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2007 CHAMPIONS TO BE CROWNED THIS WEEKEND AT UTICA-ROME SPEEDWAY
VERNON , NY- The last regular event of the season is coming up this Sunday, September 9, when Professional Asphalt & Luther Excavating presents “Championship Night”. The regular weekly divisions of 358-Modifieds, Sportsman, Pro Stocks, Pure Stocks, and IMCA Modifieds all will be in action, with track champions being crowned in all. Gates for this action packed program open at 3 p.m. with racing scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m.
With a second place run this past Sunday, Stewart Friesen clinched the 2007 358-Modified championship, worth a stunning $8,000. It is his second track title, the first coming in 2004. While Friesen may have the overall title locked up, Pat Ward and two-time defending champion Willy Decker have been battling for the second spot in the standings for the past two months and going into the final night of points, Ward and Decker are tied for the $6,000 runner up position in the standings. Ted Lamb sits in the fourth spot in the standings, just nine markers ahead of Todd Burley. Gus Schmidt holds the sixth spot down going into this Sunday, just ahead of Bobby Varin, Bill Shantel Jr., John Ramsey, and AJ Romano. The tenth spot in the lucrative point fund will pay $1,000. An added bonus for the 358-Modified feature winner this Sunday will be a certificate for a new set of heads, courtesy of Dart Machinery.
A heated fight for the 2007 Utica-Rome Speedway has been going on all season, with as many as six drivers just a finish away from taking the point lead. In recent weeks, two drivers have risen above the rest of the talented field in their own battle for the title. Going into this past Sunday evening’s event, Alan Barker had a slim four point lead over defending champion Mike Button but an early race incident put Barker out of the event, leaving Button a little breathing room heading into this Sunday’s finale. Although winless on the season so far, Button’s steady runs in the top five finishing positions have earned him a 27 point lead over three time winner Barker. Matt Janczuk, Jeremy Vunk, and Casey Williams are the current top five point earners.
Jerry Holmes’s bid for a fifth Utica-Rome Speedway Pro Stock title, his third consecutive title, seems to be in the works as the five time feature winner heads into this Sunday’s event with a healthy 36 point edge in the standings. Veterans Tom Denton and Bret Belden hold down the second and third spot in standings with Chris Mackey and Jim Normoyle trailing.
Several hard wrecks have slowed Russ Marsden’s run to his fourth consecutive title, but hasn’t deterred him and his efforts. Marsden heads into action this week with an insurmountable lead and the 2007 Pure Stock title sewn up. Tim Janczuk currently sits in second in the standings with Chris Carr, Matt Ball, and Chris Cunningham.
Jim Roberts has sewn up his second consecutive IMCA Modified title, earning four wins along the way. Aaron Jacobs has had a breakout year at the Vernon oval, netting three wins on his way to his current second place standing. As of this past Sunday, Ken Rogers, Kevan Cook, and Mike Jacobs hold fill out the top five positions.
After this coming Sunday’s events, attention will immediately turn towards the 18th running of the New Yorker 200 on September 14 & 15. On Friday September 14 the Sportsman, Pure Stocks, and IMCA Modifieds will take center stage to open up the New Yorker weekend. A hefty paycheck of $2,200 awaits the Sportsman, the Pure Stocks and IMCA Modifieds battle for a top prize of $500 and $400, respectively.
Then the event that has everyone talking takes place on Saturday September 15 when the 358-Modifieds cap off the weekend with their 200 lap $10,000 to win event. Not only does the winner net a hefty payday, but the minimum payout is $1,000 to the last place car. A halfway break will be taken in which the Pro Stocks will compete in a $1,200 to win showdown. For complete information, log on to www.uticaromespeedway.com or call the speedway office at (315) 829-4557.
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