|
GOSHEN, NY-- Jerry Higbie Crowned 358 Modified Champion At Orange County Fair Speedway for Third Time
By Steve Pados, GA Motorsports Media
As the 2008 racing begins to crest, Slate Hill, New York Modified star Jerry Higbie can look back on some of the early season disappointments and realize the drive up the ladder to secure a Championship is not only another proud moment in his successful racing career, but showed the extreme determination and dedication a team can achieve when they work together to reach their final destination. For the popular Higbie, the "Statesman From Slate Hill" gained another milestone in his racing career on Saturday night when he drove the Affordable Transmission owned number 17 small block Modified to an exciting third place finish at the Orange County Fair Speedway and with it captured his third 358 Modified title at the historic speedway. Higbie's other titles at OCFS came in 1994 and 2005. Higbie began his assault to the front from the 14th starting position. Throwing caution to the wind, Higbie methodically worked his way forward as he picked off cars one by one on his drive to the front. As the race progressed it was Brett Hearn out front with the veteran Kirk Horton keeping pace and Higbie appearing to be the fastest car on the racetrack. Higbie ran out of laps before he could mount a serious challenge and crossed the start/finish line behind Hearn and Horton. For Hearn, the win was his 750th in a stellar career that will easily find him as a Hall of Fame selection. "The Iceman" Dom Roselli wound up fourth in a solid effort and Tommy Meier completed the top five. The points chase, while now academic, shows Higbie out front with a 76 point advantage over second place man Tim Hindley with the totals at 528 for Higbie and 452 for Hindley. Johnny Guarino is third with 418 points and last year's Champion David Van Horn is fourth with 417. Craig Mitchell completes the top five with 411 markers. In the Big Block portion of the evening, Higbie again had a very fast hot rod at his disposal and began his climb to the front immediately after starting from 18th position. The Team Shaver mount was clicking on all cylinders and Higbie used most of it to steer his way into contention. Clinton Mills started up front and enjoyed a huge advantage as he led the entire race. The first 25-laps of the event went non-stop and Mills was forced to relinquish his big lead when the caution came out. On the restart, David Van Horn threw everything he had at Mills but Mills prevailed with his first win of the season. David Van Horn was second and with the finish will just have to start Saturday Night's main event to lay claim to his first Modified title at OCFS. Michael Storms was third in the event and continues to impress the railbirds with his great racing efforts. Higbie finished fourth in the event and Chuck McKee completed the top five. With Van Horn a shoe-in for the Modified title, Chuck McKee and Jerry Higbie will race for the runnerup spot this coming Saturday night. McKee has a 23 point advantage over Higbie going into Saturday night's finale so both of the gifted drivers will have to be at their best to see how it all plays out. Michael Storms is fourth in the points chase with defending Champion Jeff Heotzler rounding out the top five. Higbie also added a solid fourth place finish to his impressive resume up at the Accord Speedway last Friday night. Starting from 14th position, the going was a bit slow at first but Higbie again used the vast Accord real estate to become a contender towards the latter stages of the event. Having some cars ahead of him racing on the topside, Higbie shot the Big Block powered signatured numbered 97 to the basement side of the speedway and worked diligently at moving forward. Moving into fourth with four laps to go, Higbie hooked up in a sea-saw battle with Scotty Ferrier as the two went side by side on the raceway the remainder of the event. Rich Ricci Jr was up to the task and scored his second win of the season but his first win since opening night. Richie Eurich enjoyed a solid performance in the runnerup slot and Ferrier nipped Higbie at the line for third place money. Mike Ricci completed the top five. The Accord Modified point standings scrambled up quite a bit last week as point leader Andy Bachetti suffered a broken drive shaft after being clobbered from the rear in the early going and the result was an early departure from the feature event. Whil still leading in ponts, Andy Bachetti saw his lead shrink to just 24 points over Rich Ricci Jr as Bachetti has 683 and Ricci Jr has 659. Jerry Higbie gained ground as well as he is third with 636 points. The next couple of three weeks will really heat up the action as all three drivers are well in the mix for the title and all are well schooled as to where they need to finish as the points race draws to a close on the 12th of September. Rich Ricci Jr is the defending Modified Champion and holds ten track titles to date while Higbie was a track Champion at Accord in 1994. To date Bachetti is still seeking a track title at Accord. This week will find the Higbie race team back at Accord Speedway for the Friday night racing action and over to OCFS for the Saturday night racing. In other racing news, Jerry Higbie confirmed that current Modified point leader at the New Eygpt Speedway, Keith "K-Dog" Hoffman has been assigned to one of the signature 97 Higbie cars for the upcoming King of the Catskills race at Accord on September 26th. Hoffman, who is a multi-time Big Diamond Raceway champ as well as the 2001 titlist at New Egypt, is looking forward to racing at Accord as he has heard so many positive comments about the great racing taking place at the speedway he began talking with Higbie about the possibility of a ride for the event and Higbie had his ROC mount available for the talented Hoffman. The pairing will be a good one as the Higbie team prepares for the season ending racing events. Higbie's aggressive 2008 racing schedule has found him in the thick of the racing action as he challenges for the Accord Speedway and Orange County Fair Speedway Championships this year. For the Accord events, Higbie will race the family owned signature numbered 97 cars and for his assault on OCFS and select WRG Series Races, Higbie will once again strap himself into the Team Shaver numbered 47 equipment as the Shaver Team will have two Big Block cars for Higbie to steer. Sponsorship for the Teams comes from a great group of loyal sponsors who have supported Higbie throughout his successful racing career. Mid-City Transit, Mr K's Carpet Service, Behrent's Speed Center, SKJ Towing and BadaBing Pizza have all lent their support to the 97 cars, and Beaverkill Trout Hatchery, Superior Building Supply and Woodburne Lawn & Garden lend their support to the Shaver Team. Higbie will be seeking other opportunities with the Affordable Transmission numbered 17 now that he has secured the 358 Small Block title at OCFS. Jerry Higbie Racing would like to thank the entire racing community for their support and well wishes as the team prepares for a great season in racing this year. Higbie's business, HigFab, has been busy throughout the new racing season helping many teams with their racing programs. For more information regarding the services and capablities of the highly trained HigFab Staff, please contact the shop at: 845 294 0898. For additional information and updates regarding Jerry Higbie Racing, go to their newly constructed website at: http://www.higbieracing.com |
|
