 Canandaigua, NY – June 22, 2013 – Dave Roberts, Canandaigua Motorsports Park PR Correspondent
Matt Sheppard and Billy Dunn became repeat winners in the Team Tire Masters Big-Block Modified division as each won a 25-lap feature on Saturday night at Canandaigua Motorsports Park. The show was sponsored by Currier Plastics of Auburn as CMP celebrated its 50th season of racing at the Ontario County Fairgrounds since opening at the current site in 1953.
In a pre-race memoriam, many of the competitors at Canandaigua Motorsports Park paid their respects to Barbara Giovannini of Seneca Falls, NY, who passed away unexpectedly on June 18. Barbara is the wife of John “Gevo” Giovannini, a sponsor of many of the teams that compete at CMP.
Sheppard won his fourth feature of the year in the first 25-lap race. He took the lead on lap 12 and had very little trouble in going on to the victory.
Dave Rauscher was the early leader in the event until Sheppard made his winning move. Billy Dunn moved into second on lap 14, but wasn’t any challenge for Sheppard. Dunn took home the runner-up position.
“We were really good in the first race,” Sheppard said in victory lane. “We had to change an axle between the two races. The car was really good in the second race but we had to come too far from the back.”
Third was Alan Johnson followed by Dave Rauscher with another good top-five finish. Peter Britten took the fifth=place finishing spot.
 In the second 2- lap feature, Billy Dunn took the lead off a lap 11 restart and kept the rest of the field at bay as he recorded his second win of the season at CMP.
The second-place finish in the first race also gave Dunn a big smile to share.
“It was a good night for this race team,” Dunn admitted afterwards. “To be honest, we were able to watch Matt in the first race and what lane he ran and make the changes necessary to win. I’m hoping that we can keep this going.”
Once again, Dave Rauscher led the initial laps to start the race.
Second was pole-sitter Peter Britten followed by Matt Sheppard. Rounding out the top-five were Rich Scagliotta and Justin Wright.
Heat race winners were Dave Rauscher, Matt Sheppard and Matt Fink. Derrick Podisadlo was the winner of the consolation event.
In the Safety Awareness Solutions Sportsman 25-lap event, Paul Guererri held on for dear life after his right front tire began to lose air with five laps remaining to win his first of the season.
Guererri took the lead on lap six and held off Eric Giguere at the end in a thriller.
“I saw the 67g (Giguere) on the outside,” Guererri said following the race. “I really thought I was going backwards. I’m glad that it held out.”
It has been a tough season for Paul up to this point.
“We’ve been struggling pretty bad all season long. We really needed this one.”
Guererri also dedicated the win to 'Gevo' and his family.
Finishing third was Matt Guererri followed by Kevin Ridley and Andrew Jacobson in the top-five. Heat race winners were Kane Bristol, Steve Gray and Nick Guererri.
In the Parts Plus Street Stocks, Mike Welch won his eighth of the season in the 15-lap main event.
Welch took the lead on lap eight and went on unscathed to the checkered flag.
“This season has been way beyond our expectations,” Welch said. “This one goes to Gevo, who lost his wife this past week. This one's for him.”
Blane Smith finished second followed by Ron Marsden, who made his first CMP start of the 2013 campaign. Bill Weller was the fourth-place finisher while Steve Pesarek was fifth.
Bill Weller was the heat race winner.
In the 12-lap Pure Stock feature, Marc Minutolo won his first of the season, beating his dad Mike Minutolo Sr. to the finish line.
Marc took the lead on lap eight and settled in there the remainder of the feature.
“This car was so good in the middle of the track,” said the 2012 Pure Stock runner-up in points. “We just kept it there all race long.”
Finishing third was 2012 CMP Pure Stock champion Vance Vanderwall, who made his first start of the 2013 season steering Roger Bush's mount. Fourth was Nick Dandino, who led the first lap of the event and Eric Chapman was fifth.”
Heat race winners were Eric Chapman and Mike Minutolo Sr.
The Castners Performance 305 Sprints 20-lap main event ended with Charlie Donk returning to victory lane. Donk won the first three events of the 2013 season but hasn’t been back in winning form until Saturday night.
“We have been struggling so bad with this car,” Donk said. “We just didn’t know what was wrong with it. I guess we found out.”
Nick Cooper led the first eight laps before Donk took over the lead.
Finishing second was Paul Habeck followed by multi-time 305 Sprint winner Darryl Ruggles. Rounding out the top-five were Bob Dreste and Todd Henderson.
Heat race winners were Darryl Ruggles and Nick Cooper.
In the 10-lap Community Car Care of Waterloo Legends Sportsman feature, Chris Mangiarelli won his first of the season.
“This car was great, I didn’t want to get out of it,” Mangiarelli said. “We’re not going to do anything different with it. I think I found something we like.”
Ray Hendershot finished second followed by Bruce Batzel. Rounding out the top-five were Jason Caldwell and Eric Bell.
Chris Mangarelli also won the heat race for the Community Car Care of Waterloo Legends Sportsman.
Canandaigua Motorsports Park plays host to one of its biggest events of the summer when Sweeteners Plus, Inc. presents a return of the World of Outlaws Late Model Series on Tue. June 25. Safety Awareness Solutions Sportsman teams will also be in competition during this fantastic full-fender/open-wheel doubleheader with race time set for 7:30pm.
The fairgrounds' first mid-week show of the season marks the national touring group's fourth-ever appearance at the 'Land of Legends,' with fairgrounds favorite and 2006 WoO LMS champion Tim McCreadie from Watertown, N.Y. the '09 winner, Josh Richards from Shinnston, W. Va. victorious in '08 and record-setting Darrell Lanigan from Union, Ky. dominating last season.
Just one more weekend of auto racing remains in the month at Canandaigua Motorsports Park with Big Motor Media and the Ontario County Fairboard presenting a full program 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 action on June 29. The first qualifier runs at 7pm with pit gates opening at 4pm and grandstand seating starting at 5pm.
SKIDMARK – Its now official, three-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart will return to Canandaigua Motorsports Park on Tue., July 16 for as the headliner of the '360 Smoke Shootout' staged at the Ontario Co. Fairgrounds. The 'Rushville Rocket” will be contending for his first win at the storied Canandaigua half-mile clay oval with $3,000 on the line for the A-Main victor. A full program of open tire Sportsman and Crate Late Model racing fills out the 7:30pm card.
As CMP's Golden Anniversary season carries on, be sure to follow the point standings and breaking news everyday 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.
For more information, please contact Jeremie Corcoran via cell 315-374-2839 or e-mail jeremiecorcoran@yahoo.com. Joe Bailey (585-500-8852, jbailey0626@yahoo.com) can also be reached during the week to discuss marketing opportunities currently available at the track in 2013.
Canandaigua Motorsports Park is located at the Ontario County Fairgrounds, east of the city on Town Line Road (County Road 10), with easy access off either Exit 43 (Manchester, Route 21 South) or Exit 44 (Farmington, Route 332 South) of the New York State Thruway, just ½-hour southeast of Rochester.
|
