Thirty-five years ago in 1968, Don Wayman was the opening night
winner at Fonda. Jerry Cook finished second with Dick Clark, third.
Stafford began their second season on asphalt the way they began their
first as Eddie Flemke took the
opening day win over Bugsy Stevens, Jerry Dostie, Don MacTavish and
Jerry Cook.
Thirty years ago, in 1973, Steady Eddie Flemke
made up for his bitter defeat a year earlier as he won the Spring
Sizzler at Stafford. Flemke led the inaugural event until a broken
waterpump sidelined him in the closing laps. Fred DeSarro who won a year
earlier, finished second with Maynard Troyer, Paul Radford and Guy
Chartrand rounding out the top five.
Thirty years ago, in 1978, Maynard Troyer led
a top three sweep of New York drivers as he won the Spring Sizzler at
Stafford. Geoff Bodine finished second with Richie Evans, third.
Rounding out the top five were Bugsy Stevens and Fred DeSarro. Because
of the fact that there were 111 cars on hand a non-qualifiers event was
run with John Rosati taking the win over Moose Hewitt and Jim Tyler.
Twenty five years ago, in 1983, Gil Hearne won
his 69th career victory at the Wall Stadium in New Jersey. Tony Hirshman
finished second with Jerry Cranmer, third. In Winston Cup action at
Darlington, Harry Gant took the lead after Darrell Waltrip was forced to
back off because of ignition problems. Geoff Bodine finished ninth after
leading most of the laps run.
Twenty years ago, in 1988, Reggie Ruggiero
took the 50-lap win at Riverside on Saturday night. Jerry Marquis
finished second with Bruce D’Assandro, third. Al Hill was the modified
winner at North Wilkesboro. The Winston Modifieds (Featherlites) were at
Thompson for the IceBreaker. Mike Ewanitsko took the win in the 75
lapper after George Kent parked Tom Baldwin with two laps to go in the
75-lap contest. Mike McLaughlin finished second with Doug Hevron, third.
Rounding out the top five were Kerry Malone and Jeff Fuller. Baldwin
ended his day in tenth spot and was ultimately fined $200 for fighting
with Kent after the event was completed. It was also opening day at
Seekonk where Johnny Tripp took the win over Bugsy Stevens.
Fifteen years ago in 1993, it was all quiet for the
Easter weekend with the exception of the Busch Grandnationals who were
at Hickory for a Saturday afternoon event which saw Steve Grissom take
the win over Ricky Craven and Joe Nemachek. It was also on this weekend
that NASCAR announced that they had entered into an agreement to run a
400-mile event at the Indianapolis, Speedway.
Ten years ago in 1998, Richie Gallup won the Saturday
night 50 lapper at Riverside Park over Ted Riggott, Rob Summers, Eddie
Spiers and Dan Avery. The Winston Cup was off for the Easter weekend.
The Busch Grandnationals ran at Hickory, N.C. where Ed Berrier took the
win.
Five years ago in 2003, it was Easter weekend. The
Winston Cup and the Busch Racing Series had the weekend off. At the
Waterford Speedbowl on Saturday night Tommy Fox survived a marathon
session of many wrecks to take the win. Fox passed Ron Yuhas JR for the
lead on lap 15. Ed Reed JR ended up second with Yuhas, third. Dennis
Gada and Jeff Pearl rounded out the top five. Wall Township, in New
Jersey ran a double program, which included a 75 lap Race of Champions
Tour event. In the regular weekly racing event, the Blewetts, Jimmy and
John III finished one-two over Ken Woolley. The ROC event saw Dave Pecko
lead from pole to pole to take the win over Ken Woolley and Pete
Britain. It was also announced that Mike Ewanitsko had been released
from the Eddie Partridge Featherlite Modified Tour Series team because
of medical reasons
Last year, 2007, The 2007 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour
Series got the green flag on Sunday at the Thompson Speedway as a near
capacity crowd watched James Civali sprint to victory in the 150 lap Ice
Breaker. Civali took the lead on lap 109 after running wheel to wheel
with John Blewett III for several laps. A late race wreck which involved
Reggie Ruggiero set the stage for a green, white, checkered finish on
lap 152. Chuck Hossfeld got two late race gifts as it looked like he
would end his day in fourth spot. With seven laps to go the green flew
after a caution. Civali led the field followed by Richard Savory, Ron
Yuhas Jr, Hossfeld and Ruggerio. As the field exited turn two Ruggerio
went low, passing Hossfeld and Yuhas. Ruggerio, trying to get back in
line after the pass, clipped Yuhas and they both ended up hitting the
back stretch wall. While the track crews were cleaning up the mess and
the field was circling under caution Savory suffered a flat tire and was
forced to pit, thus handing the runner-up spot to Hossfeld. Savory ended
up 17th. Following Hossfeld was Ronnie Silk, Jimmy Blewett and Matt
Hirschman. Sixth through tenth were Tony Ferrante Jr, Carl Pasteryak,
Jon McKennedy, Bob Grigas and Zach Sylvester in the Mansfield, CT based
No77 of Curt Chase.
Ted Christopher, who started on the outside pole, was the
early leader as he passed pole sitter Savory in turn three before the
field completed the first lap. Christopher led until a lap 23 restart
when Don Lia shot by in the second turn. Lia apparently planned to go
non-stop without a change of tires as almost the entire field pitted for
tires during a caution on lap 71. It proved to end up being a bad
decision as his tires lost their grip by lap 97 when he gave way to
Civali. Lia remained in the top five despite fading fast. His undoing
finally came on lap 137 when he spun out and was never a factor after
that. Lia ended up 20th, four laps down. Christopher also had a bad day
as he was collected in a wreck on lap 99 and ended up in 27th spot at
the finish. Defending series champion was never a factor as he was
eliminated after losing a wheel on lap 33 after making contact with
Jerry Marquis. Stefanik ended up 34th.
In NASCAR Whelen All-American Series weekly action ”Showtime”
Jimmy Blewett , driving the Eddie Partridge No.12 was victorious in
Sunoco Modified action. Rick Gentes doubled up in Icebreaker Late Model
action (also winning last Saturday). Jeff Connors of Ellington, CT won
the Pro Stock field while Keith DeSanctis won the Limited Sportsman
division and Leo Adams was victorious in the TIS Modifieds. Andy
Publicover scored the win in the Mini Stocks.
In Sunoco Modified action, Todd Ceravolo held the early lead
over Woody Pitkat. A pack of hungry drivers, Jimmy Blewett, Keith Rocco,
and Tommy Cravenho, were bearing down on the leaders. Slight contact
between the lead duo opened the door for Jimmy. Blewett, who grabbed the
second spot before the caution flew for Roland Bergeron. After a false
start, racing resumed with Ceravolo retaining his lead. Contact between
Pitkat and Rocco send Rocco hard into the turn two wall. Jimmy Blewett
was able to take over the lead once racing resumed. A single lap later
contact between Cravenho and Bert Marvin sent Cravenho spinning. A chain
reaction accident claimed the cars of John Catania, Buddy Charette, and
others. Marvin was sent to the rear for his involvement in the accident.
Jimmy Blewett continued to lead Ceravolo and now his brother John when
racing went back to green. Pitkat and Kerry Malone sat inside the top
five. Pitkat was getting racy with John Blewett while the leader had his
hands full with Ceravolo. The top four cars began to get some distance
on Malone in fifth. Just after halfway, the caution flew when Harry
Rheaume and Marvin made contact. Both cars were able to continue. On the
restart, Jimmy. Blewett and Ceravolo were side by side for the lead;
meanwhile, things got messy from third position on back. Pitkat and
Marvin both sustained extensive damage in the melee. Also involved was
third-running John Blewett. The battle for the lead continued when the
race resumed. While Jimmy Blewett and Ceravolo began to distance
themselves from the rest of the pack, Kerry Malone headed down pit road,
relinquishing the third spot.
The final dash to the checkers found Jimmy. Blewett gaining
some breathing room over Ceravolo. Dave Salzarulo and Danny Cates had
great finish runs. Tommy Cravenho and Jo. Blewett had stormed back
through the pack and put on a great show battling for the fifth
position. At the finish, Jimmy Blewett scored the win over Ceravolo and
Salzarulo. The rookie Danny Cates finished fourth in only his second
Sunoco Modified start. John Blewett, who had won at the Wall Township
Speedway in New Jersey on Saturday night recovered to finish fifth.
The Monahan brothers packed a one-two punch at the Waterford Speedbowl
on Saturday evening, claiming the top-two slots in the 35-lap SK
Modified feature. It was Diego prevailing, but only after an intense
battle with older brother Shawn during several late-race restarts. Other
winners were Rob Summers (True Value Tour Modifieds), Tim Jordan (Late
Models), Al Stone III (Sportsman), and Phil Evans (Mini Stocks).
Joey Logano won a NASCAR Grand National Series event Thursday night
at Phoenix International Raceway. Logano was a development driver for
Joe Gibbs Racing.
Clint Bowyer won a stirring duel with Matt Kenseth on Friday
night, taking the lead with 14 laps to go and holding on in the Busch
Series race at Phoenix International Raceway. Jeff Gordon took the
Nextel Cup win at Phoenix on Saturday and dedicated the victory to the
late Dale Earnhardt Sr.
The board of directors for the International Speedway Corp.
approved spending an additional $39.6 million for capital projects. With
the approval, the board expects to spend $80 million to $90 million for
a number of improvements at Darlington Raceway, including repaving the
racing surface and aprons, constructing a new infield access tunnel,
installing concrete pit stalls and other renovations. The improvements
are expected to be completed in time for the facility's 2008 Nascar
Nextel Cup and Busch series weekend.
The company also announced that William C. France, William P.
Graves and Christy F. Harris were re-elected and Morteza Hosseini-Kargar
was elected to the board by ISC shareholders. All terms are for three
years.
This week here are several vintage racing photos of Eddie Flemke Sr. and
the Bob Judkins owned #2x
courtesy of
vintagemodifieds.com
Ring my chimes at 401-596-5467 E-mail:
smithpe_97_97@yahoo.com
The Chrome Horn
'Looking Back with Phil Smith' Archive
THE END
