Well, it may be old and it may need a few things (Including an extra port-a-potty or 2) Spencer Speedwayin Williamson NY played host to a pretty good modified race on Sunday. Originally set for Saturday night rain changed that by flooding the infield where the cars were to pit.
27 teams made the trip west, including the back up 2 re-numbered 90 for Renee DuPuis for what really looked like a start and park. Buck Catalano substituted for Jake Morosz and I believe his familiarity with the track served the team well as he brought the maroon 9 home in 15th place.Doug Colby was in the 79 back up machine re-numbered to his familiar 19 but dropped out with front end damage.
The heart breaker of the day was the 99 of Jamie Tomanio blowing the engine in practice and parking it for the event. Glenn Tyler graciously offered his back up car but Jamie chose to skip the event.
Drivers with problem using the race included, Johnny Bush "The Bushman" who lost a transmission late in the race and retired, Glen Reen who was having troubles all day also dropped out before the races end along with Jimmy Blewett who retired with damage to the car. Wade Cole had pit road problems when he left too soon before all or any of the lug nuts were secured and lost a right rear on pit road.
Ken Heagy was having a decent day until a trip off turn 3 left his car on the double hook although he recovered to an 18th place finish. Eric Beers blew a gasket or an oil line and spun by himself on the back stretch loosing time in the pits. Chris Pasteryak struggled all day with nerf bar damage and a damaged left front tire. Woody Pitkat slid back from a 5th place start to an unlucky 13th place finish.
The strangest incident occurred before the race started. Ted Christopher after inspection was driving down the infield access road, hit a pot hole and damaged a bunch of the front end sheet metal. Repairs were made before the feature started and it did not hinder his day. A loose handling race car left him in 10th place.
Enough with the bad how about the good. Second place Todd Szegedy was strong all day leading many laps early in the race and it he had a a few more laps may have been in victory circle.
Third place Chuck Hossfield from western New York made a pretty good return to the series, for a while it looked like he was the fastest but may have run out of tires at the end.
Fourth place Rowan Pennink was solid all day.
Ryan Preese was near the top all day, including leading a few laps but faded to 5th. Ryan had the back-up car ready to go as the team fought electrical problem during practice and the heat.
Usually 6th place is not what a driver aspires for but with all the troubles Donny Lia had Sunday, not too bad a finish. Donny had on a fire suit the promoted Autism research, a cause near and dear to my heart.
Rookie Eric Goodale is really getting comfortable with driving a full blown modified after racing SK's off and on the last couple of years. Eric is going to be in victory lane before too log. Eric had a fine 8th place finish after leading in the NH race and finishing 17th.
Now we save the best for last. Winner Erick Rudolph started 25th and passed a bunch of cars to win his first NASCAR Tour race. At the age of 17 years 3 months it was quite an accomplishment. Erick has continued a winning tradition started by his grandfather many years ago and continued by his father Charlie farther who was a winner on pavement and dirt. I think now that he has is first win, in the 1st race he finished this year there could be many more to follow!
The tour has a couple of weeks off, then its off to Long Island and Riverhead Raceway for the only stop there in 2009.
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