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VERNON , NY- Beautiful weather brought the fans out in masses this past Sunday night, June 10, for Eppy Electric night and they did not leave disappointed as the racing action in all divisions was intense all night long.
When the 358-Modifieds took Matt Burdick’s green flag to start the 30 lap main event, Ryan Phelps would lead the field across the line from his outside front row starting spot to lead the opening circuit. Bill Shantel Jr. was the story of the event, however, as he the pole sitter to over the lead by lap two. Shantel would hold off all challenges throughout the early stages of the race, with Bachetti and Phelps taking turns at the front running Shantel. Shantel would fend off any attempts and at the halfway point it was Shantel, Phelps, Willy Decker, Bachetti, and AJ Romano chasing.
Seventh place starter Decker was one of the few to attempt to use the inside lane around the spacious half mile, and it was coming to him in the late stages of the event. A lap 27 caution put Decker in the tire tracks of the top duo of Phelps and Shantel and Decker jumped at the opportunity. Decker slid underneath Phelps on the restart and a half lap later, Shantel made his only mistake of the race as he jumped the cushion, and that gave Decker the chance he needed as he sped by for the lead as lap 29 was completed. A last lap caution gave the field one more chance at Decker but it wasn’t going to happen. The defending 358-Modified Utica-Rome Speedway champion would take his second Utica-Rome Speedway win of the season with Stewart Friesen making a late race charge to finish second, Shantel would hold on for third, with Phelps and Bobby Varin rounding out the top five. Todd Burley, Ted Lamb, Alan Johnson, Pat Ward, and Brian Murphy filled out the top 10 finishing positions.
In the Sportsman 20 lap feature, Jason Rood jumped out to the lead from his pole starting spot with Jim Rothwell repeatedly applying heavy pressure for the top spot. As the top duo battle for the lead, Alan Barker was making his way to the front from his eighth starting spot, and at the halfway point, completed his charge as he took the lead from Rood. Barker seemingly had the field under control but 10th place starter Paul Carey had other plans. Using the high side to perfection, Carey would cut through the field and by lap 16; he was going around Barker for the lead and the win. Barker held on for second with Rood falling to third at the finish. Matt Janczuk and Rothwell rounded out the top five.
Shawn Frost took command of the 20 lap Pro Stock feature at the drop of the green flag and held on to it for the first eight laps with Ivan Joslin using the high side off turn four to take over on lap nine. 13th place starter Jerry Holmes would be out front by lap 10, and when the checkered flag dropped, Holmes was still out front to score his first win of the season. Bret Belden nipped Chris Mackey for the second spot with Frost and Tom Denton rounding out the top five.
In Pure Stock action, Chris Carr took the lead from Ron Hawker as lap seven was be scored, and despite heavy pressure from Russ Marsden, Carr held on for the rest of the 15 lap feature to score his first ever Utica-Rome Speedway Pure Stock win. Marsden was a close second at the line with Matt Ball, Hawker, and Frank Hyatt filling out the top five.
Kevan Cook took over the lead in the IMCA Modified 15 lap feature on the second circuit and would never give up that lead for the remainder of the event. Cook would claim his first win of the season at the speedway with Lyle Smith, Jim Roberts, Mike Jacobs, and Aaron Jacobs chasing.
The Vintage Stock Cars visited the Utica-Rome Speedway with Bill Kisselstein, Norm Richardson, and Richard Applebee winning the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s divisions respectively.
William Fuller Mason Contractor will present the racing action next Sunday June 17 with a regular show of 358-Modifieds, Sportsman, Pro Stocks, Pure Stocks, and IMCA Modifieds plus the popular Spectator races. Gates open at 3 p.m. with racing set to begin at 5:30 p.m.
EPPY ELECTRIC RACE SUMMARY
358-MODIFIED FINISH (30 LAPS)- WILLY DECKER, Stewart Friesen, Bill Shantel Jr., Ryan Phelps, Bobby Varin, Todd Burley, Ted Lamb, Alan Johnson, Pat Ward, Brian Murphy, John Ramsey, Jeff Kotary, AJ Romano, Ken McGuire, Paul Kinney, David Orr, Gus Schmidt, Bob Henry Jr., Andy Bachetti, Gordy Button, and Rick Rogala.
SPORTSMAN FINISH (20 LAPS)- PAUL CAREY, Alan Barker, Jason Rood, Matt Janczuk, Jim Rothwell, Danny Varin, Steve Way, Casey Williams, Jeremy Wilder, Larry Wight, John Cunningham, Brad Alger, Mike Button, Tim Nye, Butch Reiter, Jeremy Vunk, Dan Yankowski, Jack Miller, Michael Teachout, Jeff Leslie, and Jessica Zemken.
PRO STOCK FINISH (20 LAPS)- JERRY HOLMES, Bret Belden, Chris Mackey, Shawn Frost, Tom Denton, Don Decker, Chad Ray, Dave Moyer, Eric Vanderhoof, Ed Ostrander, AJ Digsby, Mark Effner, Stan Clark, Nick Stone, Bill Knapp, Ryan Lund, Dwight Johnson, Jim Normoyle, Chris Wentrick, Rich Dauenhauer, Ivan Joslin, Dave Meeks, and Rob Seavy.
PURE STOCK FINISH (15 LAPS)- CHRIS CARR, Russ Marsden, Matt Ball, Ron Hawker, Frank Hyatt, Rocky Warner, Jim Thomas, Tim Janczuk, Andy Potter, Waylan Wilczek, Keith Stevenson, Warren Jones, Mike Harrison, Curt Prevo, Herm Staats, Kelly Pope, Cale Hoffman, Bill Mason, Phil Norman, John Wesolowski, and Chris Cunningham.
IMCA MODIFIED FINISH (15 LAPS) - KEVAN COOK, Lyle Smith, Jim Roberts, Mike Jacobs, Aaron Jacobs, Ken Rogers, Chris Fleming, Mark Chrzanowski, and Tony Finch. |
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