JAN LEATY RETURNS, CLAIMS TIOGA’S SOUTHERN TIER 200; RJ ZACHARIAS WINS FINAL STREET STOCK SHOW by Carol Houssock

(Owego, NY) Hundreds of race fans packed Tioga Motorsports Park Sunday afternoon for the final day of racing at the legendary ½-mile asphalt oval. On hand a mix of rookies and veterans, young and old, all there to salute the track. Jan Leaty won the Southern Tier 200, the final Sunoco Race of Champions North Division race of the year. RJ Zacharias joined his extended family, whose history there is so rich, in victory lane after claiming the 30-lap Street Stock ROC qualifier. When it was over fans poured into the pits while others lined up to enjoy a pig roast with all the trimmings, including live music.

The first order of business was the running of time trials for the Modifieds. Counting the better of 2 laps, the fastest dozen earned their way into the feature and a draw for the top 12 starting spots. Eric Beers appeared to earn a new track record until he came up light on the scales and had the record run disqualified. Lee Sherwood, multi-time track champion, had fastest time and the first shot to draw the pole. That’s exactly what he did, and Tony Hanbury drew #2 to fill the front row.

With the cars lined up along the front stretch, and race teams gathered, ROC Promoter and former Tioga Speedway Promoter Andy Harpell introduced each driver. Gentleman Jim Zacharias, a track Hall of Fame member, shook each driver’s hand. He then spoke about the track and thanked everyone for coming to the final race before saying good-bye. For his final duty at the track he gave the command to start the engines. For one of his final duties, Promoter Chris Zacharias waved the white flag.

Lee Sherwood and Tony Hanbury brought the 32-car field to the green and Sherwood led the way, with Hanbury, Jan Leaty, Matt Hirschman and TJ Potrzebowski in the top 5. By lap 15 Hirschman got around Hanbury, but he reclaimed the spot by the 20th lap. Sherwood, however, had a big lead evaporate when Dan Kurzejewski, driving the Frisbie-owned mount, slowed with motor trouble. On the restart Hanbury got the better of Leaty and he ran nose-to-tail with leader Sherwood. Two cautions near the lap 50 mark kicked pit strategy into the equation, as each team had to pit past lap 50. Leaty, George Kent, and Hirschman opted to go in for service. Sherwood and Hanbury went back to work when the green came back out and on lap 64 Hanbury found the opening he’d been looking for and took over the lead in the famed gold #71 owned by the Zacharias family. As lap 100 approached Hanbury, Hirschman and Eric Beers were contesting for the $1,000 prize for leading that lap. That money went to Hanbury. When Rusty Smith went off the track in turn 3 it set up more pit stops, including the top 3, and Leaty was the new race leader. George Kent’s final run ended on lap 135, when the yellow #26 slowed in turn 2. His retirement for the race ended yet another story at the track where he had claimed multiple championships and nearly 100 feature wins. When racing resumed Leaty had Rusty Smith, Zane Zeiner and Potrzebowski chasing him. With less than 50 laps remaining Leaty began to pull away, leaving Smith and Zeiner locked in a great battle for 2nd. Three more caution periods between laps 177 and 200 brought the field together in single-file restarts. Each time Leaty proved to be superior. Smith tried everything to stay with him, but Zeiner lost 3rd to Hanbury. He also went to the outside groove to get past Smith but came up short. Over the final 2 laps, with the crowd on its feet, Leaty remained fast and steady.

As he crossed the stripe he got the checkered flag from head flagger Gary Folk, Jr. and former flaggers Jim Burleigh and Steve Kellogg. Watching 4 checkered flags wave in unison was quite a sight. Leaty brought his car around, drove nose-first against the guide rail by the flagger’s stand, and let ‘er rip. The tire burnout would have impressed John Force, and the crowd showed their appreciation when it was over. “This place finally treated me good,” he said after the win. “It’s been a while since I was here but the track and I go way back. This is a great feeling.” For his efforts he claimed the $8,000 first place money, a huge trophy, and a special grandfather clock put together by promoter Chris Zacharias.

Jay Mudra and Matt Visingard brought the Street Stock field to the green and Mudra led the charge. With 3 laps completed Mike Nichols spun and brought out the first caution. Chip Wanamacker had trouble on the restart, and the field again went under the yellow. Mudra maintained the lead over Visingard when racing resumed, and the pair pulled away from the rest of the pack. A caution for debris on the track bunched up the field the leaders had RJ Zacharias and Chuck Lohmeyer lined up behind them. On the restart Chris Daugherty went 3-wide and bumper tag ensued. Don Mosher and Paul Frantz got caught up in it, with Frantz getting the worst of it.

The subsequent restart gave RJ Zacharias the opportunity he needed, starting right behind Mudra. He took the lead and left Mudra to battle with Nichols, who had made his way back up to 3rd. Two more cautions, for spins by Wanamacker, Lohmeyer and Frantz, slowed the last half of the race but not Zacharias and company. The lead trio pulled away, leaving Derrick Tarbox in command of the second group of cars. Mudra and Nichols tried to find openings but Zacharias had them covered. He went on for the win, with Mudra, Nichols, Tarbox and JR Roth finishing behind him. Daugherty, Bob Ziegler and Zacharias won the 3 heats. “This is so great, to win the last race here,” Zacharias told the crowd. “This place has meant so much to me and my whole family. I have a lot of people to thank, and that includes all you race fans for coming out.”

Former announcers, flaggers and other track officials were on hand and had a role in conducting the program Sunday afternoon. And while the show ran a bit long, few were in a hurry to leave when the final checkered flag fell.

On behalf of promoter Chris Zacharias and his team, we thank everyone for their support of racing at Tioga Motorsports Park. Zacharias continues to promote Chemung Speedrome on Saturday nights, the remaining asphalt track for race fans in the twin tiers. Fans can still log on the track’s website: www.tiogamotorsportspark.com.

Asphalt Racing At Its Finest – We Sure Loved It! Thanks for the memories. It was a great ride.

Results:

Sunoco Modifieds (200 Laps) JAN LEATY, Rusty Smith, Tony Hanbury, Zane Zeiner, TJ Potrzebowski, Tommy Cloce, Matt Hirschman, Lee Sherwood, Larry Jackson, Billy Putney, Bobby Osgood, Chuck Hossfeld, Josh Nichols, Ben Reynolds, Ken Canestrari, Todd Smith, John Markovic, Terry Cheetham, Earl Paules, Chaz Surman, Brian Defebo, George Kent, Eric Beers, Wes Swartout, Bill Chandler, Tommy Kinsella, Pete Brittain, Rick Zacharias, Mike Marollo, Dan Kurzejewski, JR Swansbrough

Time trial qualifiers: Lee Sherwood, Matt Hirschman, TJ Potrzebowski, Bill Chandler, Zane Zeiner, George Kent, Chuck Hossfeld, Tommy Cloce, Jan Leaty, Tony Hanbury, Billy Putney, Pete Brittain

Heat winners: Rusty Smith, Eric Beers, Dan Kurzejewski

Street Stocks (30 Laps) RJ ZACHARIAS, Mike Nichols, Jay Mudra, Derrick Tarbox, JR Roth, Matt Visingard, Todd Ahner, Robert Fink, Chris May, Bob Ziegler, Don Mosher, Todd Fenton, Chip Wanamacker, Chuck Lohmeyer, Ken Hamm, Matt Held, Paul Frantz, Chris Daugherty (DNS: Tony Hanbury)


Return To Home Page