Anyone who shook hands or chatted with Jimmy Zacharias (Sunoco Modifieds), Nick Robinson (Super Stocks), Zack Bennett (4 Cylinders), Kevin Youngs (INEX Legends), or Garrett Zacharias (Bowen Racecars Bandoleros) did so with the eventual winners during the annual Meet & Greet at Chemung Speedrome. Saturday proved to be a perfect night for racing, and a full moon didn’t play a role throughout the program.

“We found a lot of issues this week, it’s been hectic,” Jimmy Zacharias said after winning his second Sunoco Modified feature in a row. “The car is about 70 to 80% right now.” The driver was at 100% on Saturday night, with a sweep of the action.

He, Tony Hanbury and Zack Knowlden won the three heats and the six-car inversion put Jesse Kent and Charlie Sharpsteen on the front row for the start of the 40-lap feature. Kent prevailed, with Sharpsteen second. Behind them it was Zacharias, Knowlden, Hanbury and Potrzebowski. They stayed in that order until lap 12, when Zacharias took over. Behind him it was Hanbury who was charging, bringing Potrzebowski along with him. They were running second and third at the halfway point. The first caution came out when Connor Sellars broke a tie rod and needed a tow to the pits. On the restart Kent spun, forcing another attempt to get going. Hanbury got the better of Zacharias on the restart but that changed a lap later when Zacharias reclaimed the lead.

Caution came out with 34 laps complete for fluid in turn one. On the restart point leader Potrzebowski had a problem, likely the source of the fluid, and he retired from the race. A lap later the race went under yellow for the final time when Gary Noe and Lee Sharpsteen got together. The restart had Zacharias and Hanbury in row one and Knowlden and Nick Morich lined up behind them. Again, Zacharias prevailed and stayed ahead of Hanbury over the final five laps. Knowlden finished third, Gene Sharpsteen fourth and Morich fifth. Zacharias, who said his car wasn’t where he wanted it to be, put out a bit of a warning. “They better watch out when we get it to 100%.”

“I’ve had a really good car the last three weeks but tonight everything came together,” Nick Robinson, the defending Super Stock champion said from victory lane. The invert placed him third on the grid for the start but he made a nice move in turn two to get underneath pole-sitter Jason Duke and he led the way. The only caution came out while working the fourth lap. Jim House slowed with a right front tire issue. The restart brought Duke alongside Robinson, who took off and built a nice lead over Frank Chapman and Mike Nichols. While Robinson drove away Nichols got around Chapman, who was left to do battle with Tim Gullo and RJ Zacharias. The gap separating Robinson and Nichols shrunk a bit over the last dozen laps but his lead was big enough that no one would catch him. Over the final five laps Zacharias got around Gullo and Chapman. When lap 25 clicked off Robinson had his first win of the year and became the third different winner in as many races. Nichols finished second. Zacharias crossed the stripe in third but his motor failed post-race inspection and he was disqualified. Third went to Frank Chapman, with Gullo and Jim Lamoreaux rounding out the top five. Chapman and Terry Potrzebowski won the two heats. “I had a little luck on my side tonight for a change,” Robinson added. “The caliber of competition is impressive here, and Chemung drivers always do well when we run series races.”

Four weeks into the 2017 season the parity between front wheel- and rear wheel-drive 4 Cylinder cars is clear, at least for Zack Bennett (RWD) and Jacob Gustafson (FWD). They’ve cleaned house and won everything offered for their car type. “He’s real tough every week,” Bennett said after picking up the win Saturday night. But Gustafson’s car was also parked in victory lane as the top among the FWD competitors. Triston Kline, Bennett and Monica Green won the three heats that helped set the stage for the 20-lap feature, which was slowed just twice for cautions. The 6-car invert resulted in a pole position start for Gustafson, who led the way over Ben Perry and Green. The first caution came out when Greg Moldt and Tyler Harbst got together in turn three. Harbst was done and officials parked Moldt for rough riding. The restart was a good one for Bennett, who went from fourth to first in a real hurry and he took over on the tenth lap. He and Gustafson ran together but when Jason Peck went into the foam blocks it set up a three-lap dash for the cash. “I have to run a different line with him that close,” Bennett said after locking up the overall win. Gustafson was second, first in his class. “The competition is improving each week,” he said. Green finished second, ahead of Perry and Kline.

“I felt I had a good run and figured I could get it by the end of the straightaway,” Kevin Youngs said regarding going 4-wide on the opening lap of the 20-lap INEX Legends feature. That move took him from sixth to third while Pat Judson came away with the lead. Youngs was on a tear and took second from Teddy Bowen on the third lap and focused on closing the gap between himself and Judson. Every feature run to date had been won by one of them and it was clear that trend would continue. “I was a little nervous trying to pressure Pat. He’s a good driver, but I tried to get in his head,” Youngs said after winning the race. On Lap 10 Youngs got underneath Judson and took the top spot. Over the remainder of the caution-free race Youngs increased his lead over Judson, while Teddy Bowen kept some distance between himself and the other Youngs brothers, Keith and Kyle. When it was over Kevin Youngs had earned a racing ‘hat trick’ with his third win in a row. Judson finished second, ahead of Bowen, Keith and Kyle Youngs. Earlier, Kevin and Kyle Youngs won the two heat races.

The 10-lap Bowen Racecars Bandolero feature ended with a familiar face in victory lane. Garrett Zacharias took one for the Outlaws in securing his second overall win this year. The race was riddled with cautions, however. Seth Zacharias and Evan Rygielski led early but Garrett Zacharias was steady in his charge toward the front and took over the lead on the fourth lap. Once in front he pulled away from the pack. The final restart produced the most intense caution when S. Zacharias and Rygielski went in to the turn two foam, ending the run for Zacharias. Over the final two laps it was classic Garrett, who soared to the double checkers ahead of Brian Rygielski (Bandit winner), Gage Stull, Josh Duke and Evan Rygielski. “The car ran great, it was a lot better today,” Garrett said from victory lane.

This Saturday night (June 17th) Chemung presents a regular show of Sunoco Modifieds, Super Stocks, 4 Cylinders, INEX Legends and the Bowen Racecars Bandoleros all beginning at 6 PM. Pits open at 4 PM, grandstand gates open and practice gets underway at 5. Admission is $13 for adults, $11 for seniors 65+, $5 for kids 6-12, and free for kids 5 and under.

Of note:
· Jimmy Zacharias, Nick Robinson and Zack Bennett won free wings from Buffalo Wild Wings in Horseheads, NY in their ‘Winner Winner Chicken Dinner’ bonus program.
· During the Meet & Greet, the drivers provided signed hero cards for Camdin “CamBam” Hellmich, a 12-year-old racer from Dousman, Wisconsin. He was struck by a school bus, suffered a fractured skull, and spent several days in a coma in critical condition. Track announcer Carol Houssock is sending them to “CamBam” from his Chemung, NY racing ‘family’.

For more information, log on to www.chemungspeedrome.net or “like” us on Facebook. Chemung Speedrome and NASCAR, Asphalt Racing at its Finest!

Results:
Sunoco Modifieds (40 Laps): JIMMY ZACHARIAS, Tony Hanbury, Zack Knowlden, Gene Sharpsteen, Nick Morich, Paul Johnson, Lee Sharpsteen, Gary Noe, Don Mosher, TJ Potrzebowski, Charlie Sharpsteen, Connor Sellars, Jesse Kent, Chris Clemens, Gary Coon
Heats: Hanbury, Zacharias, Knowlden

Super Stocks (25 Laps): NICK ROBINSON, Mike Nichols, Frank Chapman, Tim Gullo, Jim Lamoreaux, Terry Potrzebowski, John Lane, Jason Duke, Ed Kelley, Jordan Mathews, Chad Lane, JP Harbst, Jim House, (DQ – RJ Zacharias, finished 3rd)
Heats: Chapman, Potrzebowski

4 Cylinders (20 Laps): ZACK BENNETT, Jacob Gustafson (FWD), Monica Green, Ben Perry, Triston Kline, Kevin May, Sarah Gooch, Allen Stephenson, Bob Chilson, Chad Lane, Paul Platt, Jason Peck, Tyler Harbst, Greg Moldt
Heats: Kline, Bennett, Green

INEX Legends (20 Laps): KEVIN YOUNGS, Pat Judson, Teddy Bowen, Keith Youngs, Kyle Youngs, Alex Bowen, Chuck Lohmeyer, Matt Evans, Max Evans, Layton Warner, Charlie Lohmeyer, Jamie Mullen, Timothy Bowen, Brian Schoch, Daniel Carter
Heats: Kyle Youngs, Kevin Youngs

Bowen Racecars Bandoleros (10 Laps): GARRETT ZACHARIAS, Bryan Rygielski (Bandit), Gage Stull, Josh Duke, Evan Rygielski, Seth Zacharias, Dominick Wood, Jeffrey Noe, Griffin Montfort-Balfour
Heats: G. Zacharias, E. Rygielski


Carol Houssock