05/01/2004
MODIFIEDS
PUT ON A SHOW
by Walter
Johnston
Modifieds
The
Modifieds put on a terrific show, with some surprises and some
expected results and with this being a time trial show, that
should be expected.
JR Bertuccio set fast time in the #2
Gershow Recycling Chevrolet, followed by Mike Andrews, Chuck
Steuer, Chris Young, Howie Brode, and Ken Heagy The top 6
re-drew for the start and Mike Andrews drew the pole. The rest
of the top six were Young, Bertuccio, Heagy, Brode, and
Steuer. The field took the green, and off they went, but only
for 3 laps until the first yellow flew, for a spin by John
Denniston. On the next restart, Ken Heagy in the #33 SPONSORS
WANTED Chevrolet got tapped, and went around in turn 1 & 2
on lap 4. One more attempt found the field bunched up, causing
a tangle in turn 4 involving Jivanelli, Anderson, Denniston,
and Vogel. All were able to pull away with a little help
untangling by the wreckers, and Jivanelli made a brief pit
stop to repair minor damage.
The next restart put on would prove to
provide a great long green run, with Chris Young and the #49
Riverhead Building Supply Chevrolet in the lead, JR Bertuccio
got by Mike Andrews for 2nd, while Chris Young
enjoyed a 5 car length lead. This continued through lap 30,
with the top 3 then running bumper to bumper to bumper, and
the next three, John Fortin, Howie Brode, and Chuck Steuer
closing in on them. At lap 30, Andrews made a move to get
second from Bertuccio. On lap 37, Young slipped up coming out
of turn 2, and Andrews slipped past for the lead, with
Bertuccio moving up to second. After that, chaos would return
on lap 42, with another yellow for Steuer spinning. At this
point the #93 Aable Auto Salvage Chevrolet of Sal Accardi Jr.
was now into 5th place, with John Fortin right
behind pushing to get towards the front. After the cleanup, a
restart would commence only good for a lap, as Ed Brunnhoelzl
Jr. and Mike Curtis got together, with Curtis getting towed
off.
On the lap 44 restart, Chris Young’s
tire seemed to have given up, and he was fading back, with
Fortin and Accardi moving further up, bringing Joe Hartmann
along to 5th. When the dust settled, Mike Andrews Jr. came
home the winner in the #10x Prestigious Properties Chevrolet,
followed by Bertuccio, Fortin, Accardi, and Hartmann rounding
out the top 5.
Late Models
The
Late Model gang had a good race too. Pole sitter Keith Rotzi
jumped into the lead and held on until Andy Lokkeberg passed
him on lap 4, with Kevin Metzger moving into 2nd.
At lap 12, Rotzi hit the first turn wall hard and was towed
off, finishing his night.
Not too long after the restart, another
yellow waved at lap 15 for a crash on the front stretch
between the newly
numbered #99 of Matty Higgins and #55 of Bubba Zwickel. A lengthy cleanup
followed and racing resumed until the next yellow on lap 21
for a multiple car tangle that damaged the #10 Ranco Sand
& Stone Pontiac of Scott Kulesa, and the #72 J.R.'s Steak
House Pontiac of Greg Kleila. Emerging from the chaos, would
be the steadily advancing Glenn Tyler in the #28 Spring &
Summer Activities Pontiac, now running in 2nd. On
the restart, Tyler would get by Lokkeberg and went on to
victory. The resulting top five would be Glenn Tyler, Andy
Lokkeberg, Mike Mortimer, Dave Brigati, and Jarrod Hayes.
Chargers
The
Chargers seemed like they’d never get going, starting out
with two cautions before ever getting an official lap in. Much
to everyone’s surprise, after that, it was a non-stop 20-lap
race. Taking advantage of some mechanical difficulties with
Jim Donnelly’s pole sitting #27, Chris Turbush in the #81
Spano Floors Pontiac took almost no time getting to the front
and doing all he needed to stay there. Meanwhile, behind him,
a fierce battle was going on, and when the dust settled, only
Eric Lutz in second was the only non Turbush in the top 4,
with Dan Turbush in 3rd, and Rusty Turbush in 4th.
Rounding out the top five would be Eric Goodale in the #05
Riverhead Building Supply Pontiac.
Blunderbusts
In
the Blunderbusts, it was the Wild Child, Tommy Walkowiak in
the #00 C&A Auto Parts Chevrolet, coming up through the
field from his 10th starting position to take the
win over Artie Pedersen, who led from the drop of the green,
but finished 2nd. The driver with the worst luck had to be
George Crockett, who was running
2nd and pressuring for the lead, when he
suddenly pulled into the infield off turn 2 on lap 12. Other
impressive drives were put on by
the #79 of Bill Wegmann, who started 13th
and finished 3rd, and
Dale Arnold in the #53, who started 9th and
finished 5th, while the #14 of Mike Schwarz had an
impressive run in his return to Blunderbusts with a 4th
place finish.
Super Pro Trucks
The
trucks rolled out a good field of 16, and put on a terrific
race. There was a little yellow fever in the beginning, but
when it was sorted out, they put on a good show for the fans
of the tailgate brigade, with Lou Maestri fighting his way up
from 7th starting position for the win in the #1
Schwing Electric Ford. Following Maestri would be
#66 Mike Albasini, #38 Dan Grennan,
#98x Dave Brigati, and a very impressive run from 15th
to 5th for the #7 Dodge of Rich Giordano.
Sources: Walter
Johnston/LongIslandJam.com
Posted: May 3, 2004
