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NYRaceZone.com (Western NY Racing News):  News

8/26/2005

HODDICK PICKS UP FIFTH WIN BY NARROWEST OF MARGINS

 

Todd Hoddick and Jay Sommers added another chapter in their season long rivalry at Lake Erie Speedway with another down to the wire finish in the Plyler Overhead Door Late Models.  Hoddick and Sommers battled side by the side in the final laps with Hoddick taking the win by .024 seconds. 

Ron Burkholder and John Julicher started on the front row for the 40-lap feature.  Burkholder grabbed the lead for the first four laps before surrendering it to Glenn Gault Jr.  Gault started third and looked to rebound from a late-race slip that cost him a win on Tuesday night. 

The yellow flag flew for the first of three times on lap 11 when several cars piled up in turn three.  Scott Bayle got turned around and Gary Eicher ran into him ending the night for both drivers.

Point leader, Jay Sommers, on a quest for his second win in a week was third at this point after starting eighth.  Following the restart, Sommers passed Burkholder for second and then locked on to the back bumper of Gault. 

The second caution period came on lap 17 when Scott Nurmi spun in turn one.  Sommers would capitalize on the double-file restart and launch from the outside pole into the lead.

Moments after being passed by Sommers, Gault spin in turn four after contact with Ron Burkholder.  Mike Reed plowed into Gault as he sat stopped in the middle of the track.  Gault would be ok, but the fuel cell of the car was busted open and poured fuel all over the track forcing a lengthy cleanup.

Following the cleanup, Sommers led with Julicher, Dave Wollaber, and Todd Hoddick behind him.  When the green flag fell Hoddick quickly worked his way up to second in just four laps.  He then stayed hot on the heels of Sommers all the way to the finish.

With less than five laps to, Hoddick was able to get a nose under Sommers and pulled side by side with the leader.  The raced wheel to wheel for the final laps with Hoddick winning by just a couple of feet for his fifth win of the year.  Sommers’s runner up finish keeps him on top of the standings with just one point race left. Dave Wollaber finished third.  John Julicher finished a season best fourth, and Tim Williams completed the top five.

Bill Ellison of Irving, NY is starting a late-season hot streak as he picked up his second win in one week in the Dodge Trucks.  Ellison started from the front row and led all 20 laps while en route to the win.  Al Fisher, Tim Card, Dana Nova, and John Coughlin rounded out the top five.

North Carolina driver, Craig Goess Jr., scored his third win of the year in the Pepsi Legends.  Goess chased down LES points leader, Chris Bailey Jr., and made the pass for the lead on lap nine.  Ryan Ellis passed him late in the race for second as Bailey wound up third.  Cotton Spry and JD Trenary rounded out the top five.

Terry Akerly provided a birthday present for his twin daughters as he won his second Advance Auto Part Street Stock feature of the year.  Akerly made a three-wide move on the opening lap, moving from fourth to first.  He would lead the rest of the way, holding off Dave Krawczyk in the final laps.

Grant Kirik picked up his fourth win of the year in the Bandoleros.  Kirik jumped ahead of Nathan Rogers on lap one and would lead the rest of the way.  The win keeps him on top of the championship chase in the Bandoleros.

Don Prischak picked up his first win of the year in the Jensen’s Target Collison Figure 8’s.  Dave McAvoy won the special 4 & 6 Cylinder exhibition race, which saw 29 cars take the green

RESULTS

PLYLER OVERHEAD DOOR LATE MODELS

Heat Winners – Dave Wollaber, Glenn Gault Jr., Mike Reed

Feature – TODD HODDICK, Jay Sommers, Dave Wollaber, John Julicher, Tim Williams, Mike Hennessey, Will Thomas, Rich Skora, Jeremy Holbrook, Steve Watson, Ron Burkholder, Greg Hoover, Nick Crassi, Vern Bliss, Ryan Hall, Scott Nurmi, Glenn Gault Jr., Mike Reed, Scott Bayle Gary Eicher

DODGE TRUCKS

Heat Winners – Tim Card, Dana Nova

Feature – BILL ELLISON, Alan Fisher, Tim Card, Dana Nova, John Coughlin, Matt Evans, Bryanne Downes, Tony Maratto, Jay Greene, Shawn Wood, John Malone

ADVANCE AUTO PARTS STREET STOCKS

Heat Winners – Terry Akerly, Eric Hadley

Feature – TERRY AKERLY, Dave Krawczyk, Eric Hadley, Kyle Sharpe, Dave Wilson Jr., Ed Lechner, Dennis Kszos, Ken Moore, Charles Houser Jr., Paul Thrasher, Russ Conti, Eric Borher, Randy Brown, Dean Craig

PEPSI LEGENDS

Heat Winners – Craig Goess Jr., Cotton Spry, JD Trenary

Feature – CRAIG GOESS JR., Ryan Ellis, Chris Bailey Jr., Cotton Spry, JD Trenary, Rodney Harrower, Eric Hammill, Tom Hall, Larry Occhibone, Tim Hoegel, Jeff Johnson, Jake Francis, Bryan Maloney, Frank Johnston, Dan Weaver, Jim Alexander, Bill Lyden, Jim Hammill

BANDOLEROS

Heat Winner – Grant Kirik

Feature – GRANT KIRIK, Eric Redmond, Justin Hines, JP Weisser, Nathan Rogers, Nate Carlson, Michaela Downes, Brady Wood, Patrick Lyden

4-CYLINDERS

Feature – TOP TEN UNOFFICIAL – 29 Cars Started – DAVE McAVOY, Alex Froman, Larry Houser, Shawn Ricco, Randy Parmenter, Derreck Frank, Mike Gibbons, Bob Russell, Don Fuller, Monty Seekings Jr.

JENSENS TARGET COLLISION FIGURE 8’S

Feature – DON PRISCHAK, Bob Morgan, Eric Hammill, Mike Kernohan, Dan Prischak, Jim Burek, Dan Cragle, Chris Ward, Jim Cunningham


Source: Dave Buchanan/Lake Erie PR
Posted: September 3, 2005