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Rob Pratt Wins Lucas Oil Sportsman Feature at Genesee
Rich Vleck, BATAVIA, NY (June 14, 2008)- Rob Pratt has won a lot of races in his illustrious career, but never before has he scored a Lucas Oil Sportsman Tour win, something he was able to accomplish in front of his home crowd on Saturday Night.
Pratt, the defending Genesee Speedway Sportsman Champion, took the lead on lap 5 of the first race of the year for the Lucas Oil Sportsman tour and cruised to the win in the Priced Right Remodeling No. p38.
“We’ve been trying to win one of these (tour races) for a while,” said Pratt. “Especially to win this here at home it means a lot.”
Pratt won the first of four qualifying heats on Bud Light night, allowing him the opportunity to redraw starting spot No. 3 for the 40-lap feature. He would quickly move to second on the first lap and then put the pressure on Mat Williamson.
Williamson also won a heat and was strong during the race, but on lap five, Pratt saw the bottom groove open up and took the lead that he would never let go of.
After a slew of early race cautions, the race began to take a green flag look to it, which was just what the Brockport driver needed to stretch his distance over the rest of the field.
“We just tried to hit a rhythm in the long runs,” said a jubilated Pratt in Victory Lane. “I have to thank (Paul) Gavenda for this great motor.”
As Pratt was pulling away to the win, Mat Williamson was solidly second for the entire event. Williamson was pleased by the tacky track conditions that were far different from his first trip to the 1/3-mile oval last season.
The winner of that race last year, Chad Chevalier, charged his way through the pack to post a third place finish. Don Spatarico and Tyler Macpherson fought hard to round out the top-five.
Dave DuBois continued his impressive weekend as he dominated the Castle Powered Late Model Feature.
DuBois drove away early in the event only to see Jim Johnson and Justin Chaddock closing quickly in the later stages of the 20 lap event.
Before the final restart, Chaddock’s No. 122 suffered mechanical problems and made it a two-man battle to the finish. DuBois would hit his marks and pull away from the defending track champion.
The No. 012 has struggled up until this weekend with break problems, but everything was perfect on Flag Day as he would lead from the green to the checkered.
Johnson would cross in second with Ron Magavero with an impressive charge to third. Billy Burd would score his best career finish, placing in fourth, with Tim Kauffman cracking into the top-five.
Mike Martin backed up his convincing win from a week ago with another dominant performance, running away to the win in the Original Pizza Logs Pro Stock Feature.
Martin took the lead from his son Brett on the second lap and walked away in an event with just a lone caution.
Following the No. 99 across the line was Butch Zimmerman in the No. 6. A three-wide finish to the line saw Pete Stefanski take third over Eric Greenlief and Don Barnes.
Jeb Walworth put his No. 74 in Victory Lane for the first time this season in the Power Trip Energy Drink Street Stocks with the division sponsor also on his car.
Walworth was the elite car the entire way, starting in seventh and was in fourth by the end of the first lap. After a lap 2 caution, the race would go caution-free the rest of the way, just the way the Churchville driver wanted it.
Colton Chappius seemed to be faster in the early stages but Walworth started to pull away after half way home. Chappius started to show smoke from the rear of his No. 60 in the closing laps, and had to work hard to hold off Lee Zimmerman for the runner-up spot.
Ken Hixenbaugh was again strong in fourth with Dave Downs completing the top-five.
Brandon Aradine continued his dominance of the Professional Driver Institute Mini Stock Division, taking the lead on lap five from Alan Kemp and running away to his third straight win in the division.
Aradine started sixth but quickly asserted himself as a contender quickly getting to second by the second lap. The Bergen resident then battled Kemp for two laps before finally completing the pass on the bottom.
Dan Norton also moved his way forward, finishing in second, with Alan Kemp, Ed Neal and early race leader Tom Amico rounding out the top-five.
James Maier picked up his first career DML Sealing Bandit feature, as he was the beneficiary of leaders Tom Urban and Herb Neal coming together. Maier had issues in the final laps, but would hold off Chris Johnson and Tom Urban.
Genesee Speedway Results: 6/14/2008-
Bud Light Night
Lucas Oil Sportsman Tour Feature (40 Laps)- ROB PRATT, Mat Williamson, Chad Chevalier, Don Spatorico, Tyler Macpherson, BJ Willard, Nick Cupolo, Brian Sage, Luke Carleton, James Friesen, Greg Mrzywka, Mark Dixon, Jesse Cottriss, Rick Bellante, Jim Johnstone, Stubby Pangrazio, John Venuto, Rob Richmond Jr., Darrell Farraway, Steve Miller, Tony Cowell, Ryan Susice, Steve Schumacher, John Baker.
DNQ- Don Ogden, Jason Hallett, Henry Maier, Justin Sharp, Justin Wright, Mark D’Ilario, B.J. Willard, Ken Winnfield, Mike O’Brien, Ed Cain, Kerry Ball, Gary Donnely, Mike Reynolds.
Lap Leaders- Williamson 1-4, Pratt 5-40.
Heat Winners- Pratt, Williamson, Cottriss, Miller.
Consolation Winners- Venuto, Sage.
Castle Powered Late Model Feature (20 Laps)- DAVE DUBOIS, Jim Johnson, Ron Magavero, Billy Burd, Tim Kauffman, Brian Kotarski, Rich Hale, JJ Mazur, Carl Shetler, Bob Babbitt, Pete Waldron, Justin Chaddock, T.J. Newton, Jason Bridge, Jon Rivers.
Lap Leaders- DuBois 1-20.
Heat Winners- Rivers, DuBois.
Original Pizza Logs Pro Stock Feature (15 Laps)- MIKE MARTIN, Butch Zimmerman, Pete Stefanski, Eric Greenlief, Don Barnes, Brett Martin, Scott Stolzenberg, Jack Terrell, Jim Burch Jr., Leon Pieczyski.
Lap Leaders- B. Martin 1, M. Martin 2-15.
Heat Winner- Barnes.
Power Trip Energy Drink Street Stock Feature (20 Laps)- JEB WALWORTH, Colton Chappius, Lee Zimmerman, Ken Hixenbaugh, Dave Downs, Joey Spicola, Jeremy Denton, John Giles, Mike Greenwalt, Matthew Pfalzer, John Fry, Byron Dewitt, Kevin Mitchell, Frank Lord Jr., Kenny Begnouche, Bill Weller, Steve Austin, Nathan Arnold.
Lap Leaders- Begnouche 1-4, Walworth 5-20.
Heat Winners- Spicola, Begnouche.
Professional Driver Institute Mini Stock Feature (15 Laps)- BRANDON ARADINE, Dan Norton, Alan Kemp, Ed Neal, Tom Amico, Duane Pingrey, Samantha Burch, Randy Barclay, Mark Forsha.
Lap Leaders- Amico 1, Kemp 2-4, Aradine 5-20.
Heat Winner- Neal.
DML Driveway Sealing Bandits (10 Laps)- JAMES MAIER, Chris Johnson, Tom Urban, Randy Barclay, Herb Neal, Sarah Johnson.
Lap Leaders- Urban 1-7, Maier 8-10. |
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