| |
| |
2013 CMP News & Announcements |
|
|
Connect with CMP
  
|
Canandaigua, NY – May 25, 2013 – Dave Roberts, Canandaigua Motorsports Park PR Correspondent
August 20, 2011. That was the last time Canandaigua Motorsports Park Big-Block Modified racing star Justin Haers had won a feature event on the fast half-mile oval.
That is … until last Saturday night.
 Haers, of Phelps, NY, started 11th and patiently moved through the field, taking the lead on lap 31 and going on to the win before a big crowd at CMP in the 35-lap Team Tire Masters Big-Block Modified main.
“I think that I’ve had about a dozen second-place finishes,” said Haers in victory lane. “Our car was a little tight tonight, but it got better in the late laps and that helped us.”
It had been a tough past few weeks for Haers at Canandaigua. Two weeks ago, the power steering went after Haers was solidly into a top-five spot. Last week, it was a flat tire that took him out of another great finish.
“We’re going to keep working on it. We did some good things in Florida in February but we’ve had some problems up here. Right now, this feels awesome.”
Dave Allen and Mike O’Brien led the initial laps when the main event started. Matt Billings, who makes the weekly trip from Brockville, Ontario, was very impressive, taking the lead on lap eight and going out to a big lead after a restart. While Billings enjoyed the top spot, others were moving through the pack toward the front. Three-time winner in 2013, Matt Sheppard, who began the feature from the 18th starting position, was up to sixth by lap 14 while Haers then ran fourth.
By lap 20, that big lead was gone and Billings was feeling the pressure from Haers. His run for his first-ever CMP victory ended after Haers took over the top spot on lap 31. Sheppard got by Billings on lap 32 and looked ready to challenge Haers for this third win in a row before a left-rear flat tire on lap 33 sent Sheppard to the pits. On the restart, it was all Haers as he went on to get the win.
Billings had a great run and held on for second. Peter Britten started 12th and took home a third-place finish. Rounding out the top-five were Jimmy Phelps, who started 16th and Billy Dunn, who had to run the consi to get into the feature event.
The fourth-place finish by Jimmy Phelps moved him within three points of leader Matt Sheppard.
Heat race winners were Matt Billings, Justin Wright and Mike Bowman. The consolation event was won by Chad Homan.
In the Safety Awareness Solutions 25-lap Sportsman feature, Dan Wiesner won his first of the season, taking the lead on lap 17 and making no mistakes the remainder of the way.
Wiesner took the lead from AJ Lloyd, who had taken over the lead on lap two. Wiesner had to come from the 14th starting position.
“These things don’t come easy,” Wiesner said afterwards. “You look at the time you’re away from family and the time and money you spend to make this work.
“We've been dealing with this car…struggling with it,” Wiesner added. “Right now, this is where we want to be.”
Finishing second was Dave Marcuccilli, who started 16th. Third was AJ Lloyd followed by Rob Bussey and Nick Guererri in fourth and fifth, respectively. Wiesner’s win moves him to within two points of division leader Dave Marcuccilli.
Heat race winners were Jeff Davoli, Rob Bussey and Fran Burnell Jr. The consolation event was won by Nick Guererri.
In the Parts Plus Street Stock 15-lap feature, Mike Welch won his sixth feature of the season at CMP. Welch made a last lap pass of Chris Guererri and was successful.
“We took it right to the end tonight,” said Welch, who started tenth. “I didn’t think that we would get up there tonight. The track was good and our guys did a great job putting the car together.”
Guererri held on for second. Mike Rogers, who came down from Watertown, NY, finished third followed by Steve Austin and Blane Smith.
Pole-sitter Bill Weller lead the first six laps before Guererri went by on lap seven. Heat race winners were Mike Welch and Bill Weller.
 In the 15-lap Pure Stock feature, Mike Minutolo Sr won his first of the season.
Minutolo took the lead from then leader Nick Dandino on lap four and had to battle his son Marc Minutolo along with Roger Bush and Wayne Ellison for several laps as the four ran in close quarters.
Marc, driving the Rod Comfort ride, held on for second. Third was Roger Bush followed by Wayne Ellison and Eric Chapman.
Mike Minutolo took over the points lead with the victory.
“We’re going for it,” Minutolo said as he talked to the CMP crowd about the tight points race.
In the Castner Performance 305 Sprints, Darryl Ruggles took his second victory in a row, taking the lead on lap 14 and never looking back.
“We’ve just found something with this car that really works,” said Ruggles, who has made a lifetime of driving at Canandaigua Motorsports Park. “Dry, slick or tacky, it really doesn’t matter with this car.”
Justin Henderson was an early leader. David Ferguson led from lap two until Ruggles took over the top spot.
Finishing second was Ferguson followed by Paul Habeck. Charlie Donk, who has won three times at CMP in 2013, was fourth followed by Justin Henderson.
Heat winners were Scott Wagner and Justin Henderson. The 20-lap A-Main was marred by a flip at the start of the race. Will Glover was uninjured in the mishap.
Ruggles holds a four point lead over Charlie Donk in the Castner Performance 305 Sprint points chase.
Second-generation driver Jordan Siri also won his second in a row in the Community Car Care of Waterloo Legends Sportsman 10-lap feature. Siri led every lap in going on for the win.
‘We just found a good line out there and that was the difference,” Siri said afterwards.
Joe Abraham was second while Jon Cordovani was third. Ray Hendershot was fourth while Jason Scales was fifth. The heat winner was Ken Washburn.
The third month of auto racing at Canandaigua Motorsports Park kicks off on June 1 when Victor Mobile Home Parks presents 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. The first qualifier runs at 7pm with pit gates opening at 4pm and grandstand seating starting at 5pm.
|
|
Our Sponsors
|
|
|
