Steffenhagen Jr. Captures Second Dave London Memorial at Spencer

Steffenhagen Jr. Captures Second Dave London Memorial and Tyler Catalano Wins Grandpa Dog 4 Cylinder Race at Spencer

Story By: Shylo Fuchs/NYSS

Photos By: Mark Ranalletta/RacersGuide.com

If you weren’t at Spencer Speedway for the Dave London Memorial X1 Race where were you?? You not only missed out on some amazing race action but, you also missed a T-Rex launching t-shirts into the stands, several bike races (kids and drivers), an amazing fireworks show and most important of all a chance to support Breast Cancer Awareness and one of the most amazing race promoters around.

There were a total of 59 cars signed in to try to race there way in to the two main events on the card for the evening. Not only was the winners title on the line but there were thousands of dollars in lap and bonus money there for the taking as well.

The beginning of the Grandpa Dog 4-Cylinder feature would start the night off with everyone in the packed grandstands looking to the moon and trying to decide if it were full or not. A red flag would fly to bring the full field to a halt on lap one after Jenny Dennie took a lick into the turn 4 wall. Track crew would confirm she was okay and tow her car to the pits where she would retire.

Then on lap 2 the red flag would again be shown to the field as the 71X of Kenny Hejna would end up gliding and sparking through turn 4 on his roof/hood bouncing off the foam blocks and coming to rest in the middle of the turn.

Tyler Catalano in his #54 would wheel his way to the front from his 4th place starting position and hold out through the remainder of the race to take home his first Grandpa Dog 4-Cylinder memorial race.

David Heimes would speak to the crowd after the race to express his appreciation for the support this race has gained from 16 racers that attended last year to the 25 this year.

It would then be time for the main event, the Dave London Memorial X1, a 50 Lap Feature for the New York Super Stocks.

The #75 of Zach Willis and the #7 of Josh Hunter would lead the stellar field of Sunoco New York Super Stocks by Insinger Performance to the green flag. Willis got the drop on Hunter at the green and would have the lead in turn one.

The first issue of the race would come on lap four as the #61 of Jim Steffenhagen Jr., the #6 of Griffin Miller and the #8 of Chris Finacchario would enter turn one 3 wide. Contact was made sending Finacchario high on the racing surface.

With the field two by two behind them this made it three wide off turn two with #78 Robert Fink, Finacchario and #11 of Terry Cheetham. Fink and Finacchario would make contact sending both into the wall collecting the #98 of Scott Wylie, the #90 of Nate Peckham, the #84 of Josh Schoonmaker, and the #5 of Sam Rotunda Jr. This would end the night for Fink, Finacchario, Schoonmaker, and Wylie. The #61 of Steffenhagen Jr. would be sent to the rear of the field for his involvement.

Zach Willis would resume the lead on the restart and start to pull away from the field but fast cars were on the climb through the field behind him. Including the #29 of Bill Frisbee Jr., the #15 of Nick Robinson and the #61 of Jimmy Steffenhagen Jr. who was coming from the last place starting position charging hard for the top.

On lap 11 the caution flag would again fly this time for the #85 of Brian Wozniak who had been running in the 7th position and ended up losing it all on his own in between turns one and two, all his competitors were able to avoid him except the 15th place running car who would end up hitting him while he sat still on the track.

During this caution Bill Frisbee Jr. would take his #29 from its second place position into the pits. This would put Nick Robinson on the outside pole for the restart and he would get the drop on Willis, pulling out in front and running away.

Steffenhagen Jr. would continue to climb through the field, passing cars with ease and gaining positions fast. He would be through the field and inside the top 3 by lap 24 and then he would challenge Willis for second on lap 29 and win the position. He would then ride out the

remainder of the race trying to out race Robinson but coming up just shy of being able to take over the lead.

Steffenhagen Jr. would finish the race in the second position but after post race tech he would be awarded the victory, making this his second Dave London Memorial race win. A huge thank you goes out to Jody London for all the work he puts in to making this an amazing show year in and year out. Also to all the fans for their support of this event and all the financial sponsors as well. Next year is sure to be the best DLM yet.

Dave London Memorial 50 Lap Main Event Finish- #61 Steffenhagen Jr., #75 Willis, #11 Cheetham, #03 Lazzaro, #7 Hunter, #25 Gleason, #94 Coyle, #34 Sharpsteen, #13 Higgins, #40 Dinzler, #17 VanOrden, #10 Larner, #12 Larrivee, #90 Peckham, #87 Hyman, #29 Frisbee

Jr., #14 Flye, #85 Wozniak, #5 Rotunda, #77 Helt, #6 Miller, #8 Finocchario, #78 Fink, #98 Wylie, # 84 Schoonmaker \#15 Robinson DQ

Grandpa Dog 16 Lap Main Event Finish- #54 Catalano, #89 Copeland, #04 T. Montgomery, #40 AJ Montgomery, #3 Anasiewicz, #66 Gustafson, #14 A. Montgomery, #25 B. Dennie, #32 Palmer, #54x Dils, #37NY Schosek, #26 Pierce Jr., #01 Willsie, #8 Heimes, #17 Ferris, #10 R. Palmer, #8X Shaw, #6 Bolton, #54R Treasure, #35 Bristol, #777 Boudette, #37A Alexander, #71X Hejna, #22 J. Dennie #94 Virts DNS

NYSS Shirley Zacharias B-Main Finish- Top 4 transfer to the A-Main, #94 Coyle, #38 Frarey, #25 Gleason, #90 Peckham, #77 Helt, #64 S. Dinzler, #99 Ripley, #5 Rotunda, #41 Gavette, #46 Hicks, #89 Whalen, #37 Perez, #12 Larrivee, #87 Hyman DNS Point Provisional Transfers-

#5 Rotunda and #77 Helt

NYSS Heat Winners: #8 Finocchario, #75 Willis, #6 G. Miller, #29 Frisbee Jr.

4-Cylinder Heat Winners: #54 Tyler Catalano, #04 T. Montgomery, #89 Copeland