August 13th, 2005

Brian Bowen Back On Top In Chemung SST-Modifieds

by Carol Houssock

(Chemung, NY)  Mother Nature put forth as big of a challenge as any driver Saturday night, but Chemung’s motto this year is “go for it”.  The track won out this time.  Showers interrupted the program for over an hour, just as the SST-Modifieds were about to qualify.  The track drying process worked and qualifying plus 5 features resumed at 9 PM.  Features were shortened, however, to comply with the 11 PM curfew and so that each division would compete.  Brian Bowen (SST-Modifieds), RJ Zacharias (Street Stocks), Daren Scherer (Legends), Gene Purvis (4-Cylinders), Jim Potrzebowski (Factory Stocks), and Jimmy Zacharias (Bandits) all picked up repeat wins. 

With the 11 PM curfew looming, all of the SST-Modified teams and the fans were told how the race would progress should 11:00 arrive.  If at least 38 laps were run the field would get a 5 to go signal and be over.  If fewer than 38 laps were run by 11, the race would end for the night and be completed next week.  Tom Zacharias and Tony Jilson brought the 20-car field to the green and Jilson powered his way around and led the opening lap.  Brian Bowen, who started back in 11^th, worked some magic and was into the top 5 early on.  When Larry Jaynes spun on lap 7 it brought Zacharias back up alongside Jilson but Bowen and George Kent were side by side in row 2.  Bowen took command on the 9^th lap and began to check out, leaving Jilson and Zacharias to contest for 2^nd.  Two more caution periods in the first 16 laps evaporated the big advantages Bowen worked to build, but on each occasion he shook off Jilson.  Tony Hanbury, meanwhile, was making a charge of his own, passing cars almost at will.  He was a distant 2^nd until caution came out for a solo spin by Zacharias.  Bowen had a great restart and again seemed fully in command of the race.  The final caution came out when Chet Dillenbeck spun on the front stretch with 50 laps completed.  Bowen maintained his dominance and Hanbury easily pulled away from Jilson, who was then being pursued by Josh Smith.  As lap 58 went up on the scoreboard starter Gary Folk, Jr gave the high 5, signaling 5 laps remaining.  Bowen scored a sweep, having earlier won his heat.  It was his 6^th win in the season’s 10 point races.  Hanbury, heat winner Jilson, Smith and Charlie Sharpsteen all finished in the top 5.  Gene Sharpsteen won the other heat.   

Pole-sitter Lee Sharpsteen led the Street Stock field off turn 2 and down the backstretch on the opening lap of their 20-lap feature.  RJ Zacharias and Bill Chandler, Jr. hotly contested 2^nd place, with Chandler making his way around him by lap 10.  The trio was running in a tight groove until Chandler spun on the backstretch.  Officials deemed Sharpsteen at fault and both restarted at the rear with 6 laps remaining.  With the 2^nd and 3^rd place cars at the rear, Bob Ziegler moved up from 4^th to 2^nd for the restart.  Zacharias took off when the green came back out and Ziegler faced a tough challenge for his spot from Chris Daugherty.  Chad McDonald’s spin with 2 to go gave everyone one final opportunity to catch, and pass, Zacharias.  He denied them that privilege and posted his 3^rd win of the 2005 season.  It was a sweep for Zacharias, who also won his heat race.  Ziegler finished this one 2^nd, followed by Daugherty, Rick Brown and Paul Johnson.  Chandler won the other qualifying race.

When Daren Scherer shows up with his Legends car he’s a factor in the outcome.  Saturday was no exception, as he got things going by winning his heat race.  Outside pole sitter Zach Truesdail and Rob Brierton got together at the start/finish line just as the field took the green.  They restarted at the rear while Art Priscott took the early lead.  Point leader Jimmy Kostarelos spun on the front stretch with 5 laps completed, bunching up the field for the restart.  Three laps later it was Tom Mitteer who brought out the yellow for a solo spin off turn 4.  That restart was costly for Priscott, who lost the lead to Scherer when racing resumed.  The 4^th and final caution came out when Cody Frantz spun in turn 4.  Scherer was untouchable over the final 4 laps and picked up his 4^th win.  Heat winner Rich Petrucco got around Priscott to finish 2^nd, with Truesdail and Matt Priscott completing the top 5.      

Gary Batroney and Paul Gush made up the front row for the 15-lap 4-Cylinder feature and Batroney led the opening lap.  But it was Gene Purvis, who had started 6^th, who made the most impressive moves early on.  Purvis was knocking on the leader’s door and made what turned out to be his race-winning pass on the 2^nd lap.  His stout car pulled away from the field, leaving Brian Benjamin and Paul Gush to battle it out for 2^nd.  The only caution came out when the field was about to get the 2 to go signal.  Jimmy Snell, Natasha Robinson and Cody Marshall got together exiting turn 2 and setting up one final shot at Purvis.  Gush tried, but the Dale Earnhardt, Jr. look-alike was too much on this night.  Purvis got the win, his 4^th this year.  Gush was 2^nd, followed by Benjamin, Scott Millard and Batroney.  Marshall and Gush won the 2 qualifying races.

The fabulous five took to the track for their 12-lap Factory Stock feature.  Pole-sitter Jim Potrzebowski led the field in a tight pack off turn 2.  Heat winner Duane Manzer chased him early on before giving way to Jake Snell.  At the halfway point that trio had pulled away from Dave Yehl and John Maynard.  Snell had a little too much speed coming off turn 2 with 2 laps remaining.  He spun and caught the corner of Manzer’s car on the backstretch.  Snell was done but Manzer returned for the final 2 laps.  Potrzebowski held on for his 6^th win this year, over Maynard, Manzer, Yehl and Snell.

Nick Robinson made a nice opening lap move to get around front row starters Ashley Sharpsteen and Justin Millard.  Behind him point leader Jimmy Zacharias was making some equally nice moves to get up to 2^nd.  On the 4^th lap Zacharias had the lead.  Matt Kurzejewski spun in turn 4 and put the field under caution but when racing resumed Zacharias was not seriously challenged.  Two other cautions, for spins by Dusty Snell and TJ Zacharias, did nothing to slow the momentum Zacharias had going, and he cruised to his 7^th win, 5^th in a row.  Robinson finished 2^nd, while Kurzejewski, Millard and Sharpsteen rounded out the top 5.  

Beth Ann Morgenthal, whose BAM Racing owns the Nextel Cup car driven by Ken Schrader, and others from her race team enjoyed the festivities from one of the track’s VIP suites.  Brian Zacharias, an instructor with the Richard Petty Driving Experience based in Charlotte, was also on hand competing in his Uncle’s SST-Modified. 

Race fans are reminded that a Friday, August 26^th show has been added to the schedule.  All regular divisions will be on tap, with the SST-Modifieds running twin-20’s.  Fans will also enjoy the season’s 2^nd Trailer Race.  Anyone interested in competing in this car/truck and trailer combo event should see Chris Zacharias or Bob Stapleton for details and rules.  Pits open at 4, with grandstand gate and practice at 5.  Racing for this special Friday night program only will begin at 7:15 PM.

This Saturday night it’s a regular 6-division program, with pit gates open at 4 PM, grandstand gates at 5.  Practice also gets underway at 5, with racing at 6:30 PM.  For all the latest news check out the track’s website at www.chemungspeedrome.net.  Chemung Speedrome – short track racing at its best!   

Results:

SST-Modifieds (63 laps) BRIAN BOWEN, Tony Hanbury, Tony Jilson, Josh Smith, Charlie Sharpsteen, Phil Slater, Chuck Frisbee, Wayne Lent, Tim Gullo, Gene Sharpsteen, Tom Zacharias, Chet Dillenbeck, Bobby Wilson, Chris Clark, George Kent, Shane Courtright, Brian Zacharias, Bill Chandler, Jr, Larry Jaynes (DNS: Terry Zacharias)

Street Stocks (20 Laps) RJ ZACHARIAS, Bob Ziegler, Chris Daugherty, Rick Brown, Paul Johnson, Mike Nichols, Lee Sharpsteen, Chris May, Chad McDonald, Kenny Ham, Bill Chandler, Jr, Dave Harbst (DNS: Todd Stone)

4-Cylinders (15 Laps) GENE PURVIS, Paul Gush, Brian Benjamin, Scott Millard, Gary Batroney, Natasha Robinson, Jimmy Snell, Cody Marshall, Bernie Duggan, Charlie Garrison (DNS: Rusty Miller)

Legends (15 Laps) DAREN SCHERER, Rich Petrucco, Art Priscott, Zach Truesdail, Matt Priscott, Brian Terrell, Dan Praetorius, Rob Brierton, Tom Mitteer, David Polenz, Beth Urso, Danielle Buchek, Cody Frantz, Jimmy Kostarelos

Factory Stocks (12 Laps) JIM POTRZEBOWSKI, John Maynard, Duane Manzer, Dave Yehl, Jake Snell

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

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