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Rich Vleck, BATAVIA, NY (April 19, 2008)- On a day when the culmination of an afternoon practice session was dubbed the “Ice Breaker 100”, any winter ice had melted and evaporated so fast from the Genesee Speedway it was almost considered sublimation.
With nearly 60 cars on hand for the first laps on the Genesee Speedway 1/3-mile oval in 2008, for the second straight year the final practice session at the Fairgrounds saw temperatures sore over 80 and saw everyone work in their summer tans before their taxes have even been processed.
Nine divisions were represented in the afternoon practice session, including each of the weekly classes in 2008: Castle Powered Late Models, Troyer Chassis Sportsman, Original Pizza Logs Pro Stocks, Power Trip Energy Drink Street Stocks, Profressional Drivers Institute Mini Stocks and the all-new DML Driveway Sealing Bandits. Tom Kemp was on hand with his Crate Late Model, a pair of micro sprints were in attendance, along with the ASCS Patriot Sprints of Derek Jonathan and Batavia’s T.J. Newton, who made his first laps in the Eric and Eileen Smith No. 57 in preparation for his first season in a sprint car. Newton also wheeled his familiar No. 45 Late Model in a pair of sessions.
The Sportsman led in car count with a full 20 competitors on hand, more than any regular race at the track in the last two years. Justin Wright, in his first laps in the Sweeting No. 11J, was at the top of the charts in both sessions he competed in, with defending champion Rob Pratt second in both.
Defending Late Model Champion Jim Johnson passed all of the sessions he was in, with Dave DuBois and Justin Chaddock near the top of the list in each session.
After the practice sessions came to a conclusion, the track was cleared for the “Ice Breaker 100”, which turned out to be an entertaining fan for all parties involved.
Mark Gillette of Spencerport scored the win, leading the final 36 laps and never falling out of the top three at any point in the race.
Rick Crego took the early lead before handing it over to Gillette, who turned it over to Andy Jankowiak just as fast. Jankowiak would suffer a flat tire allowing Gillette to scoot back by for a half-dozen laps before again relinquishing the lead, this time to sprint car and mini stock competitor Jeremy Barnard.
Barnard became tangled with a lapped car, causing the No. 11 of Geddy Hook to flip, and stopping the race for the second time on lap 29. On the ensuing restart, the hood would fly up on Barnard’s No. 86, ending his day.
While Gillette paced the field, Rob Doran began to slice his way through taking the lead on lap 44 and hanging on to it for 20 laps, before a flat tire ended his day prematurely.
With Doran out of the way, it was all Gillette for the final 1/3 of the race, as he grew his lead to four laps over the nearest competitor.
With only six cars finishing of the 25 that were in competition, it was a fight to the finish to see who would place in the money. Along with Gillette, Chris Wolcott and Rick Crego would be those lucky recipients. Rounding out the top-five were Liz Steele and Sean Kelly.
Genesee Speedway will kick off their first Saturday of Super 6 Racing for 2008 next weekend, with a special 5:00 p.m. starting time. The night’s program will be presented by Gates Electric Supply. For more information, please visit www.GeneseeSpeeedway.com.
Ice Breaker 100 Enduro Results (Finishers Only)-
1. Mark Gillette
2. Chris Wolcott
3. Rick Crego
4. Liz Steele
5. Sean Kelly
6. John Burrs |
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