Recap070410

“FIRECRACKER MADNESS” WEEKEND CHAMPIONS CROWNED

July 5, 2010

BETHEL, NY – During the second day of Bethel Motor Speedway’s “Firecracker Madness” weekend, Victory Lane was once again a busy place as each division ran their final feature of the three-race mini-series and overall weekend champions were crowned.

In the Alcaro & Alcaro Plating Sportsman division, Jerry Curry made his second feature win visit to the winners’ circle for the weekend. Curry started the event fourth, and he waited for his opportunity to get out front as Rich Coons and Dan Conklin battled for the top spot. Just prior to the halfway point of the race, Curry took second from Conklin and then set his sights on Coons. Curry got out front with six laps remaining in the race, and he held on for the win ahead of Coons and Conklin. Greg Morgan and Mike Houghtaling rounded out the top five.

As a result of his two wins and his runner-up finish to Conklin in the second race of the miniseries, Curry returned to Victory Lane later in the night to collect his hardware as the “Firecracker Madness” champion. Conklin was second in the final weekend rundown, followed by Coons.

In the final Sam’s Towing Pro Stock feature of the weekend, John Hager found his way to Victory Lane for the first time in 2010. Hager started on the pole, and there was a very intense battle for the lead between Hager and Ken Atkins, who has scored two wins this season. The two swapped the lead by inches around the track on several occasions, with Atkins grabbing the lead for several laps as the race neared the halfway point. Hager was able to grab the top spot back and drive on to victory over Norm Barnes and Mike Skelly.

In spite of not winning any of the segment races, Skelly captured the weekend championship on the basis of consistent finishes, as he was in the top five in each of the features that comprised the miniseries. Barnes was second in the final weekend rundown, and second segment winner Jim Helt was third.

As the Legends division headed into the final segment of the weekend miniseries, Long Islander Kevin Nowak made the most of his first 2010 appearance at Bethel for the weekend, capturing the win in the third segment. Nowak started the race from third, but had grabbed the lead by the second lap. Raven Schrantz ran second, with Andrew Stotler right on her bumper. Nowak was able to pull away from the field as Stotler searched unsuccessfully for a line to get around Schrantz. Even two late-race cautions that closed up the field couldn’t stop Nowak’s momentum as he crossed the line ahead of Schrantz and Stotler.

Nowak, who didn’t finish outside of the top three in any of the segments, was the winner of the weekend title. Todd McCollum captured second place honors, while Raven Schrantz finished third for the weekend overall.

Jordan Lamothe continued his domination of Victory Lane in the JTR Enterprises Bandolero class, in spite of spinning out of the lead on lap four and having to restart at the rear of the field. Max Evans grabbed the lead briefly following Lamothe’s spin, but he was overtaken by Joseph Graf Jr. It didn’t take long for Lamothe to work his way back to the front, and he and Graf Jr. then wrestled for the lead, with Lamothe taking the position back for good with five laps remaining. Lamothe drive on to victory, followed by Graf Jr. and Evans.

Having won all three segment races, Lamothe was crowned the “Firecracker Madness” champion in the division. Mikey Policastro finished second overall, and Graf Jr. was third.

The Shakelton Auto & Truck Centers Street Stock class saw its third different winner in three features as Kevin Skelly found his way to Victory Lane in the final race of the miniseries. Skelly started on the outside pole and led every lap on his way to the win. Polesitter Rich Wheeler ran in the second spot during the early laps, but Charlie Houghtaling made his way from the fifth starting spot to grab the position from Wheeler five laps into the event. Rookie Gary VanOrden Jr. tagged on to Houghtaling’s bumper and made his way to third, and the three then duked it out at the front of the field. When the checkered flag flew, Skelly was awarded the win, with Houghtaling second and VanOrden Jr. third.

VanOrden Jr., who captured the first segment win and kept himself in the top three for the remaining segments, earned himself the weekend title. Houghtaling was credited with second for the weekend, while Skelly was third.

In the BMS Modified class, Steve Conklin made his return to racing this past weekend complete with a win in the final segment of the miniseries. Polesitter Dan Wood led the first lap, but Conklin took the spot away on lap two. He was chased by Skip LaPolt and John Cote. LaPolt challenged him for the spot, and put it all on the line on the final lap, but he was unable to get past as Conklin was first under the checkers. LaPolt was second, and Cote finished third.

Cote, who had won the first two segment races, was the winner of the weekend championship. Conklin finished the weekend in second, and LaPolt walked away with third.

Going into “Firecracker Madness” weekend, the only two winners in the Jeff Bank 4 Cylinder Senior class were Paul Curry and Eddie Lindstadt. Tim Curry broke their streak during Saturday’s events, with a segment win, but Paul Curry catapulted himself back into the winners’ circle during the third and final segment. P. Curry started the event from seventh, but he picked his way through the field during the early laps and took the lead from T. Curry with only five laps complete. The cars ran two and three-wide through almost the entire field during the course of the event. When the dust settled, P. Curry grabed the win, followed by Russell Sniffen and Lindstadt.

With a win and two other top five finishes to his credit, T. Curry was named the “Firecracker Madness” champion for the class. P. Curry was second in the final weekend rundown, and Lindstadt was third.

Wild action continued in the Jeff Bank 4 Cylinder Junior division, but Don Kuhn was able to hold on to grab the win in the third segment race, his second win of the weekend. Amber VanOrden started on the pole and led the early laps, but Kyle Welsch grabbed the spot on lap three and led until he was involved in an incident on lap 14 resulting in him having to restart at the rear of the field. This handed the lead to Kuhn, who had been running third at the time. Once out front, Kuhn never looked back and went on to claim the win. Steven Schmitz was second to cross the line, followed by Amber McGibbon.

When all of the finishes for the weekend were tallied, Schmitz emerged as the overall division winner. Kuhn was second overall, and McGibbon wound up in third.

Racing continues at Bethel Motor Speedway this coming Saturday, July 10th, with Middletown Motorsports Night. On the schedule are the Sportsman, Pro Stock, Bandolero, Street Stock, BMS Modified, and 4 Cylinder classes. Gates open at 3:30 pm, with hot laps at 5:30 pm and racing slated to begin at 7 pm. Grandstand admission is just $5. Visit www.bethelmotorspeedway.com for a full schedule, or call (845) 319-7908 for more information.

SPORTSMAN WEEKEND STANDINGS: 1. Jerry Curry, 2. Dan Conklin, 3. Rich Coons, 4. Mike Houghtaling, 5. Greg Morgan, 6. John Cook, 7. Zachary Vavricka, 8. Kyle Redner, 9. Tony Suozzo, 10. Don Smith III.

PRO STOCK WEEKEND STANDINGS: 1. Mike Skelly, 2. Norm Barnes, 3. Jim Helt, 4. John Hager, 5. Bobby Policastro, 6. Ed Butler, 7. Steve Vasey, 8. Ken Atkins, 9. Gene Morton, 10. Gene Palmer, 11. Billy Crumley, 12. Glenn Aumick, 13. Mark Sylvester, 14. Ken Hopkins, 15. Clarence Palmer, 16. Bill VanAiken.

LEGENDS WEEKEND STANDINGS: 1. Kevin Nowak, 2. Todd McCollum, 3. Stephen Hershey, 4. Raven Schrantz, 5. Richie Coy, 6. Jim Byrne, 7. Andrew Bickford, 8. Matt Evans, 9. Barry Schrantz, 10. Joe DeGracia, 11. Bill Johnston, 12. Mike Alcaro, 13. Carl Blandina, 14. Rich Sennett, 15. Matt Price, 16. Joe Graf, 17. Andrew Stotler, 18. Casey Robicheau, 19. Joe Fresco.

BANDOLERO WEEKEND STANDINGS: 1. Jordan Lamothe, 2. Mikey Policastro, 3. Joseph Graf Jr., 4. Max Evans, 5. Alex McCollum, 6. Christina Policastro, 7. Rudy Roth IV, 8. Christian Eckes, 9. Jared Palmer.

STREET STOCK WEEKEND STANDINGS: 1. Gary VanOrden Jr., 2. Charlie Houghtaling, 3. Kevin Skelly, 4. Glenn Pallom, 5. Brent Shaddock, 6. Rich Wheeler, 7. Jonathan McGibbon, 8. Robert Halstead, 9. Larry O’Donnell, 10. Vinny Stanton Sr., 11. Dan Curry.

BMS MODIFIED WEEKEND STANDINGS: 1. John Cote, 2. Steve Conklin, 3. Skip LaPolt, 4. Gary VanOrden Sr., 5. Dan Wood.

4 CYLINDER SENIOR WEEKEND STANDINGS: 1. Tim Curry, 2. Paul Curry, 3. Eddie Lindstadt, 4. Russell Sniffen, 5. George Zeininger, 6. George VanAiken, 7. Patty Falkena, 8. Gary O’Donnell, 9. Steve Kevin McGibbon, 10. Kevin McCombs, 11. Enio Lovric.

4 CYLINDER JUNIOR WEEKEND STANDINGS: 1. Steven Schmitz, 2. Don Kuhn, 3. Amber McGibbon, 4. Josh Mendez, 5. Shawn Maloney, 6. Kyle Welsch, 7. Joe Smith, 8. Gary Magie, 9. Robert Beach, 10. Amber VanOrden, 11. Vinny Lovric, 12. Jamie Elliott, 13. Kayla Curry, 14. Paige LaPolt, 15. Tasha Curry, 16. Daniel VanAiken, 17. Josh Wilbur.

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“FIRECRACKER MADNESS” CHAMPIONS

SEGMENT THREE WINNERS