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Rich Vleck, BATAVIA, NY (May 31, 2008)- On a night where rains poured down in the afternoon on the Genesee Speedway for nearly two hours, the decision to stick it out and go racing was a good one.
With a super smooth and tacky racing surface the result of the afternoon shower, the racing was wild, exciting, and unexpected.
In the Castle Powered Late Model Feature, JJ Mazur broke through for his first career feature win in the division, moving back around Jon Rivers early on and withstood his advances to capture the win.
Mazur grabbed the lead from the drop of the green flag, but when Brian Kotarski and Bob Babbitt came together at the end of the first lap, Rivers used the restart to jump out in front. Another caution on lap three restacked the field and allowed Mazur to swing into the lead on the bottom.
Even though Mazur jumped out in front, Rivers tried on countless occasions to snatch the lead away. Justin Chaddock would also join the lead battle but it seemed useless.
A caution flew on lap 18, setting up a two-lap dash to the finish. On those final laps, Mazur was again perfect and punched his ticket to Victory Lane.
The win for the Batavia, NY driver was highly popular throughout the crowd that enjoyed a wild night of racing. Behind Mazur were Rivers, Chaddock, Dave DuBois and Brian Farnsworth.
Justin Wright challenged race leader Rob Richmond Jr. for the first half of the Troyer Chassis Sportsman Event, peaking underneath the No. 93jr multiple times. On lap 12 though, Wright moved around Richmond and checked out.
Wright captured the sportsman feature of the year for his second career sportsman win at Genesee. It was the first win in his new Rob Sweeting No. 11jr Troyer in just his second start.
“This car doesn’t even have 50 laps on it and it has been awesome,” said a jubilant Wright in Victory Lane. “I just gotta thank this whole team.”
Wright has been known for living on the topside of the speedway, but on this night, he would have to use the inside to capture the lead.
“I matured a lot as a driver tonight,” said the Piffard, NY resident. “I knew that’s where I had to make the pass (for the lead).”
After Wright moved into the lead, he pulled away from Richmond, who was able to hang on for second. John Venuto moved around Brian Sage in a spirited battle for third, with Steve Schumacher charging from the back to round out the top-five.
The Original Pizza Logs Pro Stocks went green until lap 12 of their 15-lap event, which set up an intense battle to the finish.
While Don Barnes led until that caution, Pete Stefanski picked his way through the pack from his sixth place starting spot. He restarted on lap 12 in third and quickly took second and began to gain on Barnes. As they came off of turn two on the final lap, Stefanski peaked underneath the leader before the door was slammed shut.
Barnes slipped up in turn four, which set up a drag race to the finish. Barnes would hold off Stefanski by just .021 seconds, no more than a single foot at the line.
Behind that wild battle, Mike Martin had another solid finish in third, with Butch Zimmerman and Eric Greenlief completing the top-five.
In the wildly-entertaining Power Trip Energy Drink Street Stock Feature, Lee Zimmerman made the sixth and final lead change on lap 15 and pulled away to win his second feature of the year.
After losing the lead to Colton Chappius, Zimmerman used a lapped car as a pick to move back into the lead. He then stretched the advantage over the rest of the pack to score the win in his No. 71z.
Chappius was able to hang on for second, just ahead of Jeb Walworth. Dave Downs and Joey Spicola, who both lead early in the race, rounded out the top-five.
Duane Pingrey paced most of the Professional Driver Institute Mini Stock Feature, looking like he was going to win as he made his final trip around the track. But as he was pulling away, second place Mark Forsha broke and set up a one-lap dash to the finish.
Brandon Aradine restarted in fourth but was battling for second down the backstretch with Dan Norton, the winner of the first two weeks. Norton made a hard run into turn three on Pingrey and made contact. At the same time, Aradine got into Norton, the result was a logjam in turn four, bringing the field practically to a dead stop.
As starter John Veach waited with double checkered in hand, the field got back on the gas and had a mad dash to the finish. Russ Wassner went flying around everyone, but it wasn’t enough to get around Aradine, who picked up a long-awaited victory.
Aradine scored the win by a half-car length over Wassner, with Pingrey able to straighten out for third. Randy Barclay and Alan Kemp rounded out the top-five.
To round out the night, Herb Neal picked up his first career DML Driveway Sealing Bandit feature, moving around Chris Johnson early on and surviving a late-race battle to score the win.
Neal had to deal with lapped traffic in the late stages, allowing Johnson and Kailey Wassner to close. On the final lap though, Johnson slid sideways, allowing Neal the opportunity to run away to the win. Johnson held on for second with Tom Urban getting up to third.
Next week, Pepsi will present a Kid’s Bike Race and a full card of racing. For more information, visit www.GeneseeSpeedway.com.
Genesee Speedway Results: 5/30/2008-
Lauterborn Electric Night
Castle Powered Late Model Feature (20 Laps)- JJ MAZUR, Jon Rivers, Justin Chaddock, Dave DuBois, Brian Farnsworth, Tim Kauffman, T.J. Newton, Bob Babbitt, Jim Johnson, Rich Hale, Jason Bridge, Billy Burd, Brian Kotarski, Carl Shetler.
Lap Leaders- Mazur 1, Rivers 2-3, Mazur 4-20.
Heat Winners- Johnson, Rivers.
Troyer Chassis Sportsman Feature (20 Laps)- JUSTIN WRIGHT, Rob Richmond Jr., John Venuto, Brian Sage, Steve Schumacher, John Baker, Don Spatorico, Rob Pratt, Stubby Pangrazio, Rob Knapp, Ricky Newton, Greg Mrzywka, Tim Downs, Jason Hallett, Mike O’Brien, Kerry Ball, Henry Maier.
Lap Leaders- Richmond 1-11, Wright 12-20.
Heat Winners- Ball, Wright.
Original Pizza Logs Pro Stock Feature (15 Laps)- DON BARNES, Pete Stefanski, Mike Martin, Butch Zimmerman, Eric Greenlief, Brett Martin, Scott Stolzenberg, Jim Burch Jr.
Lap Leaders- B. Martin 1-2, Barnes 3-15.
Heat Winner- B. Martin.
Power Trip Energy Drink Street Stock Feature (20 Laps)- LEE ZIMMERMAN, Colton Chappius, Jeb Walworth, Dave Downs, Joey Spicola, John Fry, Jeremy Denton, Matt Pfalzer, John Giles, Kevin Knapp, Darrel Moyer, Dave Bansmer, Dave Stevens, Nathan Arnold, Kenny Begnouche, Bob Cole, Ken Hixenbaugh, Kevin Mitchell, Mike Shetler.
Lap Leaders- Giles 1, Spicola 2-4, Downs 5, Zimmerman 6, Downs 7-10, Chappius 11-14, Zimmerman 15-20.
Heat Winners- Denton, Spicola.
Professional Driver Institute Mini Stock Feature (15 Laps)- BRANDON ARADINE, Russ Wassner, Duane Pingrey, Randy Barclay, Alan Kemp, Samantha Burch, Tom Amico, Byron DeWitt, Ed Neal, Dan Norton, Mark Forsha, Bobby Dickinson.
Lap Leaders- Pingrey 1-14. Aradine 15.
Heat Winners- Wassner, Neal.
DML Driveway Sealing Bandits (10 Laps)- HERB NEAL, Chris Johnson, Tom Urban, James Maier, Kailey Wassner, Randy Barclay, Sarah Johnson.
Lap Leaders- C. Johnson 1-2, Neal 3-10.
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