10/23/2005
Todd Hoddick and Adam Lacicero claim checkers in Walt DeMorris
Challenge at Mountain Speedway
St. Johns, PA-
Twenty-five full-bodied late model racecars took the green flag
for the Walt DeMorris Late Model Memorial Challenge Sunday at
Mountain Speedway. The family of Walt DeMorris, Bartley Racing
Enterprises, LongIslandJam.com and many friends of Walt
sponsored the race, originally slated for Saturday. It was
postponed until the following day due to heavy downpours.
DeMorris was a late model competitor at Riverhead Raceway on
Long Island. Although Walt never won a championship or feature
event, he was rather known as winning the hearts of many fans
and competitors with his gentle smile and urge to compete in the
late model division with a very limited budget. He often spoke
about traveling to other speedways, and late in 2004 he finally
did so. Traveling off Long Island, Walt headed to Mountain
Speedway for their annual ‘King of the Mountain’. Although his
finish wasn’t strong, DeMorris planned on returning for the same
show in ’05. Unfortunately, DeMorris lost his life in an ATV
accident the day after his run at Mountain.
The afternoon
started off with rookie sensation, Mike Rodriguez, Jr. running
the best lap during time trials. The top six qualifiers were
inverted for the start of the 100-lap main event, in which Buzzy
Eriksen started from the pole (after qualifying sixth). Mountain
Speedway’s season late model champion, Larry Fisher, started
second. The racing chariots lined up on the front stretch, shut
off their engines and Mrs. DeMorris (Walt’s mother) thanked
everyone and gave the drivers the command to start their engines
during the heartfelt ceremony.
When the green waved, it was Larry Fisher in command over Glenn
Tyler, Mike Coll, Mike Rodriguez and Buzzy Eriksen, but a turn
three caution slowed the event when Kevin Metzger, Mitch Hawk
and Bryan Sescila collected in turn three. On the restart,
Fisher held command over Coll and Rodriguez, who had climbed to
third. Rodriguez looked underneath Coll coming out of turn four
for the second spot. As the two exited the turn, Rodriguez
spun. Without a caution, he rejoined the rear of the field. By
lap twenty-one, Fisher was still out front holding off attempts
from Mike Hoddick, Coll, Tyler and Ron Nurmi, but as the race
went on, Hoddick began gaining on the leader and made the
outside pass work on lap thirty-four. With mechanical problems,
Rodriguez spun entering turn one on the following circuit, which
brought out another yellow. Fisher slid back to third on the
restart when passed by Barry Gommer. Gommer set his sights on
Hoddick, but the driver of the Gorden Racing Engines #99 Dodge
Charger (Hoddick) held the lead when the competition yellow was
displayed at the halfway break. This gave the crew an
opportunity to refuel the racecars for the remaining 50 laps.
Five laps after the restart, Hoddick still held command over
Gommer, Fisher, Tyler and Tony Volpe, and as the laps passed by
Hoddick began to distance himself from second, at times almost
by a half lap.
By lap eighty-six Tyler had worked his way into second over Gommer,
Fisher and Mortimer. The second of three lap ninety-three
cautions slowed the pace of the event when Kulesa and Gommer got
together in turn two. Things turned worse on the restart when
Tyler had problems getting up to speed and was tagged by Fisher
who was right behind the second place machine. Tyler spun and
collected Coll, Volpe, Kulesa, Mortimer and Kleila. On the final
restart, Hoddick held the point over Fisher, Eriksen, Hayes and
Gommer, which is how they crossed the stripe.
After taking the checkered flag for the victory, Hoddick noted,
“This was an excellent race and it feels great to win this
special event ($2,000 prize, plus lap money). I’m not used to a
bullring type track. It’s a tough place to get around”. The
Lancaster, New York native’s track is Lake Erie Speedway in
North East, PA.
After winning his heat race earlier in the afternoon, Brandon Stowell
started on the pole for the 50-lap street stock event. Scott
Meckes, who started second immediately lurched out front with
the drop of the green flag. The third of four lap fifteen
cautions slowed the event when John Bennett and Lee Sharpsteen
collided in turn one. Unable to avoid the two, Robert Geibel,
Frank Katona, Ken Matlach, Ray Minieri and Kristy Arthofer were
also collected. The red was displayed for Arthofer, who ended
up slamming the turn one wall. Arthofer appeared shaken up, but
uninjured when she exited her automobile. Meckes held the top
spot on the restart and by lap twenty-five he continued to do so
over Adam Lacicero, Stowell, Todd Geist and Matlach, but when
the caution flew for an incident on the same lap, Meckes
experienced problems and headed pit side, which moved Lacicero
into the number one slot. With Lacicero leading over Matlach,
Geist moved past Stowell and into third with forty-six laps
shown on the scoreboard. Geist attempted to take a bid at the
lead on the following lap when he nosed underneath Lacicero in
turn two. Because of the contact during the attempt, Geist spun
out of contention and brought out the yellow flag. Matlach
applied heavy pressure to Lacicero over the final few circuits,
but had to settle for second behind the driver of the #27 Klee’s
Bar and Grill sponsored Grand Prix, who picked up $750 for the
win. The ecstatic Lavelette, NJ native expressed what the win
meant to him in victory lane by saying “This is truly awesome.
I had no idea we could win this thing. This is definitely our
biggest win of the season and it feels great”. Matlach, Stowell,
Jim Yamelski and Danny Cascioli rounded out the top five.
Heat Winners: Jim Yamelski, Ray Minieri and Todd Geist
Although the regular season racing has come to a close at Mountain
Speedway, the ABC Car Crushing, NEETS Holiday Stock Car Series
will be making their return to the facility next Saturday,
October 29th, with the running of the Frankenduro,
which will feature a 131-lap enduro for the Valley Service four
cylinders and the Cottman Transmission 6/8 cylinders. All the
action begins at 2:00 PM, and there will also be a Halloween
parade/costume contest for the kids with plenty of candy and
prizes. Admission for all ages is only $7. The charity event
of the race is the Ronald McDonald House. $1 from each general
admission will be donated directly to the cause.
Mountain Speedway’s 6th annual banquet will be held on
Saturday, November 11th at Genetti’s Best Western in
Hazleton, PA. Anyone interested in purchasing tickets can call
the track office at 570-788-7544. For all Mountain Speedway
happenings, please visit:
www.mountainspeedway.com
Walt DeMorris Memorial Challenge Results
Late Model (100-laps)
1. TODD HODDICK 2. Larry Fisher 3. Buzzy Eriksen 4. Jarrod Hates
5. Barry Gommer 6. Scott Kulesa 7. Mike Coll 8. Barry Callavini
9. Joe Cerabino 10. Jim Brown 11. Roger Maynor 12. Roger Oxee
13. Mitch Hawk 14. Glenn Tyler 15. Mike Mortimer 16. Greg Kleila
17. Tony Volpe 18. Kevin Metzger 19. Ron Nurmi 20. Mike
Rodriguez, Jr 21. Bill Catania 22. Jason Arthofer 23. Beau
Drobot 24. Bryan Sescila 25. Geno Steigerwalt
Fast Race Lap: Mike Rodriguez, Jr, lap 15, 14.514
Hard Charger: Jarrod Hayes and Joe Cerabino, 15 positions.
Street Stock (50-laps)
1. ADAM LACICERO 2. Ken Matlack 3. Brandon Stowell 4. Jim
Yamelski 5. Danny Cascioli 6. Paul Frantz 7. Frank Katona 8.
David Pituch 9. Bill Vanderveen 10. Todd Geist 11. Scott Meckes
12. Kevin Truszkowski 13. Ray Minieri 14. John Bennett 15. Lee
Sharpsteen 16. Robert Geibel 17. Dan Marsh 18. Kristy Arthofer
19. Rodney Gruber 20. John Turnure DNS: Chip Wanamaker
Fast Lap: Scott Meckes, lap 32, 15.898
Hard Charger: Adam Lacicero, 16 positions
Source: Geno
Ostrowski
/ Mountain Speedway
Posted:
October 23, 2005
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