RGeeProductions
05-10-2014, 11:15 AM
Fans will be talking about the first of two 25-lap Sunoco Modified features at Chemung Speedrome for some time and not because of the 7 cautions that slowed the event, but because of how it ended. TJ Potrzebowski’s last lap pass ranks right up there with the most memorable moments in Chemung history. He went on to capture the 2nd 25-lap race, also in dramatic fashion, on what could be described as a perfect night. Jeff Goodwin (Super Stocks), Mike Alcaro (INEX Legends), Joe Lane (4 Cylinders), Chris Clemens (Crate Sportsman) and David French (Bandoleros) also picked up wins.
Defending Sunoco Modified track champion, Jimmy Zacharias, and TJ Potrzebowski won the 2 heat races and started the first feature in the front row. Zacharias, with the inside lane, powered his way to the lead and left Potrzebowski, Rusty Smith and Tony Hanbury in a tussle for positions 2 though 4. The restart following the first caution brought Hanbury to the top spot, a lead he’d surrender to Zacharias a lap later.
Just past the halfway point Hanbury spun coming off turn 4, and that brought John Wilber and JR Kent into the top 5 for the restart. With Potrzebowski alongside, Zacharias held his line and maintained the race lead. Two laps later Smith took over 2nd but a final pair of cautions bunched up the field again for those restarts.
The final restart, with 2 laps to go, set up the incredible final lap. Potrzebowski had been looking for the right place and right time to strike. As he and leader Zacharias approached turn 3 on the last lap Potrzebowski ignited the jet fuel in Jeff Covell’s immaculate #14. He dove to the inside of Zacharias, held his position through the corners and off turn 4, and it was Potrzebowski who got the popular win. “It stuck, we never touched going through the corners, “ he said from victory lane. “That was a bonsai move on my part, and it worked.” Zacharias, Smith, Wilber and Zack Curren all posted top 5 finishes. Potrzebowski then drew #10 for the field inversion for race #2.
Two drivers opted to start scratch in the 2nd feature, which brought Tony Hanbury to the outside of Larry Jaynes in the front row. Hanbury led early and had built up a comfortable advantage over Kent, Rusty Smith and TJ Potrzebowski. The first of 5 cautions came while working lap 8. Hanbury’s lead gone, he restarted with Kent beside him. Three laps later Kent brought out the caution when he went high in turn 4, got into the marbles, scraped the front stretch wall, and pitted for some repairs.
TJ Zacharias’ spin on the backstretch bunched up the field again. This time it was Hanbury, Potrzebowski, Smith and Jimmy Zacharias in the first 2 rows. Hanbury and Potrzebowski were running side-by-side down the back stretch but Potrzebowski edged him at the start/finish line to lead lap 17.
Jody Buckley’s spin brought out the final caution, and it was race-changing. Rain moved in to Chemung, something that had threatened the area pretty much all evening. Track officials waited but lost the track and the curfew was imminent. Potrzebowski, who had led for just a few feet on lap 17, was declared the winner of his 2nd race of the night. Two wins, two dramatic finishes, and one happy racer from Elmira, NY. Hanbury had to settle for 2nd after leading 16 laps, followed to the line by Zacharias, Smith and John Wilber.
The Super Stocks always put on a thrilling show and Friday night was no exception. In qualifying, Pine City, NY’s Jeff Goodwin and Dan Mathews won their respective heats and started alongside each other in row 1. The 25-lap feature was slowed by 3 cautions, the first of which came on the opening lap when Jody Buckley and Terry Potrzebowski had a tandem spin coming off turn 1. Defending track champion, Goodwin, used the low groove to take the early lead ahead of Mathews, Nick Robinson and Tim Gullo.
As the field neared the halfway point Gullo got to the inside of Mathews and took over 2nd, a position he’d later lose again to Mathews. While working lap 16, Mathews tapped Gullo. He lost 2nd as well as some of the space between him and Goodwin, and Mathews set his sights on the leader.
Lee Sharpsteen brought out the 2nd caution when he spun off turn 4. Gone was the nice lead Goodwin had built up. Mathews restarted beside Goodwin, who took control again as he exited turn 2 following the restart.
Four laps later Dusty Snell’s spin in turn 4 set up a green/white/checkered finish and brought a strong field to the front for the restart – Goodwin, Mathews, Gullo, Nichols in the first 2 rows. Goodwin wasn’t to be denied this one, and his McDonald’s-sponsored #05 parked in victory lane. Mathews finished 2nd, ahead of Gullo, Nichols and Sharpsteen.
Defending INEX Legends champion Mike Alcaro missed opening day due to family commitments. Friday night their commitment was at the Speedrome where Alcaro put together a perfect outcome. He and Alexandria Smith were the show in their 20-lap feature. Both won their heats in dominating fashion and the pair stayed together during the race.
Two back-to-back cautions early on slowed the action somewhat but not the drivers up front. Over the final dozen or so laps it was classic Alcaro. The white #8 pulled away, each lap putting more distance between first and second. At the stripe Alcaro had the win, followed by Smith, Joe Graf, Chuck Lohmeyer and Dylan Hoffman.
Joe Lane ended a 5-year winless drought on Friday night with a sweep in the 4 Cylinder division. He and fellow heat race winner Jeremiah Clonch started on the front row for the 20-lap feature. Lane took the lead at the start/finish line and left Clonch to battle with Nick Morich for 2nd. Morich got the spot but Lane had built up a nice lead.
With the race going caution-free Lane was never seriously challenged and the red and black #4 sailed across the finish line first. Morich, Clonch, Codie Baker and Cody Jackson all finished in the top 5.
Chris Clemens also swept the action in the Crate Sportsman division, but not without a fight from Paul Jenkins and James Howard. Each took a turn at leading the caution-free 10-lap feature but Clemens reclaimed the lead with 2 laps to go and he held on for the win. Howard, Jenkins and Allison Pierce finished this one behind him.
Undefeated in 10 Bandolero races last year, David French picked right up where he left off and started his 2014 campaign with a victory. Dogged by Lars McElravy for most of the race, French stayed in front of him and took the checkered flag. Teddy Bowen finished 3rd in the 10-lap feature.
The Speedrome is back in action this Friday, May 16th on Whelen Engineering Night. The Sunoco Modifieds highlight the evening with a 40-lap feature paying double points. Fans will also see action Friday in the Super Stocks (25), 4 Cylinders (20), INEX Legends (20), Bandoleros (8) and Dirt Crate Sportsman divisions. Pits open at 4, practice and grandstand at 6, and racing gets underway at 7:15 PM. Admission: adults $12; seniors 65 and older $10; kids 6-12 $5; 5 and under free. Fans are reminded that their ticket stub from the prior week is good for $2 off the next week. For additional information call the track office at 607-529-9998 or check the track’s website www.chemungspeedrome.net.
Chemung Speedrome and the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series: Asphalt Racing At Its Finest!
Sunoco Modifieds (#1, 25 Laps) TJ POTRZEBOWSKI, Jimmy Zacharias, Rusty Smith, John Wilber, Zack Curren, JR Kent, Jody Buckley, Tony Hanbury, Larry Jaynes, Cam Ayres, TJ Zacharias, Connor Sellars, Kirk Totten, Corey Mosher, Matt Clemens, Greg Frutchey
Heats: J. Zacharias, Potrzebowski
Sunoco Modifieds (#2, 17 Laps - Rain) TJ POTRZEBOWSKI, Tony Hanbury, Jimmy Zacharias, Rusty Smith, John Wilber, Kirk Totten, Connor Sellars, Cam Ayers, TJ Zacharias, Larry Jaynes, Corey Mosher, Jody Buckley, JR Kent, Greg Frutchey, Matt Clemens, Zack Curren (DNS)
Super Stocks (25 Laps) JEFF GOODWIN, Dan Mathews, Tim Gullo, Mike Nichols, Lee Sharpsteen, Rich Talada, Jake Snell, Jody Buckley, Nick Robinson, Terry Potrzebowski, Dusty Snell, Joe Snell
Heats: Goodwin, Mathews
INEX Legends (20 Laps) MIKE ALCARO, Alexandria Smith, Joe Graf, Chuck Lohmeyer, Dylan Hoffman, Alex Bowen, Gary Ham, Tony Gullo, Anthony Riforgiato, John Bacon, Charlie Lohmeyer, Wayne Walker, Michael Riforgiato
Heats: Alcaro, Smith
4 Cylinders (20 Laps) JOE LANE, Nick Morich, Jeremiah Clonch, Codie Baker, Cody Jackson, CJ Krapf, Dewain Talada, Sam Warren, Dave Cooke, Jared Sullivan (DNS), Monica Green (DNS
Heats: Clonch, Lane
Crate Sportsman (10 Laps) CHRIS CLEMENS, James Howard, Paul Jenkins, Allison Pierce
Heat: Clemens
Bandoleros (10 Laps) DAVID FRENCH, Lars McElravy, Teddy Bowen, Damon Frutchey, Timothy Bowen, Nick Morich
Carol Houssock
Defending Sunoco Modified track champion, Jimmy Zacharias, and TJ Potrzebowski won the 2 heat races and started the first feature in the front row. Zacharias, with the inside lane, powered his way to the lead and left Potrzebowski, Rusty Smith and Tony Hanbury in a tussle for positions 2 though 4. The restart following the first caution brought Hanbury to the top spot, a lead he’d surrender to Zacharias a lap later.
Just past the halfway point Hanbury spun coming off turn 4, and that brought John Wilber and JR Kent into the top 5 for the restart. With Potrzebowski alongside, Zacharias held his line and maintained the race lead. Two laps later Smith took over 2nd but a final pair of cautions bunched up the field again for those restarts.
The final restart, with 2 laps to go, set up the incredible final lap. Potrzebowski had been looking for the right place and right time to strike. As he and leader Zacharias approached turn 3 on the last lap Potrzebowski ignited the jet fuel in Jeff Covell’s immaculate #14. He dove to the inside of Zacharias, held his position through the corners and off turn 4, and it was Potrzebowski who got the popular win. “It stuck, we never touched going through the corners, “ he said from victory lane. “That was a bonsai move on my part, and it worked.” Zacharias, Smith, Wilber and Zack Curren all posted top 5 finishes. Potrzebowski then drew #10 for the field inversion for race #2.
Two drivers opted to start scratch in the 2nd feature, which brought Tony Hanbury to the outside of Larry Jaynes in the front row. Hanbury led early and had built up a comfortable advantage over Kent, Rusty Smith and TJ Potrzebowski. The first of 5 cautions came while working lap 8. Hanbury’s lead gone, he restarted with Kent beside him. Three laps later Kent brought out the caution when he went high in turn 4, got into the marbles, scraped the front stretch wall, and pitted for some repairs.
TJ Zacharias’ spin on the backstretch bunched up the field again. This time it was Hanbury, Potrzebowski, Smith and Jimmy Zacharias in the first 2 rows. Hanbury and Potrzebowski were running side-by-side down the back stretch but Potrzebowski edged him at the start/finish line to lead lap 17.
Jody Buckley’s spin brought out the final caution, and it was race-changing. Rain moved in to Chemung, something that had threatened the area pretty much all evening. Track officials waited but lost the track and the curfew was imminent. Potrzebowski, who had led for just a few feet on lap 17, was declared the winner of his 2nd race of the night. Two wins, two dramatic finishes, and one happy racer from Elmira, NY. Hanbury had to settle for 2nd after leading 16 laps, followed to the line by Zacharias, Smith and John Wilber.
The Super Stocks always put on a thrilling show and Friday night was no exception. In qualifying, Pine City, NY’s Jeff Goodwin and Dan Mathews won their respective heats and started alongside each other in row 1. The 25-lap feature was slowed by 3 cautions, the first of which came on the opening lap when Jody Buckley and Terry Potrzebowski had a tandem spin coming off turn 1. Defending track champion, Goodwin, used the low groove to take the early lead ahead of Mathews, Nick Robinson and Tim Gullo.
As the field neared the halfway point Gullo got to the inside of Mathews and took over 2nd, a position he’d later lose again to Mathews. While working lap 16, Mathews tapped Gullo. He lost 2nd as well as some of the space between him and Goodwin, and Mathews set his sights on the leader.
Lee Sharpsteen brought out the 2nd caution when he spun off turn 4. Gone was the nice lead Goodwin had built up. Mathews restarted beside Goodwin, who took control again as he exited turn 2 following the restart.
Four laps later Dusty Snell’s spin in turn 4 set up a green/white/checkered finish and brought a strong field to the front for the restart – Goodwin, Mathews, Gullo, Nichols in the first 2 rows. Goodwin wasn’t to be denied this one, and his McDonald’s-sponsored #05 parked in victory lane. Mathews finished 2nd, ahead of Gullo, Nichols and Sharpsteen.
Defending INEX Legends champion Mike Alcaro missed opening day due to family commitments. Friday night their commitment was at the Speedrome where Alcaro put together a perfect outcome. He and Alexandria Smith were the show in their 20-lap feature. Both won their heats in dominating fashion and the pair stayed together during the race.
Two back-to-back cautions early on slowed the action somewhat but not the drivers up front. Over the final dozen or so laps it was classic Alcaro. The white #8 pulled away, each lap putting more distance between first and second. At the stripe Alcaro had the win, followed by Smith, Joe Graf, Chuck Lohmeyer and Dylan Hoffman.
Joe Lane ended a 5-year winless drought on Friday night with a sweep in the 4 Cylinder division. He and fellow heat race winner Jeremiah Clonch started on the front row for the 20-lap feature. Lane took the lead at the start/finish line and left Clonch to battle with Nick Morich for 2nd. Morich got the spot but Lane had built up a nice lead.
With the race going caution-free Lane was never seriously challenged and the red and black #4 sailed across the finish line first. Morich, Clonch, Codie Baker and Cody Jackson all finished in the top 5.
Chris Clemens also swept the action in the Crate Sportsman division, but not without a fight from Paul Jenkins and James Howard. Each took a turn at leading the caution-free 10-lap feature but Clemens reclaimed the lead with 2 laps to go and he held on for the win. Howard, Jenkins and Allison Pierce finished this one behind him.
Undefeated in 10 Bandolero races last year, David French picked right up where he left off and started his 2014 campaign with a victory. Dogged by Lars McElravy for most of the race, French stayed in front of him and took the checkered flag. Teddy Bowen finished 3rd in the 10-lap feature.
The Speedrome is back in action this Friday, May 16th on Whelen Engineering Night. The Sunoco Modifieds highlight the evening with a 40-lap feature paying double points. Fans will also see action Friday in the Super Stocks (25), 4 Cylinders (20), INEX Legends (20), Bandoleros (8) and Dirt Crate Sportsman divisions. Pits open at 4, practice and grandstand at 6, and racing gets underway at 7:15 PM. Admission: adults $12; seniors 65 and older $10; kids 6-12 $5; 5 and under free. Fans are reminded that their ticket stub from the prior week is good for $2 off the next week. For additional information call the track office at 607-529-9998 or check the track’s website www.chemungspeedrome.net.
Chemung Speedrome and the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series: Asphalt Racing At Its Finest!
Sunoco Modifieds (#1, 25 Laps) TJ POTRZEBOWSKI, Jimmy Zacharias, Rusty Smith, John Wilber, Zack Curren, JR Kent, Jody Buckley, Tony Hanbury, Larry Jaynes, Cam Ayres, TJ Zacharias, Connor Sellars, Kirk Totten, Corey Mosher, Matt Clemens, Greg Frutchey
Heats: J. Zacharias, Potrzebowski
Sunoco Modifieds (#2, 17 Laps - Rain) TJ POTRZEBOWSKI, Tony Hanbury, Jimmy Zacharias, Rusty Smith, John Wilber, Kirk Totten, Connor Sellars, Cam Ayers, TJ Zacharias, Larry Jaynes, Corey Mosher, Jody Buckley, JR Kent, Greg Frutchey, Matt Clemens, Zack Curren (DNS)
Super Stocks (25 Laps) JEFF GOODWIN, Dan Mathews, Tim Gullo, Mike Nichols, Lee Sharpsteen, Rich Talada, Jake Snell, Jody Buckley, Nick Robinson, Terry Potrzebowski, Dusty Snell, Joe Snell
Heats: Goodwin, Mathews
INEX Legends (20 Laps) MIKE ALCARO, Alexandria Smith, Joe Graf, Chuck Lohmeyer, Dylan Hoffman, Alex Bowen, Gary Ham, Tony Gullo, Anthony Riforgiato, John Bacon, Charlie Lohmeyer, Wayne Walker, Michael Riforgiato
Heats: Alcaro, Smith
4 Cylinders (20 Laps) JOE LANE, Nick Morich, Jeremiah Clonch, Codie Baker, Cody Jackson, CJ Krapf, Dewain Talada, Sam Warren, Dave Cooke, Jared Sullivan (DNS), Monica Green (DNS
Heats: Clonch, Lane
Crate Sportsman (10 Laps) CHRIS CLEMENS, James Howard, Paul Jenkins, Allison Pierce
Heat: Clemens
Bandoleros (10 Laps) DAVID FRENCH, Lars McElravy, Teddy Bowen, Damon Frutchey, Timothy Bowen, Nick Morich
Carol Houssock