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Canandaigua, NY - June 16, 2007 - By Gary M. Spaid, Canandaigua Speedway PR
Macedon's Charlie Donk brought his number 99 to victory lane on Saturday at the
Canandaigua Speedway to record his second 35-lap DIRTcar Big-Block Modified feature
win of the year on Canandaigua Chrysler Dodge night. "This win comes after we made
changes to the car's set-up," Donk commented. "It was not working very well on the
bottom and I had to drive it on the edge up high."
During this race it seemed that track points leader Steve Paine had lost a lap when
he swerved to the infield, just past the start-finish line on lap 21. The yellow
flew before any other lap could be completed due to an accident in the third turn.
Thus any cars capable of returning following this yellow were scored as completing
the lap. Paine pitted and returned during this yellow so he was saved by a yellow
flag not created by himself.
The 25-lap DIRTcar Sportsman Modified feature was won by Billy Coleman. A post-race
protest in the Coleman car remains open as of this writing. It was Coleman's first
ever victory, coming in his rookie season. "Russ (Hefti) told me to keep this bad
boy at the bottom and leave it there," Coleman stated. "Boy, was he right!"
In UMP/DIRTcar Street Stock action it was Mike Welch winning the 20-lap feature
while Corey Hunt took top honors in the PureStox. "This track is just awesome,"
commented Hunt, referring to the track surface, which saw three distinct groves
develop.
On hand was the Green Momba Jet Car to put on a display for the fans. The "Green
Momba" finale is the cutting of a car in half using "jet power" and a shower of
sparks.
A special Dad's B-B-Q Grill Race was run on the front stretch with Dave Race from
Canandaigua Motors taking the win by pushing his grill around a set of cones in just
over 12 seconds. He received a five-pack of tickets to Canandaigua Speedway as his
prize.
In a unique prelude to the 35-lap DIRTcar Modified feature, Mike Johnson exited the
speedway following the first pace lap and turned his car over to a relief driver
Todd Burley. Johnson received an injury during the week and was unable to
comfortably wear his helmet for a long time. By running the pace lap he was scored
as the driver of record for the points and handicapping.
When the green flag flew it was Pete Taylor leading the first lap. Taylor was not
able to hang on to the point as Chad Homan blasted by for the front spot on lap two.
The initial yellow flag dropped on lap 10 when Justin Gates spun in the first turn.
On the restart Charlie Donk moved to the front after a battle with Dave Rauscher and
Homan. Donk then was able to pull out to a three-car advantage over Rauscher. On lap
14 the second yellow flew, again for a spin by Gates and this time Rauscher was able
to stay with Donk racing side-by-side but in the end it would Donk able to inch back
into the front spot.
Points leader Paine had worked his way up to fourth when he suddenly swung his car
into the infield on lap 21. As the cars entered the third turn, John Pfeffer and
another car spun with Phil Vigneri hitting the Pfeffer car. The leaders were still
rushing down the back stretch when the yellow flew.
Donk was able to inch to the high side, however slight contact with Rauscher sent
Rauscher out into the grass apron on the high side of the third and fourth turns. He
was able to remain moving and melded into the field in fifth. The cars involved in
the lap 21 accident were able to complete the 22nd lap if they came back at the tail
of the field.
This time Donk remained the leader on the restart with Homan in second. Russ Hefti
was using the high groove with his new Troyer and was able to streak around Homan
for second on lap 26 yet was never able to mount a serious charge at Donk.
Closing lap lapped traffic had no effect on the leaders as Donk took the checkers
followed by Hefti, Homan, Derrick Podsiadlo and Paine, who had worked his way from
the back of the field passing Rauscher on the final turn of the final lap to take
fifth. Substitute driver Todd Burley was able to record a seventh-place finish for
Johnson.
The 25-lap DIRTcar Sportsman main began with Coleman taking the lead at the drop of
the green from his pole starting position. Coleman was able to stretch out a lead
over Kevin Ridley until a yellow flew on lap four when Phil LaVare looped out
exiting the second turn. The yellow lights remained out on the restart following
contact between Paul Guererri and Anthony Rizzardo in the fourth turn.
Loren Lincoln now moved into second, but he too could not close the gap on leader
Coleman and the race would remain green till the end. Kevin Ridley moved to the high
side of the speedway and passed Lincoln with just four laps remaining. Ridley was
able to slowly catch Coleman and on the final lap Ridley moved to the high side of
Coleman but fell short at the finish line by a half car-length.
Coleman took the win followed by Ridley, Lincoln, Rob Bussey and Darryl Hilkert. A
post-pace protest was posted on the Coleman car for a P&G test. Officials were still
looking at further investigative moves to test the results of the P&G.
The 20-lap Ferris Mowers UMP Street Stock feature was a barn burner as cars were
racing two- and three-wide during the entire race. The yellow flew just twice, on
laps two and five. Up front Nathan Peckham had the lead until Mike Welch passed him
on lap nine. From this point on the race was all Welch's up front. A torrid battle
for second through fifth kept fans on the edge of their seats.
The PureStox 10-lap feature ran green-to-checkers with Hunt taking the lead from
Chris Guererri on lap six. Guererri's car was sent off course following contact with
the Marc Minutolo machine in the first turn. This bobble allowed Hunt to pass both
cars and grab the front spot.
Hunt then cruised home the winner, his first feature win of the season, while
Minutolo, Eric Chapman, Ross Lurcock and George LaVare Jr. rounded out the top-five
finishers. "I guess I was at the right place at the right time," commented Hunt in
victory lane, referring to the melee between Guererri and Minutolo on lap six.
Racing returns to the speedway this Saturday when it will be Phelps Cement Products
Family Night featuring a four-for-four deal, four admissions equals four hot dogs,
four drinks and four fries, all for just $40. This is a real chance to take the
family out to the races.
A complete DIRTcar program of Big-Block Modifieds, Sportsman Modifieds, Street
Stocks and PureStox will hit the track at 7 p.m.. Topping the night will be a Kids
Club bicycle giveaway. Canandaigua Speedway is located just east of the Village of
Canandaigua, NY, along County Road 10. Information can be obtained by calling
585/394-0691 on raceday, during the week by dialing the DIRTcar Racing NorthEast
office at 315/834-6606 and logging in anytime to www.canandaiguaspeedway.com.
CANANDIAGUA CHRYSLER DODGE GREEN MAMBA NIGHT SUMMARY
PURESTOX
HEAT: M. Minutolo, E. Chapman, C. Guererri, R. DePuy, C. Hunt, R. Lurcock.
FEATURE (10-laps): COREY HUNT, Marc Minutolo, Eric Chapman, Ross Lurcock, George
LaVare Jr., Ted Sweeney, Tom Shoemaker III, Chris Guererri, Ryan DePuy (DNS).
UMP/DIRTcar FERRIS MOWERS STREET STOCK
HEAT 1: S. Faulkner, N. Peckham, A. Fisk, L. Lewis, M. Rasbeck.
HEAT 2: M. Welch, A. DePuy, S. Smith, B. Smith, D. Smith.
FEATURE (20-laps): MIKE WELCH, Nathan Peckham, Andy Fisk, Scott Smith, Adam DePuy,
Blane Smith, Doug Smith, Steve Faulkner, Mike Schultz, Nick Dandino, Chris Fisher,
Tim Burnell, George LaVare Sr., Mike Rasbeck, Leroy Lewis.
DIRTcar SPORTSMAN MODIFIED
HEAT 1: K. Ridley, P. Guererri, B. Coleman, D. Hilkert, D. Allen.
HEAT 2: M. Chiddy, R. Bussey, S. Schrader, J. Hull, J. Robertson.
HEAT 3: P. LaVare, L. Lincoln, E. Giguere, A. Rizzardo, E. VanSkiver.
FEATURE (25-laps): BILLY COLEMAN, Kevin Ridley, Loren Lincoln, Rob Bussey, Darryl
Hilkert, Tim Currier, Mark Chiddy, Eric Giguere, Jim Hull, Eric VanSkiver, Anthony
Rizzardo, Paul Guererri, Dan Wiesner, Nick Guererri, Phil LaVare, John Robertson,
Bruce DeWick, Scott Schrader, David Allen.
DIRTcar BIG-BLOCK MODIFIED
HEAT 1: S. Paine, C. Homan, D. Rauscher, C. Donk, F. Hilton, J. Gates, M. Johnson.
HEAT 2: P. Vigneri, P. Taylor, R. Hefti, D. Podsiadlo, C. Bower, R. Smoker, J. Pfeffer.
FEATURE (35-laps): CHARLIE DONK, Russ Hefti, Chad Homan, Derrick Podsiadlo, Steve
Paine, Dave Rauscher, Mike Johnson, Chuck Bower, Ron Smoker, Phil Vigneri, Ed
Monroe, Fran Hilton, Mike Ward, Justin Gates, John Pfeffer, Pete Taylor, Don Slover,
Paul Habeck, Eldon Payne Jr (DNS).
The DIRTcar Advance Auto Parts Modified Series is brought to fans across the
Northeast by several sponsors and partners, including series sponsors Advance Auto
Parts, Hoosier Racing Tire and Sunoco Race Fuels. Promotional partners include AMB
i.t., F.X. Caprara Car Companies and the University of Northwestern Ohio and the
contingency sponsors are Bert Transmission, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein
Shocks, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Integra Shocks, MSD Ignitions, Miller Electric
Manufacturing Company and Wrisco Industries.