May 25, 2008

STEWART FRIESEN TAKES WIN NUMBER TWO AT UTICA-ROME SPEEDWAY
ON GATES-COLE ASSOCIATES NIGHT

VERNON, NY- Even though his race team has changed drastically from his championship winning season in 2007, Stewart Friesen is proving that he still get the job done by winning his second 358-Modified event of the season.

Early season bad luck had Andy Bachetti starting on the pole of the 30 lap 358-Modified feature, and when Matt Burdick’s green flag flew to begin the event, Bachetti blasted to the lead, beating fellow front row starter Jamie Christian into turn one. Rim riding around the half mile oval, Bachetti was able to open a sizable margin while the battle for position raged on behind him.

Gus Schmidt drove to the runner-up position by lap five, from the sixth starting spot, while Pat Ward, Paul Kinney, Bobby Varin, Mitch Gibbs, and Stewart Friesen where making their moves from deep in the pack. Ninth place starter Varin was the first to crack the top five, getting there by lap five with Gibbs (from 12th), Kinney (from 10th), and Ward (from 14th, and Friesen (from 15th) in pursuit.

With Bachetti comfortably out front, Varin was continued his march towards the front grabbing fourth from Christian on lap seven and then third from Gus Schmidt on lap eight. With Varin going after Alan Barker for second, Kinney was continuing his charge into the top five, getting there by lap 10. When the first caution flew on lap 12, Bachetti was still shown the leader with Barker, Varin, Schmidt, and Friesen filling out the top five.
Varin finally was able to get by Barker on lap 18, bringing Friesen, Kinney, and Ward with him as Barker dropped out with mechanical issues. Friesen’s assault on the top five continued as he grabbed the second spot from Varin on lap 21. By the 22nd circuit, Friesen wrestled the lead from Bachetti, dropping Bachetti into the clutches of Kinney who was able to by for second on lap 25.

The final caution flag flew on lap 25, giving the low riding Kinney a final shot at the rim riding Friesen but Friesen was too strong. Friesen raced off with the $1,600 win for his second win of the season with Kinney, Ward, Bachetti, and Varin chasing.

In Sportsman action, Brad Alger took the win after three consecutive second place finishes, passing Jason Rood for the lead just past the halfway point of the 20 lap main. Rood held on for second with Steve Way, Matt Janczuk, and Jeremy Vunk filling out the top five spots.

Mark Effner won his first ever Pro Stock feature, wrestling the lead from leader Jim Normoyle on lap 14 of the 20 lap event. Tom Denton got by Normoyle late to take the second spot at the finish with Normoyle hanging on for third. Rob Seavy and Shawn Frost finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

After taking the lead from Bill Mason on lap three and losing it briefly to Phil Norman on lap four and five, Russ Marsden would take his first point paying win of the season in the 15 lap Pure Stock main. Norman, Chris Carr, Frank Hyatt, and Jim Thomas rounded out the top five.

Former Utica-Rome Speedway 358-Modified competitor Jason Barney was the victor in the Empire Super Sprint A Main, beating Lance Yonge, Jeff Cook, Dan Kaszubinski, and Justin Barker to the line for the $2,000 SUNY Canton A Main victory. See ESS release for full details.
Next Sunday, June 1, the SUNY Canton Street Stock Series returns to the Utica-Rome Speedway along with a regular show of 358-Modifieds, Sportsman, and Pure Stocks. Gates open at 3 p.m. with racing at 5:30 p.m.

GATES-COLE ASSOCIATES RACE SUMMARY
358-MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH (30 LAPS)- STEWART FRIESEN, Paul Kinney, Pat Ward, Andy Bachetti, Bobby Varin, Willy Decker, Mitch Gibbs, Ted Lamb, AJ Romano, Gus Schmidt, Jeff Kotary, Jamie Christian, Brian Murphy, Jim Davis, John Ramsey, Paul Jensen, David Orr, Joel Thomas, Ken McGuire, Alan Barker, and Brad Godshalk. DNS-Bill Shantel Jr.

SPORTSMAN FEATURE FINISH (20 LAPS)- BRAD ALGER, Jason Rood, Steve Way, Matt Janczuk, Jeremy Vunk, Mike Button, Tim Nye, Jack Miller, Mike Teachout, Jim Rothwell, Jeff Leslie, Dan Yankowski, AJ Filbeck, Chad Ray, Russ Hefti, Steve Yankowski, Glenn Forward, Aaron Jacobs, Shane Jablonka, Casey Williams, Todd Fey, and Andy Graves.

PRO STOCK FEATURE FINISH (20 LAPS)- MARK EFFNER, Tom Denton, Jim Normoyle, Rob Seavy, Shawn Frost, Steve Hankle, A.J. Digsby, Bret Belden, Jim Grippin, Dan Peo, John Roese, Joe Palmer, Dave Moyer, Ivan Joslin, Ed Ostrander, Bill Knapp, Dave Meeks.

PURE STOCK FEATURE FINISH (15 LAPS)- RUSS MARSDEN, Phil Norman, Chris Carr, Frank Hyatt, Jim Thomas, Waylan Wilczek, Daryl Krebs, Cale Hoffman, Scott Wheelock, Bill Mason, Chris Cunningham, Andy Potter, Tim Janczuk, Kelly Pope, John Wesolowski, Ron Hawker, and Keith Stevenson.

EMPIRE SUPER SPRINT FEATURE FINISH (25 LAPS)- JASON BARNEY, Lance Yonge, Jeff Cook, Dan Kaszubinski, Justin Barger, Rick Wilson, Jeff VanDusen, Blake Breen, Michael Parent, Doug Emery, Cory Sparks, Tim Kelly, Steve Poirier, Chuck Hebing, Bubby Kerrick, Mike Stelter, Tommy Wickham, Lee Laudouceur, Brian McDonald, Alain Bergeron, Normand Beaudreault, Doug Norrie, Brandon Warner, Anthony Cain, and Gordy Button.