LABOR
DAY FULL OF ENDURO ACTION
by Kim Watson
The final Enduro Sunday falling traditionally on Labor
Day weekend provided a lot of action for the fans. The Super
Pro Trucks started the day off and were followed by Enduros
– Grand, 4/6 cylinder trucks, and Stock 4,6,and 8 cylinder
divisions. Spectator Drags had the day off, so the Monster
Trucks joined the festivities for some car crushing action.
Cool temperatures and a clean track made for some fast green
flag runs.
Eleven Super Pro Trucks came out for their thirteenth
race of the year. The Eddy’s Trailer Sales #30 Ford driven
by Shawn Gouldsbury started on the pole. #5 Teddy Bear Racing
Ford of Frank Dumicich, Jr., using his father’s truck, took
the lead for a few laps, while #10 Dantona Industries
Chevrolet of Hank Hallock made a nice dive to get into second
place. Drivers were on the move as Lou Maestri’s #1 Schwing
Electric Ford climbed up to fifth, and Bryan Sescila gave the
#10 a smooth bump and run for second. Sescila’s fast run
continued with an inside pass for the lead.
The only caution of the race fell on lap 10 when the
#98x of Dave Brigati went for a spin in turn 4. After the
single file restart Troy Ferdinando’s #9 Troystar
Motorsports Chevrolet moved up into 4th place. A
minor fender touch between #1 Maestri and the #5 Dumicich
allowed the #38 of Danny Grennan to slip into third place.
Bryan Sescila took home his second win of the season
for the Victory Fleet Maintenance and All Systems Brake
Service team. #38 Danny Grennan finished second. Lou Maestri
finished third and clinched the Super Pro Truck Championship
for 2004. The Saturday night tailgate brigade have one more
points race left to (decide 2nd on back), and
considering it’s a time trial it is sure to be an exciting
one.
The Grand Enduro had 29 cars in its 60-lap run. Pia
Hofmann started on the pole with Rich Johnson’s #1 Constant
Performance Chevrolet on the outside. Rich quickly got out
front with a big lead and Greg Zaleski’s #12 Willow Hill
Auto Olds followed him in second. The back of the pack was a
bit slow as Billy “Bear” Weigelt’s #7 Creative Candles
Chevrolet picked his way through the field. Jim White’s #17
went for a spin in turn 2, and Anthony Russo found himself in
a turn 1 & 2 mess. Eric Holmberg made a nice save in turn
4, but wound up pulling into the infield anyway. “Uncle”
Richard Petey’s #43 Main Street Motors Chevrolet went for a
spin on the backstretch as well. The lead was taken over by
#12 Greg Zaleski when Rich Johnson’s Constant Performance
car pulled in with a flat.
The red flag waved on lap 18 to make sure Kevin
Lawlor’s #10 car wasn’t on fire. Lawlor had been stuck on
the start/finish line after a turn 4 incident. The restart
gave Frank Curtis Jr. and the #34 entry a chance to burn some
rubber off of his tires. Walter Little’s #2 ran into some
trouble in turn 4, while Ralph Zegel and the #15 NAPA Auto
Parts Chevrolet ran some consistent laps. Bob Baker’s #09
Constant Performance Chevrolet pulled into the infield during
the closing laps.
A strong run in clean air gave Tommy “the Wild
Child” Walkowiak his second win of the weekend in the #9
Laura White RCSW Counseling Services Chevrolet. #12 Greg
Zaleski had a great run and finished second, and Bob Pease’s
#97 BV Sprinklers Chevrolet cruised their way to third.
Twenty-five 4 and 6-cylinder trucks raced for 50 laps.
Brian Brown’s #14 Outlaw, Inc. Chevrolet had some trouble in
the pits and was unable to start the race. Victor Mendoza and
the #03 Harbor Hills Construction Chevrolet started on the
pole, but a good start gave the lead to Racin’ Ronnie Albano
and his #5 Bonessi Auto Parts Chevrolet. By lap 4, John Cozza
and the #59 Island Parts Outlet Chevrolet took the lead and
began lapping the field. Robin Schwire was running well, and
Dege Russell’s #2 Kelly Russell Realty entry went for a spin
in turn 2. Eric Vankeskern ran it high and wide. Tom Bake and
#07 SPONSORS WANTED Chevrolet was able to get back out after a
spin in turn 4. Both #03 Victor Mendoza and Thomas Lutz were
among the drivers that went to the infield.
Andy Owen and the #29 Helm Brothers Mercedes Benz
Chevrolet came off of the back stretch wall with a right front
tire rub. Anthony Vecchio made a nice save when his Ideal
Cesspool truck went to high in turn 4. The #77 Blue Point Auto
Body Chevrolet and Rob “The Kid” McCormick seemed to be
relaxing most of the race until he wrecked in turn 3 and
collected some of the field. Ed “Scorpion” Colon’s #3
Sunrise Motors Chevrolet took a spin around turn 4 during the
closing laps.
#59 John Cozza took home another win for Island Parts
Outlet. #7 Dan Jones had a nice run to finish second in his
Blue Point Auto Body truck. #8 Rich Onorato made a nice save
in turn 3 to finish third.
A big field of 75 cars filled the track during the
100-lap Stock 8-cylinder run. Dege Russell and the Kelly
Russell Realty entry were the first to lead a few laps. Gary
Hubbard’s Studio Del Arte Chevrolet went for a spin in turns
3 & 4. With so many cars on the track the first few laps
were slow moving. Bruce Scanstra and Brian Sklarsky pulled
into the infield. Sean McIntee was getting a push from fellow
competitors. There were pile-ups all around as a five car
tangle blocked turn 2.
The red flag came out on lap 14 when Jim Kenney took a
driver’s side hit after being stuck at the start/finish
line. Jim was fine and the break in the action gave drivers a
chance to pull off or regroup. On the restart Jeff Nizen was
fast. Walter Celinski pulled into the infield without his left
rear tire. Station Auto Parts driver James Heym also had tire
problems. Joseph Warren had the lead for a little bit until
Anthony Pizzo and the STS Tires entry took it over. Andrew
Nawrocky had a great second place run going until front end
damage ended his day. James McCarthy’s car was handling
well, and Michael Orsi’s loose car gave him a wild ride. By
the end of the run only 9 cars were left on the track.
Anthony Pizzo took home his second Enduro win. Walter
Stroud Jr. and the SPONSORS WANTED entry finished second, and
Mike Saluato came in third.
Seventeen cars were set to run for the 35-lap
6-cylinder race. Past winners Stanley Wangenstein and Steve
Elicati started on the front row. After the rolling start Stan
“The Man” took the lead and there was a tight four-car
battle for second. Elicati took the lead over on lap 5.
Patrick Hallock went for a spin in turn 2.
John L. Vaughan and Shawn Wanat looked like they had a
great time racing each other. James Badalato was running some
clean laps. Christian Conklin did a good job of diving low to
avoid a turn 2 wreck. The only cars in the infield belonged to
Gary Conklin and Eric Wahlrab. For the most part it was a
clean race with minor paint rubs.
Steven Elicati took home his second 6-cylinder win for
SMF Landscaping. John L. Vaughan came in 2nd for
Bay Port Auto Body, and Fontana’s Bakery driver Ed Fontana
had a nice run to finish 3rd.
Seventy-five 4-cylinder cars were up next for their
100-lap run. The track was surprisingly clean by this point of
the day. Robin Schwire led the way and started lapping cars on
the first lap. Turn 3 became blocked with wrecked cars. The
race began to look like a demo with all of the parts flying
around. On lap 11 Kevin Diaz took the lead for a few laps.
Christian Peterson went for a spin in turn 4. Michael Hermges
did a great job of checking up to avoid a stuck competitor.
Donald Oliver pulled into the infield while Scott
Edvabsky kept going despite heavy damage. John Vaughan Sr. was
on the move for Bay Port Auto Body. Scott Brown had a great
run going until a turn 1 spin. Lisa Edvabsky did a great job
of getting through traffic. Stanley Wangenstein took the lead
on lap 40. Geoffrey Harbach was fast with his outside run.
On lap 43 a red flag was thrown to make sure Anthony
Vecchio was ok. After the restart Donald Lawrence took over
the lead. Richard Cardella went for a backstretch spin. Pat
Verwys and Daniel Insalace joined the group watching from the
infield. The competition was hammering Jared Morrison’s car
in typical Enduro fashion. Matt Brown made some nice passes in
turns 3 & 4. Advantage Vending’s Raymond “Big Ray”
Voss went around on the front stretch. Douglas Allen and
Robert Colgan had problems getting around turn 2.
Peconic Auto Repair’s Donald Lawrence dominated the
second-half of the race to take home his first Enduro win.
Eric Lehr made a pass in the closing laps to finish second
with his Dietrich’s Auto Repair entry, and Stan’s Towing
Stanley Wangenstein came in third.
The second Stock 8-cylinder race had 30 cars in its
40-lap run. The action started right away as the first four
cars battled for the lead. Anthony Pizzo got it with Walter
Stroud Jr. in second. Tom Lacoste went for a spin in turn 2,
while car #28 ended their run with a flat. Thaddeus Lattanzio
was a bit off of the pace before pulling it in. Billy Innes
was having a good run. On lap 14 Walter Stroud took the lead
with an outside pass.
Walt Zelenski went for a wild ride down the front
stretch, while a wreck in the backstretch blocked the leaders.
Anthony Pizzo made a nice save when his car got loose out of
turn 3. Frank Martines joined the infield and Vincent
Abbatiello went for a spin in turn 4. On lap 31 Eugene
Malverty charged into second with a fast outside run. By lap
34 Malverty used lap traffic to take over the lead. John
O’Rourke and Joe Leek had great runs among the 20 cars that
were left on the track.
Eugene Malverty finished first, with Walter Stroud in
second and Stanley Wangenstein in third.
