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Rob Richmond Jr. and Justin Chaddock Back to Victory Lane at Genesee
Rich Vleck, BATAVIA, NY (August 30, 2008)- Rob Richmond Jr. dramatically led all 20 laps of the Troyer Chassis Sportsman Feature to pick up his second career win, but the stories that unfolded behind the No. 93Jr for the championship were a major factor on the night.
The Rochester Resident picked up his second win of the season, taking the lead on the start of the race from his outside pole position and staying steady for the win. Before he could get to the checkered flags though, there were a few hurdles to clear.
The moment of race occurred on lap 17 when Richmond, 2007 Champion Rob Pratt and 2006 Champ Brian Sage engaged in a dogfight for the lead. At the same time, Ross Vleck came together with Mike O’Brien while battling for fifth place, bringing the caution out. As the leaders entered turn three, all three came together, with Sage ending up spun around. Because Sage did not maintain his position, he was told to rejoin at the tail of the field; Pratt was then given the same instruction for his roll in the incident. The result would be all the running room Richmond would need for the win.
“I got into Brian (Sage) on the backstretch and I have to apologize for that, I tried to race everyone clean,” said a jubilated Richmond in Victory Lane. “We had a great car all night and we had a lot of family here tonight.”
After the final restart, Richmond would have to hold off Justin Wright in the No. 11J, who scrambled hard for an opening but came up just short. Rookies Henry Maier and Jason Hallett would follow with Ricky Newton rounding out the top-five.
The incident with Sage and Pratt was even more significant because the unlikely duo were catapulted into Championship contention when the top three in points entering the race, Don Spatorico, John Venuto and Stubby Pangrazio, were all part of an eight-car pileup on lap seven. All of them would rejoin but for the mid-section of the race, it was Pratt with the provisional point lead.
Spatorico would eventually climb back up to eighth, which was more than enough to secure the track championship. As it turns out, even if Sage or Pratt would have won, the Ransomville Veteran still would have had enough to capture the title.
Justin Chaddock flew from the back of his heat to the front to score the win in his heat race. Starting up closer to the front in the feature, you would think things would be easy for him in the feature, but the final few laps were anything but that.
The local favorite picked up his third win of the year just days after having his trailer broken in to.
Chaddock lost the lead on lap 16 when he nearly spun his No. 122 Rocket Chassis out coming off of turn two. Point leader Dave DuBois would take the point but a persistent Chaddock would drive back around the No. 012 Shaw in lapped traffic and take the lead just before the races first caution on lap 17.
As the caution flew, the lapped car of Rich Hale was in between the top two, allowing Chaddock some breathing room on the restart. After DuBois moved into second in line though, a final caution on lap 19 would give him one more chance. On the final restart, Chaddock was perfect and drove away to the win.
Behind Chaddock and DuBois were Bob Babbitt, Jim Johnson and Ron Mogavero to complete the top-five.
Eric Greenlief scored his first win in a while in the Original Pizza Logs Pro Stocks, rounding out the season on a high note, holding off 2008 Champion Pete Stefanski for the win in the 20-lap finale.
Greenlief won his first heat race of the year and was out in front in the feature until the only caution of the event on lap when he handed over the lead to Stefanski. After two laps of following the No. 2 though, Greenelief recaptured the lead and would hang on for the win.
Behind Greenlief and Stefanski were Mike Martin, Butch Zimmerman and Brett Martin.
Jeb Walworth completed a month of perfection in August as he won his fourth straight win in the Power Trip Energy Drink Street Stock Feature.
Walworth took the lead on a lap nine restart from Dan Pries and steadily drove away from point leader Colton Chappius over the second half of the race to be the first driver to score five wins in the street stocks this season.
Chappius inched closer to the track championship with the runner-up finish. Pries held on for another solid run in third. Doug Jones and Bill Kowsky rounded out the top-five.
Jason Hull picked up his second straight Professional Driver Institute Mini Stock Feature win, surviving a slew of challenges from Alan Kemp to go back-to-back.
The 2006 Track Champion waited until August to get his racing fix, but since taking to the track has rekindled his front-running ways.
Hull first took the lead on lap five when Samantha Burch and Ed Neal came together battling for the lead. Youngster Alan Kemp would snatch the lead away for a lap but Hull hit his marks the next time around the 1/3-mile to take the top spot back.
After the races only caution on lap 11, Hull was able to lead a five-car freight train for the final four circuits, with Kemp, point leader Brandon Aradine, Dan Norton and young Dylan Cecce completing the top-five.
P.J. Havens out dueled Tom Urban in a spirited battle in the DML Driveway Sealing Bandit Feature, making the final pass for the lead on lap seven to score his third win of the season.
Havens initially took lead on the drop of the green flag, but handed it over three laps into the event. Urban washed up the track five laps later though and would have to settle for second. Chad Dickinson would round out the podium.
For more information, visit www.GeneseeSpeedway.com.
Genesee Speedway Results: 8/30/2008-
Castle Powered Late Model Feature (20 Laps)- JUSTIN CHADDOCK, Dave DuBois, Bob Babbitt, Jim Johnson, Ron Magavero, JJ Mazur, Don Newton, Billy Burd, Terry Pangrazio, Rich Hale, Tom Baker, Jon Rivers, Tim Kauffman, Jason Bridge, Pete Waldron.
Lap Leaders- Waldron 1-2, Chaddock 3-15, DuBois 16, Chaddock 17-20.
Heat Winners- Chaddock, Rivers.
Troyer Chassis Sportsman Feature (20 Laps)- ROB RICHMOND JR., Justin Wright, Henry Maier, Jason Hallett, Ricky Newton, Stubby Pangrazio, Don Ogden, Don Spatorico, John Venuto, Rob Pratt, Tim Downs, Ross Vleck, Steve Schumacher, Brian Sage, Guy Steffen, Mike O’Brien, Greg Mrzywka, Kerry Ball, John Baker.
Lap Leaders- Richmond 1-20.
Heat Winners- Richmond, Maier.
2008 Champion- Don Spatorico.
Original Pizza Logs Pro Stock Feature (20 Laps)- ERIC GREENLIEF, Pete Stefanski, Mike Martin, Butch Zimmerman, Brett Martin, Scott Gribben, Jesse Repass, Ron Richter, John Gagner, Scott Stolzenberg, Ryan Worthington.
Lap Leaders- Greenlief 1-8, Stefanski 9-10, Greenlief 11-20.
Heat Winner- Greenlief.
2008 Champion- Pete Stefanski
Power Trip Energy Drink Street Stock Feature (20 Laps)- JEB WALWORTH, Colton Chappius, Dan Pries, Doug Jones, Bill Kowsky, Nathan Arnold, Dave Downs, Mike Jackson, John Fry, Matthew Pfalzer, Byron DeWitt, Ken Hixenbaugh, Gary Donnely, John Giles, Chip Wood, Darrel Moyer (DNS), Steve Austin (DNS).
Lap Leaders- Kowsky 1-2, Pries 3-8, Walworth 9-20.
Heat Winners- Kowsky, Walworth.
Professional Driver Institute Mini Stock Feature (15 Laps)- JASON HULL, Alan Kemp, Brandon Aradine, Dan Norton, Dylan Cecce, Samantha Burch, Pat Powers, Duane Pingrey, Randy Barclay, Bobby Dickinson, Mike Sweeney, Ed Neal, Brian Norton, Vinnie Amico.
Lap Leaders- Burch 1-4, Hull 5-9, Kemp 10, Hull 11-15.
Heat Winners- Aradine, D. Norton.
DML Driveway Sealing Bandits (10 Laps)- P.J. HAVENS, Tom Urban, Chad Dickinson, Randy Barclay Jr., James Maier, Sarah Johnson.
Lap Leaders- Havens 1-2, Urban 3-6, Havens 7-10. |
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