Bachetti’s Last to First Charge Nets Back to Back Wins
Story By: STEVEN CLAPPERTON / I-88 SPEEDWAY MEDIA Photos By: OTTO GRAHAM / RACERSGUIDE.COM
AFTON, NY- May 15, 2016- Andy Bachetti, of Sheffield MA, won the Greg Page Construction Modified feature on Wagner Nineveh Night at I-88 Speedway. Bachetti started last in the 23 car field after opting to go to his back-up car after qualifying in the heat race.
Darwin Greene, of Susquehanna PA was the early leader in the 30 lap event, a race which was halted for two red flag incidents. The first coming on lap one when a four car bottle neck in turn two resulted in Otego’s J.R. Hurlburt doing a slow roll. Hurlburt was uninjured but was done for the night. The next red flag came on lap four when Masonville’s Mike Clapperton came to a stop on the backstretch with flames coming from the engine compartment. He escaped uninjured, but was also unable to continue.
When the race resumed Greene led second running Alan Barker, of Norwich, with Edmeston’s Paul Jensen third and Bachetti already up to fourth. On lap seven Bachetti go a run on Jensen using the outside line and moved into third place. Switching to the bottom of the speedway, Bachetti drove under Barker on lap nine to take over second place.
Just past the halfway point Greene encountered lapped traffic Bachetti began to reel in the leader, with Bachetti taking over the lead on lap 17. When the caution came out for a slowing Alex Stanton of Lake Orion MI on lap 23, Greene was forced to pit putting Honesdale’s Brett Tonkin in second for the restart. Bachetti was able to hold on for the win with King Ferry’s Mike Mahaney crossing the line second, Tonkin third, Norwich’s Mitch Gibbs fourth and Barker fifth.
In a post-race interview Bachetti said he felt his chances were better starting 23rd with the backup car than they would have been starting 12th with the qualified car.
Walton’s Butch Klinger passed Tyler Hart coming off turn two on the 18th lap and went on to win the Chambers and O’Hara Open Sportsmen feature. Hart, of Bainbridge, took the lead at the start of the race with Nineveh’s Lisa Williams running a close second. A caution on lap two bunched the field for a restart with Hart leading, Williams running second, Harpursville’s Travis Smith third, Jeremy Vunk, of Edmeston fourth and Klinger fifth. On the restart Smith slipped under Williams to take over second, but Smith’s night would end on lap five when he came to a stop in turn two.
When the race restarted Klinger passed Vunk to move into third while Delhi’s Dave Rosa had raced into the top five. The next caution waved on lap 12 with Hart leading, Williams second, Klinger third, Vunk fourth and Rosa fifth. When the green came out Klinger slipped under Williams while Rosa passed both Vunk and Williams to move into third.
On lap 15 Hart continued to lead but he had Klinger on his back bumper trying to find a way under the leader. On lap 18 Hart pushed high in turn four allowing Klinger to get a run low on the raceway and was able to secure the lead coming off turn two. Klinger went on to take thw win with Rosa second, Bethel’s Charlie Hendrickson Jr. third, Hart fourth and Lisa Williams fifth.
“That was a good race. I gotta tell you, the Hart boy drove a really good race. I really thought he was gonna win it. I didn’t want to take it from him, but I haven’t won so long, I really wanted to win” said Klinger after the race.
Harold Humphrey took the win in the Williams Tire and Auto Crate Sportsmen feature. Humphrey, of Norwich passed Addison’s Mike Jackson on a lap 4 restart and held on to take the win. Fultonville’s A.J. Miller finished second with two tine winner Matt Roberts, of Nineveh third, Jackson fourth and Richford’s Pat Jordan fifth.
Doug Polhamus, of Windsor, captured the Nu Look Collision Street Stock feature win after starting fifth in the 13 car starting field. Polhamus, the defending track champion, took the lead from early race leader Jon Carpenter after a lap seven restart. With Carpenter, of Candor, leading and Polhamus running second the green came out and the two drivers made contact heading into turn one. After the contact Carpenter slowed with a flat tire bringing out the caution.
Polhamus went on to take his first win of the season with Doug Stack, of Athens PA, second, Oneonta’s Dustin Harris third, Ray Lindquist, of Windsor fourth and Carpenter fifth.
It was two in a row and I-88 Speedway for Will Ward in the Vernooy’s Automotive Excellence IMCA Modified feature. Ward, of Cobleskill, held off veteran driver James Cornell through the early laps of the race with Cornell, of Harpursville, running the high line and Ward running the bottom. Ward finally established his lead on lap 8 with Cornell settling into second and defending track champion Matt Cole, of Binghamton third. At the halfway point, Cole would slip past Cornell to take over second.
At the line it was Ward taking the win, Cole finishing second, Cornell third, Katellville’s Tyler Stoddard fourth and Beau Ballard, of Grand Gorge fifth.
Will Eastman of Oneonta won the MR Graphix Xcel Modified feature over Binghamton’s Eric Boyd, A.J. Miller, of Fultonville, Steven Sherwood, of Binghamton and opening night winner Kamdin Maby, of Susquehanna PA.
Ralph Cuozzo Jr. of Unadilla edged out Sidney’s Brandon Clapperton by less than a bumper to take the 4 Cylinder Truck feature. Clapperton led most of the race relinquishing it briefly in heavy lapped traffic before recapturing it with two laps to go. Cuozzo was able to slip under the leader as they came off turn four to take the win by the narrow margin. Vestal’s Doug O’Hara finished third with Bainbridge’s Rob Northrup fourth and Rob Loucks, of Afton, fifth.
I-88 Speedway Results from Wagner Nineveh Night, May 13, 2016
Greg Page Construction Modifieds (30 Laps) Andy Bachetti, Mike Mahaney, Brett Tonkin, Mitch Gibbs, Alan Barker, Kenny Sparks, Paul Jensen, Nick Nye, Darwin Greene, Steve Babicek, Rusty Smith, Ken Titus, Dan Creeden, Mike Decker, Jim Becker, Chris Bushnell, Jeff Sheeley, Joey Colsten, Alex Stanton, Kurt Decker, Mike Clapperton, Don Hart Jr., J.R. Hurlburt
Chambers and O’Hara Sportsmen (20 Laps) Butch Klinger, Dave Rosa, Charlie Hendrickson Jr., Tyler Hart, Lisa Williams, Jeremy Vunk, Claude Hutchings Jr., Aaron Shelton, Dwayne Jackson. Jim Gould, Tom Tophoven, Dan Allen, Rudy Roth, Tim French Jr., Travis Smith, Ricky Ross, Pat O’Hanlon, Gary Card Jr. DNS Steve Andersen, Skip Pickwick
Williams Tire and Auto Crate Sportsmen (20 Laps) Harold Humphrey, A.J. Miller, Matt Roberts, Mike Jackson, Pat Jordan, Dustin Jordan, Allan Hodge, Gary Card Jr., Josh Mudge, A.J. Digsby, Craig Monroe, Matt Brewer, Matt Priscott, Art Priscott, Tim Guild, Rosalyn Trautschold
Vernooy’s Automotive Excellence IMCA Modifieds (20 Laps) Will Ward, Matt Cole, James Cornell, Tyler Stoddard, Beau Ballard, Mike Stoddard, Gary Smith, Tim Vandemark, Gary Roberts, Bobby Collins
Nu Look Collision Street Stocks (20 Laps) Doug Polhamus, Doug Stack, Dustin Harris, Ray Lindquist, Jon Carpenter, Matt Bowman, Dan Babcock, Rob Nober, Ralph Cuozzo Jr., Brett Barrett, Damon Decker, Andy Clement DNS Steve Polhamus
Butler Auto Sales EST Trucks (15 Laps) Ralph Cuozzo Jr., Brandon Clapperton, Doug O’Hara, Rob Northrup, Rob Loucks, Joe Bunt, Jerry Lanfair, Jamie Niles, Dustin Wilber, James Fowlston, Bob Crandall, Dylan Decker
MR Graphix Xcel Modifieds (15 Laps) Will Eastman, Eric Boyd, A.J. Miller, Steven Sherwood, Kamdin Maby, Bailey Boyd, C.J. Jochum
