RICK ZACHARIAS HOLDS OFF BOBBY HOLMES IN CHEMUNG’S INAUGURAL SST-TOUR MODIFIED RACE

By Carol Houssock

(Chemung, NY)        Chemung Speedrome added a special 125-lap SST-Tour race to its sked on Saturday night.  Rick Zacharias emerged victorious in the exciting race, becoming the track’s first-ever SST-tour winner.  Others picking up wins in week 5 at the track included RJ Zacharias (Street Stock), Jimmy Kostarelos (Legend), Cody Marshall (4-Cylinder), Jim Potrzebowski (Factory Stock) and Nick Robinson (Bandit).  This Saturday the full-blown Modifieds return to the Speedrome for part 2 of Modified Mania.  The huge 7-division program kicks off at 6:30 PM. 

Phil Slater, Tony Hanbury and Rick Zacharias won the 3 SST-Tour Modified heats.  Bobby Holmes drew the pole for the 125-lap event and Hanbury drew the 2^nd best starting spot.  The pair was even off turn 2 but Hanbury had a slight lead at the stripe on the opening lap.  Three early cautions, for spins by Bob Wilson and Tony Jilson, tightened the field.  During those cautions both Hanbury and Holmes received a warning from track officials.  Bill Hebing, who had started 3^rd, got around Hanbury and then snared the lead away from Holmes on the 11^th lap.  Hebing began to pull away, leaving behind a great battle for 2^nd involving Hanbury, Brian Bowen and Holmes. 

When Slater slowed on the track it put the field under its 5^th caution period, but it was the restart, which became the newsmaker in this one.  Hebing and Hanbury, proving two wrongs don’t make a right, led each other into the turn 4 foam on the restart.  While Hanbury was able to continue, Hebing was not.  On an ensuing pit stop a member of Hebing’s crew threw something at Hanbury as he drove past.  At press time it was learned that Hebing’s immediate disqualification may be lifted in lieu of a fine, pending a decision by SST-Tour officials. 

That gave the lead to Rick Zacharias, who had made is way up to 3^rd prior to that failed restart.  He and George Kent made up row 1, with Charlie Sharpsteen and Holmes in the 2^nd row.  Hanbury’s solo spin brought out the 7^th caution flag and he again restarted at the rear of the pack.

Zacharias was untouchable on the restarts but he never quite freed himself of the pressure from Holmes.  As the pair pulled away, Tim Gullo passed both Kent and Sharpsteen and was running 3^rd.  When Zacharias and Holmes took the white flag they were more than a full straightaway in front of Gullo.  Slater spun in turn 4 on that final lap, forcing a yellow/checkered flag finish.  Rick Zacharias prevailed and got the win, with Holmes, Gullo, Kent and Sharpsteen all posting top-5 finishes.      

Street Stock heat winners Paul Johnson and Bob Ziegler shared the front row for the start of their 25-lap feature.  Johnson took the lead but it was Chris May who was running 2^nd in the early going.  Jim Frandsen brought out the first of 3 cautions when he slowed on the track.  Johnson and May led Lee Sharpsteen and Ziegler on the restart but it was 7^th place starter RJ Zacharias who was on the move.  When Ziegler spun off turn 4 just short of the halfway point, Zacharias was beside Johnson for the restart.  Johnson held him off and maintained the lead.  The final caution came when Randy Davenport slammed the turn 4 foam barriers.  Again Johnson stayed in front of Zacharias but he applied heavy pressure to the leader.  When Johnson drifted a bit too high in the turns Zacharias found the opening he needed and took the lead on lap 22.  He held on over the remaining 3 laps to record his first win of 2005.  Johnson finished a solid 2^nd, over Sharpsteen, Mike Nichols and Derrick Tarbox.

Coming in to week #5 there had been 3 different Legends division race winners.  Of the 3, only Jimmy Kostarelos was at the track Saturday night.  Brian Terrell won the heat and had the pole for their 20-lap feature.  He quickly took the lead and held it over Rob Brierton and Tom Mitteer.  Rich Petrucco and Kostarelos, however, had their sights set on the leader, methodically made their way around those in front of them, and started to reel in Terrell.  Petrucco took the lead on the 10^th lap and held it for 9 laps.  Terrell, the division’s most recent winner and a newcomer this year to the track, bided his time and took the lead just as the field took the white flag.  He held on and picked up his 2^nd consecutive checkered flag.  Petrucco, Terrell, Matt Priscott and Mitteer rounded out the top 5 in the caution-free race.     

In 4-Cylinder competition 4 different drivers had won features.  Natasha Robinson and heat winner Scott Millard made up row 1 for the 20-lap event.  Robinson led them off turn 2 but Millard passed her and led the first 2 laps.  Robinson fought back and took the lead on the 3^rd lap.  Gary Batroney’s spin with 5 laps completed put Millard back alongside Robinson for the restart.  This time Robinson prevailed.  Paul Gush and Millard got together 2 laps later and that put Cody Marshall on the outside of the front row.  He capitalized on that positioning and took the lead on the restart.  Once in front he pulled away and got the win, his 2^nd of 2005.  Gush recovered to finish 2^nd, with Robinson, Gene Purvis and Millard all finishing in the top 5.

Jake Snell won the Factory Stock heat and started their 15-lap feature from the pole.  Two-time winner Duane Manzer shared the front row and his momentum put him in front as the field came off turn 2 on the opening lap.  Manzer held the lead through the first 7 laps before losing the top spot to fellow 2-time winner Jim Potrzebowski.  While they battled for the lead, and swapped it 6 times, Snell and Maynard had their own battle for 3^rd place underway.  Potrzebowski took the lead for the final time on lap 13 and held on over the final 2 laps for the 3-peat.  Manzer, Snell, Maynard and Danielle Buchek rounded out the top 5 in the caution-free race.

In the 4 prior Speedrome Bandit races, run in 4-Cylinder cars, there had also been 4 different winners.  With all 4 drivers in attendance, and no others, it was clear someone would become the first 2-time winner.  Nick Robinson started on the pole and led the field off turn 2.  Matt Kurzejewski and Jimmy Zacharias battled for 2^nd while Robinson pulled away.  At the halfway point he had a sizeable lead and cruised the rest of the way in the caution-free race to post his 2^nd win of the year.  Kurzejewski, Zacharias and Ashley Sharpsteen followed him across the finish line.

Pits open at 4PM this Saturday, with grandstand gates open and practice starting at 5.  Racing begins at 6:30 PM.  It’s all about fun at Chemung, where kids under age 9 are always admitted free.  For more information consult the track’s website at www.chemungspeedrome.net.  Chemung Speedrome, short track racing at its best!

Results:

SST-Tour Modifieds (125 Laps)   RICK ZACHARIAS, Bobby Holmes, Tim Gullo, George Kent, Charlie Sharpsteen, Chuck Frisbee, Tony Hanbury, Ricky Knapp, Chris Clark, Wayne Lent, Richard Thomas, Richie Vanderpool, Gene Sharpsteen, Phil Slater, Dick Kluth, Tony Jilson, Bobby Wilson, Tom Wiest, Josh Smith, Brian Bowen, Phil Johnson, Tom Zacharias (DQ: Bill Hebing)

Street Stocks (25 Laps)  RJ ZACHARIAS, Paul Johnson, Lee Sharpsteen, Mike Nichols, Derrick Tarbox, Bob Ziegler, Scott Vanderpool, Randy Davenport, Dave Harbst, Josh Parker, Chris May, Larry Parker, Jr., Jim Frandsen (DNS: John Stonier)

Legends (20 Laps)  JIMMY KOSTARELOS, Rich Petrucco, Brian Terrell, Matt Priscott, Tom Mitteer, Rob Brierton, Cody Frantz (DNS: Zach Truesdale)

Factory Stocks (15 Laps)  JIM POTRZEBOWSKI, Duane Manzer, Jake Snell, John Maynard, Danielle Buchek

4-Cylinders (20 Laps)  CODY MARSHALL, Paul Gush, Natasha Robinson, Gene Purvis, Scott Millard, Scott Bostwick, Bernie Duggan, Gary Batroney

Bandits (12 Laps)  NICK ROBINSON, Matt Kurzejewski, Jake Snell, Ashley Sharpsteen

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