RGeeProductions
08-22-2015, 11:08 PM
While the 2015 season is winding down at Chemung Speedrome the action remains at a high octane level. For some, their results helped in their title chases. For others, issues forced the title chases to tighten up. Friday night’s winners included Jimmy Zacharias (Sunoco Modifieds), Mike Nichols (Super Stocks), Justin Hall (4 Cylinders), Matt Kurzejewski (INEX Legends), and Lars McElravy (Bandoleros).
Jimmy Zacharias is the classic ‘man on a mission’. Actually, he’s on a number of missions and on track to accomplish most of them. He’s about to successfully defend his track championship and remains on top of the NASCAR points in NY State. He also entered the night ranked 5th in the US in those same point standings. Another feature win helped put an exclamation point on all of those stats.
TJ Zacharias started the 40-lap feature in second but quickly was number one and pulling away. The first of four cautions came out when Chris Clemens spun in turn four with five laps complete. Zacharias prevailed on the restart but had his brother, Jimmy, up to second after passing Jody Buckley and Corey Mosher. Jimmy Z took went around TJ and led the eighth lap. Once in front he set a fast pace, leaving TJ alone in second and in front of a battle between Buckley and Connor Sellars for third. With 27 laps complete the second caution came out, followed by the third on the restart. That one came when Nick Morich had trouble in turn two. Zacharias beat Buckley to turn one and maintained his lead. Sellars, meanwhile, found an opening and passed Buckley for second. The fourth caution came when Cody Jackson got into Nick Morich in turn one and ended his night. With Sellars beside him Zacharias chose the outside lane for the restart and it was the right decision, although Sellars stayed within shouting distance. When it was over Zacharias had earned his 8th feature win. Sellars, Buckley, Gene Sharpsteen and Mosher made up the top five.
Mike Nichols commands attention in the track’s Super Stock division. This week he had both bad and good luck on the same stretch of track. Nichols and Charlie Sharpsteen, who won the two heat races that set the field for the 25-lap feature, were the class of the field in a great battle to the finish. As the cars came off turn four on the opening lap they bunched up and Nichols got turned around just short of the start/finish line. When the race resumed Nick Robinson powered around pole-sitter Randy Davenport to lead the first lap. Sharpsteen took over on the second lap and, as he pulled away, Robinson held off Terry Potrzebowski for a half dozen laps. Nichols was up to fourth but got around Potrzebowski with two to go. He then started closing the gap between his car and leader Sharpsteen. When the white flag came out Nichols was right there with Sharpsteen, who kept him at bay entering turn three. Sharpsteen went high in turn four, leaving the inside lane open for Nichols. Twenty-four laps prior he sat up against the wall, but on lap twenty five he crossed the start/finish line first. Sharpsteen suffered a heart breaking loss and ended up second. Potrzebowski finished third, ahead of Robinson and Tim Gullo.
Four Cylinder racer Justin Hall has been the highest finishing car but not the overall winner in the class. Friday night he changed all that and scored a sweep in the process. It wasn’t easy, as this one was a 20-lap duel between Hall and Stan Mathews. Mathews had the pole and survived a three-wide deal on the opening lap to take the lead. Hall was right there with him as Jordan Mathews and Monica Hall ran for third. The only caution came when the 48, driven by Archie Haner, spewed oil at the entrance to turn three and forced a speedy dry clean up. Hall, lined up outside Mathews, had a great restart and took the lead with Mathews now in the chase role. Greg Moldt, who had won the last two consecutive weeks, made his way up to third and the trio ran nose-to-tail over the final two laps. Nothing changed, except that Hall scored the overall win in his FWD machine and Mathews was the highest among the RWD gang. “It seemed like I had a good restart but I heard him coming,” Hall said from victory lane. Moldt was third, with Eric Ellsworth and heat winner Green rounding out the top five.
Matt Kurzejewski has incredible stats in his INEX Legends program this year at Chemung. Entering the night he was 6 for 6, with all six appearances resulting in sweeps of the action. With the largest field of the year on hand, 26 cars, it would test his abilities to keep that streak going. Qualifying wins went to him, Kevin Youngs and Pat Judson, so half of his seventh sweep was behind him. The first caution flag flew on the opening lap for trouble in turns one and two when Max Evans, Kurt Knapp and Josh Andrews got together. Andrews slammed the turn two foam and was done before he got started. The second caution came with one lap recorded when Kurzejewski slowed with a flat left rear tire. He pitted and returned at the tail of the field, restarting 24th. He didn’t stay there long, as he was up to sixth when trouble found Brandon DeBrakeleer, Gary Ham and Joe Graf in turn one five laps into the race. Chuck Lohmeyer was the leader at the time, but point Alexandria Smith restarted alongside and took the lead. Two more cautions, one of which involved second place point man Chuck Lohmeyer, brought the field together again. It was Smith and Kurzejewski for the restart, Smith prevailed. When the seventh caution flag came out, with 10 laps run, officials shortened the race to 15 laps. Smith kept the lead on that final restart but Kurzejewski caught her and made a race-winning inside pass. Smith finished second, followed by Alcaro, Judson and Dan Kurzejewski. Matt Kurzejewski left the track seven for seven.
In the Bandolero division the drivers sitting first and second in points won the two heat races. Teddy Bowen and Lars McElravy then both led their 10-lap feature. The race was slowed for a trio of cautions, the first of which came with five laps complete and resulted in McElravy taking over the top spot for a pair of laps. Seth Zacharias brought out the second caution when he spun in turn two with eight laps in the books. Bowen prevailed on the restart but it was called back when Garrett Zacharias and Bryce Bailey got together in turn four. On the restart the field headed to turn one with Bowen in command. Slight contact from Damon Frutchey turned him sideways. He held on to the car but lost the lead to McElravy. He went on to pick up his fourth win this year. Bowen had to settle for second and finished ahead of Timothy Bowen, Frutchey and Bailey.
Racing continues this week for the final Friday night program of the year. It’s a full schedule of Sunoco Modifieds, Super Stocks, 4 Cylinders, INEX Legends and Bandoleros. Time is running out, with just this event and the season finale next Sunday that will decide the final rundown in points and the 2015 track champions. Pits open this Friday at 4, grandstand opens and practice begins at 6, and racing gets underway at 7:15 PM. Admission: adults $12; seniors 65 and older $10; kids 6-12 $5; kids 5 and under free. Fans are reminded that their adult or senior ticket stub from August 21st is good for $2 off their admission this week. For additional information call the track office at 607-529-9998, ‘like’ us on Facebook, or check the track’s website www.chemungspeedrome.net.
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Jimmy Zacharias is the classic ‘man on a mission’. Actually, he’s on a number of missions and on track to accomplish most of them. He’s about to successfully defend his track championship and remains on top of the NASCAR points in NY State. He also entered the night ranked 5th in the US in those same point standings. Another feature win helped put an exclamation point on all of those stats.
TJ Zacharias started the 40-lap feature in second but quickly was number one and pulling away. The first of four cautions came out when Chris Clemens spun in turn four with five laps complete. Zacharias prevailed on the restart but had his brother, Jimmy, up to second after passing Jody Buckley and Corey Mosher. Jimmy Z took went around TJ and led the eighth lap. Once in front he set a fast pace, leaving TJ alone in second and in front of a battle between Buckley and Connor Sellars for third. With 27 laps complete the second caution came out, followed by the third on the restart. That one came when Nick Morich had trouble in turn two. Zacharias beat Buckley to turn one and maintained his lead. Sellars, meanwhile, found an opening and passed Buckley for second. The fourth caution came when Cody Jackson got into Nick Morich in turn one and ended his night. With Sellars beside him Zacharias chose the outside lane for the restart and it was the right decision, although Sellars stayed within shouting distance. When it was over Zacharias had earned his 8th feature win. Sellars, Buckley, Gene Sharpsteen and Mosher made up the top five.
Mike Nichols commands attention in the track’s Super Stock division. This week he had both bad and good luck on the same stretch of track. Nichols and Charlie Sharpsteen, who won the two heat races that set the field for the 25-lap feature, were the class of the field in a great battle to the finish. As the cars came off turn four on the opening lap they bunched up and Nichols got turned around just short of the start/finish line. When the race resumed Nick Robinson powered around pole-sitter Randy Davenport to lead the first lap. Sharpsteen took over on the second lap and, as he pulled away, Robinson held off Terry Potrzebowski for a half dozen laps. Nichols was up to fourth but got around Potrzebowski with two to go. He then started closing the gap between his car and leader Sharpsteen. When the white flag came out Nichols was right there with Sharpsteen, who kept him at bay entering turn three. Sharpsteen went high in turn four, leaving the inside lane open for Nichols. Twenty-four laps prior he sat up against the wall, but on lap twenty five he crossed the start/finish line first. Sharpsteen suffered a heart breaking loss and ended up second. Potrzebowski finished third, ahead of Robinson and Tim Gullo.
Four Cylinder racer Justin Hall has been the highest finishing car but not the overall winner in the class. Friday night he changed all that and scored a sweep in the process. It wasn’t easy, as this one was a 20-lap duel between Hall and Stan Mathews. Mathews had the pole and survived a three-wide deal on the opening lap to take the lead. Hall was right there with him as Jordan Mathews and Monica Hall ran for third. The only caution came when the 48, driven by Archie Haner, spewed oil at the entrance to turn three and forced a speedy dry clean up. Hall, lined up outside Mathews, had a great restart and took the lead with Mathews now in the chase role. Greg Moldt, who had won the last two consecutive weeks, made his way up to third and the trio ran nose-to-tail over the final two laps. Nothing changed, except that Hall scored the overall win in his FWD machine and Mathews was the highest among the RWD gang. “It seemed like I had a good restart but I heard him coming,” Hall said from victory lane. Moldt was third, with Eric Ellsworth and heat winner Green rounding out the top five.
Matt Kurzejewski has incredible stats in his INEX Legends program this year at Chemung. Entering the night he was 6 for 6, with all six appearances resulting in sweeps of the action. With the largest field of the year on hand, 26 cars, it would test his abilities to keep that streak going. Qualifying wins went to him, Kevin Youngs and Pat Judson, so half of his seventh sweep was behind him. The first caution flag flew on the opening lap for trouble in turns one and two when Max Evans, Kurt Knapp and Josh Andrews got together. Andrews slammed the turn two foam and was done before he got started. The second caution came with one lap recorded when Kurzejewski slowed with a flat left rear tire. He pitted and returned at the tail of the field, restarting 24th. He didn’t stay there long, as he was up to sixth when trouble found Brandon DeBrakeleer, Gary Ham and Joe Graf in turn one five laps into the race. Chuck Lohmeyer was the leader at the time, but point Alexandria Smith restarted alongside and took the lead. Two more cautions, one of which involved second place point man Chuck Lohmeyer, brought the field together again. It was Smith and Kurzejewski for the restart, Smith prevailed. When the seventh caution flag came out, with 10 laps run, officials shortened the race to 15 laps. Smith kept the lead on that final restart but Kurzejewski caught her and made a race-winning inside pass. Smith finished second, followed by Alcaro, Judson and Dan Kurzejewski. Matt Kurzejewski left the track seven for seven.
In the Bandolero division the drivers sitting first and second in points won the two heat races. Teddy Bowen and Lars McElravy then both led their 10-lap feature. The race was slowed for a trio of cautions, the first of which came with five laps complete and resulted in McElravy taking over the top spot for a pair of laps. Seth Zacharias brought out the second caution when he spun in turn two with eight laps in the books. Bowen prevailed on the restart but it was called back when Garrett Zacharias and Bryce Bailey got together in turn four. On the restart the field headed to turn one with Bowen in command. Slight contact from Damon Frutchey turned him sideways. He held on to the car but lost the lead to McElravy. He went on to pick up his fourth win this year. Bowen had to settle for second and finished ahead of Timothy Bowen, Frutchey and Bailey.
Racing continues this week for the final Friday night program of the year. It’s a full schedule of Sunoco Modifieds, Super Stocks, 4 Cylinders, INEX Legends and Bandoleros. Time is running out, with just this event and the season finale next Sunday that will decide the final rundown in points and the 2015 track champions. Pits open this Friday at 4, grandstand opens and practice begins at 6, and racing gets underway at 7:15 PM. Admission: adults $12; seniors 65 and older $10; kids 6-12 $5; kids 5 and under free. Fans are reminded that their adult or senior ticket stub from August 21st is good for $2 off their admission this week. For additional information call the track office at 607-529-9998, ‘like’ us on Facebook, or check the track’s website www.chemungspeedrome.net.
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