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Chemung
Speedrome 2010 Press Releases
May 16th,
2010
Jimmy Zacharias Dominates Chemung’s NASCAR Sunoco Modifieds; Hank Buchanan Walks Away From Scary
Wreck
by Carol Houssock
(Chemung, NY) Beautiful weather brought a nice crowd to WilliamsAutoGroup.com presents Chemung Speedrome for a special Saturday Afternoon Shootout. Jimmy Zacharias (NASCAR Sunoco Modifieds) and Mike Nichols (Street Stocks) won their features as well as the high-dollar Buckley’s Automotive Dash for Cash events for their divisions. Other winners included Justin Petcosky (INEX Legends), Phil Haner (4 Cylinders) and Kurtis Benjamin (FWD). This week it’s a Saturday night special, with racing getting underway at 6:30 PM. Fans are reminded to bring their ticket stubs from May 15th to get $2 off admission on May 22nd.
The 50-lap NASCAR Sunoco Modified feature was slowed for just one caution period, and it was one that resulted in creating a 4-way battle for the title after 3 races.
John Wilber got the better of Rusty Smith at the start and led for the first 6 laps. Jimmy Zacharias, who had started 3rd, used the outside line to get around Smith and then, on lap 7, Wilber. In the early going, former track champs JR Kent and Tony Hanbury battled it out for 3rd, then 2nd when the pair got underneath Wilber.
At the halfway point Zacharias was working the lap traffic and Hanbury was able to chop away at his lead. Separated by just 2 car lengths, track officials noticed liquid coming from Hanbury’s machine and displayed the black flag. On the next lap he spun off turn 4, pitted, and parked his machine for the night. That brought Kent back up to 2nd, with Bobby Osgood and Smith lined up behind them. Zacharias was up to that challenge and he pulled away.
With a dozen laps remaining the best battles were those for 3rd (Osgood and Smith) and 5th (Zach Truesdail and Al Chapman). Zacharias cruised to his first-ever win at Chemung in this division, over Smith, Kent, Osgood and Truesdail. Hanbury’s misfortune cost him his 19-point lead. Unofficially, Hanbury has 158 points, followed by Osgood (157), Truesdail (156), and Zacharias (155).
Sitting 4th in points as a feature winner with a stout car, Zacharias lined up last for the Buckley’s Automotive ‘winner-take-all’ Dash For Cash. He charged to 3rd, then 2nd, then first and claimed that $500 bonus. It was a very good day at the office for the third generation driver from Candor, NY.
Mike Nichols’ win in the 25-lap Street Stock feature was overshadowed by a horrific wreck involving the #51 of Hank Buchanan from Elmira, NY. He and Brittany Jack were racing hard for the same position when the incident occurred. After contact with the outside retaining wall, she spun and backed into the pit wall while he barrel-rolled 4 times on the front stretch in one of the worst wrecks ever seen at Chemung. His car destroyed, fans were relieved to see him exit the car under his own power.
When the race resumed leader Nichols had to fend off challenges by Terry Potrzebowski, who had earlier won his heat race. Potrzebowski came up short in this one but he finished ahead of Jeff Goodwin, Tim Gullo and Brandon Ameigh. Nichols won everything he could on Saturday afternoon, including his heat race and the exciting 10-lap Dash for Cash. The ‘winner-take-all’ hotly contested event, sponsored by Buckley’s Automotive, gave Nichols, from Elmira, NY, another $300 for his efforts.
Matt Priscott and his father, Art, won the INEX Legends heat races while handicapping put Cody Frantz and M. Priscott on the front row for their 25-lap feature. Frantz prevailed and led through the first 11 laps. Justin Petcosky, who stated 9th was up to 2nd and ready to strike. At the halfway point Frantz got sideways coming off turn 2, Petcosky spun, and Richie Vanderpool cleared both to become the new leader. Vanderpool pulled away when racing resumed, leaving A. Priscott in a good battle for 2nd with Andrew Stotler and Daren Scherer. But Binghamton, NY’s Petcosky was on the move - up to 5th by lap 16, then 3rd, then 2nd. Over the final 5 laps he was all over Vanderpool and found the opening he needed on the 23rd lap. From there the race was his. Vanderpool was 2nd, followed by A. Priscott, Scherer and Stotler.
In 4 Cylinder action, defending track champion Jeremy Potrzebowski charged around pole-sitter Tony Gullo and led the way, leaving Gullo in a battle with Joe Lane and Frank Morich for 2nd. Gene Purvis, meanwhile, was moving up through the pack with precision. When he caught Potrzebowski the pair ran side by side until contact left Purvis with a flat and Potrzebowski facing the wrong direction. That brought Joe Lane and Archie Haner to the front row for the green’/white/checkered finish. Pine City, NY’s Haner won the drag race into turn 1, held the lead and got the win over Lane, Gullo, Purvis and Morich. Haner and Purvis on the 2 heat races, and Kurtis Benjamin won the 5-lap shootout for the FWD 4 Cylinders.
This weekend USG sponsors the Saturday night program of NASCAR Sunoco Modifieds, twin-20’s for the Street Stocks, INEX Legends and 4 Cylinders. Pits open at 4 PM, with practice and grandstand gates opening at 5 PM. The first heat hits the track at 6:30 PM. Admission is $10 for adults, $6 for seniors and kids ages 5-16, and always free for kids under age 5. Fans are reminded to bring their ticket stubs from May 7th for a $2 discount.
Anyone wanting more information can call track manager, Jody Buckley, at 607-738-1125 or check the track’s website, www.chemungspeedrome.net. Chemung Speedrome and the NASCAR Whelen All American Series – Short Track Racing At Its Best!
Results:
NASCAR Sunoco Modifieds (50 Laps) JIMMY ZACHARIAS, Rusty Smith, JR Kent, Bobby Osgood, Zach Truesdail, Al Chapman, Lee Sharpsteen, John Wilber, Brian Sherwood, Daren Scherer, Larry Jaynes, Zack Curren, Justin Petcosky, TJ Zacharias, Tony Hanbury, Corey Mosher, Charlie Sharpsteen, Matt Clemens, Chris Daugherty, Chris Comstock (DNS)
Buckley’s Automotive Dash For Cash: Jimmy Zacharias
Street Stocks (25 Laps) MIKE NICHOLS, Terry Potrzebowski, Jeff Goodwin, Tim Gullo, Brandon Ameigh, Brittany Jack, Dylan Terry, John Lane, Ken Evans Hank Buchanan (DNS)
Buckley’s Automotive Dash For Cash: Mike Nichols
INEX Legends (25 Laps) JUSTIN PETCOSKY, Richie Vanderpool, Art Priscott, Daren Scherer, Andrew Stotler, Van Michael, Ben Moore, Steve Stull, Beth Scherer, Corey Mosher, Andrew Bickford, Matt Priscott, Cody Frantz, Brandon Michael, Brett Coon, John Bacon, A J Griffin
4 Cylinders (15 Laps) PHIL HANER, Joe Lane, Tony Gullo, Gene Purvis, Frank Morich, Ryan Purvis, Milton Price, Jeremy Potrzebowski, Eric Ellsworth, Jim Potrzebowski (DNS)
FWD 4 Cylinders (5 Laps) KURTIS BENJAMIN, David Cooke
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