Several Long Island Legends drivers took advantage of the
nice weather this past weekend, making the trip up to the Bethel
Motor Speedway season opener in White Lake, New York. The
INEX-sanctioned race offered drivers the opportunity to
accumulate national points while running for a $500 payout
guaranteed to the event winner. The roster of cars in attendance
included some well-known names and state champions, with drivers
coming from as far away as Minnesota to take part in the event.
Long Islanders Kevin Nowak and Johnnie Gloor IV both collected
top five finishes.
Kevin Nowak, the 2008 New York state Semi-Pro champion who
finished sixth in Riverhead Raceway points for the season, won
the first heat race after event leader John Beatty spun
following contact from Mike Alcaro, who was sent to the rear of
the field for his involvement in the incident. As a result,
Nowak secured the pole starting spot for the feature event.
John Beatty, Riverhead’s runner-up in the 2008 Legends points
battle with two feature wins during the season, came back from
the spin to finish third in the heat, and grabbed the sixth
starting spot for the feature. Johnnie Gloor IV, who was
Riverhead’s 2008 Late Model co-Rookie of the Year while also
competing as a rookie in the Legends class, finished fifth in
his qualifying race, and started the feature from the tenth
spot.
Nowak was on the pole for the start, with Minnesota resident Tim
Brockhouse on the outside. Brockhouse was the Masters winner for
the LegendStock 2008 event held at Bethel last August. Nowak got
out front at the drop of the green, followed by Brockhouse and
Matt Maring. Back in the fourth position, Beatty moved to the
inside of Max Zachem, but Zachem stayed ahead of Beatty and used
the outside to grab the third position on lap 2. Caution then
waved for Gloor, who had gone around between turns three and
four.
The restart again pitted Nowak on the inside against Brockhouse
on the outside. However, the caution was displayed again almost
immediately, as Maring had gotten sideways coming off of turn
four on the start, and spun on the frontstretch. Maring’s car
had to be towed off of the track. Nowak still held the pole for
the restart, with Beatty fifth and Gloor in the ninth spot.
When the green flag waved again, Brockhouse grabbed the
advantage, with Nowak dropping into the second spot and Zachem
in third. Gloor worked his way up to the seventh position. Nowak
looked to the inside of Brockhouse to take the lead back on lap
5, but was unsuccessful. The leaders reached their first lapped
car on lap 7. On lap 10, Zachem moved to the inside of Nowak for
second, taking the position after a side-by-side battle. Alcaro
followed Zachem past to take over third. The caution waved again
on lap 14 for Beatty, who spun as a result of a right front tire
going down.
On the restart, Zachem shot to the inside of Brockhouse to take
the lead. Brockhouse lost an engine, and a red flag was
displayed as the track crew had to put out the oil fire that
resulted and clean the trail of oil from the racing surface. On
the restart, Nowak was in third, with Gloor in fifth. Beatty was
in the seventh position.
Zachem restarted on the pole, with Alcaro in tow. The caution
flag waved again on lap 15, as Joe Graf spun. Beatty pulled off
the track, his right front tire flat.
Zachem continued to lead after the restart, with Alcaro in
second and Nowak in third. By lap 25, the cars were spread out
around the track, and the leaders began to encounter lapped
traffic. Alcaro sat right on Zachem’s bumper, and he utilized an
inside pass on the white flag lap to wrestle the lead from
Zachem. At the same time, 2007 Chemung Speedrome Legends Rookie
of the Year George Cushman worked his way past Nowak for third.
When the checkered flag flew, 2008 New Jersey state Semi-Pro
champ Alcaro sat in Victory Lane. Zachem finished second, and
Cushman was third. Nowak and Gloor rounded out the top five.
Legends Feature Finish (30 laps): Mike Alcaro, Max Zachem,
George Cushman, Kevin Nowak, Johnnie Gloor IV, Joe Graf, Tony
Gullo, Joe DeGracia, John Lotti, Matt Maring, John Beatty, Tim
Brockhouse, Joe Fresco, DNS-Matt Priscott
Source: Tracy
Chirico/Bethel Motor Speedway
Posted:
April 19, 2009
