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Chemung
Speedrome 2010 Press Releases
August 22nd,
2010
Jimmy Zacharias Wins at Chemung, Eyes NASCAR Sunoco Modified Point
Title by Carol Houssock
(Chemung, NY) The action was intense Friday night at WilliamsAutoGroup.com presents Chemung Speedrome as the headline division title remains up for grabs by three drivers. JR Kent arrived with a 1-point lead over Jimmy Zacharias, but left trailing him by 11. Bobby Osgood remains in the chase, 16 points out of the lead. Zacharias picked up a very crucial 2nd feature win in the NASCAR Sunoco Modified division, while others in victory lane included Jeff Goodwin (Street Stocks), Mike Alcaro (INEX Legends), Milton Price (4 Cylinders) and Jeremiah Clonch (FWD). The stage is set, and the actors will all be there for the final dramatic showdown this Friday night.
The 3-way race for the NASCAR Sunoco Modified title still includes the same drivers, but now in a different order. Calls, recalls, and penalties pretty much summed up the drama-filled night. Zack Curren led the first lap of the 40-lap feature but Zacharias got around him on the 2nd lap and built up a huge lead over JR Kent and a run for 2nd Curren and Rusty Smith. As the race neared the halfway point it was clear that a caution flag would be the only thing could make it a race again, as Zacharias had already lapped 5 cars. That caution occurred when Smith and Curren ended their battle for 3rd with tandem spins in turn 4.
What occurred next was a bit out of the ordinary. For the restart the 5 lap cars were lined up where they were running, putting Kent (2nd) back to 7th in the running order. When the race resumed Osgood got into Kent between turns 3 and 4. The head flagger determined that the lap cars were the reason for the contact and they put the cars on the lead lap up front. He also put Kent back to 2nd and Osgood to 3rd for the restart.
That decision, though confusing, didn’t sway Zacharias. He picked up right where he left off and left the competition behind. Osgood recovered and got up to 2nd but no further. At the stripe Zacharias had his 2nd win of the year. More importantly, the former Speedrome Junior champ put himself back atop the point standings. Following his victory lap he gave credit to the car, the shiny chrome #71. “We talked about it all week, switching to this car. But it’s been really strong for me this year and once the decision was made I just had to focus on the job at hand.” He went on to thank his family and sponsors that have helped put him in contention. Osgood, Smith, Curren and Kent rounded out the top 5. Bobby Osgood appeared to win his heat race but he received a 1-spot penalty for on-track contact during a caution. That win went to Jimmy Zacharias while JR Kent claimed the other heat.
Jeff Goodwin did everything he needed to do if he has any hopes of taking the Street Stock title for the 3rd year in a row. He swept both his heat and the 25-lap feature. But with Mike Nichols finishing behind him, he didn’t chop away many points leading into the title-deciding last race. This one was classic Goodwin, going 4-wide off turn 4 on the opening lap and crossing the stripe as the leader. Chris Daugherty, who won the other heat, was 2nd with Joe Lane, Brittany Jack and Ken Evans among the early lead group. Jack and Nichols worked their way to 2nd and 3rd while Goodwin sailed away. On the 16th lap Jack went high in turns 1 and 2. Nichols took a peek but didn’t complete the pass until turn 4, when Jack bobbled in the corner. Nichols chopped away at Goodwin’s lead but he ran out of laps. Goodwin got the win, his 5th, and took a well-deserved victory lap. “The car needs to do better in the center, but it did what I needed it to do tonight,” he said from the Horseheads Pick-a-Part victory lane. Nichols, Daugherty, John Lane and Evans all finished in the top 5.
Mike Alcaro, Andrew Stotler and point leader Justin Petcosky got things going in the INEX Legends division by winning their heat races. AJ Griffin powered around pole-sitter Stotler and led until Richie Vanderpool dove to the inside and took over the top spot. Griffin, Daren Scherer and Matt Evans tangled in turn 2, with Evans tagging the foam and ending his night. When racing resumed Alcaro continued his march to the front and got around Vanderpool on the 6th lap. Petcosky was up to 2nd and started beside Alcaro on a lap 17 restart. Alcaro led the way while Tony Hanbury, who had moved up from 23rd to 3rd, was all over Petcosky in a battle for 2nd. The final caution, for debris from the Richie Coy machine, set up one last shot for the leaders to deny Alcaro another win. It wasn’t to be, and he celebrated win #12. Petcosky finished 2nd, ahead of Vanderpool, Hanbury and Chris Young.
Milton Price won the battle, his 3rd feature in the 4 Cylinder division, but Gene Purvis may have won the war. Their 20-lap feature had 4 lead changes among 3 drivers, with Price and Phil Haner battling for the early race lead. Haner’s night ended early when his car broke and brought out the first of two cautions. When racing resumed Purvis got around Price for the lead while Frank Morich and Archie Haner went at it for 3rd. Their battle resulted in a spin and both restarted at the rear. Price and Haner continued to contest for the top spot, but Price had the inside groove covered. He sailed across the finish line first, ahead of Purvis, Haner, Morich and Kyle Ferris. Heat winner Purvis needs only to start the final feature and the championship is his.
Jeremiah Clonch had no trouble dominating the FWD division, in their final race of the year. Clonch drove the Zack Keeney machine, which had won 5 of the 9 races run to date. Keeney, on vacation with his family, made a wise choice and Clonch brought it home ahead of division champ, Kurtis Benjamin.
The final point race of the year is coming up Friday night and all of the championships will be determined. It’s a 4-division program of Modifieds, Street Stocks, INEX Legends and 4 Cylinders. Pits open at 4, with practice and grandstand gates open at 5:30, and the first heat race hitting the track at 7:15. Admission is just $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 grandstand ticket stubs from August 20th for a discount.
Anyone wanting more information can call track manager, Jody Buckley, at 607-738-1125 or check the track’s website, www.chemungspeedrome.net. WilliamsAutoGroup.com presents Chemung Speedrome, part of the NASCAR Whelen All American Series – Short Track Racing At Its Best!
Results:
NASCAR Sunoco Modifieds (40 Laps) JIMMY ZACHARIAS, Bobby Osgood, Rusty Smith, Zack Curren, JR Kent, Bill Morich, Larry Jaynes, Curtis Cowles, Corey Mosher, Jody Buckley, TJ Zacharias, Matt Clemens, Dan Kurzejewski (DNS), Terry Zacharias (DNS)
Street Stocks (25 Laps) JEFF GOODWIN, Mike Nichols, Chris Daugherty, John Lane, Ken Evans, Bill Frisbie, Sr., Terry Ostrander, Brittany Jack (DQ)
INEX Legends (25 Laps) MIKE ALCARO, Justin Petcosky, Richie Vanderpool, Tony Hanbury, Chris Young, Kevin Wilkins, Matt Priscott, Stephen Hershey, Cody Frantz, AJ Griffin, Art Priscott, Corey Mosher, Greg Rittenhouse, Beth Scherer, John Bacon, Richie Coy, Brandon Michael, Ravin Schrantz, Joe DeGracia, Andrew Bickford, Barry Schrantz, Daren Scherer, Matt Evans, Andrew Stotler, Van Michael
4 Cylinders (20 Laps) MILTON PRICE, Gene Purvis, Archie Haner, Frank Morich, Kyle Ferris, Nick Haner, Phil Haner, Ryan Purvis (DNS)
FWD 4 Cylinders (15 Laps) JEREMIAH CLONCH, Kurtis Benjamin, Clayton Weaver, Steven Rogers
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