“Hossfeld Hot at Chemung in RoC Event; Ham Ends INEX Legend Drought”
Story By: CAROL HOUSSOCK / CHEMUNG SPEEDWAT MEDIA Photos By:MARK RANALLETTA / RACERSGUIDE.COM
Chemung, NY. -May 31, 2016- Hot. That one word pretty much sums up Saturday afternoon at Chemung Speedrome for the rare 3 PM show. The track welcomed the Ferris Mowers Race of Champions series for a 75 lap event won by Chuck Hossfeld. Other winners included Nick Robinson (Super Stocks), Gary Ham and Alexandria Smith (INEX Legends), and Garrett Zacharias and Bryce Bailey (INEX Bandoleros).
There’s something about Chuck Hossfeld and Chemung Speedrome in the month of May. Just as he did a year ago, Hossfeld won the 75 lap Race of Champions event. He, Matt Hirschman and Austin Kochenash won the three heats; ironically, of the three only Hossfeld was around at the end of the race. Both Hirschman and Kochenash had problems and finished well back in the field. Daryl Lewis, Jr., Patrick Emerling and Mike Leaty, on the other hand, came to life mid-race and had some great battles going as they moved closer to the leader.
While Hossfeld had things pretty much his way, Mike Leaty got around Lewis for third and was closing on Emerling. When it was over Hossfeld had another win at the Speedrome, followed to the line by Emerling, Leaty, TJ Potrzebowski and Lewis. The Ferris Mowers Race of Champions series rolls back into Chemung on Saturday, August 6th.
Former track champion Tim Gullo won the Super Stock heat and started their 20-lap feature from pole position. Opening night winner Frank Chapman started beside him. Gullo took off and led, but with just one lap complete the caution flag came out. Rich Talada made contact with Chapman and both went to the rear. That brought Nick Robinson, the most recent winner, up to second for the restart. Gullo led but not for long, as Robinson made what became his race-winning pass on the second lap. Robinson demonstrated the power his car now has by widening the gap between his #15 and the #71 of Gullo as the laps clicked off.
After waiting years for his first win, he only had to wait eight days for his second. Gullo finished second, ahead of Chapman, Chad Lane and Talada. “I have a great car, I’m finally in the ballpark with the others now,” Robinson said from victory lane. Judging by his strength the past two weeks, he had two hits out of the ballpark.
For the first time ever Chemung split the INEX Legend competitors into groups, at their request. First up was the 20-lap feature for the Pro/Master class. Handicapping put Keith Youngs and heat winner Gary Ham on the front row. Youngs led the first two laps but Ham set up a clean pass and took over on lap three. Brandon DeBrakeleer was also on the move and took second from Youngs on the eighth lap.
At the halfway point it was a two man race, with a big gap between the leaders and Youngs. The only caution came with 11 laps complete when Youngs spun in turn four. Chuck Lohmeyer was sent to the rear for his involvement.
Over the final nine laps Kyle Youngs made some great moves and passed DeBrakeleer for second with four laps remaining, but DeBrakeleer made equally nice moves and reclaimed second with laps winding down. Ham, the Speedrome’s former head flagger, took Larry Woodruff’s checkered flag for a long overdue win. DeBrakeleer, Youngs, heat winner Matt Evans, and Dalton Ranbough all posted top five finishes.
Qualifying for the INEX Legend Semi-Pro/Young Lions resulted in wins for Pat Judson and Max Evans. Daniel Carter and Evans got things going in the 20-lap feature from their front row spots. Carter led the way off turn two but the race went under caution with just one lap complete. Breanne Gilligan’s day was done while Alexandria Smith pitted with a flat tire. When the race went back under green Evans took the lead with Judson second. Smith was working the traffic and was up to second over the next two laps.
Caution came out for the second, and final, time when Brian DeMark spun in turn two. That brought Smith to the outside of Judson for the restart. Judson prevailed, keeping Smith behind him until lap nine, when she got around and took the lead. Behind her the action was intense as Alex McCollum and Anthony Gullo were battling among the top five contenders. Smith got the win, this time over McCollum, Judson, Gullo and Evans.
Garrett Zacharias and Dominick Wood, who won their Bandolero heat races, made up the front row for their 10-lap feature. Zacharias led the way with 2015 champ Teddy Bowen right behind in second. DJ Shaw spun with three laps complete, but the restart was costly for Wood. He spun into the backstretch wall and needed medical attention.
Zacharias and Bowen again made up the front row, had contact, and Michael Gage spun because of it. The front row then became the last row, while Bryce Bailey and Shea Bailey made up row one. Bryce prevailed but Zacharias made some nice moves to get back to the front, retaking the lead at the halfway point. He held on for the win and is now three-for-three in Bandolero action this year. Bowen finished second, followed by B. Bailey, S. Bailey and Shaw. Bryce was the highest finishing Bandit for the third week in a row.
It’s back to NASCAR Hometrack Friday nights under the lights beginning this week. The June 3rd lineup is a regular show of Sunoco Modifieds, Super Stocks, 4 Cylinders, INEX Legends and the Bandoleros. Pits open at 4 PM, grandstand gates open at 5:30 and practice begins at 6. First race starts at 7 PM. Admission is $13 for adults, $11 for seniors 65+, $5 for kids 6-12, and free for kids 5 and under. Fans who bring their adult or senior grandstand ticket stub from May 28th will receive $3 off their admission price this Friday.
Note: Dave Pecko climbed into the #42 Modified for the first time in eight years when his son, Nick, had a work commitment.
For more information, log on to www.chemungspeedrome.net or “like” us on Facebook. Chemung Speedrome and NASCAR, Asphalt Racing at its Finest!
Results:
RoC Modifieds (75 Laps) CHUCK HOSSFELD, Patrick Emerling, Mike Leaty, TJ Potrzebowski, Daryl Lewis, Jr., Jimmy Zacharias, Tyler Rypkema, Roger Cross, Brian Defebo, Jody Buckley, Dave Pecko, Bryan Sherwood, Kevin Timmerman, Tommy Catalano, Amy Catalano, Karl Hehr, Tony Hanbury, Calvin Carroll, John Wilber, George Skora III, Austin Kochenash, JR Kent, Matt Hirschman, Daren Scherer, TJ Zacharias
Heats: Hirschman, Kochenash, Hossfeld
Super Stocks (25 Laps) NICK ROBINSON, Tim Gullo, Frank Chapman, Chad Lane, Rich Talada
Heat: Gullo
INEX Legends (Pro/Master, 20 Laps) GARY HAM, Brandon DeBrakeleer, Kyle Youngs, Matt Evans, Dalton Ranbough, Vern LaFave, Beth Scherer, Keith Youngs, Chuck Lohmeyer, Frank Sibling, Charlie Lohmeyer, David French, Daren Scherer (DNS)
Heats: Ham, Evans
INEX Legends (Semi-Pro/Young Lions, 20 Laps) ALEXANDRIA SMITH, Alex McCollum, Pat Judson, Anthony Gullo, Max Evans, Zack Bennett, Daniel Carter, Timothy Bowen, Jimmer Ulrich, Rob Ulrich, Bill Chandler, Kevin Youngs, Breanne Gilligan
Heats: Judson, Evans
Bandoleros: GARRETT ZACHARIAS, Teddy Bowen, Bryce Bailey, Shea Bailey, DJ Shaw, Seth Zacharias, Joshua Duke, Connor McCarthy, Joey Bernatavitz, Michael Gage, Dominick Wood
Heats: G. Zacharias, Wood
