AMY WINS; FINOCCHARIO REMAINS UNDEFEATED IN SUPERSTOCKS AT SPENCER
AMY WINS; FINOCCHARIO REMAINS UNDEFEATED IN SUPERSTOCKS AT SPENCER!
Story By Gary Spaid/Spencer Speedway
Photos By: Mark Ranalletta/RacersGuide.com
WILLIAMSON, NY…Amy Catalano, from Ontario, NY, returned to victory lane after nearly a year’s absence from winning at Spencer Speedway. “With the luck I have been having, I’ve been wishing for 2017 to just go away,” commented Amy. “The older I am getting the harder these wins are coming.”
In the Super Sixes, Brandon Allen repeated in that division’s 20-lap feature. Chris Finocchario did the same in the New York SuperStock division. Finally, Travis Montgomery picked up his very first feature win in the Grandpa Dog 4 cylinder class.
Chris Finocchario took the early lead in the 35-lap Sunoco Modified main event. Lap five saw the yellow fly when Eddie Hawkins and Daryl Lewis Jr. spun in the first turn. During this yellow, third place Bobby Lippa Jr. pitted and returned to the rear of the field.
Finocchario remained the leader on the restart, as Amy Catalano took second from Andy Lewis. But before she could challenge for the lead the yellow flew as Chris Clemens slowed on the backstretch.
The restart saw Amy claim the lead, with Mike Leaty on her rear bumper. Leaty’s run ended five laps later as a large flame burped out his exhaust and he slowed, causing the third yellow flag of the race.
Kevin Timmerman took over the challenge for the lead, but Amy’s car seemed like it was on rails. In the closing laps, Amy’s son Tommy took over third. At the checkers it was Amy followed by Timmerman, Tommy C, Finocchario and Jimmy Zacharias to round out the top five.
“I have to say thanks to my husband for working so hard on this car. We have six modifieds, plus a number of other cars he takes care of during the week,” added Amy.
The 25-lap New York SuperStock main was caution riddled early in the run. A number of multi-car tangles eliminated a number of cars, including early race leader Nat Peckham. Peckham led for the first five laps.
Billy Coyle inherited the lead on lap six with Chris Finocchario running second in his potent number 8 machine. Finocchario made his move to grab the lead on lap 11, running high around Coyle in the fourth turn.
A longer green flag run started after lap 12, allowing Finocchario to run away from the rest of the pack. Late race yellows reeled him back in, but he was not to be denied. Finocchario took the checkers, his third of the year at Spencer Speedway.
“It takes a lot of luck to win these races, plus missing the accidents is a big part of it too.” Start Finocchario. “My many years of racing have taught me to be patient and not try and win it on the first lap.”
Dalton Alexander and A.J. Montgomery battled for the lead at the drop of the green in the Grandpa Dog 4-cylinder class. Alexander would forfeit the lead on the first circuit, but returned to lead laps two through ten. At that time he was beginning to be challenged by Trevor Montgomery. Montgomery was able to tuck inside of Alexander exiting the second turn and grab the top spot on lap 11.
Montgomery drew away from Alexander for the win in the 15-lapper. Last week’s winner, Paul Flye came home in third followed by A.J. Montgomery and Justin Gustafson rounding out the top five. For Travis it was his first feature win in six years of trying.
“I knew I was fast after heat,” stated Travis. “I just had to save my tires. I guess that was a good decision.”
The super six main event saw Andy Cocilova take the early lead only to lose that lead on lap five restart to Brian Hallett. Barrett Schenk was able to grab the lead on lap seven, just as the yellow flew for a slowing car on the backstretch.
The restart saw Brandon Allen take over the lead of the race, with Schenk in second. These two drew away to nearly a full straight away lead at the checkers. Following Allen and Schenk to the line were Alison Schoonmaker, Hallett and Cocilova.
“Another win is great but I just wanted to give shout out for John Flock who passed away this past week”, stated Allen.
SPENCER NOTES: NY SuperStock drivers are encouraged to get transponders for the upcoming Dave London Memorial in August. Race officials would like to beginning using them, especially with lap awards on the line…..a wayward squirrel was seen running across the wires on the front stretch. Unfortunately she met her demise as she shorted out the lights on the front stretch causing a delay in the program as officials tried to get the lights working again…Kids’ box car races saw Mason Allen picked up the win in the youth class. Kaylee Deuyser won in the older kid’s division….. The Kids will have “Super Hero Night” in two weeks, when they can dress up as their favorite Super Hero…local car dealer, Cavallaro-Neubauer Chevrolet showed off a number of new Chevrolets during intermission….Mandy Virts’s absence on the night dropped her from first in Grandpa Dog 4 cylinder points to sixth.
On Friday, August 4, Spencer Speedway will be featuring Twin 20 lap features for the Sunoco Modifieds, plus Grandpa Dog 4-Cyclinder and Super Six racing. Race time starts earlier that day, at 7 p.m. sharp, as a special “meet and greet” is planned for the front stretch during intermission.
Spencer Speedway is located just fifteen minutes east of Rochester, NY, along Route 104 in the Town of Williamson. Spencer Speedway is the local “NASCAR Place to Race” for Central New York in 2017. Points earned each week at Spencer are counted as part of the national NASCAR Whelen All-American Point Chase.
For more information go to: www.spencerspeedway.org.
