“Jimmy Zacharias Bests Chemung Sunoco Modifieds, Scores Double Points”
Story By: CAROL HOUSSOCK / CHEMUNG SPEEDWAY MEDIA Photos By:MOJO PHOTOS / RACERSGUIDE.COM
Chemung, NY.- June 26, 2016- Race teams rolled the dice on week #7 at Chemung, a night when double points were on the line for all five regular divisions. Lucky 7 winners last week included Jimmy Zacharias (Sunoco Modifieds), Frank Chapman (Super Stocks), Monica Green and Zack Bennett (4 Cylinder FWD/RWD), Alexandria Smith (INEX Legends), and Bryce Bailey and Teddy Bowen (Bandolero Bandit/Outlaw). Teams have a week off as Chemung is quiet July 1st and racing resumes on Friday, July 8th.
If any part of your name was Zack or Zach, chances were excellent that people were talking about you Friday night in Sunoco Modified action. The Zack’s, Knowlden and Curren, won the two heats to set the field for their 40-lap feature. When it was over Jimmy Zacharias parked in victory lane.
After a poor start that was called back, Jesse Kent led the field as they exited turn two. Zack Knowlden spun off turn one and the field was quickly under its second caution. This time Zack Curren prevailed and put a little cushion between his #94 and Kent. He had his hands full as Tony Hanbury and Jimmy Zacharias were on the move. Both passed him before the 10th lap was completed.
Over the next dozen laps Curren had a nice lead, while Zacharias was glued to Hanbury’s back bumper. With 22 laps complete Tommy Rought’s spin erased Curren’s head and brought Hanbury beside him for the restart. Curren led the way and Zacharias overtook Hanbury for second on lap 25.
The next caution period/restart was costly for Curren, who spun as the field reached turn two and he was forced to start at the rear. That handed the lead to Zacharias, with Hanbury beside him on the front row for both lap 31 and 32 restarts. Both of those restarts were clean, and Zacharias prevailed on both. The battle for third was equally intense involving TJ Potrzebowski and his nephew Kent, whom he had passed on a restart.
Over the final laps Zacharias proved his car was the strongest on this night and he scored his second consecutive feature win. Hanbury finished second, followed by Potrzebowski, Kent and Charlie Sharpsteen. “The car was strong, but it’s still not where I want to be,” he said. When asked about the late race starts with Hanbury beside him he said “people know our history but we put all that aside and raced each other clean.”
The 25-lap Super Stock feature took two tries to get going. On the initial attempt Mike Nichols tapped Nick Robinson and sent him around. The second one worked and Frank Chapman led the way while Robinson and Nichols maneuvered up to second and third. Chad Lane brought out the next three cautions. During the latter one Gary Noe pitted for service but returned.
The lap eight restart was a dandy. Robinson was atop the leaderboard but lap nine was back in Chapman’s corner. With Nichols in the mix it was a great three-way tussle for those top three spots. The scary moment in this one came while working lap 15. Noe’s throttle stuck and he went fast into the foam blocks between turns three and four. He was ok but his car sustained heavy damage. Again the lead exchanged hands when the green came back out, with Robinson the leader of lap 15, Chapman lap 16. Robinson also had his hands full keeping Nichols behind him over the final five laps.
When this one was over Chapman had his second win this year, followed to the line by Robinson, Nichols, Derrick Tarbox and Lane. “The car was good, but I’m getting old for this,” a young-at-heart Chapman told the appreciative crowd.
Monica Green, the defending 4 Cylinder champion, moved closer to successfully defending that title with a win on double points night. Green and Jordan Mathews, who have garnered the headlines this season in their FWD and RWD cars, won their respective heat races. Pole-sitter Triston Kline led early, with Mathews, Green and Zack Bennett in pursuit. Three laps into the 20-lap race Jared Sullivan spun in turn two and brought the field back together for the restart. Kline maintained the lead while Green was right there behind her teammate.
While working lap eight Green got up alongside Kline and completed what became her race-winning move. Green pulled away from what became a great battle for second among Kline, Mathews, Bennett and Greg Moldt. Bennett, who parked his Legend car and debuted the 4 Cylinder, was strong and demonstrated great car control over the final dozen laps. At the stripe it was win #4 for Green, followed by Bennett, Kline, Mathews and Moldt.
Everyone knows that double points can make you or break you. For two-time and defending INEX Legends champ, Alexandria Smith, the night was really good. For Chuck Lohmeyer, third in points when he unloaded at the track, his failure to start the feature was really bad. Smith, David French and Matt Evans won the three heat races and were the cars to watch at the front of the pack in the 20-lap feature.
The only caution came when Kyle Youngs spun, setting up an opportunity for French to power around on the outside. Smith wasn’t about to let that happen and she drove away over the final 12 laps, leaving behind a great battle for second. Pat Judson, who had won a week before, was up to fourth while Keith Youngs and Alex Bowen were locked in battle for fifth. When the checkered flag flew it was over Alexandria Smith signaling her fourth win of the year, this time followed to the line by Evans, French, Youngs and Bowen. “The past few weeks I wasn’t fighting for the win so we put the old motor back in and here I am,” she said while wishing her parents a Happy Anniversary from victory lane.
Bryce Bailey experienced the highs and lows of life, the thrill of victory and the agony of ‘the feet’ at his young age, all within 24 hours. When his brother, Shea, failed to start the 10-lap feature it brought Bryce to the pole for the feature. He led the way early, with Teddy Bowen and Garrett Zacharias behind him. Bowen was relentless and took over the top spot by the halfway point.
A late race spin by Nathan Musso set up a green white checkered finish and it was a dandy among Bowen, Bailey and Zacharias. Bailey set up a nice move, reclaimed the lead, and grabbed his first win over Bowen (Outlaw winner), Zacharias, DJ Shaw and Seth Zacharias. The elated racer immediately got on the roof of his #23 and, with checkered flag in hand, did a series of Kyle Busch-like bows. “It felt really fast,” he told the crowd. Indeed, it was. He and Bowen also won their heat races. Within 24 hours of that special moment Bryce Bailey fell and broke his foot in two places.
There is no racing at Chemung this Friday. Racing resumes on Friday, July 8th with a regular show of NASCAR Sunoco Modifieds, Super Stocks and 4 Cylinders, along with INEX Legends and 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 June 24thth will receive $3 off their admission price on July 8th.
Notes:
· Jimmy Zacharias, Frank Chapman and Monica Green took home the Winner Winner Chicken Dinner bonus for free wings at Buffalo Wild Wings in Horseheads, NY.
· Jordan Mathews, second in 4 Cylinder points, opted out of his High School graduation ceremony to compete at Chemung for double points. He won his heat and finished 4th in the feature.
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Results:
Sunoco Modifieds (40 Laps): JIMMY ZACHARIAS, Tony Hanbury, TJ Potrzebowski, Jesse Kent, Charlie Sharpsteen, TJ Zacharias, Zack Curren, Connor Sellars, Nick Morich, Gene Sharpsteen, Zack Knowlden, Chris Clemens, Tommy Rought, Kenny Hammond, Paul Johnson, Joe Lane
Heats: Knowlden, Curren
Super Stocks (25 Laps): FRANK CHAPMAN, Nick Robinson, Mike Nichols, Derrick Tarbox, Chad Lane, Chris Pozzi, Gary Noe
Heat: Robinson
4 Cylinders (20 Laps) MONICA GREEN, Zack Bennett, Triston Kline, Jordan Mathews, Greg Moldt, Sarah Gooch, Kyle Lingerfelt, Ben Perry, Bob Chilson, Jared Sullivan, James Peck, JP Harbst, Ricky Lane
Heats: Green, Mathews
INEX Legends (20 Laps): ALEXANDRIA SMITH, Matt Evans, David French, Keith Youngs, Alex Bowen, Pat Judson, Kevin Youngs, Gary Ham, Kyle Youngs, Max Evans, Anthony Riforgiato, Timothy Bowen, Mike Bollen, Patti Pruitt, Jamie Mullen, Michael Riforgiato, Kevin Wilkins, Chuck Lohmeyer (DNS)
Heats: Smith, French, Matt Evans
Bandoleros (10 Laps): BRYCE BAILEY, Teddy Bowen, Garrett Zacharias, DJ Shaw, Seth Zacharias, Joey Bernatavitz, Joshua Duke, Griffin Montfort, Dominick Wood, Nathan Musso, Shea Bailey (DNS), Connor McCarthy (DNS)
Heats: Bowen, B. Bailey
