July 30th, 2005

Bowen Awesome In 5^th Straight SST-Modified Points Race At Chemung; Paul Johnson Nabs ROC Street Stock Qualifier

By Carol Houssock

(Chemung, NY)    A large crowd turned out for some great racing at Chemung Speedrome Saturday night.  The racers lived up to their end of the deal, Mother Nature cooperated weather-wise, a fan left with over $800 in 50/50 proceeds, and the USAC Ford Focus Northeast Midget series made a popular debut at the southern tier asphalt oval.  Winners included Brian Bowen (SST-Modifieds), Paul Johnson (Street Stocks), Matt Priscott (Legends), Gene Purvis (4-Cylinders), Jake Snell (Factory Stocks), Jimmy Zacharias (Bandits), and Nick Wean (USAC Midgets).  Racing returns this Saturday night at 6:30 PM.

Bobby Wilson and Gene Sharpsteen brought the SST-Modified field to the green and Sharpsteen led them off turn 2 and for the first 5 circuits.  For the restart Tony Jilson lined up alongside the leader and he became the main man on that next lap.  Sharpsteen reclaimed the race lead 2 laps later but Jilson was virtually glued to him, just waiting to leap-frog his way back to the front.  While their tussle ensued, heat winner Phil Slater and point leader Brian Bowen were working the traffic in both racing grooves as they charged toward the front.  Bowen got around his competitors one by one and, on the 21^st, lap he found the opening he needed and took the lead.  That turned out to be Bowen’s race-winning move.  Jilson, meanwhile, remained impressive as he stayed just a car length behind Bowen lap after lap.  When the field got the 5 to-go signal it appeared that it would boil down to one or the other in victory lane.  That mystery resolved itself with 3 laps remaining when Jilson spun off turn 4.  The solo spin appeared harmless, but earlier contact may have been the reason for the car failure and Jilson was towed back to his pit.   Slater had one final shot at Bowen, but the latter had a super restart and he quickly made it tough to catch, much less pass.  Bowen held on for the win, his 5^th this year.  Slater, Chet Dillenbeck, Tony Hanbury and Josh Smith rounded out the top 5.  Bowen and Charlie Sharpsteen won the other 2 heats.  As of press time the finish was unofficial.

Racing against the 11 PM curfew, the Street Stocks hit the track for their 50-lap Race of Champions qualifier.  Pole-sitter Don Mosher mashed the gas when the green flag came out and he led the first 3 laps.  RJ Zacharias, sporting a new gear, developed a problem in turn 1 and he threw a tire, done for the night.  Bob Ziegler got around Mosher on the restart and the next 3 laps belonged to him.  Lee Sharpsteen, who had started 5^th, powered past “Ziggy”, whose fine run came to and end when the car broke working lap 12.  Sharpsteen and Todd Stone made up row 1 for the restart and Sharpsteen again prevailed, but not for long.  Mike Nichols found an opening and got around the lead pair, taking over on lucky lap 13.  Paul Johnson had slight contact with Sharpsteen just short of the halfway point and Johnson spun.  On the restart Sharpsteen’s car broke and he joined the early retirees from this one.  Nichols then faced pressure from Chris May, who advanced up to 2^nd, and Bill Chandler, Jr.  Chandler got around May and began to whittle away at Nichols’ lead.  Johnson, meanwhile, was able to put his car wherever he wanted it, and with 10 laps to go he had passed Chandler and was reeling in Nichols.  Just as the field got the 5 to go signal, Johnson maneuvered his way underneath Nichols and was enroute to his 2^nd win of the year.  Johnson, the current point leader, will now represent Chemung at the Race of Champions.  Others in the top 5 included Nichols, Chandler, May and Stone.  Sharpsteen and Zacharias got the 2 heat race wins.

In Legends action Rob Brierton took charge early on but Matt Priscott stayed right with him.  Caution was on the speedway when Daren Scherer got into Rich Petrucco on the 3^rd lap and Petrucco was done for the night.  Brierton held off Priscott on the restart but Priscott did get around and led lap 6.  Brierton took over again a lap later while Tom Mitteer stayed in front of 4^th place runner Justin Petcosky.  At the halfway point Brian Terrell and Scherer were into the top 5 and Brierton was still on top of the leader board.  A lap later Priscott was leading Brierton once again, but this time it was for good.  Once in front he pulled away and finished comfortably in front.  Scherer made some late race moves to finish 2^nd, with Brierton 3^rd, Terrell 4^th and Petcosky 5^th.  It was sweep time for Priscott, who also won his qualifying race.  Petrucco won the other heat.    

Natasha Robinson and heat race winner Jimmy Snell, who shared the front row for the start of the 4-Cylinder feature, were dead even off turn 2.  Snell had a slight edge and led lap 1 but Robinson fought back and took over for laps 2 and 3.  While their battle was underway Gene Purvis and Paul Gush were advancing forward as well.  Both got around Robinson, with Purvis in command through the 8^th lap.  Two laps later Gush took over the top spot and held it until the race ended.  Following the race tech officials determined the #21 had illegal tires and the car was disqualified for the night.  Earlier in the evening Matt Kurzejewski won the Bandit race in the same car, but both wins were yanked for the rule infraction.  The win went to Purvis, his 3^rd this season.  Cody Marshall was 2^nd, followed by Robinson, Scott Millard and Snell.  The 20-lap feature was caution-free. 

Duane Manzer and Jake Snell not only started the 12-lap Factory Stock feature side by side, they stayed together the entire distance.  Snell squeaked by and led the first lap but Manzer worked him over and lap 2 belonged to him.  They pulled away from Jim Potrzebowski, who started and remained in 3^rd.  But this one will be remembered for the duel it was.  Snell, the rookie, stayed right with Manzer and eventually got the opportunity he had waited for to reclaim the lead.  He did so on lap 13 and held on for his 3^rd win of the year.  Manzer, Potrzebowski, Cody Marshall and John Maynard posted top-5 finishes.  Snell also won the heat race. 

Ashley Sharpsteen and Justin Millard brought the Bandit field to the green but it was Nick Robinson who made a nice move on them and he led the first 3 laps.  Matt Kurzejewski dove underneath Robinson when he drifted a bit too high and he took over on lap 4.  Point leader Jimmy Zacharias worked the traffic superbly and it boiled down to a 2- car race.  Zacharias got win #5 when Kurzejewski’s car was disqualified for illegal tires.  Robinson, Millard, Sharpsteen and Dusty Snell rounded out the top 5 in the caution-free race.    

The USAC Ford Focus Northeast Midget Series rolled into Chemung for their inaugural event.  Ryan Smith, Wade Mattesen, Shaun Gosselin got things going by winning the 3 qualifying races.  Smith and Nick Wean brought the 17-car field to the green and Smith took the early lead.  One incident involved the top 3 cars, but Mike Sboro and Jeff Abold didn’t stay at the back for long, following the restart.  The series, which adapted quickly to Chemung’s tough layout, was a hit with the fans.  Wean got the win over Mattesen, Sboro, Drew Sprague and Abold.    

Pits open at 4PM this Saturday, with grandstand gates open and practice starting at 5.  Racing begins at 6:30 PM.  Kiddie rides take place during intermission and it’s Powder Puff time following the regular divisions.  Regular pricing will be in effect and 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 MODIFIEDS (40 Laps - Unofficial) BRIAN BOWEN, Phil Slater, Chet Dillenbeck, Tony Hanbury, Josh Smith, Tim Gullo, Chuck Frisbee, Bill Chandler, Jr., Gene Sharpsteen, Terry Potrzebowski, Charlie Sharpsteen, Rich Petrucco, Chris Clark, Bobby Wilson, Shane Courtright, Tony Jilson, Tom Zacharias, Terry Zacharias, George Kent, George Proctor, RJ Zacharias (DNS: Larry Jaynes, Richie Vanderpool)

Street Stocks (50 Laps)  PAUL JOHNSON, Mike Nichols, Bill Chandler, Jr., Chris May, Todd Stone, John Stonier, Derrick Tarbox, Scott Vanderpool, Jim Frandsen, Chris Daugherty, Lee Sharpsteen, Donnie Mosher, Bob Ziegler, Chad McDonald, Bob Kishbaugh, RJ Zacharias

Legends (20 Laps)  MATT PRISCOTT, Daren Scherer, Rob Brierton, Brian Terrell, Justin Petcosky, Dan Praetorius, Tom Mitteer, Zach Truesdail, Jimmy Kostarelos, George Scherer, Cody Frantz, Beth Urso, Art Priscott, Rich Petrucco

4-Cylinders (20 Laps)  GENE PURVIS, Cody Marshall, Natasha Robinson, Scott Millard, Jimmy Snell, Bernie Duggan, Charlie Garrison, Gary Batroney (DQ: Paul Gush)

Factory Stocks (15 Laps)  JAKE SNELL, Duane Manzer, Jim Potrzebowski, Cody Marshall, John Maynard

Bandits (12 Laps)  JIMMY ZACHARIAS, Nick Robinson, Justin Millard, Ashley Sharpsteen, Dusty Snell (DQ: Matt Kurzejewski)

USAC Ford Focus Midgets ( 25 Laps)  NICK WEAN, Wade Mattesen, Mike Sboro, Drew Sprague, Jeff Abold, Aaron Wall, Shaun Gosselin, Dand Messier, Erica Santos, PJ Stergios, Ryan Osborne, Abby Martino, Mike Hoffman, Ginny Quinones, Ryan Smith, Jesse State, Stephanie Stevens (DNS: Andy Barrows)

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