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Gary Tomkins Beats Out Steve Paine and Billy Decker to take Checkered Flag!
Weedsport, NY – The Land of Legends lived up to its name once again this week as Gary Tomkins aboard the Rochester Americans #84 got his groove back, rocketing pass the likes of Steve Paine, Justin Haers, and Paul Guererri to take the Taylor Rental of Canandaigua 35 checkered flag. A head to head battle between Nick Guererri and Kevin Ridley would send the crowd to their feet in the Sportsman division while Andy Fisk and Alex Morris came out on top at night’s end.
Big Block With the green flag waving, pole sitter Paul Guererri led the remaining 21 cars around the bullring as Brian Swarthout and Del Rougeux Jr rounded out the top three at the completion of the opening lap. But as the laps began to fall, the track came alive as battles for positioning throughout the field commenced. As Del Rougeux Jr. and Rob Bellinger aboard the 8g battled for third, Gary Tomkins found his sweet spot on the outside groove advancing from fifth to third in one trip around the circuit. It wouldn’t stop there for Tomkins as the Clifton Springs, N.Y native was just getting started, snatching the lead from Guerierri on lap 7 at the line. As Tomkins began putting more dirt between remaining players and him, Steve Paine and Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series defending champion, Billy Decker had some racing to do of their own as the pair found themselves nose to tail currently running third and fourth with twenty laps to go. Lapped congestion would find Tomkins by lap 18 but it would in no way slow down his ride had he accumulated a 4.12 second lead over Paine who had now set up shop in second after passing Guererri thanks to an inside move. Billy Decker would follow suit a lap later, also passing the 7g of Guererri with fifteen laps to go. As the feature developed into the night, it seemed as though Guererri’s luck wasn’t about to change anytime soon as he slowed down in turn 2, bringing out the caution on lap 28. Big Block’s heaviest hitters went nose to tail as the boys went full-throttle into turns three and four as Paine tried to steal the show from current leader Tomkins taking the inside line, but Tomkins would have nothing of it, shutting down Paine’s advances to take the checkered flag. Billy Decker would squeeze into second in front of Paine after and outside move around turn four gave the defending champion just enough to surrender Paine to third place. Top Five: Gary Tomkins, Billy Decker, Steve Paine, Matt Sheppard, and Jeff Brownell Jr. Sportsman Modifieds This time last week, Nick Guererri was loaning his 25g to Kevin Ridley for Sunday night’s race at Cayuga County Fair Speedway, after a collision in turn 1 last Saturday at Canandaigua Speedway left Ridley disabled with a broken rear end. Just seven days later, the two friends would meet yet again under the lights at Canandaigua but this time, they would be co-starring in one of the most exhilarating finishes the Sportsman division has seen to date. At the drop of the green, the feature quickly developed into the Guererri show as the Pumphouse Tavern sponsored 25g shot around pole sitter Chris Mangiarelli with ease soon pulling away from the field. As Guererri sat comfortably in the lead spot, Kevin Ridley aboard his newly assembled 20x Xtreme Lubricants ride climbed out of an 8th place start advancing four spots by the completion of the sixth circuit; and as Guererri entered into lapped traffic by lap 11, Ridley zeroed in on the leader, slowly dwindling the distance between the two men. Despite Ridley’s attempt to take Guererri out of the lead spot, it seemed as though the Waterloo, N.Y. native remained a step ahead; but, the race gods weren’t done with us yet as a caution in turn 1 brought out by Phil LaVare in the 8L would send the boys to a four lap shootout with a legion of fans anxiously awaiting the drop of the green. At the line, Ridley tries to the inside but is quickly denied as Guererri holds going into turns one and two. However, the next time around wouldn’t fair so well for Guererri as Ridley found a sweet spot going into turn three, taking the lead from Guererri and ultimately the checkered flag finish! Top Five: Kevin Ridley, Rob Bussey, Steve Gray, Nick Guererri, and Ryan Susice. Street Stock Twelve drivers would take to the track in Saturday night’s 20-lap feature with Leroy Lewis aboard the #07 sitting atop the field. Lewis’ reign wouldn’t last for long as Nate Peckham seized the lead via the outside lane exiting turn two of the opening lap. With each circuit completed, Peckham maintained his lead as Andy Fisk and last week’s feature winner Mike Welch lurked behind trying their hand at the lead spot. A spin out on lap 12 from Frank Burnell in the 57b brought out the feature’s final caution sending the men back to the line for the restart. Disaster would strike at the worst possible time for current leader Nate Peckham, as a flat tire going into turn 3 of the restart sent the Industrial Service of Rochester sponsored #90 out of commission, opening the door for Andy Fisk to take the lead followed by Welch in the #00. With the white flag waving, Welch would throw his last curve ball of the night, surging to the top but their wasn’t enough steam left in the Monte Carlo to overtake Fisk’s #33, as Fisk takes the checkered flag!! Top Five: Andy Fisk, Mike Welch, Blane Smith, Mike Rasbeck, and Scott Smith. Pure Stox Alex Morris proved this week it doesn’t matter what car he’s driving, the only place he’s willing to park his ride is in Victory Lane. For the second week in a row, Alex Morris sent his competitors packing to win the night’s 12-lap feature passing Eric Chapman in the #22t on lap 7 for the lead. Despite a caution thrown on lap 9, Morris held off Chapman on the single file restart to take the checkered flag where he met up with a legion of his #1 fans dressed in Morris’ signature orange color. In victory lane track conditions were all Morris could talk about as he thanked the crew at Canandaigua for yet another great week, “The track is perfect tonight… I can’t thank the crew enough,” recanted Morris. Top Five: Alex Morris, Eric Chapman, Roger Bush, Corey Hunt, and George LaVare Jr. Upcoming Events: Saturday, May 9th - Desperate Wives Night, Racing at 7pm! Ladies wear your wedding rings and get in FREE! Big Block Modifieds, Sportsman Modifieds, Street Stocks, and Pure Stox Results: Big Block Modifieds: (1) Gary Tomkins, (2) Billy Decker, (3) Steve Paine, (4) Matt Sheppard, (5) Jeff Brownell Jr., (6) Pat Ward, (7) Justin Haers, (8) Chad Homan, (9) Rob Bellinger, (10) Derrick Podsiadlo, (11) Larry Wight, (12) Del Rougeux Jr., (13) Chuck Bower, (14) Charlie Donk, (15) Brian Swarthout, (16) Paul Guererri, (17) Paul Habeck, (18) Eldon Payne Jr., (19) Michel Chicone, (20) Ron Cartwright Jr., (21) Don Slover, (22) Dave Rauscher Sportsman Modifieds: (1) Kevin Ridley, (2) Rob Bussey, (3) Steve Gray, (4) Nick Guererri, (5) Ryan Susice, (6) Eric Gugiere, (7) Greg Cool, (8) Fran Hilton, (9) Darryl Hilkert, (10) Justin Henderson, (11) A.J. Lewis, (12) Loren Lincoln, (13) Anthony Rizzardo, (14) Todd Henderson, (15) Dan Wiesner, (16) Gary Hoteling, (17) Randy McCulloch, (18) Kyle LaVare, (19) Greg Birosh, (20) Brady Fultz, (21) Phil LaVare, (22) Tom Keys, (23) Chris Mangiarelli, (24) Ross Vleck, (25) Joe Cook Jr. (26) Mark Chiddy, (27) Mike DeMaille Street Stock: (1) Andy Fisk, (2) Mike Welch, (3) Blane Smith, (4) Mike Rasbeck, (5) Scott Smith, (6) Chris Fisher, (7) Leroy Lewis, (8) Bryan Faulkner Pure Stox: (1) Alex Morris, (2) Eric Chapman, (3) Roger Bush, (4) Corey Hunt, (5) George LaVare Jr., (6) Floyd Bush, (7) Brian Lyon |
