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THE JERSEY JET JJ GRASSO ROCKETS TO HIS SECOND URC WIN OF 2008 SATURDAY
NIGHT AT NEW EGYPT SPEEDWAY
A hardy crowd filled the grandstands Saturday night at the New Egypt
Speedway as the Rislone URC Sprint Series presented their seventh show
of the season and fourth race of the Fred's Trailer Parts New Series of
2008. With a big crowd on hand, the United Racing Company was certainly
not short of sprint cars as thirty-four competitors turned out for the
night of racing. At the end of the night, JJ Grasso of Pedricktown, NJ
once again lived up to his name, "the Jersey Jet" by winning his second
URC feature of the season with both wins coming at the New Egypt
Speedway. In fact, Grasso has three URC career feature wins and his
first career win came in 2007 and yes, you guessed it, that win was at
New Egypt as well. For Grasso, he would enjoy even more race dates at
the Jackson, NJ racing facility.
Three heat race events were presented with Chris Coyle, Joey Biasi and
Becca Anderson taking the victories as Kevin Welsh was the winner of the
twelve lap "B" Main. Anderson, who was fast all night and was looking
at a third place starting position in the twenty-five lap feature,
developed a motor problem with the Bar's Leaks sprint car and was forced
to scratch before even taking the green in the feature event.
At the drop of the green flag Chris Coyle of Wilmington, DE and driver
of the BPG Motorsports sponsored sprint car gunned to an early lead with
Joey Biasi just off the pace. By lap three, the Jersey Jet was racing
in second with his sights already on Coyle. After leading the first
seven circuits, Coyle gave up the lead to Grasso. The work for Coyle
was far from over as Trenton, NJ driver Mark Bitner moved into second on
lap ten. One lap later, Coyle was back in second and by lap twelve,
Bitner returned to the runner-up spot.
Passing was plentiful and as the field crossed the line for the halfway
sign, Grasso was the leader followed by Bitner, Coyle, Brian Seidel and
point leader Curt Michael. Coyle returned to the second spot on lap
fifteen and quickly went after the leader. On lap eighteen, Coyle took
the lead with Grasso back in second. As the fans stayed on the edge of
their seat, Grasso again took the lead, this time opening the door for
Bitner to move into second with Coyle now third. Not too far off the
pace was Curt Michael watching this dog-fight battle for the lead from
the best seat in the house.
With a surge of power on lap twenty-four, Coyle challenged both Bitner
and Grasso for the top two spots but his awesome ride came to an end
after contact with a lapped car that sent the BPG sprinter spinning in
turn two, displaying the one and only caution flag of the event. Coyle
restarted the race at the rear of the field.
At the front of the pack, with just two laps remaining, Mark Bitner and
Curt Michael were looking for a lane to challenge Grasso for the lead.
Bitner offered the most serious threat, taking the low groove off four
on the final lap, coming up short by just one car length. Grasso took
the win followed by Mark Bitner, Curt Michael, Davey Sammons in the
Palladino sprint as Joey Biasi finished a strong fifth.
JJ Grasso earned the LikeWise Construction fast time of the night as
Kevin Welsh won the Don Ott "B" Main. The Fred's Trailer Parts Hard
Charger Award went to rookie driver Brett Schoenly for advancing nine
spots in the twenty-five lap feature event.
Seventeen year old David Gravel of Watertown, CT qualified for this
first URC main event, finishing a strong sixth in the "B" Main and
delivered a twentieth in the feature event. Modified star Billy Pauch
was in the field, delivering a tenth place feature finish.
FEATURE FINISH: JJ Grasso, Mark Bitner, Curt Michael, Davey Sammons,
Joey Biasi, Josh Weller, Dave Ely, Brian Seidel, Robbie Stillwaggon,
Billy Pauch, Scott Pursell, Kevin Welsh, Brett Schoenly, Jamie Bodo, Ed
Aikin, Chris Coyle, Rory Janne, Kyle Purks, Chuck Palmucci, David
Gravel, Randy West, Jason Clauss, Trevor Lewis, Gary Gollub. DNQ- -
Mares Stellfox, Art Liedl, Dave Gable, Mike Kostic, Howard Singer, Jeff
Fithian, Jim Walters, Jimmy Reppert, Andrew Hannula, Becca Anderson.
Coming
RISLONE URC Sprint Series Schedule
Saturday, June 28 Delaware International Speedway
Friday, July 4 Bridgeport Speedway
Saturday, July 12 New Egypt Speedway
Friday, July 18 Big Diamond Raceway
Saturday, July 19 Selinsgrove $3,000 to win Jack Gunn Memorial
Saturday, July 26 Grandview Speedway
For more information, please visit our website at: www.urcsprints.com
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