11/18/2006

NEETS “Mutha of All Enduros” Day One
Terry Stiles Wins “Mutha Trucker”, Cozza Claims Inaugural TRUX Title

    Rock Point New York’s Terry Stiles held off Woot Lawrence enroot to the win Saturday in the 100-lap “Mutha Trucker” TRUX enduro with the ABC Car Crushing NEETS Holiday Stock Car Series at Mountain Speedway. Medford’s John Cozza crossed the stripe in the third spot and claimed his first-ever NEETS Custom Classic Trux title. The entire race weekend is sponsored in part by Drews Enterprises.
    Day one of the “Mutha of all Enduros” weekend showcased qualifying heat races for all divisions, including the Steel Seal four cylinders and the Cascioli Roofing 6/8 cylinder divisions. Both of the NEETS regular divisions will return to the speedway Sunday for the 200-lap “Mutha” events.
    Heat winners in the Steal Seal four cylinders were Howie Bott, Joe Jentile, Richard Petey, Keith Bissinger, Rob McCormick and Ray Rothfuss. Bob Darde, Joe Grocholski, Harry Sager, Mark Spencer, Tommy Rogers, Jr. and Bill Price, Jr. did the same feat in the Steal Seal four-cylinder division. Terry Stiles and Greg Picanio claimed heat race wins in the Trux.
    Two 10-lap “dash for cash” races, otherwise known as the Constant Performer’s races were run for the four-cylinder and the 6/8 cylinder divisions. Joe Grocholski and Ray Fitzgerald grabbed the wins, respectively in the two events, which were sponsored by Cindy Johnson and her business, Constant Performance. Sunday’s card will also feature a Constant Performer race for the Custom Classic Trux.
    A pair of Norwich Construction “Top 10 Challenge” events were held for the four and 6/8 cylinder divisions. Every driver that entered the weekend in the top ten in points competed for the grand prize, which was courtesy of Craig Norwich. Bob Haeger and Joe Jentile took the checkers in the 20-lap events.
    Terry Stiles started from the pole in the 100-lap NEETS Custom Classic Trux feature event. With double points on the line, Bobby Pease entered the event with a slim two-point margin over John Cozza. Stiles jumped to the early lead when the green flew, but Greg Picanio didn’t let Stiles slip from his sight.
    Trouble struck Picanio on lap twenty-one when he received contact from a lapped truck. After slamming the retaining wall in turns one and two, Picanio was finished for the afternoon.
    By lap twenty-five, Woot Lawrence lurched into second with John Cozza, Bobby Pease and Harry Sager completing the top five. Twelve laps later, Lawrence made his move into the top spot and Stiles held onto second. In the meantime the championship battled together between the third and fourth place trucks (Cozza and Pease). Both drivers knew that which ever driver finished ahead of the other would most likely be the champion.
    Stiles overtook Lawrence for the lead on lap sixty-three and began to put a few truck lengths on second. Only fourteen laps later, Sager spun in turn one and caught a piece of Pease. Unfortunately, Pease hit the pits for repairs, but didn’t make it back on the speedway.
    Time wound down and Terry Stiles finally got the monkey off his back, as he grabbed his very first Trux victory. Lawrence came across the stripe in second. Cozza, Rich Onorato and Shawn Wanat rounded out the top five.

    Sunday will showcase two 200-lap enduros, in which the winner’s cars will be crushed in victory lane by the portable car crusher, which was brought to the speedway by ABC Car Crushing. All of the action is scheduled to begin at 1:30 PM. Grandstand admission is $7 for ages seven and up. Children six and under are admitted for free.

NEETS Custom Classic Trux results

  1.  4   Terry Stiles
  2. 37  Woot Lawrence
  3.  5   John Cozza
  4.  7   Rich Onorato
  5.  2   Shawn Wanat
  6. 43  Richard Petey
  7. 28  James Badalato
  8.  0   Russ Janson
  9. 61  Harry Sager
10.02X Paul Fox
11. 21  Ray Voss
12. 45  Ben Gregor
13. 55  Bob Bader
14. 20  Bobby Pease
15.57DD Erin Bartley
16. 40  Anthony Vecchio
17. 4X  Jeff Gregor
18. 3M Carl Major
19. 83  Greg Picanio
20. 18  Edward Colon
21 17X Rob McCormick

THE END

Source: Gene Ostrowski/NEETS PR
Posted:  November 18, 2006