Hirschman Takes US Open Modified
Win
Haudricourt, Druar, Holmes, Hewson, Mudra, Hoddick, and
Weber Also Add Their Names To US Open
Trophy
Lancaster,
New York - The Western New York racing finale,
Dunn Tire Raceway
Park’s US Open, attracted the best of
the best competition in the north east United States to the historic
facility this past weekend. Matt
Hirschman won an exciting Modified feature event and also captured the overall
Race of Champions Modified Tour Points Championship. Bobby Weber captured the Late Model checkered
flag while Todd Hoddick was declared the winner in the SST Sportsman feature
event. Jay Mudra and John Hewson won in
the Super Stock and Street Stock features and Bobby Holmes won his first US Open
TQ Midget main event. Matt Druar
continued his domination of the 4 Cylinder Division with another win and Jeremy
Haudricourt won the inaugural INEX Legends race.
While Saturday’s event schedule included
qualifying for most of the divisions, it also featured the main events for the
INEX Legends, 4 Cylinders, Super Stocks, and SST Sportsman.
Making their Dunn Tire Raceway Park debut, the
INEX Legends were the first division to run their feature event. Racing on the ¼ inner oval, the Legends were
able to showcase their division to the DTRP fans. Starting from the pole position, Jeremy
Haudricourt led every lap to win the inaugural Legends race. Daren Scherer, who was also competing in the
Modified division during the weekend, gave Haudricourt a run for his money in
the closing laps but was unable to wrest the lead away from the
leader.
The 4 Cylinders were up next on the inner oval and
2009 DTRP 4 Cylinder Champion Matt Druar started from the pole. Druar wasted no time in building a
considerable lead after the green flag was shown. While Druar led, Charles Buchanan, Kalie
Clementi, and Dave Frieder waged a battle for the second position on back. However, Druar went on to lead every lap from
green to checkered while Buchanan, Clementi, and Frieder finished second, third,
and fourth.
The Super Stocks were the third feature to take to
the track on Saturday night, making their one and only appearance at the
5/8th mile track in 2009. The
field consisted of representatives from every area speedway and each was looking
to take home the win for their home track.
Alexis Wilson and Phil Alhart started on the front row while Jay Mudra
and Bobby Lippa Jr. started right behind them.
A quick yellow on the
first lap saw Wilson spin and Mudra go tail for contact. When the race resumed Lippa grabbed control
of the lead from Alhart on lap five.
Lippa would soon have company though as Mudra was flying up through the
field. By lap eight Mudra was on Lippa’s
bumper and on lap 16, Mudra and the #16 car took control of the lead. Mudra survived two late race cautions and a
green, white, checkered finish to take home his second career US Open
win.
The SST Sportsman were the headline division on
Saturday night and 35 cars were slated to take the green flag for the 75 lap
feature event. Craig Dolphin and Moose
Rutherford led the field to the green flag although the green flag racing was
short lived as a caution on lap two halted the racing action. When racing resumed Rutherford and Andy
Jankowiak were the top two starters.
Jankowiak wasted no time in capturing the lead after the green flag was
dropped. After a shaky start, the field
settled in and ran single file around the track. By lap 25, Jankowiak had built a considerable
lead over second place Wilbur Hebing. In
turn Hebing had a nice size lead over third place Jerry Gradl Jr., Moose
Rutherford, Nick Cappelli, and Bobby Holmes.
Cappelli was on the move up through the field and was in the second
running spot by lap 28 after having started from the 22nd spot on the
grid. At the halfway point of the race
Jankowiak and Cappelli were at least five car lengths ahead of third place
Rutherford. Rutherford’s good run would
be cut short however as he pounded the turn one wall with just fifteen laps to
go. The crash occurred as Rutherford,
Todd Hoddick, and Hebing were negotiating their way through lap traffic. The
ensuing single file restart saw Jankowiak, Cappelli, Hebing, Hoddick, and Tom
McGrath leading the rest of the field to the green flag. Hoddick soon made his move for third and
displaced Hebing to the fourth spot while up front Jankowiak and Cappelli were
starting to wage a fierce battle for the lead.
In the closing laps of the feature two caution flags appeared, keeping
the distance between the top runners to a minimum. As the last three laps clicked off, Jankowiak
and Cappelli were racing hard, with Jankowiak looking for a way to keep the lead
and Cappelli looking for a way to take it away.
As the came out of turn four on the last lap, contact was made between
the two leaders, causing each to wreck.
Hoddick and Hebing followed the wrecking cars out of turn four, crossing
the finish line. After a front stretch
incident and extensive review by race officials, the US Open win was awarded to
Todd Hoddick.
The Sunday morning sunshine brought a day full of
racing as the TQ Midgets, Late Models, Street Stocks, and Modifieds were
scheduled for their US Open feature events.
The day’s features began with the Late Models who,
like the Super Stocks, were making their first and only appearance of the season
at the facility. Scott Wylie, Joe
Carbone, Todd Hoddick, Dave Heitzhaus, and Joe Brainard were the top five
starters and at the drop of the green Carbone jumped into the lead. Carbone’s position as the leader of the race
was short lived though as Heitzhaus powered into the lead on lap four. However on a lap five restart, Heitzhaus had
a mechanical issue and was unable to restart the race. This allowed George Skora to move into the
front row with Carbone. Skora took
advantage of the opportunity and took the lead.
Skora soon had company though as former DTRP Late Model Champion Bobby
Weber was pressuring him for the lead.
On lap eight, Weber dove under Skora and took the top spot. The field soon settled in for a long green
flag run and at the halfway point of the 75 lap feature, Weber had a
considerable lead over Skora, who in turn led Hoddick. While Weber continued to increase his lead,
Hoddick began closing the gap on Skora.
The laps clicked off and the race was completed before Hoddick could
challenge Skora for second and before anyone could challenge Weber for the lead.
Weber dominated the field and took home the US Open Late Model
trophy.
The TQ Midgets took to the inner oval next for
their feature event. Dave Wollaber began
the race on the pole but immediately began falling back through the field with
mechanical issues. Dan Lawrence, who had
started on the outside pole, took advantage of Wollaber’s misfortune and took
control of the lead. A number of
cautions in the early goings of the race kept the field in check, not allowing
for much advancement. However once the
field went green and stayed green, drivers began to move. Bobby Holmes, who had started sixth, was
running blistering speeds and soon made his way past Lawrence and into the
lead. Once in the lead Holmes was
followed by Lawrence, Camden Barber, and Dean McConnaughy. Barber, who has had success in the overall
Casey’s TQ Midget Series, was once again faced with bad luck at DTRP as he spun
out and his race car was cradled off with damage. Moving up through the field was Jamie
Collard, who had started eighth. By lap
fifteen, Collard was there to challenge Holmes for the top spot, even taking it
briefly as Holmes bobbled in lap traffic.
Holmes however had an unbelievably fast race car and was able to retake
the lead and immediately began building a lead on Collard and the rest of the
field. Holmes was unchallenged in the
waning laps of the race and went on to take his first career TQ Midget US Open
win.
The Street Stocks were the second to last feature
of the US Open weekend and they were ready to put on a show. Tim Garlock, the 2009 DTRP US Open
Street Stock Champion, started from the pole while
Kris Hamman, Mike Maggiore, and John Hewson started behind him for the beginning
of the 50 lap feature. Garlock jumped
into the lead and immediately began to distance himself from the rest of the
field. Hamman and Hewson settled into
second and third, while Maggiore, Kevin Mendel, and Cory Gallagher rounded out
the top six. By the halfway point of the
feature, Hewson had passed Hamman for second and had started to set his sights
on the leader. By lap 31 Hewson had
found his way to Garlock’s bumper and started looking for a way around the
leader. With the field strung out around
the track, the leaders began to hit lap traffic on lap 35. While trying to negotiate a pack of lap
traffic Garlock became stuck behind a lapped car, allowing Hewson to dive low
and take the lead. With just ten laps
left, time was running out for Garlock to regain the lead. A yellow flag appeared on lap 41 as another
lead lap car tangled with a lapped car, with both spinning and bringing out the
caution. The ensuing single file restart
saw Hewson, Garlock, Hamman, Gallagher, and Scott Mutka leading the field to the
green flag. Another quick caution saw
the field take another single file restart and the race was on with less than
five laps to go. Garlock began having
mechanical issues and slipped back through the field while Hamman and Gallagher
waged a battle for the second spot.
Hewson crossed the finish line first, while Gallagher beat Hamman at the
line by a mere bumper length to capture second place. Hewson won his second consecutive US Open
Street Stock feature win.
The headline event of the weekend was the final
scheduled event – the Race of Champions Modified 100 lap feature. Tom McGrath redrew the pole position and was
joined on the outside row by Earl Paules.
Jim Storace, Rusty Smith, Sege Fidanza, and Jan Leaty followed the front
row to the green flag. McGrath’s lead
was short lived as Paules dove under him and took the lead on lap one. A quick yellow flag on lap six produced a
double file restart and Paules once again took the lead. The field quickly settled in single file as
the top six cars of Paules, Fidanza, McGrath, J. Leaty, Matt Hirschman, and
Smith ran nose to tail. On lap 12
Fidanza made the move for the lead, going under Paules in turn three and coming
out as the race leader. A yellow flag on
lap 20 saw the first round of pit stops for the optional right rear tire. Most of the leaders stayed out and when the
race went green again Fidanza led Paules, McGrath, and J. Leaty. By lap 25 Hirschman had moved up to second
while J. Leaty ran third. Hirschman
began looking high and low on Fidanza, looking for any way around the
leader. Hirschman’s opportunity came on
lap 27 as he powered under Fidanza coming out of turn four and took the
lead. The field once again settled in
single file until the yellow flag appeared once again on lap 38. The pits were a busy place as J. Leaty, and a
number of other top ten cars pitted. The
top four of Hirschman, Fidanza, McGrath, and Smith stayed out and at halfway ran
in positions one through four. Just at
the halfway point the yellow caution flag was displayed and the pits were
re-opened. Hirschman, Fidanza, Smith,
and Mike Leaty – who had been running fifth – all ducked into the pits. The single file restart now had McGrath
leading the pack while TJ Potrzebowski, Jim Storace, and Erick Rudolph
followed. McGrath held his lead but the
cars with fresher tires were on the move up through the field. By lap 70 Hirschman was back up to
fifth. A late race yellow on lap 74 saw
McGrath give up the lead and head pitside, handing the lead over to
Potrzebowski. On lap 77 J. Leaty took
advantage of his fresher tires and passed Potrzebowski for the lead. Hirschman followed and the battle for the
lead soon began. Hirschman was all over
J. Leaty and on lap 94 was able to capitalize on lap traffic, taking the lead
away from Leaty. After clearing Leaty
and lap traffic, Hirschman took off and built a considerable lead as the race
wound down. Hirschman crossed the finish
line first and was followed by Jan Leaty and TJ Potrzebowski. The race marked the first time that a father
son duo has won the Modified US Open event, with Matt’s father Tony winning one
of the very first US Open Modified events.
The Modified race was also significant in that it was the last race for
veteran driver Sege Fidanza. Fidanza has
decided to retire after an illustrious career that includes ten Lancaster
Modified Championships.
Modified Feature Finish (9/20/09): Matt
Hirschman, Jan Leaty, TJ Potrzebowski, Erick Rudolph, Sege Fidanza,
Rusty Smith, Tom McGrath, Karl Hehr, Jeff Hamman, Dave Wollaber, Bob Reis, Eric
Beers, Mike Leaty, Billy Putney, Mark Tychoniewicz, Jim Storace, Billy Burd,
Rick Kluth, Earl Paules, Daryl Lewis Jr., Doug Reaume, Jimmy Zacharias, Tom
Wiest, Daren Scherer, Terry Zacharias
Heat
Winners: Hirschman, Smith, Putney
Late Model Feature Finish (9/20/09): Bobby
Weber, George Skora, Todd Hoddick, Dave Russell, Chris Ross, Scott
Wylie, Joe Brainard, Scott Skora, Jeff Brown, Josh John, Richard Arndt, Dave
Heitzhaus, Mike Fiebelkorn, Dave Whittaker, Joe Carbone, Dave
Rigan
Heat
Winners: Rigan, Heitzhaus
Street Stock Feature Finish (9/20/09): John
Hewson, Cory Gallagher, Kris Hamman, Scott Mutka, Tim Garlock, Kevin
Mendel, Joe Haley, Mike Maggiore, Dave Frieder, Gary Bartella, Gary Light, Wayne
Bernhard, Debbie Jurek, Ed Nowak, Anton Anderson, Rick Ortwein, Driver 12, Joe
Light, Rob Pocobello, Ricky Farina
Heat
Winners: Hewson, Mutka
TQ
Feature Finish (9/20/09): Bobby Holmes, Jamie Collard, Dean
McConnaughy, Dan Lawrence, Vinny Christiano Jr., Rich Watkins, Mike Blair, Jim
Fleischman, Dave Schulz, Shawn Nye, Charlie DiRosa, Chad Haywood, Driver 55,
Nelson Rung, Driver 42, AJ Hessler, Jonathan Reid, Driver 8, Wayne Turnbull, Cam
Barber, Mark Schulz, Dave Wollaber, Arik McGruder
SST
Sportsman Feature Finish (9/19/09): Todd Hoddick, Wilbur Hebing,
Bobby Holmes, Tom McGrath, Rick Kluth, Mark Pennell, Frank Batista Jr., Amy
Catalano, Russ Gian, Dick Kluth, Sherri Hogan, Terry Cheetham, Don King, Steve
West, Ed Weber, Justin Shepker, Buck Catalano, Moose Rutherford, David Tedesco,
Jimmy Zacharias, John Julicher Jr., John Barber, Joe Evans, Jerry Harding Jr.,
Jerry Gradl Jr., Craig Dolphin, Billy Burd, Jeff Price, Kevin Lewis, Sege
Fidanza, Chris Finocharrio, Jon Price
DNS: Driver 19 DQ: Andy Jankowiak, Nick
Cappelli
Heat
Winners: Jankowiak, Shepker, Gradl, Jon Price
Super Stock Feature Finish (9/19/09): Jay
Mudra, Bobby Lippa Jr., Phil Alhart, Cassie Logsdon, Pete Pieczynski,
Joe Mancuso, Alexis Wilson, Jay Canonico
Heat
Winner: Mudra
4
Cylinder Feature Finish (9/19/09): Matt Druar, Charles Buchanan,
Kalie Clementi, Dave Frieder, Tim Durfy, Ken Hejna, Dean Siminski, Bob
Goldstein, Jay Adams, Jayme Thompson, Cassie McGrath, Driver 11R, Derrick Brant,
Samantha Jones, Tony Carbone
Heat
Winners: Buchanan, Durfy
INEX Legends Feature Finish (9/19/09): Jeremy
Haudricort, Daren Scherer, Larry Occhibone, Jake Vernon, Brad
Salatino, Charlie Neuman, Jeff Decker, Cody Myers, Ben Krentz, Chris
Spaker
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