5/7/06

WEBER CAPTURES LANCASTER LATE MODEL OPENER

 
Lancaster Raceway Park hosted the second half of its back-to-back Sunday afternoon season openers as the Bobcat of Buffalo Late Models took center stage with a special 40-lap feature.
 

 

Matt Alix and Tommy Reese led the field to the inaugural green flag for feature, but trouble struck both drivers by the end of lap one. Reese got tangled with Glenn Gault Jr. and Joe Carbone coming out of the turn for the first time.  Reese and Gault both spun but suffered no damage and were able to continue.
 
During the ensuing caution period, Alix went to the pits with engine trouble and would be in and out of the pits for the rest of the
race. 
 
This put Chris Ross and George Skora III at the front of the field when racing resumed. Ron Nurmi quickly moved from the fourth spot to challenge Ross and Skora. Nurmi was racing side by side with Skora for second on lap nine when came to a stop on the track with a mechanical failure. 
 
Skora continued to press Ross for the lead and he finally made his move on lap 16 as he got underneath Ross in turn three. Skora moved into the lead and brought his cousin, Rich Skora, and Bobby Weber with him.
 
George Skora pulled away from his cousin and the rest of the field as he opened up a sizable lead. Weber passed Rich Skora for second on lap 25, and would begin cutting down the deficit.
 
Weber was in his first start at Lancaster since the 2004 US Open as he missed the entire 2005 season with a shoulder injury suffered while driving a snowplow. Last season, Weber served as car owner watching Mark Bliss and Matt Alix drive to four feature wins in his cars. He caught Skora inside 10 laps to go and made several attempts to take the lead.
 
Both drivers were about to take the white flag when another car dropped a header pipe right in the middle of the front stretch, which brought out the yellow flag. 
 
That set up a green-white-checkered finish with Weber getting under Skora on the final lap. After leading for 23 laps Skora's tires had worn out and he could no longer grip the asphalt enough to stay in the inside groove and Weber was able to drive by. Weber picked up his 33rd career Late Model win and first since September 2004. Skora wound up second with his cousins, Rich and Scott, finishing third and fifth respectively. It was the first time all three Skoras finished in the top five together. Canadian driver, Pete Vanderwyst, finished fourth in his first career Lancaster start.
 
Nick Cappelli returned to victory lane in the SST Sportsman for the first time since 2003 as he captured the 20-lap feature. Cappelli had left the division after winning back-to-back championships in 2002 and 2003. He ran Modifieds in 2004, but lack of financial backing kept him out of racing last season, which led to his return to the Sportsman division.
 
Cappelli passed Jerry Gradl Jr. on lap 14 to get the lead. He survived a caution-filled final five laps to get the victory. Gradl finished second ahead of Justin Shepker, Bill Burd, and Frank Booker Jr.

Wayne Bernhard picked up the win in the Jerry Gradl Motors Super Stocks. Bernhard chased after rookie Kyle Sharpe for several before taking the leave with just five laps to go. Mike Scott got by Sharpe for second, relegating him to third. Doug Evans and George Roesch completed the top five.

Jim Stein was awarded the win in the Glen Campbell Chevrolet Street Stocks after original winner Rob Bulger was disqualified following post-race tech inspection. It was Stein's third career win. Jim Bryant, Tom Agen Sr., Kevin Mendel, and Russell Knutsen rounded out the top five.

Dan Lawrence bounced back from engine problems on opening day to take the win in the TQ Midgets. Lawrence passed Erick Rudolph for the win with just three laps to go. DJ Sossong made a late challenge for the win, but came up a close second. Jared Turnbull, Rudolph, and Vinny Christiano Jr. finished out the top five.

Racing returns to the traditional Saturday night program next week, May 13, at Lancaster. The Modified, Late Models, and all regular classes will be in action plus the Cup Lites will make their first appearance of the season. Racing starts at 6:30 PM.

RESULTS

BOBCAT OF BUFFALO LATE MODELS

Heat Winners - Chris Ross, Mike Ticco
 
Feature - BOBBY WEBER, George Skora III, Rich Skora, Pete Vanderwyst, Scott Skora, Chris Ross, Mike Ticco, Tommy Reese, T.J. Johnson, Glenn Gault Jr., Joe Carbone, Matt Alix, Mark Pennell, Darryl McKay, Mark Krupczyk and Ron Nurmi.

SST SPORTSMAN

Heat Winners - Jerry Gradl Jr., Craig Dolphin
 
Feature - NICK CAPPELLI, Jerry Gradl Jr., Justin Shepker, Bill Burd, Frank Booker, Kirk Rutherford, Craig Dolphin, Russ Gian, Sherri Hogan, Eddie Murray, T.J. Petrie, Mike Stevenson, Ed Weber, Tom Wiest and Mike Bliss.

JERRY GRADL MOTORS SUPER STOCKS

Heat Winners - Doug Evans, Kyle Sharpe
 
Feature - WAYNE BERNHARD, Mike Scott, Kyle Sharpe, Doug Evans, George Roesch, Paul Alberti, Rick Widmer, Frank Batista, Ed Lechner, Jason Gwin and Jay Canonico.

GLEN CAMPBELL CHEVROLET STREET STOCKS

Heat Winners - Jim Bryant, Scott Mutka, Rob Bulger

Feature - JIM STEIN, Jim Bryant, Tom Agen Sr., Kevin Mendel, Russell Knutsen, Jeff Madill, Joe Mergl, Bobby Hanel Jr., Gary Bartella, Pete Hackett, Tim Garlock, Marty Hughes, Bob Blaszak, Gary Light, Mike Maggiore, Bob Hanel Sr., Cory Gallagher, Kaz Toracek, Tim Offhaus, Dennis Pieczynski, Andy Cryan, Steve Cochran, Ed Nowak, Paul Tessier, Andy Jankowiak, Scott Mutka, Matt Jurek, Mark Hoch, Tom Deville and Rick Ortwein. DNS: Tom Agen Jr. DQ: Rob Bulger.

T.Q. MIDGETS

Heat Winners - Erick Rudolph, Dan Lawrence
 
Feature - DAN LAWRENCE, DJ Sossong, Jared Turnbull, Erick Rudolph, Vinny Christiano Jr., AJ Hessler, Jamie Collard, Arik McGruder, Mark Schulz, Wayne Turnbull, Jim Fleischman, Chad Haywood, Mike Blair, Curtis Friesen and Shaun Szejnar. DNS: James Michael Friesen.

Source: Dave Buchanan/Lancaster Raceway Park PR
Posted: May 11, 2006