Batman Scores First Canandaigua Victory

Britten Breaks Sheppards Strong Hold with Canandaigua Victory

Story By: GARY SPAID / CANANDAIGUA MOTORSPORTS PARK MEDIA                                                                                                               Photos By: ALEX and HELEN BRUCE /RACERSGUIDE.COM

CANANDAIGUA, NY- May 29, 2016- With weather closing in the pace of the evening picked up. But it would not be the weather that proved to be a problem it would be the generator. As night was falling the DIRTcar Modified feature was in its closing laps.

Up front was Matt Sheppard, looking to make it four feature wins in 2016. But a flat right rear tire on lap 29, allowed Australian national champion, Peter Britten to assume the lead and go on to his first ever Canandaigua Motorsports Park feature win.

“It has been a long time coming,” stated Britten. “I feel sorry for Matt, but things like that have happened to me also. I have to thank the HBR group who put me behind the wheel of this car.”

Paul Guererri picked up his 39th Canandaigua feature career win, and his first of the year. Mike Welch led the way in the combined Street Stock-Pure Stock event. Second place Marc Minutolo was the first Pure Stock across the finish line. Darkness fell and the 305 feature was due to a faulty generator.

The modified feature took the green at 8:15 pm under the lights. The first lap saw Greg Birosh  recorded as the leader of the race. However the yellow flew for a crash in the fourth turn eliminating Tommy Keyes from the race. Somewhere during this time the lights failed. The track crew set to work on the generator, but they were unable to make repairs. It was all a matter of time now.

The restart saw Dave Rauscher gain the front spot. Eldon Payne Jr. used a power slide to pass Rauscher on lap eight. The yellow reappeared on lap 11 for a flat tire on the Billy Decker number 91. At the same time Mat Williams slow in the second turn making contact with the outside wall.

This time the restart saw Sheppard take command and start to pull away from the rest of the field. It looked as if he would easily take his fourth with of the year.  On lap 28, Payne slowed on the back stretch, moving Britten up to second. One lap later Sheppard slowed exiting the fourth turn with flat right rear tire. This moved Britten into the lead, but he still had a restart on his plate.

The restart saw him power away from Steve Paine. On lap 22, Gary Tomkins powered into second and took off after Britten. But his efforts would fall short. Britten took the victory followed by Tomkins. Paine, Alan Johnson and Justin Haers.    “Once I cleared Paine, I knew I had a chance at the win,” he added.

The 25-lap Sportsman feature saw Jeff Devoli as the early leader. He gave way to Rob Bussey on lap three. The yellow flew on lap nine when Novice Sportsman regular Ben Karlsen spun in the fourth turn.

The restart saw Bussey remain in the lead with Devoli, Nick Guererri and Paul Guererri on his rear bumper. As the leaps wore down, Paul Guererri was able to work his way into second. On lap 21, he was able to use the lapped car of Karlsen to make his move under Bussey in the first turn and take the lead. At the finish line it was Paul Guererri followed by James Sweeting, Ricky Newton, Bussey and Nick Guererri.

“That lapped car gave me the opportunity to go around into the lead,” stated Guererri. “This car felt the best it has all year.”

The 15-lap Street Stock-Pure Stock feature saw Mike Welch grab the lead and cruise home with the win. Marc Minutolo was the first Pure Stock across the finish line. Jason Doty, Charles Harvey (SS) and Derrick Excell rounded out the top five finishers.

“It was fun to run with Marc and Blane tonight,” stated Welch. As for Minutolo, he added, “We had an oil leak we just couldn’t seem to fix, but the car worked good on the low side of the speedway.”

Race was completed by 8:45 pm. “It never did rain,” stated promoter Jeremie Corcoran. “I am glad we were able to complete our program for the fans tonight.”

This Saturday, June 4, will see another regular night of racing at Canandaigua Motorsports Park hosted by American Energy Systems. More information can be found at www.canandaiguamotorsportspark.com.  That race card will include the DIRTcar Big Block Modifieds, Sportsman, New Legends, 305 Sprint Cars, Crate Late Models and the combined Open Street Stocks/Pure Stocks. Race time begins at 7 p.m.

CANANDAIGUA MOTORSPORTS PARK NIGHT SUMMARY (5/28/16)

STREET STOCKS/ PURE STOCK

HEAT: M. Minutolo, M. Welch, J. Doty, E. Chapman, D. Excell, P. Smith.

FEATURE (15-laps):  MIKE WELCH (SS), MARC MINUTOLO (PS), Jason Doty, Charles Harvey (SS), Derrick Excell, Eric Chapman, Parker Smith, Blane Smith, Adam Whipple.

SPORTSMAN

HEAT 1:  N. Peckham, M. Guererri, K. Ridley, D. Marcuccilli, A. Fugle.

HEAT 2:  R. Bussey, R. Newton, A.J. Lloyd, J. Sweeting, T. Baker.

HEAT 3:  N. Guererri, P. Guererri, K. Bristol, D. Smith, J. Devoli.

FEATURE (25-laps): PAUL GUERERRI, James Sweeting, Ricky Newton, Rob Bussey, Nick Guererri, A,J, Lloyd, Dave Marcuccilli, Jeff Devoli, Kevin Ridley, Karl Comfort, Tyler Meeks, Kane Bristol, Matt Guererri, Kevin Root, Austyn Fugle, Tim Baker, Anthony Kimball, Doug Smith, Leo Fotopoulos, Nathan Peckham, Doug Rohr, Ben Karlsen, Ray Hendershot.

MODIFIED

HEAT 1:  J. Haers, D. Rauscher, M. O’Brien, P. Britten, S. Paine, R. Scagliotta.

HEAT 2:  M. Sheppard, B. Sage, G. Birosh, J. Wright, B. Decker, D. Wiesner.

HEAT 3:   R. Arbuthnot, M. Mahaney, T. Fuller, G. Tomkins, E. Payne Jr., M. Williamson.

FEATURE (35-laps):  PETER BRITTEN, Gary Tomkins. Steve Paine, Alan Johnson, Justin Haers, Billy Decker, Mike Mahaney, Tim Fuller, Mike O’Brien, Dan Wiesner, Ryan Arbuthnot, Rich Scagliotta, Matt Sheppard, Derrick Podsiadlo, Justin Wright, James Maier, Eldon Payne Jr., Gil Tegg Jr., Kyle Coffey, Dave Rauscher, Kaitlyn Pashina, Doug Gavette, Greg Birosh, Mat Williamson, Brian Sage, Tommy Keyes.