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Chemung
Speedrome 2010 Press Releases
May 28th,
2010
New Tires Key to JR Kent’s NASCAR Sunoco Mod Win at
Chemung
- by Carol Houssock
(Chemung, NY) Friday night JR Kent (Horseheads, NY) made his first 2010 trip to victory lane after holding off his competitors for 46 of the 50 laps in the NASCAR Sunoco Modified feature. Other winners at WilliamsAutoGroup.com presents Chemung Speedrome included Mike Nichols from Elmira, NY (Street Stocks), Mike Alcaro from Newton, NJ (INEX Legends) and Phil Haner from Pine City, NY (4 Cylinders). They'll all be back at it this Friday night beginning at 7:30 PM.
Kent started the race in 6th but as soon as the green flag waved he maneuvered through traffic and was chasing leader Justin Petcosky by the 2nd lap. Following a lap 5 restart Kent overtook Petcosky and Tony Hanbury got around Zach Truesdail for 2nd. Lap after lap Hanbury tried to get a run off turn 4 but Kent held his ground. Behind them the action was equally exciting, with Petcosky holding off Jimmy Zacharias. While working lap 15 Hanbury got loose in turn 2 and Zacharias was right there. His tap, deemed a racing incident, turned Hanbury around and put Zacharias alongside Kent for the restart.
A sloppy restart, with cars scattering on the front stretch, ended when Zach Curren slammed the water barrel in turn 1. During the lengthy clean up, Curren’s crew made the necessary repairs and he rejoined the race. Zacharias had the edge on the restart but Kent held him off through turns 1 and 2. Hanbury regrouped and charged back through the field and was closing by the halfway point. Zacharias tried repeatedly to find an opening, but Kent’s new tires worked and he was glued to the inside line.
As the laps clicked off, Hanbury took 2nd from Zacharias and the trio pulled away from 4th place Petcosky. With 7 laps to go Petcosky spun and brought out the 5th caution. Hanbury spun on the restart, giving 2nd back to Zacharias. Over those final 7 laps Hanbury charged back to 3rd but neither he nor Zacharias could handle what Kent dished out. He sailed across the finish line for a memorable win. “I have to thank Knappy’s for providing me with tires. Our budget is so tight this year and we appreciate all they help they and so many others give us,” he said from the Horseheads Pick-A-Part Victory Lane. He also credited clean driving and the respect shown by drivers in the class. Zacharias and Hanbury, 2nd and 3rd, both pulled up to congratulate him on a good run. Truesdail and John Wilber rounded out the top 5. Earlier in the night Kent and Zacharias won their heat races.
The 25-lap Street Stock feature in no way resembled the melee the week prior. Mike Nichols took the lead from Terry Potrzebowski on the 3rd lap while Chris Daugherty had a battle going for 3rd with Jeff Goodwin. Brittany Jack’s spin set up a lap 5 restart but Nichols held off Potrzebowski, who later got high in turn 2 and lost 2 spots when both Goodwin and Daugherty got underneath. Jack had another tough moment when she tagged the pit wall but kept going and kept the race under green. Three laps later she did spin and that set up the final restart. With rivals Nichols and Goodwin lined up side by side in the front row, many held their breath. No need, as Nichols took off and remained out front. The win, his 4th in 6 races, padded his point lead. Goodwin and Daugherty, who won their heat races, finished 2nd and 3rd, followed by Potrzebowski and Ken Evans.
Twenty INEX Legends cars took the green for their 25-lap feature and Cody Frantz led the first 10 laps. Many eyes were focused on the #8 of Mike Alcaro, the Garden State driver who was undefeated in 3 races this year. Steady in his charge to the front, Alcaro took over the lead on lap 11. At the halfway point Alcaro had a nice lead, but eyes were then focused on the great battle for 2nd involving Matt Priscott and Richie Vanderpool. Following a lap 16 restart Vanderpool ducked underneath Priscott and was up to 2nd but he lost that spot to Justin Petcosky with 4 to go. The last caution, for a spin by Gregory Rittenhouse, set up a green/white/checker finish. This was Petcosky’s best shot at the win but Alcaro had him covered and he took the checkered flag for the 4th time in his 4 trips to Chemung this season. Petcosky was 2nd, followed by Vanderpool, Priscott and Jason Urso. Alcaro, Vanderpool and Brandon Michael won the 3 heats.
Five lead changes among 4 drivers sums up the competitive 25-lap 4 Cylinder feature. Frank Morich led the first 2 laps but heat winner Phil Haner worked the traffic and took the lead at the stripe on lap 3. Morich fought back and reclaimed it a lap later while Joe Lane used the outside to his advantage. Lane took over the top spot, but was bringing heat winner Gene Purvis along for the ride. Once in front Purvis pulled away from Haner and Lane. What he didn’t want was a caution, but he got one when Paul Burns, Jr spun in turn 4. With 6 to go, Lane tried on the inside for the lead but Purvis held him off. While that was going on, Haner got around him and was up to 2nd. All it took was a slight bobble by Purvis, which occurred on the 24th lap, and Haner took back the lead. He held on for his 2nd win, this time over Purvis, Lane, Milton Price and Burns.
This weekend Whelen sponsors the Friday night program of NASCAR Sunoco Modifieds, Street Stocks, 4 Cylinders and twin-15’s for the INEX Legends. Pits open at 4 PM, with practice and grandstand gates opening at 5:30 PM. The first heat hits the track at 7:30 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 28th 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) JR KENT, Jimmy Zacharias, Tony Hanbury, Zach Truesdail, John Wilber, Charlie Sharpsteen, Zach Curren, Justin Petcosky, Larry Jaynes, Al Chapman, Bobby Osgood, Corey Mosher, Lee Sharpsteen
Street Stocks (25 Laps) MIKE NICHOLS, Jeff Goodwin, Chris Daugherty, Terry Potrzebowski, Ken Evans, Terry Ostrander, Brittany Jack, John Lane, Brandon Ameigh
INEX Legends (25 Laps) MIKE ALCARO, Justin Petcosky, Richie Vanderpool, Matt Priscott, Jason Urso, Art Priscott, Cody Frantz, Andrew Stotler, Brandon Michael, Matt Evans, Van Michael, Cody Mosher, John Bacon, Jo DeGracia, Barry Schrantz, Gregory Rittenhouse, Raven Schrantz, Andrew Bickford, AJ Griffin, Ben Moore
4 Cylinders (25 Laps) PHIL HANER, Gene Purvis, Jo Lane, Milton Price, Paul Burns, Jr., Frank Morich, Archie Haner, Bob Ferris, Ryan Purvis
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