Justin Haers Returns To Victory Lane At The Land Of Legends
Story By: GARY MONTGUMRY / CANANDAIGUA SPEEDWAY MEDIA
Photos By: ALEX & HELEN BRUCE / RACERSGUIDE.COM
CANANDAIGUA, NY – August 28, 2016– ”After we had problems at Rolling Wheels with my regular car, my crew kept pestering me to ‘get the red car out’. I was saving that car for the year end shows. But here we are now,” commented an elated Justin Haers in victory lane at Canandaigua Motorsports Park. Haers piloted the retro looking Billy Taylor-Doug Hoffman number 1, the same car he drove at last year’s SDW in Syracuse.
Dave Marcuccilli topped the sportsman 25-lap feature, while Marc Minutolo won his eighth Pure Stock/Street Stock feature. Darryl Ruggles returned to the speedway and grabbed the 305 Sprint Car main. Chad Homan won his ninth crate late model feature. There were enough “Legend Sportsman” cars on hand to run an event. John Cordovani won that 10-lap feature.
The 35-lap DIRTcar Modified feature was full of surprises. Tommy Keyes took the lead from his outside pole position. The feature was only two laps old when track points leader Matt Sheppard’s car dug its nose into the track going into the third turn and began flipping wildly.
He emerged uninjured, but his number 9s was badly damaged. During this yellow Danny Johnson pitted and did not return to the race.
Keyes would lose the lead to Tim Fuller on lap seven. Fuller then began to pull away and looked to have the race under control. The yellow flew on lap 12, when Dave Rauscher had a drive shaft break and slam his leg. Crews were on the scene quickly, but Rauscher was able to walk to the ambulance.
Fuller’s race would also come to an end, as he lost a right front wheel going into the third turn. This left the lead to Haers.
Haers would lead the remainder of the distance. Gary Tomkins tried to run down Haers but had to settle for second. Billy Decker, Alan Johnson and Peter Britten rounded out the top five. “It was a real workout tonight,” added Haers. “But all-in-all it was a great night.”
The 25-lap Sportsman feature saw Austyn Fugle grab the lead at the start. He was able to hold off Karl Comfort and James Sweeting. In the closing laps, Dave Marcuccilli added to the pressure on Fugle. On lap 20, both Comfort and Marcuccilli sandwiched Fugle in lapped traffic. Comfort took the lead with Marcuccilli in second. On the final lap, Marcuccilli was able to make the pass on Comfort to take the win, his fifth on the year at Canandaigua.
“I didn’t expect this today,” stated Marcuccilli. “We had to work our way from the back and no one was wrecking. We just picked our way through traffic. Kudos to all of the drivers on the way they ran tonight.”
Darryl Ruggles led all 15-laps to take the 305 Sprint Car win. “This was a different track tonight,” added Ruggles in victory lane. It was Ruggles 23rd sprint car win in the last three years at Canandaigua.
The Pure Stock/Street Stock 15-lap feature early leader Blane Smith was finally passed by Jason Doty . Doty then found himself in a battle with multi-time feature winner Marc Minutolo. Minutolo made his charge and passed for the lead on lap 12.
Minutolo took the win followed by Doty. Steve Pesarek finished in third and was the first Street Stock across the finish line. Smith and Brian Michaels, also a Street Stock, rounded out the top five.
Chad Homan dominated the crate late model race between himself and Pesarek.
This coming Saturday, September 3, will be the final night of racing for the 2016 season. On tap will be double point shows for all divisions; DIRTcar big block Modifieds , Sportsman, 305 Sprint Cars, Crate Late Models, Pure/Street Stocks and New Legends sportsman novices. Race time will be at 7 p.m. sharp.
CANANDAIGUA MOTORSPORTS PARK LG EVANS CONSTRUCTION NIGHT SUMMARY (8/27/16)
PURE STOCK
HEAT 1: M. Minutolo, P. Smith, S. Lloyd, E. Chapman.
HEAT 2: B. Smith, J. Doty, B. Michaels, S. Smith.
FEATURE (15-laps): MARC MINUTOLO, Jason Doty, STEVE PESAREK (SS), Blane Smith, Brian Michaels (SS), Rick Crego, Parker Smith, Eric Chapman, Shawn Lloyd, Ken Clark (SS), Scott Herman (SS), Brad Stienruck, Scott Smith, DNS: Chris Menard.
CRATE LATE MODEL
HEAT: C. Homan, S. Pesarek.
FEATURE (12-laps): CHAD HOMAN, Steve Pesarek.
305 SPRINT CARS
HEAT: L. Sanders, D. Ruggles, D. Bennett, E. Kelly.
FEATURE (15-laps): DARRYL RUGGLES, Lee Sanders, Jason Whipple, Dan Bennett, Tim Smith, Dan Craun, Erik Karlsen, DNS: Ed Kelly
LEGEND SPORTSMAN
HEAT: J. Cordovani, B. Karlsen, M. Schultz, R. Post.
FEATURE (12-laps): JOHN CORDOVANI, Mike Schultz, Ben Karlsen, Richie Post.
SPORTSMAN
HEAT 1: P. Guererri, T. Meeks, M. Guererri, K. Ridley, E. Giguere, J.T. Sparring.
HEAT 2: A. Fugle, J. Sweeting, K. Comfort, L. Lincoln, D. Smith, K. Root.
HEAT 3: K. Bristol, D. Marcuccilli, T. Baker, A.J. Lloyd, J. Cook, N. Peckham.
FEATURE (25-laps): DAVE MARCUCCILLI, Karl Comfort, Austyn Fugle, James Sweeting, Matt Guererri, Tyler Meeks, Paul Guererri, A.J. Lloyd, Tim Baker, Kane Bristol, Nick Guererri, Loren Lincoln, Ricky Newton, J.T. Sparring, Doug Smith, Joe Cook, Eric Williams, Nathan Peckham, Kevin Ridley, Eric Giguere, Anthony Kimball, Kevin Root.
MODIFIED
HEAT 1: J. Haers, M. Williamson, P. Britten, Gary Tomkins, T. Keyes, A. Johnson.
HEAT 2: D. Rauscher, T. Fuller, J. Wright, D. Allen, R. Arbuthnot, S. Paine
HEAT 3: M. O’Brien, M. Sheppard, M. Mahaney, J. Maier, D. Johnson, B. Decker
FEATURE (35-laps): JUSTIN HAERS, Gary Tomkins, Billy Decker, Alan Johnson, Peter Britten, Steve Paine, Justin Wright, Dan Wiesner, Greg Birosh, Kyle Coffey, Tommy Keyes, Ryan Arbuthnot, James Maier, Dave Allen, Tim Fuller, Mike Mahaney, Dave Rauscher, Mat Williamson, Derrick Podsiadlo, Mike O’Brien, Matt Sheppard, Danny Johnson, Gil Tegg Jr., Kaitlyn Pashina.
