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2013 CMP News & Announcements |
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Canandaigua, NY – June 15, 2013 – Tom Skibinski, Canandaigua Motorsports Park PR (585-350-8997)
It had been 17 years since Gil Tegg Jr. last reached the winner's circle at Canandaigua Motorsports Park.
The last 12 months may have seemed just as long for the popular driver from Rochester, N.Y. as a life-threatening motorcycle accident suffered in May of 2012 made his return to the track very unlikely and a trip to victory lane even more improbable.
“Last year at this time my right arm was broke, my neck was broke and I was laid up for awhile living with my dad … things couldn't have been much gloomier,” understated Tegg, now 41, who underwent three months of rehabilitation ---also had two vertebrae fused together and experienced optical nerve damage in his right eye--- just to get back on his feet, never mind buckling back in behind the wheel of a mighty Big-Block Modified. “I took some time to reflect back and I thought 'man, I'm just lucky to be walking around let alone driving a race car.”
A Canandaigua regular for nearly half his life, Tegg survived a pair of restarts over the last five circuits to grab a long-awaited checkered flag in the memorable 35-lap Team Tiremasters Big-Block Modified main event.
Kevin Ridley (Safety Awareness Solutions Sportsman), Nick Cooper (Castner Performance 305 Sprint), Mike Welch (Parts Plus Street Stock) and Mike Minutolo Sr. (Pure Stock) added to their own trophy collections while Jason Caldwell triumphed for the first time ever in the Community Car Care of Waterloo New Legends Sportsman finale to close out Phelps Cement Products & Charlie's Restaurant Night at the historic Ontario County Fairgrounds oval.
Pole-sitter Tegg shared the front row with Derrick Podsiadlo and shadowed the Penn Yan pilot in the early stages of the Big-Block feature. Tegg slid his familiar no. 22 All Star Pizza-Mayfield's Pub/Troyer mount under Podsiadlo exiting turn four and forged the lone lead change as the pair crossed the line side-by-side to end lap 12.
Chad Homan suddenly slowed high in the second corner to force out the first yellow flag on lap 24, erasing a comfortable advantage for Tegg over Podsiadlo while Tim Currier, track rookie Matt Fink and points leader Matt Sheppard crept closer with still a dozen laps left in the headline event.
Filing into 18th on the original 26-car starting grid, Sheppard shot into fourth on lap 26 and closed in on Currier before the parked car of Mike O'Brien up against the turn two cement wall required a second stop in the action with a handful of circuits still remaining.
Sheppard bolted into third on the lap 31 restart yet the final caution period for Peter Britten's idle ride between turns one and two dealt a blow to 'Super Matt's' momentum with three laps to go. Tegg held on a for a five car-length victory ahead of a hard-charging Billy Dunn, Podsiadlo, Sheppard and a surprizing Gary Tomkins aboard the back-up no. 48 Bicknell ride of Dave Rauscher.
“Last year (Sheppard) took a win away from us with two laps to go so when I saw the 9s in third place I said 'oh no' and I got a little nervous with him near the front,” remarked Tegg, who made his 1990 trackside debut in a Street Stock at Canandaigua before joining the Big-Block ranks the following season and recording that initial win on June 8, 1996.
“All the guys have been working their butts off the last two weeks, going through the car and finding a few things. I know the results haven't been very pretty lately but we've been taking baby steps and everything fell together tonight. And its definitely a lot of fun when things finally go your way.”
“I knew Derrick was right behind and he raced me real clean at the end. I moved down a little in turns one and two on the last lap and just hoped he couldn't go around me. Getting back here is just awesome, without my dad and the crew it would be a whole different story,” Tegg added.
Ridley needed only a month to return to the podium as the Waterloo warrior dominated the 25-lap Sportsman feature to regain his winning ways at the fast fairgrounds half-miler.
“We've been struggling the past few races here but finally found out what was wrong with the car and happy to be back (victory lane),” noted Ridley, who regained the points lead after his third win of 2013 combined with the recent move into the Modifieds by former division leader Dave Marcuccilli.
“The left-rear shock slider had slid up about an inch. We just didn't see it and weren't getting the travel out of the shock. The car was always staying loose no matter what we tried. We're back in business tonight,” said Ridley, after netting his 17th career win at CMP.
Josh Livingston led his first laps of the season from second starting spot before Ridley charged from sixth to first in the opening eight laps. Ridley built up a commanding lead in his no. 20x Fred's Fab'n Fold-Milt's Precision Collision/Bicknell entry before A.J. Lloyd incurred the first caution period on 19 following a flat tire.
Ridley remained restless up front as two more slowdowns on lap 19 and a pair on lap 20 for minor mishaps put Steve Gray (started 16th) on his bumper while two-time reigning track points king Dan Wiesner (began 17th) had maneuvered his way forward into third in the 25-car field.
The final five circuits only delayed the inevitable as Ridley rode on a for a decisive 10 car-length victory margin ahead of Gray and Wiesner while cousins Paul Guererri and Nick Guererri finished out the front-five at the stripe.
Also waiting out a month before his last visit to the winner's circle, second-generation standout Cooper from Stanley bolted from third to first on the initial green flag and held on for a six car-length victory over points leader Darryl Ruggles in the caution-free 20-lap Sprint Car A-Main.
“The car was good all night long, in the heat race and practice it was strong,” said Cooper, who jumped from sixth to fourth in the point standings following his second career win at the 'Land of Legends.' “It never missed a beat.”
“I kept listening to hear if anybody was behind me. Never heard anything except for the lapped cars so that turned out to be a good thing,” Cooper figured.
While Cooper's challengers changed throughout the 10-mile race, his no. 35 Schwartz Excavating-Honeoye Auto Parts/Eagle was a constant after he disposed of front row partners Mike Castner Jr. and Will Glover on the opening circuit. Todd Henderson, Paul Habeck and Ruggles each occupied the runner-up position yet Cooper would not be denied first-place honors in the dramatic non-stop dash.
Another week afforded another win for full-fender veteran Welch as Canandaigua's all-time stock car winner once again emerged at the top of his class in the 15-lap Street Stock feature. The Lyons driver improved his career count to 56 victories while extending his advantage on the current points chart in quest of an unprecedented ninth track crown.
Listed seventh in the starting line-up, Welch's sleek 00 Investor Services-Mark's Garage-Parts Plus Chevrolet Impala machine methodically moved through the pack from the opening green. Charles Harvey looped his car low out of turn one and Welch was in prime position on the lap nine restart to overtake race-long leader Bill Weller after the lone yellow flag.
“Needed to win this one for my crew, a close friend of the team passed away recently and this is for her,” said Welch, with a third straight title clearly in sight after just eight Saturday shows. “Wouldn't be where I am without everybody's help in the shop, they're here whenever I need them 24/7.”
“Its getting tougher to win out here, the other guys are getting faster and making things harder. We broke a couple weeks back but its good for the fans to have another winner. We're happy to be back,” Welch added.
Weller out-dragged 51-time winner Steve Pesarek to begin the feature and with five laps scored Welch had already advanced to fourth with his sights set on third-place runner C.J. Guererri. Pesarek suddenly ducked to the infield with the yellow lights on for Harvey, putting Welch into second-place and just six laps away from his seventh win in eight starts entering the exciting summer stretch.
After moving up from Pure Stock competition, Derek Excell climbed to second on the final scoresheet ahead of Weller, Guererri and Nate Peckham.
Minutolo received an early Father's Day present as he turned back numerous bids by his son Marc Minutolo to post his second Pure Stock win of the season. Pole-sitter Greg Netherwood and Nick Dandino shared the early lead before Minutolo moved to the point for good on lap five and hung on for a narrow half car-length win.
“I knew (Marc) was back there, knew he'd be trying to get me,” stated the elder Minutolo following his 33rd career win at CMP, moving back ahead of Marc who began the season with 32 trophies. “We got his car back going really good again, but apparently mine's running better.”
Mike started 8th on the grid while Marc began 5th and the duo from nearby Newark turned it into a true family affair in the latter stages. While Mike forged the final change on lap five, Marc passed Dandino for second on lap nine.
Chris Gingerich spun out in turns three and four with five laps to go to bring the leaders nose-to-tail although the order remained intact for the distance. Eric Chapman, Wayne Ellison and Dandino filled in the final front-five.
Caldwell finished off a perfect night at the speedway, taking the lead with one to go en route to his memorable triumph in the 10-lap Legends Sportsman main after copping the lone qualifying heat.
“Glad to be able to compete in this rookie class and have the chance to get our feet wet in racing,” remarked Caldwell, a weekly traveler westward to the routes 5&20 track from his home in Port Byron. “Just tried to keep running a steady line and hit my points in every corner, fortunate to come out with a victory. Thanks to Jeremie (Corcoran, CMP Promoter) for an excellent track, very smooth and tacky tonight.”
Caldwell was in the right place when race-long leader Jason Scales slipped high entering turn two to leave the door open underneath. The no. 18 TJ's Barber Shop-Centerpointe Golf Club/Bicknell car was quick to fill the hole and so was Nicole Hoag, who ultimately fell a car-length shy of Caldwell in a gallant last lap effort.
Scales settled for third ahead of Ray Hendershot and Bruce Batzel with Kenny Washburn the only first-year driver unable to start.
Canandaigua Motorsports Park kicks off its summer slate on June 22 when Currier Plastics provides a packed '50th Anniversary' 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. The first qualifier runs at 7pm with pit gates opening at 4pm and grandstand seating starting at 5pm.
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