EARL PAULES (SST-MODIFIED), JIM LAMOREAUX (LATE MODEL) AND RICH PETRUCCO (LEGEND) WIN TIOGA’S FINAL SATURDAY NIGHT FEATURES      by Carol Houssock

(Owego, NY)  A huge crowd turned out for day 1 of the 2-day Tioga Motorsports Park finale weekend.  The track, formerly called Shangri-la, is rich in history but scheduled for demolition.  Promoter Chris Zacharias put together an action-packed, fun weekend fitting the great lady she’s been since 1946.  The parking lot was packed, campers filled the turn 4 area, nostalgia was everywhere, and everyone was geared up for the final SST-Modified, Late Model and Legends races.  Earl Paules won the SST-Tour ROC qualifier, Jim Lamoreaux claimed the Late Model ROC qualifier, and Rich Petrucco took the Legends feature.  Following the racing action fans enjoyed music by the group After Dark.  And the parties continued on into the night.

With 36 SST mods on hand, the first 20 starting spots were established by the top 5 finishers of the 4 heats.  George Kent, Bill Hebing, Gene Sharpsteen and Earl Paules won those 4 heats.  Everyone outside the top 5 in those heats ran in a consi.  Rowan Pennick and Cody Gregg claimed the 2 consolation races.  They, along with the 4 finishers behind them, advanced to the 30-car field feature.  George Kent pulled #1 from the bucket, which put him on the pole for the 75-lap race, alongside Wayne Lent. 

This one had a tough time getting started, as Gregg, Chuck Frisbee and Tom Wiest got together in turn 1.  When racing did get underway Kent took control and led the field off turn 2.  In the opening laps Lent was with him but Rick Zacharias got around and had 2^nd spot.  Tom Zacharias brought out the first caution but Paules had just taken over 2^nd and he started beside Kent.  The pair pulled away when the green came back out, leaving Rick Zacharias to battle it out with Bill Hebing.  Kent slowed with 13 laps in, bringing out the 2^nd caution flag.  The crew made swift repairs and he restarted at the rear.  Paules inherited the lead, and it had to be one of his larger inheritances to date.  Paules and Zacharias had a great battle going, but race fans were treated to classic George Kent, who was back and tearing through the field.

A decent run went bad for Tom Zacharias, whose motor exploded on the front stretch.  As the cars circled the track under caution, promoter Chris Zacharias detected a problem on Jerry Gradl’s car.  When he pitted, the crew confirmed a broken rear, which could have resulted in a dangerous wreck had he resumed race speed.  Gradl was in 5^th at the time the problem was noticed, ending his good run.

The ensuing restart saw the scariest incident, when the field bunched up on the backstretch.  Tony Jilson got the worst of it, going off the track.  Richie Vanderpool, Richard Thomas, Bud Ellis and Bill Chandler, Jr. all caught a piece of the action.  That was with 19 laps in the book.  Paules and R. Zacharias resumed their battle when the green flag came back out, but now Tony Hanbury was in the mix.  His battle with Zacharias enabled Paules to pull away and, over that 41-lap green flag run, he maintained a comfortable lead.  Again, however, Kent was the man to watch, passing cars wherever he chose to put the #21 Mopar-powered machine. 

Jim Pierce’s spin off turn 4 put the field under caution and enabled the fans to catch their breath.  The final 15 laps were nothing short of spectacular, watching the lead trio of Paules, Hanbury and Kent work their magic to perfection.  Kent got around Hanbury for 2^nd but that’s as far as he could get.  Paules remained tough and locked on the inside groove.  He took the checkered flag for the big win, over Kent, Hanbury, Rick Zacharias, and Hebing.  

Bill Catania and Chris Whitenight drew the 2 best starting spots for the 30-lap Race of Champions qualifier for the Late Models.  Some close racing on that opening lap was costly for Whitenight, who spun in circles in turn 3 and slid off the track as Catania led the lap.  On the restart Chris Cacialli, former multi-time track champ in the class, made his way from 4^th to 1^st and took over on lap 2.  The 2^nd caution came out when Mike Rodriguez, Jr. also slid off the track in turn 3.  When racing resume Cacialli took off but so did Barry Gommer, who was trying to whittle away at his sizeable lead.  Jim Lamoreaux, track champ in the 2 prior seasons, also was coming on strong.  Dave Silvernail’s contact with Barry Calavini sent Calavini into the turn 4 foam and bunched up the field.  The top 3, Cacialli, Gommer and Lamoreaux then checked out, setting a pace no one else could handle.  The trio then came up on lap cars.  As they approached turn 1 and Silvernail, Cacialli and Gommer went to the high side while Lamoreaux chose the low groove.  Cacialli and Gommer made contact with Silvernail, and each other, and the field was again under caution.  Lamoreaux was the new race leader and Jim Brown was his closest competitor until John Wilber and a hard-charging Catania caught him and sent him back to 4^th.  Two more cautions, for incidents involving Joe Berretta and Pete Brittain, gave everyone more shots at Lamoreaux but he maintained the lead and picked up the win.  Catania was 2^nd, while Wilber, Brown and Cacialli rounded out the top 5.  Cacialli and Gommer won the 2 heats.

Rich Petrucco and Rob Brierton won the 2 qualifying races for the Legends division.  Art Priscott drew the pole, and it was Zach Truesdail who started beside him.  Priscott took the lead but Brierton was right there with him.  While they went at it for the lead, Matt Priscott had Justin Petcosky all over him for 3^rd.  The only caution period came when Truesdail spun on the backstretch with 6 laps completed.  The ensuing restart bunched up the field and enabled Brierton to take over the lead.  As the laps clicked off, Petrucco came alive and he was advancing toward the front.  He got around both Priscott’s and reeled in leader Brierton.  Just as the field got the 2 to go signal, Petrucco took the lead and he held on over those final laps for the huge win.  Brierton was 2^nd, followed by Matt Priscott, Art Priscott and Bill Fitzsimmons.

For all the news fans can still log on the track’s website: www.tiogamotorsportspark.com.  Asphalt Racing At Its Finest – We Sure Loved It!

Results:

SST-Modifieds (75 Laps)  EARL PAULES, George Kent, Tony Hanbury, Rick Zacharias, Bill Hebing, Rowan Pennick, Wayne Lent, Gene Sharpsteen, John Markovic, Joe Mongeau, Phil Slater, Don Wylie, Dick Kluth, Tom Wiest, Chris Lord, Jim Pierce, Ricky Knapp, Richie Vanderpool, Bud Ellis, Tony Jilson, Bill Chandler, Jr., Richard Thomas, Jerry Gradl, Pete Brittian, Tom Zacharias, Steve West, Dean Rypkema, Chuck Frisbee, Cody Gregg, Josh Nichols (DNQ: Brad Confer, Dan Hoag, George Proctor, John Whitmore, Jim Love, Jim House)

Late Models (30 Laps)  JIM LAMOREAUX, Bill Catania, John Wilber, Jim Brown, Chris Cacialli, Chris Whitenight, Joe Berretta, Barry Calavini, Pete Brittian, Craig Trella, Joe Brown, Mike Rodriguez, Jr., Dave Silvernail, Barry Gommer, Al Slavick (DNS: Billy Ray Pruitt) 

Legends (15 Laps)  RICH PETRUCCO, Rob Brierton, Matt Priscott, Art Priscott, Bill Fitzsimmons, Justin Petcosky, Brian Terrell, Zach Truesdail, Jimmy Kostarelos, Justin Mulea, Dan Praetorius

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