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08/09/2014 |
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HIRSCHMAN
PERFECT IN RoC SHOWS AT CHEMUNG THIS YEAR
Zacharias Get 5th
Sunoco Mod Win |
Chemung
Speedrome was the place to be Saturday night – and plenty of race
teams and fans did just that. The saw an Andrew Harpell production
that was slick and well choreographed from the get-go. When it was
over Matt Hirschman had won his fourth RoC, and second at Chemung,
on the tour this year. Jimmy Zacharias picked up his fifth win in
the track’s Sunoco Modified division and padded his point lead in
the process. Other winners included Lee Sharpsteen (Super Stocks),
Ryan Purvis and Devon Bailey (Four Cylinders), and Alexandria Smith
(INEX Legends).
Matt Hirschman, whose Race of Champions Modified win in May at
Chemung was the first of three consecutive wins, returned with the
same winning attitude that has brought him so much success. He put
everyone on notice as the winner of heat number one. Brian DeFebo
and Chuck Hossfeld won the other 10-lap heats. The top four from
each heat then drew for starting spots for the 100-lap feature. With
three numbers left in the bucket when it was Jimmy Zacharias’ turn
to draw, he pulled out #1 and started on the pole. Andy Jankowiak
joined him in the front row.
A three-wide deal on the opening lap that prevented Hirschman from
being in the top two or three; ironically, it was another three-wide
deal with 15 laps remaining that moved him up to second. The field
ran the first 41 laps caution-free. Zacharias led while Jankowiak
started to slip back and barely in the top ten. Mike Leaty and Daren
Scherer got around Hossfeld, dropping him to fourth. When Bryan
Sherwood spun, first in turn two and 15 laps later in turn 4 it
provided a pit stop opportunities. Jankowiak opted to stop, as did
Leaty who had fallen back and out of the top 10. The restart also
presented an opportunity for Hossfeld to reclaim second and he did.
For Jankowiak, the fresher tire gave him greater speed and he was
advancing nicely. Up front with Scherer closing and Hirschman
running fourth, the trio tried to run down leader Zacharias. What
ensued was a three-wide situation that worked into the playbook of
Hirschman. He emerged in second and began to run down the #71.
The third and final caution changed everything. TJ Potrzebowski
slowed on the track. As the cars came around turn four the axle on
the Zacharias #71 broke and he spun. The crew changed a tire but his
issue was far more severe. That handed the lead to Hirschman and he
held on for the big win. Scherer, Jankowiak, Hossfeld and Patrick
Emerling all finished in the top five.
In Sunoco Modified action Jody Buckley and Jimmy Zacharias were the
class of the field. Just a week prior Buckley repeatedly held off
Zacharias to claim the feature win. On Saturday night the tables
were turned and Buckley was the pursuer not the pursued. The pair
won the two qualifying races and Buckley drew the pole for the
35-lap feature. He started alongside Randy Brokaw and led the way
off turn two. Tommy Rought spun with two laps in and this time it
was Gene Sharpsteen on the outside of row one for the restart. Two
laps later Dylan Zacharias spun in turn two and on that restart
Jimmy Zacharias made his race-winning pass on Buckley. The main
decision in this one was which lane the leader would choose for the
restarts. Zacharias chose the outside, just as Buckley had done the
week prior. Over a long green flag run Zacharias built up a nice
lead, Buckley held second, and Brokaw was in a three-way battle with
Connor Sellars and Corey Mosher. Officials assessed a two-position
penalty on Mosher for a rough pass. It was a penalty he would never
actually get, as the motor in his #45 blew and brought out the final
caution with two laps remaining. Zacharias held on and celebrated
his fifth win this season. Buckley crossed the stripe in second,
while Sellars, TJ Zacharias and Brokaw all finished in the top five.
The 25-lap Super Stock feature was good for some and not so good for
others. Joe Snell and Charlie Sharpsteen, who won the two heat
races, drew first and drew best for starting positions. Lined up
side by side Snell prevailed but it was a great battle with
Sharpsteen for that top spot. Snell survived several restarts for
cautions, each time getting the better of Sharpsteen. Several
drivers were on the move and there was action all around the track
as they tried to better their positions. Things changed for Joe
Snell after the fourth caution period. Lee Sharpsteen continued his
march toward the front and made Snell the meat in an all-Sharpsteen
sandwich before taking the lead. Once in front the stout #8 pulled
way from his brother and Jeff Goodwin, who had worked his way up to
third place. The last caution came out with two laps remaining. Tim
Gullo broke and gone was his top five finish. When the race resumed
Charlie Sharpsteen had one more opportunity to overtake his younger
brother but it wasn’t to be. Lee Sharpsteen posted his fifth 2014
win, this time over Charlie Sharpsteen, Goodwin, Snell and
Potrzebowski.
Ryan Purvis, sporting a different car number but the same winning
attitude, swept the night in the track’s Four Cylinder division.
Burt Maynard and Devon Bailey brought the field to green. Bailey
used his momentum on the outside to power around Maynard for the
lead. Purvis, who started seventh, was up to third but wasted no
time passing John Maynard for second and then passed Bailey for the
lead. The only caution came with five laps scored when Jennifer
Dennie spun on the back stretch. That brought the leaders side by
side but not for long. Purvis took off and built up a huge lead that
he would never surrender. The best battle at the halfway point
involved Monica Green and Sam Warren. Warren got the spot and when
Green’s car went away she fell back. Purvis sailed across the finish
line to record his second win of the season, this time over Bailey,
John Maynard, Warren and Nick Morich. Morich won the other heat
race. Bailey, the highest finishing FWD car, was also a winner on
this night.
A two-car tangle is all that slowed the action in the 20-lap INEX
Legends feature. Luck of the draw put Daren Scherer and Alex Bowen
on the front row, but the race went yellow on the opening lap when
Gary Ham and Wayne Walker got together on the back stretch. When the
race resumed point leader Alexandria Smith made an inside move on
Scherer to claim the top spot. She drove away and left Scherer to
battle it out with Chuck Lohmeyer. Lap after lap Lohmeyer was right
on his tail until finally taking second as they worked turns three
and four with five laps remaining. Smith, meanwhile, was comfortably
out in front and held on for her second win of the season. Lohmeyer
was second, followed to the line by Scherer, Bowen and Beth Scherer.
Earlier in the evening Smith and Bowen won the two heat races.
This week it’s back to Friday night racing at the Speedrome. The
Sunoco Modifieds headline the program with a 40-lap feature. Joining
them on the race card are the Super Stocks (25), Four Cylinders
(20), and INEX Legends (20) and the Dirt Crate Sportsman division.
Pits open at 4:00, practice and grandstand open at 6:00 and racing
gets underway at 7:15 PM. Admission: adults $12; seniors 65 and
older $10; kids 6-12 $5; kids five and under free.
Notes:
Don Reynolds, who served in the US Coast Guard from 1983 to 1988 and
remained in the Coast Guard Reserves through 2011, was the Honorary
Veteran of the Race. Reynolds was a Damage Control Chief while
enlisted. His son, Ben, drives his #47 in selected RoC events.
Todd Bodine was on hand to shake hands and mingle on the grounds of
the track originally built by his father and grandfather. Youngest
of three, Todd is the only Bodine brother who never competed in a
scheduled event at the track.
Several photographers and others covering motorsports were on hand,
including Bob Dillner from Fox Sports and Speed51.
The Spalding Foundation for Injured Drivers held a fundraiser that
was well supported. Fans had two auction options – a Chinese Auction
for numerous collectibles or a Silent Auction for autographed sheet
metal representing several of the RoC teams. The latter even
included a bidding war representative of what fans see on the track
from the likes of Matt Hirschman and Chuck Hossfeld.
During intermission several kids competed in Box Car Races, with
trophies and prizes provided by several of the RoC teams.
Race of Champions Modifieds (100 Laps) MATT HIRSCHMAN, Daren
Scherer, Andy Jankowiak, Chuck Hossfeld, Patrick Emerling, Austin
Kochenash, Brian DeFebo, Mike Leaty, Nick Pecko, Brandon Oltra, Doug
Ruane, TJ Potrzebowski, Daryl Lewis, Jr., Bryan Sherwood, Terry
Cheetham, Donnie Hartzell, Jimmy Zacharias, Tommy Cloce
Heats: Hirschman, DeFebo, Hossfeld
Sunoco Modifieds (40 Laps) JIMMY ZACHARIAS, Jody Buckley,
Connor Sellars, TJ Zacharias, Randy Brokaw, Gene Sharpsteen, Brandon
Oltra, Cam Ayres, Tim Lewis, Corey Mosher, Dylan Zacharias, Tommy
Rought, Chris Clemens
Heats: Buckley, TJ Zacharias
Super Stocks (25 Laps) LEE SHARPSTEEN, Charlie Sharpsteen,
Jeff Goodwin, Joe Snell, Terry Potrzebowski, Dan Mathews, Jody
Buckley, Ron Underwood, Tim Gullo, Jake Wylie, Bob Ripley, Mike
Nichols, Derrick Tarbox, Nick Robinson, Dusty Snell
Heats: J Snell, C Sharpsteen
4 Cylinders (20 Laps) RYAN PURVIS, Devon Bailey (1st FWD),
John Maynard, Sam Warren, Nick Morich, Ken Benjamin, Burt Maynard,
Jennifer Dennie, Justin Hall, Monica Green, David Cooke, Eric
Williams
Heats: Purvis, Morich
INEX Legends (20 Laps) ALEXANDRIA SMITH, Chuck Lohmeyer,
Daren Scherer, Alex Bowen, Beth Scherer, John Bacon, Jimmer Ulrich,
Wayne Walker, Gary Ham, Charlie Lohmeyer (DNS)
Heats: Smith, Bowen |
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Source: Carol Houssock /
Chemung Speedrome
Posted: August
9, 2014 |
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