RGeeProductions
09-01-2014, 12:21 PM
The lights were on at Chemung Speedrome for the final Friday night this year as the track’s season finale is set for this Sunday, September 7th, at 2:15 PM. Three more titles were claimed on Friday night, leaving only the Super Stock division taking it to the final race. Feature winners Friday night included Zack Curren (Sunoco Modified), Jeff Goodwin (Super Stock), Justin Hall (FWD) and Cody Jackson (RWD) in 4 Cylinder, Matt Kurzejewski (INEX Legend), David French (Bandolero) and Chris Clemens (Dirt Crate Sportsman). Titles were earned by Alexandria Smith (INEX Legend), French (Bandolero) and Clemens (Dirt Crate Sportsman). Entering this Sunday’s finale, a day that honors the late Shirley Zacharias, Tim Gullo holds an 11-point advantage over Lee Sharpsteen (Super Stock).
Zack Curren and TJ Zacharias were the class of the field in the Sunoco Modified division. Each won his respective heat race and they would run most of the 40-lap feature separated by no more than a car length or two. It was a tough night for Connor Sellars, who got loose then turned around by Randy Brokaw with two laps complete. Early leader Gene Sharpsteen yielded to Zacharias on the restart but another caution came out a lap later. Zack Curren won the drag race to turn one and took the lead from Zacharias. Sharpsteen and Sellars, battling for fourth, got together while working lap twelve. The restart was another blow for Sellars. Jody Buckley was right behind the leaders, who ran out of room for a three-wide deal in turns one and two. As Buckley spun along came Sellars and Larry Jaynes. As they came off turn two Sellars went up and onto the Jaynes 01 before coming to rest on the track. Several others were also involved. Sellars pitted for service, returned, but was never a factor. Curren, meanwhile, stayed on top of his game and maintained an advantage over Zacharias. The final caution flag came out for debris in turn four, giving Zacharias one final shot for the lead. Again Curren prevailed, beating him to turn one and holding him off over the final 18 laps. Curren got the win, his third this year, over Zacharias, Sharpsteen, Brokaw and Cam Ayres. While the championship has been claimed by Jimmy Zacharias, second remains a tight battle between Sellars and Buckley.
The 25-lap Super Stock feature had drama from start to finish. An early wreck sent leader, Joe Snell, to the hospital for x-rays, the apparent winner was disqualified, and the championship chase continues into the final week. Jody Buckley led the first lap but lost the lead to Joe Snell. As the leaders entered turns one and two Buckley went up and over Snell coming off turn two and collected Charlie Sharpsteen. Snell was transported to a local hospital for leg x-rays that later indicated a bone bruise. Following the lengthy clean-up Terry Potrzebowski and Mike Nichols lined up ahead of Tim Gullo and Jeff Goodwin. Nichols got the lead and pulled away from the others. Gullo, who’s locked in a battle for the championship with Lee Sharpsteen, slowed in turn four with a broken transmission that ended his night early. His finish, 12th, was enough to give him the point lead by 11 going in to the final race this Sunday. Nichols prevailed again, this time pulling away from Goodwin and Potrzebowski, locked in a great battle for second. A final late caution and restart gave Goodwin one final shot but it wasn’t to be….yet. Nichols parked in victory lane then in the tech area, where he was disqualified for his tires. Goodwin got the win, his second this year. Potrzebowski, Gene Sharpsteen Jake Snell and Rich Talada finished in the top five. Buckley and Joe Snell won the heat races.
The 20-lap Four Cylinder feature was sloppy, with several cautions and some on-track penalties. Sam Warren led the first lap but lost the top spot when Marcus Wood got loose in turn four, Warren had to lift, and he fell back to fourth. The first of four cautions came when newcomer Jordan Mathews moved down while being lapped but pulled down in front Greg Moldt, who spun. The restart had Wood and Ken Benjamin in the front row, with Wood opting for the outside. They swapped the lead but Wood then pulled away and left Benjamin and Cody Jackson battling for third. Nick Morich brought out the final caution when his brakes failed and he hit the turn four foam. On the restart Jackson was penalized two spots for passing on the inside too early, a penalty he took right away as Jared Sullivan got into Warren and caution flew again. Sullivan was parked. Over the final three laps Justin Hall got around both Wood and Benjamin and he took the checkered flag for his first win this year. Wood finished second, with Jackson (first Rear Wheel Drive car), Benjamin and Warren all in the top five. Wood and Benjamin won the heats.
Everyone knows what double points this late in the season could mean for drivers in the championship chase. That was the situation for the INEX Legends division, as Alexandria Smith entered the night with a 77-point advantage over Alex Bowen. In the 20-lap feature Chuck Lohmeyer took the early lead. Matt Kurzejewski, who started 11th, made some great moves and was up to second by the fourth lap. Once there he closed the gap and ran nose-to-tail with Lohmeyer for several laps. Kurzejewski took the lead on a lap nine restart while Smith got around Lohmeyer, dropping him back to third. A final caution, with seven laps remaining, set up a great finish but this one went to Kurzejewski. Smith finished second, ahead of Lohmeyer, Gary Ham and Dylan Hoffman. Smith and Lohmeyer won the heat races. Alexandria Smith did what she needed to do, left with an insurmountable lead going into the final week, and is the 2014 Chemung champion.
Double points were also on the line for the Bandolero division. David French, who has been so dominant at the Speedrome last year and this year, provided a slam-dunk and won both his heat race and the 10-lap feature. Teddy Bowen led the first lap before giving way to French who left Bowen to battle it out with Lars McElravy. French got the win, his 10th this year and earned enough points to clinch the 2014 track championship. McElravy, the only other feature winner so far this year, finished 2nd, followed by Bowen, Nick Morich and Damon Frutchey. French slipped to second last week in national INEX Outlaw division points but the win could help him reclaim that spot.
Chris Clemens swept the Dirt Crate Sportsman action, winning both the heat and 15-lap feature. He and James Howard treated the fans to a lot of lead changes in both races. Clemens got the lead for the final time on lap 11 when Howard drifted high coming off turn four, opening up the inside lane. The 2014 track champion won all but one feature race this year. Howard finished second, Pierce third in both the final race of the year and in championship points.
The season finale, a tribute to the late Shirley Zacharias, gets underway this Sunday (September 7th), with the Sunoco Modifieds running a 71-lap feature. Fans will also see action in the Super Stocks (25 laps), 4 Cylinders (20 laps), INEX Legends (20 laps), and the Bandoleros (10 laps). Pits open at 11 AM, practice begins and grandstand opens at 1 PM and racing gets underway at 2:15 PM. Admission: adults $12; seniors 65 and older $10; kids ages 6-12 $5; kids ages five and under free. Fans are reminded that their ticket stub from August 29th is good for $2 off this Sunday afternoon.
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Zack Curren and TJ Zacharias were the class of the field in the Sunoco Modified division. Each won his respective heat race and they would run most of the 40-lap feature separated by no more than a car length or two. It was a tough night for Connor Sellars, who got loose then turned around by Randy Brokaw with two laps complete. Early leader Gene Sharpsteen yielded to Zacharias on the restart but another caution came out a lap later. Zack Curren won the drag race to turn one and took the lead from Zacharias. Sharpsteen and Sellars, battling for fourth, got together while working lap twelve. The restart was another blow for Sellars. Jody Buckley was right behind the leaders, who ran out of room for a three-wide deal in turns one and two. As Buckley spun along came Sellars and Larry Jaynes. As they came off turn two Sellars went up and onto the Jaynes 01 before coming to rest on the track. Several others were also involved. Sellars pitted for service, returned, but was never a factor. Curren, meanwhile, stayed on top of his game and maintained an advantage over Zacharias. The final caution flag came out for debris in turn four, giving Zacharias one final shot for the lead. Again Curren prevailed, beating him to turn one and holding him off over the final 18 laps. Curren got the win, his third this year, over Zacharias, Sharpsteen, Brokaw and Cam Ayres. While the championship has been claimed by Jimmy Zacharias, second remains a tight battle between Sellars and Buckley.
The 25-lap Super Stock feature had drama from start to finish. An early wreck sent leader, Joe Snell, to the hospital for x-rays, the apparent winner was disqualified, and the championship chase continues into the final week. Jody Buckley led the first lap but lost the lead to Joe Snell. As the leaders entered turns one and two Buckley went up and over Snell coming off turn two and collected Charlie Sharpsteen. Snell was transported to a local hospital for leg x-rays that later indicated a bone bruise. Following the lengthy clean-up Terry Potrzebowski and Mike Nichols lined up ahead of Tim Gullo and Jeff Goodwin. Nichols got the lead and pulled away from the others. Gullo, who’s locked in a battle for the championship with Lee Sharpsteen, slowed in turn four with a broken transmission that ended his night early. His finish, 12th, was enough to give him the point lead by 11 going in to the final race this Sunday. Nichols prevailed again, this time pulling away from Goodwin and Potrzebowski, locked in a great battle for second. A final late caution and restart gave Goodwin one final shot but it wasn’t to be….yet. Nichols parked in victory lane then in the tech area, where he was disqualified for his tires. Goodwin got the win, his second this year. Potrzebowski, Gene Sharpsteen Jake Snell and Rich Talada finished in the top five. Buckley and Joe Snell won the heat races.
The 20-lap Four Cylinder feature was sloppy, with several cautions and some on-track penalties. Sam Warren led the first lap but lost the top spot when Marcus Wood got loose in turn four, Warren had to lift, and he fell back to fourth. The first of four cautions came when newcomer Jordan Mathews moved down while being lapped but pulled down in front Greg Moldt, who spun. The restart had Wood and Ken Benjamin in the front row, with Wood opting for the outside. They swapped the lead but Wood then pulled away and left Benjamin and Cody Jackson battling for third. Nick Morich brought out the final caution when his brakes failed and he hit the turn four foam. On the restart Jackson was penalized two spots for passing on the inside too early, a penalty he took right away as Jared Sullivan got into Warren and caution flew again. Sullivan was parked. Over the final three laps Justin Hall got around both Wood and Benjamin and he took the checkered flag for his first win this year. Wood finished second, with Jackson (first Rear Wheel Drive car), Benjamin and Warren all in the top five. Wood and Benjamin won the heats.
Everyone knows what double points this late in the season could mean for drivers in the championship chase. That was the situation for the INEX Legends division, as Alexandria Smith entered the night with a 77-point advantage over Alex Bowen. In the 20-lap feature Chuck Lohmeyer took the early lead. Matt Kurzejewski, who started 11th, made some great moves and was up to second by the fourth lap. Once there he closed the gap and ran nose-to-tail with Lohmeyer for several laps. Kurzejewski took the lead on a lap nine restart while Smith got around Lohmeyer, dropping him back to third. A final caution, with seven laps remaining, set up a great finish but this one went to Kurzejewski. Smith finished second, ahead of Lohmeyer, Gary Ham and Dylan Hoffman. Smith and Lohmeyer won the heat races. Alexandria Smith did what she needed to do, left with an insurmountable lead going into the final week, and is the 2014 Chemung champion.
Double points were also on the line for the Bandolero division. David French, who has been so dominant at the Speedrome last year and this year, provided a slam-dunk and won both his heat race and the 10-lap feature. Teddy Bowen led the first lap before giving way to French who left Bowen to battle it out with Lars McElravy. French got the win, his 10th this year and earned enough points to clinch the 2014 track championship. McElravy, the only other feature winner so far this year, finished 2nd, followed by Bowen, Nick Morich and Damon Frutchey. French slipped to second last week in national INEX Outlaw division points but the win could help him reclaim that spot.
Chris Clemens swept the Dirt Crate Sportsman action, winning both the heat and 15-lap feature. He and James Howard treated the fans to a lot of lead changes in both races. Clemens got the lead for the final time on lap 11 when Howard drifted high coming off turn four, opening up the inside lane. The 2014 track champion won all but one feature race this year. Howard finished second, Pierce third in both the final race of the year and in championship points.
The season finale, a tribute to the late Shirley Zacharias, gets underway this Sunday (September 7th), with the Sunoco Modifieds running a 71-lap feature. Fans will also see action in the Super Stocks (25 laps), 4 Cylinders (20 laps), INEX Legends (20 laps), and the Bandoleros (10 laps). Pits open at 11 AM, practice begins and grandstand opens at 1 PM and racing gets underway at 2:15 PM. Admission: adults $12; seniors 65 and older $10; kids ages 6-12 $5; kids ages five and under free. Fans are reminded that their ticket stub from August 29th is good for $2 off this Sunday afternoon.
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