Welch & Donk claim third straight feature races as Ridley repeats in dominant run
 Canandaigua, NY – May 4, 2013 – Dave Roberts, Canandaigua Motorsports Park PR Correspondent
Billy Dunn of Watertown, New York bested a star-studded field of Team Tiremasters Big-Block Modifieds to get his first win of the season Saturday on American Equipment-Labatt Blue/Blue Light night at Canandaigua Motorsports Park as sunny skies once again greeted race drivers and fans at the Ontario County Fairgrounds fast half-mile oval.
Dunn started third in the main event and needed 21 laps to grab the lead. Once out front, Dunn was able to command the top spot as second-place finisher Matt Sheppard, who went into second on a lap 20 restart, could never really challenge for the lead.
Dunn won twice at CMP in 2012.
 This was a fun race,” Dunn said afterwards. “I remembered when I was racing Vince, I got up to him and showed him my nose. He must have seen that because he then moved away from me.”
The race for this one started early. On lap six, Dunn was able to come up beside Vitale as the two ran under the starters stand before the two would eventually come together. Both were able to maintain their position as the yellow flag came out for a car that came to a stop in turn one on lap seven.
When the yellow came out, Vitale would find some more speed and had a seven car advantage over Dunn by lap 12. A couple of laps later, Dunn would close the margin as the two went into lapped traffic. Dunn would take over the lead just before the yellow came out on lap 20.
For Dunn, it was just a measure of going through lapped traffic once again on lap 28. Sheppard was able to close in a bit but not enough as Dunn would cross the finish line some 1.3 seconds ahead of the multi-time ande defending CMP champion. Sheppard came into the night as Canandaigua's Modified points leader and was able to maintain that with the second place showing.
Dunn is second place in points, just nine behind.
Jimmy Phelps ran to a third-place finish and also sits third in CMP Modified points. Fourth went to Vince Vitale, who once again ran to a solid top-five finish. Placing fifth was Gary Tomkins, who started 12th when the green flag flew to start the race.
Fourth and fifth in CMP points are Alan Johnson and Vitale. Heat race winners were Justin Wright, Billy Dunn and Vince Vitale.
For the second week in a row, Kevin Ridley took home the victory in the 25-lap Safety Awareness Solutions Sportsman feature. Ridley was dominant as he finished better than four seconds ahead of second-place finisher Nick Guererri when the two crossed the finish line.
“I don’t know what we’re doing but we seem to be doing it right,” said the happy Ridley in victory lane. “We made a shock adjustment before we came out and it really worked out.”
Finishing third was opening night winner Dave Marcuccilli followed by two-time reigning division points king Dan Wiesner in fourth and Kane Bristol in fifth.
Ridley led all 25 laps. The yellow would come out on lap 19 putting then second place runner Wiesner right on the back end of Ridley, who then maintained his lead when the green appeared to restart the race
Heat winners were Kevin Ridley, Steve Gray and Nick Guererri. A total of 27 cars attempted to qualify.
In the 20-lap Parts Plus Street Stock feature, Mike Welch of Lyons, NY won his third in a row. The veteran racer started from the front row and led every circuit, although he was challenged from the midway point of the race by Watertown, NY driver Dave Rogers.
“I’ve been able to keep this car on the bottom all year long. I decided tonight to keep it there,” said Welch in his victory lane speech. “The car has been good all season long. I hope to keep it that way.”
Welch has been an advocate of the Street Stocks for several years. The eight-time champion is happy that the division is gaining numbers on the race track.
“We have doubled in what we had last year. I like that we have drivers coming back. I’d like to see 18 here by the end of the summer.”
A total of 13 cars signed in at the pit gate. Rogers was able to put Welch on alert as he applied the pressure after moving into the second-place position on lap seven.
Rogers held on for the runner-up position. Third was Nate Peckham followed by Adam DePuy. Blane Smith was in fifth-place at the finish.
Heat race winners were Mike Welch and Nate Peckham.
In the 15-lap Pure Stock feature, Derek Excell would cross the finish line first for the second week in a row as he would take the lead on lap four and sail on to victory.
In a post-race tech inspection however, it was determined that Excell had illegal heads under the hood.
Second was Eric Chapman followed by Mike Minutolo Sr. in third. Rounding out the top-five were Wayne Ellison and Roger Bush.
Heat winners were Derek Excell and Eric Chapman.
In the Castners Performance 305 Sprints 20 lap main event, Charlie Donk won his third in a row as the Macedon, NY veteran continues his dominance of the class.
Justin Henderson started from the pole but it was Darryl Ruggles who took the lead by the time the field had completed one lap. Donk, who started fourth, moved into the runner-up position on lap three and started to pressure Ruggles for the lead.
The two continued to put on a show for the race fans. As the two battled to complete 10 laps down the front straight, Donk came up beside Ruggles and attempted to pass but Ruggles was able to shut the door. By the time they came down the front chute to complete lap 11, Donk had gone by for the lead and was never headed.
“We bought this car and put a body on it,” Donk said in victory lane. “It’s been an incredible car.”
Finishing second was Ruggles, who held off former Sportsman driver Todd Henderson for third. Nick Cooper was fourth at the checkered flag while former Big-Block campaigner Steve Glover finished fifth.
Heat winners were second-generation driver Justin Henderson and Darryl Ruggles.
 In the Community Car Care of Waterloo Legends Sportsman, Ray Hendershot slipped by race-long leader Jason Scales on the back straight of the final circuit to win the 10-lap feature. Hendershot came back to racing this season after a 37-year absence.
“I was recently diagnosed with cancer,” Hendershot revealed in victory lane. His last win before Saturday night was in June of 1976. “I just decided to take my pension and do this. The rewards are great.”
Hendershot would receive a huge ovation from the large Canandaigua Motorsports Park crowd for his efforts.
Jason Caldwell would take second with Jason Scales finishing third. Fourth was Bruce Batzel followed by John Leeson in fifth.
The heat winner was Jason Scales.
The month of May continues the high-speed action at Canandaigua Motorsports Park with Champion Power Equipment presenting a special Mothers of Racing card on the 11th featuring a full six-star show of Team Tiremasters Big-Block Modified, Safety Awareness Solutions Sportsman, Castner Performance 305 Sprint Car, Parts Plus Street Stock, Pure Stock and Community Car Care of Waterloo New Legends Sportsman racing. Kids Green Machine Races add to the already packed program with qualifying rounds going green at 7pm. Pit gates swing open at 4pm with grandstand seating begins at 5pm.
With CMP's Golden Anniversary season now officially underway, be sure to follow the point standings and breaking news online by visiting www.CanandaiguaMotorsportsPark.com. Send along a note to speed@BigMotorMedia.com to join the e-mail list, or register with https://www.twitter.com/Canandaigua_MSP to keep up-to-date on-line and through text messages on cell phones via Twitter. |
