Wyoming County Intl. Speedway Celebrates 58 years of racing
Wyoming County Intl. Speedway Celebrates 58 years of racing
Heimes, Hallett, Majchrzak and Knapp all partied in Victory lane
Story & Photos By: Rob Micoli/Wyoming County International Speedway
Its been 4 weeks since most of the WCIS regulars have turned laps on the high banks of the Blacktop Bullring. With all the rain we received in July, it washed the speedway and gave us a green lighting quick track to celebrate the 58th season of racing at the Perry NY racing center. It also was Racer reunion night as we saw and talked with many retired drivers, car owners and crew members. The mighty SST Modifieds would run a 58 lap feature filled with excitement and surprises. Our usual supporting cast of 4 cylinders and Super Stocks were ready along with the visiting Vintage Late-models and the super competitive Super 6 class on this Festive night at the speedway.
After a short intermission which had a multi bike give-away and kids bike races on the front straight, we jumped right in with the flying 4 cylinders. It was the Brothers Bradshaw to start this feature off with Otis on the pole and soon to be married brother Mike outside that front row. Otis Bradshaw would use a perfectly time start to launch the #05 out front and start to open a lead. But it would be short lived as the first caution would fly. This would tighten up the front runners and put all the players on Bradshaw’s bumper. Dave Heimes would get free and work his way around the Bradshaw machine and Heimes would start stretching out his lead as Gustafson and Jimmy Pierce would also slip by the #05 machine. It was the night for the #8 to shine as Heimes never looked back and convincingly took home his first ever Wyoming County Intl. Speedway victory. “I think this is just good Karma coming back to me as I donated a few bikes for the giveaway for the kids, I think I’ll bring bikes every week.”
Super 6’s were ten cars strong with our usual competitors and out usual invaders from the Spencer Speedway. This entry level class is unique in the fact we have all of the BIG 3 auto manufactures represented GM, Ford and even Dodge. The Pontiac of Andy Cocilova and Dodge of Frank Parsons would lead the parade to green. Cocilova would take the top spot and try to run off and hide. The invaders of Hallett, Faro and Schenk all had different ideas how this would end. Hallett always a top competitor and seldom out of the top 2 or 3 by end of the night, cleared the pack and put the cross hairs on the Cocilova #93. Cocilova did not roll over he fought for a solid 5-7 laps trying to hold off HGallett but it was Hallett night again as Hallett stretched out about a half a straight away lead as Schenk and Faro also cleared the Cocilova ride.
It may not have been the real night of a true Full Moon, but it sure did seem to play havic on the last two divisions of the SST Super stocks and Modifieds. Lets start with the Super Stock. It started to look like weather was trying to close in on the speedway so track officals were moving the show along. Kyle Skoney and Mike Chenaille would pace the field and it was Chenaille jumping out front early. With everyone trying to gain their advantage early it made for a BIG pile up in turn 4 on the first lap. Chenaille got turn in front of the whole field. This would send over half the field pit side for repairs. The worst for wear was the Stealth missle #4 of Joe Horvatits. In the may lay, somehow Horvatits got turned around hopped a wheel that sent his #4 air born and hard into the turn 3-4 concrete wall. On the restart in would not take the #02 of Mark Loveland long to get out front. Loveland close many times this season but yet to find victory lane. It looked as tonight might be his night. Half a track lead and less than ten laps remaining. The ugly yellow would slow the field and bunch up the hot shoes all on Lovelands mirror. Track rivals Loveland and the #17 of Zack Meyers were posed to do battle , and that it was. Meyers with a great start stayed even with Loveland going into turn one, Loveland pushed up in the corner and there was heavy contact and the two top runners collected each other and in the process, clipped Eric Hastreiter and ended his night. After the wreck was cleared, green flew and found the #55 Kyle Skoney out front with a no rear brakes #14 of Daniel Majchrzak second and charging Meyers along with Eric Stone in his first appearance to the speedway in the Logsdon #09 machine. When the checkered flew it was Majchrzak out front, Meyers second with Eric Stone have a great opening night in the #09 machine coming home 3rd. Skoney would finish 4th.
Did I mention Full Moon? It was a 58 lap feature that paid $1200 to win and a guaranteed starting spot in the Jim Pierce Memorial 100 to be run October 13th, during All American weekend at the Bullring, October . So I don’t have to mention tonight was a big deal. 20 modifieds showed to try and claim the big check and the guaranteed starting spot in October. Billy Kosachook and Tom Alloco would bring the field of heavy hitter to green. Kosachook would lose the handle on his #19 machine off turn two slide thru the infield and gather in up and we stayed green. Lap 18 saw the Jay Withey #29 come to a stop on the back stretch and draw the first of many cautions. Caution s would also fly for Billy Kosachook around lap 25, lap 40 had Cassie Logsdon backward then it was caution free with Alan Bookmiller leading with Toad Bradshaw applying a ton of pressure. Restart after restart Bradshaw was trying to get Bookmiller to make a mistake and Bookmiller was on his game. These two were definitely to cars to beat. Slowly coming thru the pack was the current high point man Ricky Knapp and second in points Danny Majchrzak. With ten laps remaining it was Logsdon and Sharkey coming together off turn two. This could be Bradshaw’s last opportunity to grab the lead. Bradshaw worked the outside lane and then cris-crossed Bookmillers rear bumper and tried to go up the inside. Bradshaw was pretty much out of tires and the #00 machine started to spin off turn two. Toad gathered it up and we stayed green and Toad fell to 7th position. Knapp caught Bookmille and as if planned, Bookmiller guessed wrong on a lap car, lost his momentum and Knapp flew by. A few more restarts and Knapp would collect the guaranteed starting spot and the $1200 for the win. “ We had a good not great car, and I tried to manage the tires and tonight it all worked out, been many years since winning a guaranteed starting spot, feels good to take that pressure off for the Big racing in October”
4 Cylinders Heats: O.Bradshaw, D.Heimes
1)D.Heimes, 2)J.Gustafson, 3)J.Pierce Jr, 4)O.Bradshaw, 5)J.Sass, 6)K.Ricketson, 7)M.Bradshaw, 8)D.Shaw, 9)S.Sickles, 10)J.Klamut, 11)M.Hurlburt, (DQ) B.Johnson
Super 6 class Heats: A.Cocilova, B.Hallett
1)B.Hallett, 2)B.Schenk, 3)T.Faro, 4)A.Cocilova, 5)J.Parthemer, 6)A.Knoepfler, 7)R.Cassidy, 8)K.Chenaille, 9)F.Parsons, 10)T.Bennett
SST Super Stocks Heats: M.Chenaille, J.Horvatits
1)D.Majchrzak, 2)Z.Meyers, 3)E.Stone, 4)K.Skoney, 5)P.Flye, 6)K.Lanni, 7)M.Loveland, 8)E.Hastreiter, 9)M.Chenaille, 10)C.Hicks, 11)F.Kline, 12)S.Gleed, 13)J.Horvatits
SST Modifieds Heats: T.Alloco, B.Bradshaw, R.Knapp
1)R.Knapp, 2)A.Bookmiller, 3)D.Majchrzak, 4)B.Bradshaw, 5)S.Fuchs, 6)T.Bradshaw, 7)S.Sherwood, 8)D.Frutchey, 9)C.Logsdon, 10)Z.Kosachook, 11)T.Spalding, 12)G.Sharkey, 13)N.Michielsen, 14)D.Pringle, 15)B.Kosachook, 16)B.Kosachook Sr. 17)C.Bolton, 18)T.Alloco, 19)J.Whithey Jr. (DQ) L.Sharpsteen
Vintage Division
1) C.Voit, ’90 Chevy Cavalier, 2) T.Wilson, ’36 Chevy coupe, 3) M.Sanford ’61 Ford Starliner
