Gardner wins “Papa” Don Frank Memorial!!!

July 3, 2016

Busti, NY (July 2, 2016): On a beautiful night at Stateline Speedway presented by LiteHouse Auto veteran driver Rich Gardner staved off a strong last lap challenge from Rob Blair to win the twentieth race of his Stateline Overhead Door of Jamestown Super Late Model career. Blair actually nosed ahead heading into turn three on the final circuit but Gardner rocketed back to the lead coming out of turn four in heavy traffic for the win. Using the outside line Damian Bidwell, a two-time former Shults Auto Group RUSH Crate Late Model champion, cruised to his second win in as many weeks over Darrell Bossard, a feature winner earlier in the season. David Scott collected his fourth win of the season in the Sugar Grove Beverage Outlaw E-Mod finale. The new Rusted Nutz ProMods were paced to the checkers by Justin Carlson, the first three time winner of the division. Mark Ramsey got his first Fox’s Pizza Den Street Stock feature win of the season while former Himes Auction Super Sportsman champion Jim Kibbe got to Victory Lane for the third time this season. The night capper was the Bailey’s Towing & Recovery Super Challenger feature, won by Skip Jackson, his first Stateline win this season.

The Rusted Nutz ProMods were the first feature on tap with Justin Carlson and Scott Gurdak on the front row and staying side by side for lap one. Gurdak led lap two with the leaders again side by side at the end of three. Carlson was in front at four laps in when Brian Mohawk spun out on turn two. Carlson, Gurdak, and Kelly Frederes, all winners this summer, brought the field back to green with Jason Covey, also a feature winner, next to Frederes for third at five complete. At halfway it was Carlson, Gurdak, Frederes, Covey, and Jeramy Williams. At the finish it was still the same but for Dennis Asel who got by Williams for fifth.

Ryan Scott and John Schenker brought the Sugar Grove Beverage E-Mods to green with Scott leading through lap four when Greg Johnson stopped on the front straight. After green David Scott immediately pulled to the lead with Ryan second, Dan Davies third, last week’s winner Troy Carr fourth, and Ron Seeley fifth. At halfway Davies was second and Butch Southwell was fighting with Seeley over fifth. A spin in turn two with six to go slowed the field for the second time. With five to go David Pangrazio spun in turn three, again slowing the event. With four left Davies drew alongside Scott in turn two but was unable to make a run for the lead. One final yellow slowed the race at the white flag but at the checkers it was David Scott for his fourth win of the season over Davies, Ryan Scott, Carr, and Southwell.

The featured event of the evening was the 30-lap Overhead Door of Jamestown Super Late Model feature in memory of Don Frank, one of the five men who built Stateline Speedway in the spring of 1956. All twenty-two starters carried an American flag as they paraded in tribute to the racing “founding father”, “Papa” Don Frank. Rich Gardner, a former champion, and John Volpe brought the field to green with Gardner launching out to a several length lead but Robbie Blair coming to second at lap three. At four complete caution flew with Gardner, Blair, Volpe, Greg Oakes, and David Scott the top five. At six laps in Chad Valone and Ward Schell tangled and came to rest in turn four, again slowing the race. Gardner, Blair, Volpe, Oakes, and now Dave Hess Jr fifth, brought the field back to green but Hess got sideways in turn three with seven cars eventually involved. Oakes came to third after green but at eight laps in five cars piled up in turn three when Rick Tripodi spun. At green Gardner again led with Blair second, Oakes third, Max Blair fourth, and Bump Hedman fifth. At halfway the order was still the same. In heavy traffic Blair caught Gardner and got by heading down the back straight on the final lap and got by him but Gardner dove under Blair in turn four and won by 0.050 sec at the line. The win was the twentieth Stateline triumph for Gardner, the 2008 track champion who began his career in the old Spectator class forty years ago in 1976. Rob Blair settled for second after the gallant last lap effort, Oakes was third with Max Blair, a two-time winner this season, fourth, and Hedman fifth.

Ted and Tommy Kosinski brought the Himes Auction Super Sportsmen to green with Ted Kosinski leading lap one after a restart with two-time winner Jim Kibbe second, then Doug Birath and Mike Genco tangled in turn three, again putting the race under caution. Ted Kosinski, Jim Kibbe, and Mike Kosinski brought the field back under power with Ted Kosinski leading Kibbe, and points leader Dan Nocero Jr following. Genco again spun in turn three with three compete. Genco again brought caution over the field at four complete as he came to a halt in turn two. Mike Kosinski came to second after this green with Nocero to third at six compete. At seven Kibbe was again in third and Nocero back to the spot a lap later. Coming around the outside Kibbe got all the way to second at lap nine. At twelve laps Kibbe was leading and on the way to his third win of the season. Ted Kosinski was second, Mike Kosinski third, Nocero fourth, and Matt Kosinski fifth.

Ryan Scott and Jason Tingue brought the Shults Auto Group RUSH Crate Late Models to green with Scott leading lap one and Darrell Bossard coming to second. At five complete Scott led Bossard, Mike Wonderling, last week’s winner Damian Bidwell, and Andy Boozel. At six laps in, Bidwell came around Bossard on the high side and was leading at the end of seven. Bossard got by Scott using the low side at nine complete. At halfway Bidwell led Bossard, Scott, Wonderling, and Boozel. Tingue, who had slipped back to eighth at thirteen complete, spun coming out of turn four, slowing the race under caution. Tingue spun again in turn two after green. With five left Wyatt Scott was up to fifth but at the front Bidwell, a two time Stateline champion, was leading the way to his second win of the season over Bossard, Ryan Scott, Wyatt Scott, a two time winner, and Wonderling.

Tony Marotto and Gary Fisher brought the Fox’s Pizza Street Stocks to green. Fisher took off to the early lead with Marotto second. Dave Shagla and Brian Crandall ran side by side until three laps complete when Deven Dudenhoeffer spun in turn two, slowing the race for the first time. For green it was Fisher, Marotto, Shagla, Crandall and Mark Ramsey. At four laps Shagla, looking for win number four, was second when Bill Applebee spun in turn one, again slowing the race. Ramsey was third for the green. Ramsey was second at the end of five and challenging at six complete. Halfway into the twenty lapper the running order was Fisher, Ramsey, Shagla, Mike Moore, and Marotto. Yellow then flew for Applebee and Wayne Mohawk, both spun in turn four. Shagla quickly came back to second after green but Ramsey fought back on the high side then a spin by Tyler Dynys slowed the race just as Ramsey was drawing even with the leader. Again Fisher led Shagla, Ramsey, Marotto now fourth with Moore fifth, back to green. Bill Reeves, the points leader who started twentieth, was up to sixth. At this green Shagla and Ramsey both came by Fisher on the back straight with Ramsey barely ahead of the three-wide scramble at the line. Fisher then spun in turn two with five to go and was collected by Kyle Cochenour, who had to be towed from the scene. Ramsey led the race back to green and opened up a lead on Shagla until two laps to go when Marotto spun in turn three. For the final two laps it was Ramsey, Shagla, Bill Reeves, Moore, and Chad Ramsey. Chad Ramsey and Mike Moore made contact on the back straight after green, with both sliding to the infield and yet again slowing the event. Now the order was Mark Ramsey, Shagla, Reeves, Kyle Weilacher, and Bill Best. Four cars spun in turn two at green, yet again slowing the field. With the 25 minute limit reached, Ramsey was declared the winner and the top five as they were running when the final caution was shown.

Kevin Covell and Skip Jackson brought the Bailey’s Towing & Recovery Super Challenger feature to the final green of the evening. Jackson led early with Covell second, Riche third, and Travis Darling fourth. At three laps in Riche was up to second with Pete Volpe, last week’s winner, now third. Volpe got to second at six complete but Jackson now had a quarter lap lead. With two to go Jackson was coming to heavy lapped traffic and Volpe was starting to close the gap. Jackson got to the checkers for his first Stateline win of the season with Volpe second, Riche third, five time winner Andy Proper fourth, and Travis Darling fifth.

Bailey’s Towing & Recovery Super Challengers:

Heat 1: Pete Volpe, Skip Jackson, Travis darling, Roger Hall, Andy Proper, Patrick Oyer, John Angeletti, Jacob Lamb

Heat 2: Mike Riche, Kevin Covell, Ben Sudol, Nickolas Lamb, Jasmine Markham, Garrett Yager, Gary Linerg Jr, John Dunn

Feature: Skip Jackson, Pete Volpe, Kevin Covell, Andy Proper, Travis Darling, Ben Sudol, Nickolas Lamb, Jasmine Markham, Garrett Yager, Jacob Lamb, Patrick Oyer, Mike Riche, Gary Linger Jr, John Angeletti, Roger Hall, John Dunn

Himes Auction Super Sportsmen:

Heat 1: Tommy Kosinski, Ted Kosinski, Doug Birath, Steve Longo, Shane Horner, Mike Genco

Heat 2: Jim Kibbe, Dan Nocero Jr, Michael Kosinski, Matt Kosinski, Tom Kosinski

Feature: Jim Kibbe, Ted Kosinski, Michael Kosinski, Dan Nocero Jr, Matt Kosinski, Steve Longo, Tommy Kosinski, Tom Kosinski, Shane Horner, Mike Genco, Doug Birath

Fox’s Pizza Den Street Stocks:

Heat 1: Gary Fisher, Scott Delahoy, Sam Courson. Paul Nelson, Guy Adams, Wayne Mohawk, Kyle Weilacher

Heat 2: Mark Ramsey, Tony Marotto, Mike Moore, Deven Dudenhoeffer, Bob Leonard, Bill Applebee, Bill Reeves

Heat 3: Brian Crandall, Dave Shagla Jr, Chad Ramsey, Kyle Cochenour, Bill best, Tyler Dynys

Feature: Mark Ramsey, Dave Shagla Jr, Bill Reeves, Kyle Weilacher, Bill Best, Paul Nelson, Gary Fisher, Deven Dudenhoeffer, guy Adams, Brian Crandall, Sam Courson, Tony Marotto, Mike Moore, Chad Ramsey, Tyler Dynys, Bill Applebee, Kyle Cochenour, Wayne Mohawk, Scott Delahoy

Rusted Nutz Promods:

Heat 1: Scott Gurdak, Justin Carlson, Dennis Asel, Kevin Ruhlman, Dennis Hagg Jr, Brian Mohawk

Heat 2: Kelly Frederes, Jason Covey, Jeramy Williams, Bill Silvis, Bryon Johnson, Zach Johnson

Feature: Justin Carlson, Scott Gurdak, Kelly Frederes, Jason Covey, Dennis Asel, Jeramy Williams, Kevin Ruhlman, Bill Silvis, Bryon Johnson, Dennis Hagg Jr, Brian Mohawk, Zach Johnson

Sugar Grove Beverage Outlaw E-Mods:

Heat 1: Ryan Scott, Ron Seeley, Justin Carlson, Troy Johnson, Troy Carr, David Pangrazio

Heat 2: David Scott, John Schenker Jr, Dan Davies, Butch Southwell, Greg Johnson, John Boyd

Feature: David Scott, Dan Davies, Ryan Scott Troy Carr, Butch Southwell, John Boyd, Ron Seeley, Tom Hagberg, John Schenker Jr, David Pangrazio, Greg Johnson, Justin Carlson, Troy Johnson

Shults Auto Group Rush Crate Late Models:

Heat 1: Andy Boozel, Darrell Bossard, Mike Wonderling, Chad Silleman, Jason Genco, Nate Earle, Robert Meacham III, Chad Schauers

Heat 2: Ryan Scott, Jason Tingue, Damian Bidwell, Dave Lyon, Wyatt Scott, Jamie Brown, Scott Gurdak

Feature: Damian Bidwell, Darrell Bossard, Ryan Scott, Wyatt Scott, Mike Wonderling, Jason Genco, Dave Lyon, Scott Gurdak, Andy Boozel, Chad Silleman, Jamie brown, Chad Schauers, Nate Earle, Robert Meacham III, Jason Tingue

Overhead Door Of Jamestown Super Late Models:

Heat 1: Jake Finnerty, Robbie Blair, Max Blair, John Lobb, Chad Valone, Ward Schell, tom Parker, Kyle Scott

Heat 2: Dave Hess Jr, David Scott, John Volpe, Doug Eck, Rick Tripodi, Bob Dorman, Jason Dobson

Heat 3: Chris Hackett, Rich Gardner, Greg Oakes, Bump Hedman, Dutch Davies, John Lacki, Joe Layfield

Feature: Rich Gardner, Rob Blair, Greg Oakes, Max Blair, Bump Hedman, John Volpe, Dutch Davies, Chris Hackett, Doug Eck, Dave Hess Jr, John Lobb, David Scott, Bob Dorman, Jake Finnerty, Chad Valone, John Lacki, Rick Tripodi, Kyle Scott, Chuck Parker, Jason Dobson, Joe Layfield, Ward Schell