-Pitcher-Higgins-Inman-Desormeau-Garrison-Peters-Ledingham.
#2: Schrader-Bates-Wiesner-S Just-Giguere-Willex ll-Hile-Knapp-Juhl-Bennett.
#3: Potter-McGinnis-Bresnahan-Cupolo-Kerwin-Shumacker-Conn Jr.-Donath-Ridley
#4: Hefti-McArdell-Pratt-Reakes-Kerwin-Chrysler-Bellinger-Entwistle.
#5: Doust-Wills-Isabell-Lincoln-Tonkin-Babicek-Strassburg-D Just.
Consolation Round:
#1: Donath- Schumacker-Tonkin-Inman-Willix
ll-Chrysler-Strassburg-Ledingham-Garrison-Knapp-Entwistle (DNS)
#2: Kerwin-Hile-Conn Jr.-Giguere-Babicek-Bellinger-Juhl-D
Just-Peters-Desormeau-Bennett (DNS) Ridley (DNS)
OVERALL HOOSIER-SUNOCO MR. DIRT SPORTSMAN POINT STANDINGS
(through Rolling Wheels – September 17, 2005)
No.Driver RegionalHome TComb STotalDiff
1 0 Russ Hefti 1000 950 290 2240 0
2 11 Brian Sage 970 1000 241 2211 -29
3 111Kevin Wills 980 1000 220 2200 -40
4 42bKevin Bates 980 1000 205 2185 -55
5 20kKyle Inman 934 980 234 2148 -92
6 19JRob Ledingham 960 1000 184 2144 -96
7 8c Wayne Conn Jr. 950 1000 182 2132 -108
8 m96Marcel Pecore 946 1000 145 2091 -149
9 16 Lance Willix II 970 970 138 2078 -162
10 67 Greg Doust 1000 980 97 2077 -163
11 8 Rob Bellinger 960 946 169 2075 -165
12 99cNick Cupolo 930 950 154 2034 -206
13 19hChris Higgins 950 926 153 2029 -211
14 71mMark Potter 920 960 137 2017 -223
15 2k Rob Knapp 938 970 86 1994 -246
16 1J Joe Williams Jr. 942 960 90 1992 -248
17 108Bill Bleich 942 970 72 1984 -256
18 p38Rob Pratt 902 970 110 1982 -258
19 T21Roger Chrysler 946 920 115 1981 -259
20 7 Scott Kerwin 918 980 80 1978 -262
21 9 Jason Riddell 938 980 45 1963 -277
22 95 Jim Dallett 920 906 128 1954 -286
23 20 Jeff McGinnis 918 970 41 1929 -311
24 14 Jeremy Pitcher 916 950 40 1906 -334
25 88 Roy Bresnahan 924 938 40 1902 -338
26 28 Jeff Stevenson 922 906 62 1890 -350
27 20 Kevin Ridley 912 960 10 1882 -358
28 56 Steve Schumacher 912 928 40 1880 -360
29 54JScott Just 912 922 42 1876 -364
30 94 Stan Zanchin 928 946 0 1874 -366
31 5T Tony Purgarich 924 950 0 1874 -366
32 54JDave Just 926 934 10 1870 -370
33 25 Bobby Herrington 910 960 0 1870 -370
34 16 Mike Bowman 934 934 0 1868 -372
35 67gEric Giguere 902 950 10 1862 -378
36 12 Jeremy LaSalle ? 918 938 0 1856 -384
37 69 Brad Kirkland 904 950 0 1854 -386
38 44 Jason Boyle 906 946 0 1852 -388
39 42cMike Conrow 906 942 0 1848 -392
40 23 Kees VanWinden 900 946 0 1846 -394
41 27hJustin Henderson 914 930 0 1844 -396
42 06JJordan Bennett 930 900 10 1840 -400
43 47 Sean Carman 928 912 0 1840 -400
44 8 Chris Herbison 914 924 0 1838 -402
45 20KRick St. Pierre 922 916 0 1838 -402
46 68xCurtis Friesen 908 924 0 1832 -408
47 11 Tim VanBrocklin 900 928 0 1828 -412
48 54 Mark Chiddy 904 916 0 1820 -420
49 58 Scott Schrader 0 1000 76 1076-1164
50 17kSammy Reakes IV 0 946 108 1054-1186
ROLLING WHEELS RAMBLINGS:
* The Rolling Wheels World Series Weekend got off to a rather soggy start as rain
delayed the first green flag to after 5 pm. A season-high tour count of 43 DIRT
Sportsman teams line pit road for the evenings racing, up from last year’s total of
41.
* Kyle Inman returned to action after what seemed a season ending crash at Genesee
Speedway. The team purchased a used Bicknell Chassis from the Sweeteners Plus team
and Vic Coffey. Kyle stated, “We weren’t sure early in the week but my Dad made the
decision to move on and here we are.” Inman had to rely on a provisional starting
spot as he just missed qualifying in his heat and consi in the Original Pizza
Logs-Harnden Trucking-Kitchen World-Gro Green Fertilizer/Bicknell. He drove a steady
race to come home 12th
* Rob Pratt also saw the Avery Trucking Team replace a front clip on the Troyer
mount after the Genesee Show last week. Pratt finished in the 13th position on the
heavy surface at Rolling Wheels.
* Fans were happy to see the tacky conditions at the “Fast Track" on Saturday night
however the competitors had their share of problems with the cushion as it was very
choppy and high. Greg Doust running just out of the top-five late in the main jumped
the cushion in one and two causing damage to the MED Construction-Honeoye Auto
Parts/Troyer to retire from the event.
* Top-10 racer Marcel Pecore is now out of the Kriska Transportation/Bicknell due to
issues at their home track late in the season where he won the Brockville track
championship. The team went 358-Modified racing over RWR weekend with Brian McDonald
in the cockpit.
* Hard luck Sportsman racer Rob Ledingham out of Port Colborne, ONT. continued that
unlikely honor at Rolling Wheels as he had a gear strip in the distributor of the
K&N Filters-Humberstone Speedway/Bicknell during his heat. He too had to rely on his
provisional in the 30-lap main and Pete Cosco’s '05 track champion from Humberstone
crossed the line 14th.
* Shawn Donath had arguably the fastest car in the field however he too had his
share of gremlins in his Onondaga Nation Smoke-Thruway Auto Glass, Artafab Chassis
in his heat. The ignition rotor melted off as he stated, “As long as I have been
racing I’ve never seen that type of a problem”. He added, “The track is really fast
and the car is very good.” Unfortunately the engine went south as he exited his
first Series event of the year after only three laps.
* Rob Bellinger had a great run in the nightcap as the Dexter, N.Y. youngster had
the wrong gear set up for the heat race. He said, “We went with the set up from the
last show here and the track tonight is not nearly the same with all the bite.” They
failed to qualify in the heats and consi and used the provisional to make the main.
Bellinger made a fine run to finish eighth after starting 28th.
* Heat two winner Scott Schrader drew the ninth starting slot and came home a
solid-sixth place in the main. The 2005 Canandaigua points champion will be at his
home track this coming Saturday night as the Sportsman Super DIRT Series joins the
four star show for “The Salute to the Legends."
* Kevin Wills said following his heat race “We had the car too tight for the heat
and we were strong, so we'll loosen it up for the main. We were in a solid second
position in the heat race and with the top two drawing we just sat back as we were
in.”
UPCOMING EVENTS:
The Sportsman Super DIRT Series stops at Canandaigua Speedway on Saturday, Sept. 24
and a great field of some 40 teams are expected to line pit road at “The Land of
Legends.” All the Canandaigua regulars including the likes of Justin Henderson, who
has a third and fourth place finish on the Series this year, will be on hand in the
Synergy Global Solutions/Bicknell. Paul Guererri, Gus Hurlburt, Steve Doell, Loren
Lincoln and many more will be in early to challenge season Series winner Russ Hefti.
The Sportsman Series then moves to Harvey and Joan Fink’s Fulton Speedway as the
Friday night headline portion of Victoria 200 weekend, one of the biggest shows of
the season in the Central New York area on Sept. 30th and Oct. 1.
2005 SPORTSMAN SUPER DIRT SERIES SCHEDULE
Day-Date Track(Laps)
Location/Winner
Fri-May 6 Thunder Alley Speedpark (30L-E)......................GREG DOUST
Sun-Jun 12 Cayuga County Fair Speedway (30L-E).............JEREMY PITCHER
Fri-Jun 17 Ohsweken Speedway (50L-W)...........................MARTIN POLHILL
Fri-Jun 24 Thunder Alley Speedpark (30L-E)......................LANCE WILLIX II
Fri-Jul 1 Ransomville Speedway (50L-W)........................JEFF McGINNIS
Sun-Jul 3 Humberstone Speedway (50L-W)......................BILL BLEICH
Wed-Jul 13 Can-Am Motorsports Park (30L-C).....................BRIAN SAGE
Sat-Jul 23 Merrittville Speedway (50L-C).............................KYLE INMAN
Thr-Aug 11 Canandaigua Speedway (30L-W).......................RUSS HEFTI
Fri-Sep 9 Brockville Ontario Speedway (30L-E).................JASON RIDDELL
Fri-Sep 9 Ransomville Speedway (50L-W).........................BRIAN SAGE
Sat-Sep 10 Genesee Speedway (40L-W)..............................BRIAN SAGE
Fri-Sep 16 Brewerton Speedway (40L-C).............................Rain-Cancelled
Sat-Sep 17 Rolling Wheels Raceway (30L-C).......................RUSS HEFTI
Sat-Sep 24 Canandaigua Speedway (50L-C)........................Canandaigua, NY
Fri-Sep 30 Fulton Speedway (30L-C)...................................Fulton, NY
Wed-Oct 5 Can-Am Motorsports Park (30L-C).....................LaFargeville, NY
Fri-Oct 7 Rolling Wheels Raceway (30L-C).......................Elbridge, NY
Sat-Oct 8 New York State Fairgrounds (30L-C)..................Syracuse, NY
Sat-Oct 15 Cayuga County Fair Speedway (50L-C).............Weedsport, NY
Sat-Oct 22 Bridgeport Speedway (75L-C) ............................Bridgeport, NJ
E=East Region(4), W=West Region(6), C=Combined(11).
SPORTSMAN SERIES SPONSORS
The DIRT MotorSports™ Sunoco/Aplus Sportsman Series is brought to fans across the
Northeast by several sponsors and partners, including series sponsors Sunoco Race
Fuels, Advance Auto Parts, Hoosier Racing Tire 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.
S