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ISMA ANNUAL AWARDS BANQUET HELD AT TURNING STONE HONORS ACHIEVERS
Verona, NY – With the elegant atmosphere of the Turning Stone’s Shenandoah Room as the backdrop, the ISMA-Wirtgen group gathered to honor the 2006 season achievers on November 11. And, it was Vic Miller, Chris Perley and crew who where the center of attention after their record-breaking season.
The Miller-Perley crew with second driver Bentley Warren picked up eleven wins during the ISMA-Wirtgen super season, an unprecedented record that even Team Dunigan didn’t approach in its heyday. Perley and Miller were honored as ISMA Driver and Car Owner of the Year. The crew was voted Race Threads Crew of the Year. Chris Perley was honored with the ISMA Achievement award. Perley was also named the Gater Racing News Fans Choice Most Popular Driver for the sixth straight year. For the whole group it was definitely a year to remember.
The ceremonies began with the presentation of the top twenty car owners who received plaques and checks totaling over $50,000. Those owners, from first to twentieth, included Vic Miller, Dan Sole, Lou Cicconi, Howie Lane, Brad Lichty, Justin Belfiore, Jeff Holbrook, Mark Sammut, Joe Petro, Bruce Budnick, Ray Graham Jr., Bob Haynes Sr., George Groves, Clyde Booth and Gary Lehnert.
A newly instituted ISMA Driver’s Point Fund, founded by Kathy Harrington and sponsored by Helping Hands of America, Sweet Manufacturing Inc., Luther’s Way Out Grafix, SUPRS, and Inkspot. Drivers receiving checks from the new fund went to Chris Perley, Nokie Fornoro, Lou Cicconi, Bob Santos, Mike Lichty, Justin Belfiore, Dave McKnight, Dave Trytek, Bob Magner, Rob Summers, Mark Sammut, Joe Petro, Scott Martel, Jeff Holbrook, Ray Graham, Bob Haynes Jr., John Torrese, Brandon Bellinger, Mike Ordway and Gary Lehnert.
John Colloca of Team Holbrook, received the Slice n Go Deli Mechanic of the Year honors for maintaining three supers. Third generation driver Brandon Bellinger was the Randy Witkum Rookie of the Year (sponsored by Shea Concrete). ISMA Support Award went to the ladies of the ISMA Auxiliary for their work throughout the season. The Most Improved Driver Award went to Lou Cicconi. Kathy Harrington also recognized Rachel Fink with an effort award.
Three of ISMA’s most coveted awards came last with Brad Lichty winning the Jim Shampine award, Jeff Holbrook the Jim Soule Dedication award and Nokie Fornoro winning the A.J. Michaels award.
Randy Ritskes, who was injured at Waterford early in the season, stepped up to say thank you to the Spaulding Foundation and to ISMA for helping him through the hard times financially. "I’d just like to let the drivers know that if something happens there is help. The Spaulding foundation – they didn’t know me from anybody – sent me a check that got me through and then ISMA came across to make sure I was taken care of. Thanks to all who helped. If you see the Spaulding Foundation out there raising money, give them some help. I just wanted to let everyone know that I appreciated it very much."
A tentative 17-race schedule was unveiled for 2007, which will take the ISMA organization from Maine to Canada to Michigan and back.
Master of Ceremonies Bob Gangwer, a long-time race fan from Indiana, closed out the ceremonies with a note that he was honored to be allowed to begin ISMA announcing duties in 2006.
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10/15/2006
NOKIE FORNORO TAKES THE ISMA FINALE AT THOMPSON SPEEDWAY’S WORLD SERIES
Thompson, CT : Sunday Nokie Fornoro became only the second driver of the ISMA season to win more than once besides Chris Perley of course. Chris Perley had won ten record-shattering features up until this point and was looking like he’d take home number eleven. But, for Perley the luck pendulum swung the other way at the ISMA finale when a broken shock sent him to the pits on lap 31, just 19 laps shy of victory lane. Starting 11th, the 11 moved into the lead by lap five and was a county away from second place runner Nokie Fornoro when the shock let go. Fornoro, who had won at Toledo, Ohio in June when Perley had one of his two dnf’s, was on hand to take the win at Thompson when Perley had his third non-finishing event. Nokie, in regard to his win and his gaining a second place in the final ISMA standings indicated that Perley’s dnf was an assist.
"I found out today we were nine behind Louie for second. I’m not sure how the ISMA points work. I was hired to drive a racecar for Soule Racing and to win races. We haven’t had a great year so far but getting second in points is great. My hats off to the Perley-Miller team. Those guys are awesome. You saw that today. If Chris didn’t have a problem, I think he would have lapped all of us. He deserved to win but we’ll take this win and just build on it from there with the team. I’m sorry I couldn’t run the midget today because something happened to the car, but I felt we could have won that one so this makes up for it. Before I go I want to thank every one of you people for spending your time and money on a beautiful weekend here at Thompson Speedway. For ISMA and NEMA and every one I am associated with personally, thank you for coming."
A black car with orange numbers owned by Vic Miller pulled up in the win circle in second place but it was Perley’s teammate Bentley Warren who was the pilot. Bentley, who won the Oswego Super Nationals for Miller, was chasing Fornoro at race end. The applause was thunderous as the New England legend disembarked from the 71. He had praise for Fornoro’s run out front. "I think Nokie was going too fast for me. We had a fuel problem the last six laps. I think he would have beat me any way. He’s an awfully good driver. He knows what he’s doing on a racetrack. It was a fun race. Chris Perley, Vic Miller and all those guys on the crew put a heck of a racecar together. It’s just awesome driving for them. It’s so much fun."
Warren, who has won supermodified races at Thompson in 1980, 1988, 1991 and 1993, was reminded of his longevity in racing and was asked by the announcer the question as old as he is, ‘are you ever going to retire?’ "Who knows?, he smiled, "Maybe someday I might. But not right now. I’ve having way too much fun."
In third was essentially another local hero in Robbie Summers. Summers, who has divided his time between the modifieds and the Lane super this season, stayed in the hunt all race long pulling into third behind Warren and Fornoro with fifteen to go. He paused quickly for a podium finish photo before heading to his modified saying, "I’m really happy for the Essex Seafood team and Howie Lane. I thank them for giving me a chance to race the super. These cars are awesome. To get to race with Bentley Warren and these guys is great. I hope I can do it again next season for sure."
Thirty ISMA supers were gridded for the season’s finale at the World Series but one, Ricky Wentworth, would break before a lap was in. This scenario was played and replayed throughout the 50-lap event. Joe Petro took up the early lead but the crowd watched in awe as Perley picked off one or two cars a lap to take the lead from the 33 in the fifth circuit.
Yellow flew one lap later for a tangle between Dave McKnight Jr. and John Payne. Eric Emhoff, Mike Badessa, Michael Barnes and Brandon Bellinger made exits into the pits at this time with only Bellinger, McKnight and Payne returning.
One more lap, one more yellow as the 90 of Ray Graham Jr. slid off the back stretch into the grass. He hinted that he had help by gesturing to another driver before taking his place at the rear.
Back underway, Perley, who had won the last two World Series events, was on his way to a home run leaving Petro, Doug Didero, Lou Cicconi, Fornoro, Justin Belfiore, Summers and Warren to fend for themselves.
Moving up lap by lap were Fornoro and Cicconi, intent on keeping the Rowley Rocket in the same zip code. By lap 13 Perley was gliding through the back of the pack carefully picking off car after car.
By the midway mark Perley was well in command as Scott Martel, Dave McKnight, Vern Romanoski and RD Timmons had retired to the pits. Petro remained in second ahead of Cicconi, Fornoro, Bentley, Summers, Didero, Belfiore, Bob Magner and John Torrese.
Five laps later, the black 11 came out of three and slipped off the track in turn four. At first it looked like a miscue, but as Chris ran into turn one, it was evident he was slowing. When the leader came to turn the clock to lap 32, it was the 32 out front. A broken shock, which almost cost Chris a win at Stafford was the cause. Perley said later that at Stafford he was able to stay in the race and to win, but at Thompson it was out of the question.
Fornoro wasted no time taking over the lead and regaining Perley’s large lead. The nearest contender would soon be Warren as Petro’s strong run ended on lap 36 as he followed John Payne into the pits.
On lap 40, Doug Boisvert pulled the 66 in smoking as Fornoro was heading for win number two. On lap 44, Nokie almost lost his bid when the 70, driven by Kyle Carpenter, spun in front of him. I had a scare there when Kyle spun in front of me," said Fornoro. "I dodged one spring in the air that about hit the wing. And then a right front tire came across. We got through it okay but I was hoping that we didn’t pick up any debris on the tires. A lot of cars run the carbon fiber and that will cut the tire down."
Carpenter was hooked out of the race while Ray Graham made a pitstop. It would be his last also.
The yellow gave Bentley one last chance at Fornoro but there was a lap car in between. Nokie pulled quickly away while fourth place runner Lou Cicconi was called for jumping the green, which cost him a penalty that dropped him four spots in the finish.
One more car, Mike Lichty, fell victim to attrition on lap 47 as Fornoro cruised under the checkered, followed by Warren, Summers, Didero, filling in for Mike Ordway in the Booth 61 and Bob Magner. Justin Belfiore and John Torrese were scored ahead of Cicconi with Jeff Holbrook and Craig Rayvals behind to complete the top ten.
On November 11 at Turning Stone Casino, Vic Miller and Chris Perley will be crowned ISMA champions after one amazing year of racing which may never be duplicated in ISMA competition. Eleven wins between two great drivers for one great car owner – congratulations are definitely in order! As Chris said at Berlin, I can’t believe we won ten races in one season and the championship. This is awesome."
He’ll definitely have more to say at the banquet about this season!
SUMMARY
Heat 1: Chris Perley, Joe Petro, Ray Graham Jr., Lou Cicconi, Nokie Fornoro, Mike Lichty, Kyle Carpenter, Craig Rayvals, RD Timmons, Joey Scanlon
Heat 2: Justin Belfiore, Bob Magner, Rob Summers, Bentley Warren, Johnny Payne, Doug Boisvert, Dave Sanborn, Dave McKnight, Brandon Bellinger, Michael Barnes (accident)
Heat 3: Doug Didero, John Torrese, Mark Sammut, Jeff Holbrook, Scott Martel, Rick Wentworth, Bobby Haynes Jr., Vern Romanoski, Mike Badessa, Eric Emhoff.
ISMA-WIRTGEN 50: 1. Nokie Fornoro (32), 2. Bentley Warren (71), 3. Robbie Summers (97), 4. Doug Didero (61), 5. Bobby Magner (40), 6. Justin Belfiore (8), 7. Johnny Torrese (91), 8. Lou Cicconi (75), 9. Jeff Holbrook (35), 10. Craig Rayvals (95), 11. Bobby Haynes Jr. (44), 12. Mark Sammut (78), 13. Ray Graham (90), 14. Brandon Bellinger (02), 15. Mike Lichty (84), 16. Dave Sanborn (24), 17. Kyle Carpenter (70), 18. Joey Scanlon (55), 19. Doug Boisvert (66), 20. Joe Petro (33), 21. Johnny Payne (67), 22. Chris Perley (11), 23. RD Timmons (13), 24. Scott Martel (88), 25. Vern Romanoski (5), 26. Dave McKnight Jr. (94), 27. Mike Badessa (6), 28. Michael Barnes (22b), 29. Eric Emhoff (22e), 30. Rick Wentworth (10).
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CHRIS PERLEY CLINCHES CHAMPIONSHIP WITH TENTH WIN OF SEASON IN RAIN-SHORTENED BERLIN RACE.
Marne, Mich. – Chris Perley’s team rolled the dice Saturday night and took a big gamble. They knew it was going to rain so they set up the Vic Miller-owned 11 for 25, maybe 35, good laps. And, when the rain fell, it fell exactly on lap 25. Perley, who had shot to the front from 12th starting spot, and had passed leader Nokie Fornoro in an incredible move on lap 16, was declared the winner. The victory clinched the ISMA-Wirtgen championship title for the team, their third in four years. Once again the luck had fallen their way in their record-setting season. Perley had some quick comments as the rains began to fall harder.
"The crew gave me a 25-lap car tonight. We figured the rain was coming. They said ‘get to the front as fast as you can’ and I did. Honestly, after I got by Nokie, the car was getting looser and looser and looser. If the race had gone on, it probably wouldn’t have worked. It was probably a 35-lap car at best. I can’t believe we won the championship with this win. This is awesome. Now it’s on to Thompson with two cars and Bentley for the last race and some fun."
Repeating his finish of Friday night at Delaware, Nokie Fornoro pulled into victory circle in second and exclaimed "We’ve got to stop doing this!" as Lou Cicconi also pulled up behind with his second straight third place. Nokie, who was leading when Perley swooped under a car Fornoro was passing high to steal the lead, commented "I’m not happy with second tonight because we did have a winning car which we did have last night too. I was cruising and Chris surprised me in lap traffic there. When he got by I got boxed again for another lap. When I got free I started running him down but by then he was in the middle of lapped traffic and then the rains came. But, he was loose off turn two and he knows that he was. He said he had a 25-lap car but I had a 50-lap car. But I’m happy. Everybody’s safe and we all had a good weekend again. Congratulations to the Miller team and to the great fans who turned out despite the threat of bad weather."
Cicconi, who had to battle by early leader Dave McKnight for third, described his run to third, "There isn’t much to say. I knew it was going to rain. I wanted to get up front right away. I accidentally screwed up Justin Belfiore… I hope he’s not mad at me. It was a good run, but what are you going to do. We all knew the rain was coming."
The weather appeared to be a big factor at Berlin Raceway on Saturday as rain was forecast to be passing through the state of Michigan all day. But, after a brief morning shower and one later on in the afternoon, sun broke out of the clouds and blue sky shown through. This gave everyone false hopes that the show would be completed albeit a little later than expected. The ISMA competitors waited through the other divisions qualifying and prepared for their heat races. Unfortunately, the weather came back and lightning began to flash over the first turn grandstand. It was decided that the heats be scrapped and the 50-lap feature be lined up and run. Only 20 cars remained from the previous night’s Delaware event.
At approximately 9 pm Joe Petro and Mark Sammut led the shorter than normal field down to green with yellow flying before the first circuit was complete. Justin Belfiore and Bill Tyler, driving the Bennett 63, were pushed away to the tail while Joe Petro, whose crew had worked laboriously all afternoon replacing a rear end, pitted quickly but did not make the restart green.
Dave McKnight, hungry for a win in a rather dismal season, grabbed the front spot from Sammut and ran off and hid trailed by Sammut, Bob Magner, Tom Hessert, Nokie Fornoro, Lou Cicconi, Mike Lichty and Chris Perley.
McKnight lengthened his lead as Fornoro, Perley and Cicconi were moving up quickly through the pack. On lap 7, the field bunched after Danny Shirey’s front end broke on the V2 and the car had to be cradled off the track.
At the restart, McKnight once again took off while Nokie Fornoro had worked his way past Magner for second. Perley and Cicconi battled by Magner soon thereafter and along with Fornoro, began to chase McKnight.
By lap ten, McKnight began to slip backwards and on lap 11 Fornoro had moved by the former ISMA champ for the lead. By lap 13 Perley had broken by McKnight to put the 11 on Fornoro’s tail.
On lap 16 the two front-runners came up on Jeff Holbrook driving the 70. Fornoro took a high pass around Holbrook and all of a sudden he looked down the track and saw Perley shooting underneath both of them for the lead in a move that had the crowd on their feet. Fornoro bogged behind Holbrook for a lap and then cleared to chase Perley. He was gaining as Cicconi now got by the lap car leaving McKnight, Tom Hessert, Michael Lewis, Magner, Sammut and Lichty dicing for spots behind.
As the lead pack crossed over the line for the halfway mark yellow flew for the rain that had begun to fall once again. Reports of severe thunderstorms in the area brought the decision to call the race complete. Perley, Fornoro and Cicconi were once again the top three with McKnight and Hessert, in only his second time in a super, were fourth and fifth respectively.
Said McKnight of his fourth place finish after a horrendous night in his native Canada the night before, "The Patco Transportation-Stage Door team is struggling this year. We’ve had some good runs but today just wasn’t one of them. I had a good racecar but unfortunately missed the tires stagger by an inch and that hurt us in the long run. In the early going the car was just awesome. Hats off to the guys getting the rear end back in it. But, it’s just one of those years we’re having so we’ll just go to Thompson and see if we can’t at least get one in the bank before the season closes."
And New Jersey’s Hessert, who was doing double-duty in the midgets and supers, was more than pleased with a fifth in his second outing. "I had a blast running the super. Howie Lane gave me a chance to come out and run one. I had a good time and for the second night in it a fifth is pretty good. It was a good night. I think we could have run a little further up. I absolutely had a blast. The cars are fun to drive."
Michael Lewis, Hessert’s teammate in the Lane 97, was sixth. Followed by Bob Magner, Sammut, Mike Lichty and Mike Ordway for the top ten.
SUMMARY
Berlin Raceway, Sept. 30, 2006
ISMA-Wirtgen event number 15
No heats were run due to weather. John Benson Jr. had fast time in practice runs in his first time in a supermodified.
Berlin 50: 1. Chris Perley (11), 2. Nokie Fornoro (32), 3. Lou Cicconi (75), 4. Dave McKnight (94), 5. Tom Hessert (9), 6. Michael Lewis (97), 7. Bob Magner (40), 8. Mark Sammut (78), 9. Mike Lichty (84), 10. Mike Ordway (61), 11. Ray Graham Jr. (90), 12. Johnny Torrese (91), 13. John Benson Jr. (74), 14. Justin Belfiore (8), 15. Jeff Holbrook (70), 16. Brandon Bellinger (02), 17. Larry Lehnert (92), 18. Bill Tyler (63), 19. Danny Shirey (V2), 20. Joe Petro (33).
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9/28/06
CHRIS PERLEY PICKS UP ISMA WIN NUMBER NINE IN HIGH ATTRITION RETURN TO DELAWARE SPEEDWAY
Delaware, Ont. – Friday night’s ISMA-Wirtgen Super Series return to Delaware Speedway after a 22-year hiatus turned into a survival of the fittest event. Winner Chris Perley even had his doubts of finishing after some brushes here and there, but after a lap 38 refuel stop, Perley was able to pull away for win number nine on the season and his first ever at the famed half mile near London, Ontario. Only 11 supers remained on the track when the checkered finally fell.
"We had a decent car but we just survived. It was so hard to pass out there. I got run into the wall. I thought that was going to end my day. Luckily we just kept going. Then I got up to Louie and couldn’t get by him. I think I had a little bit of an attitude at getting run into the wall – not by Louie – but I ended up bumping him and I didn’t mean to. Luckily both of us kept going. Once I finally cleared Lou I just kept picking them off. It was unfortunate for the 97 and Mike Lewis. He looked like he had it in the bag and it would have been a first time win in his first time in the car smoking all of us ISMA boys but it wasn’t to be. It is unbelievable… nine wins – ten for the team. We even got a Valvoline frig out of the deal. Now, it’s on to Berlin. Thanks to Eddie Shea who is here tonight and all the sponsors – R&R, Perley’s Marina, New England Motor Supply, Jack Cook Enterprises, Barrett Transportation, Hardy Transportation and to all the great fans who turned out tonight."
Nokie Fornoro, who suffered his share of bumps and bruises had this to say in victory lane after finishing in the runner-up spot. "I’m happy we got a second out of it with the front end all bent up. The canard wings were so bent I couldn’t even go down the front straightaway. It was picking the nose up so bad. That happened in the first melee and then I got into the wall down the front chute and bent the right front and right rear wheel. Either way we got a second out of it and I’m happy. Congratulations to the Miller and Perley team and to Louie for his third. I think we had a decent show here. It looked like a heluva crowd. Thanks to the fans for coming. Thanks also to the Soule team , Helping Hands and all of our sponsors."
Lou Cicconi’s third place run was also one of a few trials and tribulations also. Lou commented in regard to his podium finish, "It was a tough one. It was really bumpy out there. I’m just happy to finish third."
The race took several attempts to just get under way as first the 94 of Dave McKnight expired and went to the pits and then Brandon Bellinger made a trip in and out. On the green Denny Fisher spun off the fourth turn and landed against the inner pit wall. In simultaneous occurrences, Justin Belfiore went to the pits, Dave Trytek spun and the 9 of Tom Hessert stalled. Fisher was the only hook job. One more attempt at green found Trytek stopping again for another push.
Bob Magner finally took the initiative and the lead for two laps before Dave Hosie brought out the yellow again with a broken strut. Larry Lehnert went pitside here while the 3 of Hosie made an attempt to reenter the fray but failed.
Magner held the point when the green finally stuck with Fornoro already sporting a bent nose wing, in second. Joe Petro, Mike Lewis and Lou Cicconi filled up the top five.
Lewis, from the USAC ranks, was on a mission as he quickly moved up to third; pushing Cicconi and Petro back a spot as Chris Perley tailed Petro. Moments later it was Perley’s turn to brush into the wall while Petro slowed dramatically and left the race on lap 10.
The race became a three-way battle between Magner, Fornoro and newcomer Lewis as traffic began to play a role. On lap 12 Lewis dove by the 32 and headed for Magner. On lap 22, Lewis made a high move around Magner as Fornoro still sat in third. Cicconi and Perley were battling for fourth at this juncture as Mike Lichty, Mark Sammut and Mike Ordway sat a short distance behind.
Lewis took off like a shot, diving high and low around slower cars as he left Magner, Fornoro, Perley and Cicconi in the dust. On lap 30, Lewis was gone with Magner loosing a couple spots to Fornoro, Perley and Cicconi.
On lap 35, Lewis was attempting a move around his teammate Hessert in the Lane 9 when the two brushed. The yellow flew for the 9 and he was towed in. Lewis kept the lead but not for long as one lap later the 97 broke, went up in a shower of sparks and into the pits. The 20-year old New Jersey driver said afterwards, "Howie gave me a great car and I just got impatient. I gave it away. I brushed with someone there. Every other lap car I took my time with. I think I was hearing stuff thinking someone was close to me and got impatient. It was fun while it lasted. We’ll come back tomorrow night and try it again."
Perley, who had passed Nokie on the restart of the 9 yellow, was now the leader when Lewis exited. The 84 of Mike Lichty went into the pits shortly thereafter as the attrition continued Eleven cars remained on the track when Ray Graham’s 90 hit hard in the first turn after a bolt on the rear radius rod broke on lap 38. It was determined that the allotted number of caution laps were about to be filled while the Graham car was cradled and a red was called for fuel. Mike Lichty used this opportunity to reenter the field two laps down.
When the race went green, Perley broke away from the pack of Fornoro, Cicconi, Magner, Sammut and Ordway, the only cars left in the lead lap.
The race mercifully for many, ended now without another hitch as Perley came under the checkered alone. Fornoro and Cicconi had a couple lap cars in between them and the leader in second and third. Magner and London resident Mark Sammut finished up the top five.
Magner said later, "It was a long, long race with a lot of cautions. I lost the lead in a lot of traffic. The car was tight the whole race; too tight to stay up there. I’m glad to take fourth and we’ll go on to Berlin tomorrow. I’d like to thank my owner Jeff Holbrook for pulling up alongside of me on the slow laps of the cautions and telling me to keep my head. It really helped out a lot."
Mark Sammut was happy to have a good finish close to home. "We’ll take this finish for sure especially the way this season has gone. The car is one piece and we finished in the top five. We can’t knock that at all. We still have a ways to go to catch the fast guys but we’re getting closer. It’s great to have a good finish before the hometown fans and hopefully they’ll do something to the track before we come back next year."
Mike Ordway, Justin Belfiore, Mike Lichty. Johnny Torrese and Jeff Holbrook finished up in the top ten. Brandon Bellinger, in eleventh, was the last car remaining on the track.
Summary
Heat 1: Chris Perley, Tom Hessert, Lou Cicconi, Dave Trytek, Denny Fisher, Ryan Litt, Bobby Haynes, Brandon Bellinger,
Heat 2: Nokie Fornoro, Mike Lewis, Justin Belfiore, Mike Lichty, Jeff Holbrook, Johnny Torrese, Larry Lehnert, Mike Hooper.
Heat 3: Joe Petro, Mark Sammut, Bob Magner, Dave Hosie, Ray Graham, Eric Torrese, Dave McKnight, Mike Ordway, Gary Morton.
Delaware 50: 1. Chris Perley (11), 2. Nokie Fornoro (32), 3. Lou Cicconi (75), 4. Bob Magner (40), 5. Mark Sammut (78), 6. Mike Ordway (61), 7. Justin Belfiore (8), 8. Mike Lichty (84), 9. Johnny Torrese (91), 10. Jeff Holbrook (35), 11. Brandon Bellinger (02), 12. Ray Graham Jr. (90), 13. Michael Lewis (97), 14. Tom Hessert (9), 15. Gary Morton (07), 16. Joe Petro (33), 17. Larry Lehnert (92), 18. Mike Hooper (17), 19. Dave Hosie (3), 20. Eric Torrese (99), 21. Dave Trytek (70), 22. Denny Fisher (05), 23. Dave McKnight (94), 24. Ryan Litt (98).
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9/17/2006
BENTLEY WARREN CLOSES OUT 50th ANNUAL CLASSIC WEEKEND EVENTS WITH A MEMORABLE WIN
by Carol Haynes
Oswego, NY – It was only fitting and proper that the man standing in the last victory lane ceremony of the 50th annual Oswego Speedway Classic weekend events would be Bentley Warren. Recently named number one in the all time top fifty drivers in the Classic, Bentley showed us why on Sunday. After a rather inauspicious start to the much-anticipated 50th anniversary weekend, which began Sept. 2nd, the end on Sept. 17 proved to be spectacular. The rain date which began with warm sunshine and a good field of winged supermodifieds, ended with the legendary New England driver doing it one more time. Driving through a field of some of supermodified’s best – several of whom were not born when he started winning races, Bentley drove by his teammate Chris Perley and race leader Dave McKnight on the 45th lap of the Bud Light ISMA Super Nationals to take the victory. Thunderous cheers greeted the man who won his first Classic in 1969, as he took a lap around the track he made his own over the five decades he raced on it. One can only presume it may not have been his last victory ride.
Said Bentley after embarking from the Miller 71 "It wasn’t easy. I was driving my butt off from lap one to lap fifty. The car was just unbelievable. They put a heck of a racecar together. I always thought Chris was a good driver but I found out it was just the racecars. Chris said during that red for me ‘to go for it if you can do it.’ He said he thought he might have something for Dave on the outside and he was going to try it a couple more times. I couldn’t catch them but when they started working together they definitely lost a couple tenths. They were off a little bit and I just had a good hole there. I drove by and said, "Thanks for the ride. See ya. Wouldn’t want to be ya. I had some breaks with traffic. It turned out to be wicked easy getting by there. I can’t believe it. I’m just as happy as can be."
Dave McKnight, who took the lead from Dave Trytek on lap 30, remained in second after Bentley’s late race pass. He acknowledged later that "The car was solid all race It was terrible in qualifying and the guys went to town and did the adjustments. It was great for the feature and I definitely think I had the car to win but with ten laps to go the line broke off the left rear caliper. The brake went to the floor. My race was pretty much done without having a brake to set the car up. Hats off to Bentley. He did a great job. I knew he was there. I don’t think he could have gotten by if I could have used the brakes but that’s here say. Second again. Maybe we’ll get one before the year’s out."
Bentley’s teammate who is chasing him for second on the all-time ISMA win list didn’t seem to mind that Ben had just made it one marker harder. "Awesome job - a first and a third. I told Bentley under the red that I would give it one more shot, but if I don’t get it done and you’ve got it, you better get there. He just giggled so I think that he knew that from that point he was going to be there. It was awesome for him to win. I mean I gave it everything I had. I ran outside with Dave. He held his line and it was a blast. But I didn’t have enough. I needed a couple more feet. I was working the outside and Dave opened up the bottom for Bentley and he just drove through. I thought I might be able to follow him but then I got loose. It was fun."
Thirty-nine winged supers filled the pits and saw four qualifying heats and two consis to pare down the field to twenty-six starters for the 13th annual Bud Light ISMA Super Nationals. A horrendous crash in heat three saw Joe Gosek hit the fourth turn wall and slide upside down with parts flying everywhere, stopping in front of the flag stand. A few tense moments were when Gosek proved to be shaken but otherwise okay. The Snyder 0 he was driving looked pretty much destroyed. Joe described the accident later in the pits, "We were struggling in the heat behind Jamie (Timmons) and I was trying to get up on the outside but I don’t think I got far enough. He used the racetrack and we came together and I ended up in the wall. It’s too bad that you wreck a car like that in a heat. You’re always trying and sometimes it just doesn’t work out."
When all was said and done, teammates Jeff Holbrook and Dave Trytek held the front row at the start of the 50-lapper. Trytek pulled immediately into the lead and proved to be a formidable point man. Holbrook stayed in second, as Dave McKnight, Mike Lichty, Nokie Fornoro, Chris Perley and Bob Magner were next in line.
Trytek began lapping cars by the 11th circuit as McKnight, Lichty and Fornoro moved by Holbrook as traffic was already playing a role.
The first slowdown of the raced came on lap 18 when Magner, Lou Cicconi and Holbrook were parked in turn three. Cicconi and Holbrook went pitside for a check over, as did Michael Barnes who was pulled in for a possible fuel leak. All cars restarted.
Trytek lost the momentum he had built up, as McKnight Lichty, Fornoro and Perley were right behind with only one lap car breaking up the pack. Perley got by Fornoro several laps after the restart and looked to be seeking a ninth win on the season. Also on the move was the wily Warren who was sixth by the midway mark.
On lap 28, yellow flew again after Trytek had seen his lead disappear to teammates Dave McKnight and Mike Lichty. The 55 of Joey Scanlon and 40 of Magner were restarted and Trytek was given a reprieve as the field reverted back to the last lap.
Trytek was able to hold off the onslaught until lap 30 when McKnight and now Perley were the marauders who stole the lead away and fled the scene. Trytek soon lost third to Warren who was closing in on the lead duo. Behind Trytek were Lichty, Fornoro, Randy Ritskes, Joey Payne and Mark Sammut.
The top trio now pulled away until a lap 38 stop when Michael Barnes slid around in turn one tapping the inner hub. The 5 of Vern Romanoski had lost an oil plug and laid a grease trail around half the track. It was on this red for cleanup that Bentley and Perley chatted back and forth in regard to how to possibly get by McKnight.
With only twelve laps remaining McKnight was ready for the plotters. One thing stood, however, in his way. Within two laps he had lost his brakes. Within four laps Bentley had moved on by Perley and was heading for McKnight. On lap 45, a cheer erupted from the grandstands as Bentley put the Vic Miller 71 out front and put an exclamation mark at the end of the story. McKnight was able to hold on to second as Perley, Lichty and Fornoro finished up the top five. Trytek slid out of a top five finish when a broken rocker arm sent him backwards in the waning laps.
McKnight’s teammate said of his fourth place, "It was a good day for the team with Dave finishing second. My hats off to him. It was a tough track out there today. It was really hard to pass cars. It felt like every line I needed, somebody else was in it and they needed it too. Once I got by Davey Trytek for fourth and I had an open racetrack, I could use the whole track and it felt much better. The car was really coming in then but by that time it was lap 48 and we only run 50 lap races. So, hats off to everybody. Everyone did a good job."
And defending race champion Fornoro had this to say, "We needed a little more wedge in the car. We’re still trying to get our balances the way I would like them. Danny and the team have been really good. I’m happy we had a fifth place finish and I’m totally ecstatic about Bentley. Sixty-five years old and I’m fifty. You know what, these young guys gotta keep on the high side and keep their stuff in one bag. I’d like to thank the sponsors and the fans for coming out. We had a pretty good crowd for a Sunday afternoon!"
Ritskes, Joey Payne, Graham, Trytek and Mark Sammut rounded out the top ten.
Summary
Heat 1: Nokie Fornoro, Bob Magner, Scott Martel, Randy Ritskes, Joey Payne, Bobby Haynes Jr., Kelly Miller, Shawn Muldoon, Andy Noto.
Heat 2: Mike Lichty, Justin Belfiore, Lou Cicconi, Joey Scanlon, Vern Romanoski, Charlie Shultz, Bob Bond, John Payne, Tim Gareau, Pat Lavery (dns)
Heat 3: Chris Perley, Jeff Holbrook, Dave McKnight, Robbie Summers, Jamie Timmons, John Torrese, Danny Shirey, Keith Shampine, Michael Barnes, Joe Gosek
Heat 4: Dave Trytek, Mark Sammut, Bentley Warren, Ray Graham Jr., Craig Rayvals, Randy Burch, Brandon Bellinger, Mike Brubaker (dns).
Mike Ordway, Joe Petro and Rick Wentworth had motor problems in warm-ups and reported ofn.
Consi 1 (3 qualify): John Torrese, Danny Shirey, Bobby Haynes Jr., Kelly Miller, Shawn Muldoon, Tim Gareau.
Consi 2: Randy Burch, Bob Bond, Michel Barnes, Johnny Payne, Andy Noto, Charlie Schultz
13th annual Bud Light ISMA Super Nationals: 1. Bentley Warren (71), 2. Dave McKnight (94), 3. Chris Perley (11), 4. Mike Lichty (84), 5. Nokie Fornoro (32), 6. Randy Ritskes (97), 7. Joey Payne (92), 8. Ray Graham (90), 9. Dave Trytek (70), 10. Mark Sammut (78), 11. Rob Summers (9), 12. Lou Cicconi (75), 13. Johnny Torrese (91), 14. Scott Martel (88), 15. Vern Romanoski (5), 16. Joey Scanlon (55), 17. Bob Bond (25), 18. Danny Shirey (V2), 19. Bobby Haynes Jr (44), 20. Jeff Holbrook (35), 21. Michael Barnes (22), 22. Craig Rayvals (95), 23. Bobby Magner (40), 24. Jamie Timmons (27), 25. Justin Belfiore (8), 26. Randy Burch (52).
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"LIQUID" LOU TAKES STAR CLASSIC NUMBER TWO
Epping, NH – It was six years ago that Lou Cicconi stood in victory lane at Star Speedway. It was with a different car owner and car. This Saturday night, he won his second Star Classic – this time in his own car and with a crew that knew well the ways to win. Just five days previous, Cicconi might have been the victor at the rain-delayed Oswego Classic, but things didn’t work out. This Saturday things worked to perfection. It was an easy drive for the Aston, PA driver this night. On lap 57, Cicconi pulled by race leader Nokie Fornoro and was never really headed after that. The win was also his second of the 2006 ISMA-Wirtgen season.
Lou commented on his second prestigious Star win. "I think my first Claasic win was more lucky than this one. But, I’m not so sure. We started the day off with some new setups. And then when it got serious it all came together. It was good. The car was like a breeze to drive. I can’t believe I finished as far in front as I did. It was good. It’s a tough race. Realistically if things would have gone differently last week (at Oswego), I might have had two Classic wins. Unfotunately Dave (McKnight) and I tangled.
"Brian and Doc and all the crew give me a car that you can’t help but win with. They’ve had a few wins up here. I’d like to thank Randy Sweet. He hooks me up with all my steering components – especially last week at the Classic as well as here. Brian Allegresso and Jerry, Phil, Doc and Christopher and my father – the whole crew.. I can’t wait to go back to Oswego next week."
Fornoro did his best to stick with Cicconi, but only really closed up the gap in traffic situations. But to the high rate of attrition, those situations were few and far between.
"I seem to be a bridesmaid here a lot," said the driver of the Soule Racing 32. "What can I say about the team I have that I’m fortunate to drive for. These guys break their butts. Everybody knows how everybody likes their team, but these guys really break their butts and they gave me a wonderful car. I can say what we needed now after the race is over. As I’m sure they will when we talk. I could have used a little more wedge. Louie could get off the corner better than me. But, 200 laps. I’m happy. We finished in one piece. No one got hurt. Hopefully Star will stay open and maybe I can win one of these yet. Congratulations to Louie on his win.
The last car on the lead lap was Mike Ordway who had taken a trip into the woods off pit road earlier in the day when a spindle broke, causing him to lose his brakes. Ordway started seventh in the 41st running of the 200-lap event and picked his way up to fifth just before the lap 60 mark. Said Ordway of his podium finish, "I just kept plugging away and ended up third. We’re still struggling a little bit, but I held on to get third. We’ll just keep working at it. You can’t give up. It’s a pretty good finish considering our little accident earlier today."
The top sixteen time trialers were locked into the Star field and the top ten handicapped by the money won system giving Mile Lichty and Joe Petro the front row at the green. The young Canadian Lichty drag-raced Petro to the line to lead the first two circuits before Nokie Fornoro moved up from fourth to take the point.
Current ISMA point leader Chris Perley sent up a shower of sparks and dust on lap five as he left turn two, drove halfway off the track and gathered his 11 back up just as the yellow flew. He was now at the back of the 22-car field instead of in his ninth starting spot. Describing the incident later he said, "At the beginning I was loose and I chased it and I ran out of track so I fell off. I told someone else that I saw a beer can out there and I thought it might be full."
As Fornoro ran out front with Cicconi soon tucked in behind after passing Lichty, cars began to drop by the wayside including Bob Timmons, Mark Sammut and Dave Trytek.
On lap 32, another yellow fell this time for the 88 of Scott Martel who was hooked off the track. While Martel was being assisted, Rick Wentworth and Vern Romanoski left the field.
Fornoro was not heavily challenged by Cicconi on the lap 40 green as Lichty, Joe Petro, Dave McKnight, Ordway, Justin Belfiore, Jamie Timmons, Bentley Warren and Bobby Santos made up the top ten front runners.
Petro suddenly pulled off the track on lap 56 with a broken front snout as Cicconi grabbed the lead from Fornoro a lap or two later.
Bob Magner brought out the next flag with a simple spin on lap 60 with Cicconi resuming his command on the lap 67 green.
On lap 75 the top five remained Cicconi, Fornoro, Lichty, McKnight and Ordway with Belifore,Timmons, Warren, Santos, Rob Summers the next five. Perley was up to eleventh at this juncture.
Lap 81 saw Perley’s teammate Warren slip slightly off turn two, mimicking Perley’s earlier maneuver. Warren was also able to keep going.
By the midway mark, it was all Lou as he had Perley in his sights to put him down a lap. On lap 103, the 11 was saved by the yellow flag that flew for Dave McKnight who had a magneto problem that stopped his 94 in turn three.
Green fell on lap 106, but changed to yellow on lap 110 was Jamie Timmons and Warren tangled with Timmons getting the hook and Warren going a lap down on the pushoff.
By lap 123, Cicconi was breezing out front of Fornoro with Lichty and Ordway fighting for third while Bob Santos had moved into fifth. Justin Belfiore had a strong run going in sixth as Chris Perley moved into seventh. Vern Romanoski left the race moments before the counter clicked off 124. One more click of the clock found yellow unfurled again for Bentley Warren again, who had tangled with Joey Scanlon’s 55. Bentley restarted at the tail of the shortening field.
Cicconi has a long string of green ahead now as he continued to put cars down to his flying fluorescent 75. Fornoro was alone in second as Lichty, Ordway and Santos made it a race for third. Belfiore and Perley were the last cars in the lead lap as the race flew by.
At the lap 175 mark, Cicconi had three lap cars between him and Fornoro while Lichty had Santos, Ordway and Belfiore behind him.
Twelve laps later, the boy wonder Santos had put the Lane 97 into third, leaving Lichty, Ordway and Belfiore the last cars in the lead lap after Cicconi flew by Perley to put him down one.
Cicconi was coming up on Belfiore as he traversed the quarter mile unimpeded, but on lap 193, the Lane 97 of Santos became a non-threat when the car slowed and pulled into the infield out of fuel – for the second straight Classic in five days.
Yellow on lap 198 delayed the Cicconi celebration for a few laps when Joey Scanlon slid off the track in two. Moments later while Joey was getting pushed around, Justin Belfiore’s 8 sputtered out of fuel also. "I think if we had a little bit more fuel," said the Ipswich driver, "We might have finished fifth. I’m happy. The car was good all day. I hated that we got passed by Perley at the end, but what are you going to do?"
The race now resumed just over the lap 200 mark with a green checkered, which went to Cicconi. Fornoro finished up second with Ordway third and Chris Perley fourth after a mistake that found Lichty not taking his place behind Cicconi after being lapped during the late race shuffle. Lichty would finish fifth.
Perley, who has become accustomed to finishing up front, but not one lap down, commented on his fourth place run. "I wanted to pit but there is nothing you can do here and stay on the lead lap. So I figured I’d stay out here as long as I could in the lead lap. Louie didn’t lap me until about ten to go or something like that. I knew that we were in pretty decent in the standings – not shape – but standings. I guess we needed a point race tonight, Louie gained some but it was a good race. Congratulations to him."
Lichty, who thought he finished fourth until learning his fate, indicated that his car was not right anyway. "We finished fifth. The car was decent although our brake issue came back again from Sandusky and it got us again. With thirty laps in the race the problem began. We’ve just been having problems with the tires the last couple weeks. We had the same situation happen at the Classic. We came an inch too big in stagger and an inch too short. We were just too tight. I just want to congratulate Louie and the whole crew and to thank my dad, Patco Transportation and Stage Door."
Sixth through tenth were Rob Summers, Justin Belfiore, Bobby Magner, Brandon Bellinger and Bobby Santos.
SUMMARY ISMA-WIRTGEN
Star Classic. Sept, 9, 2006
Top 16 Time Trialers: Chris Perley, Lou Cicconi, Mike Lichty, Scott Martel, Joe Petro, Mike Ordway, Dave McKnight, Bentley Warren, Nokie Fornoro, Jamie Timmons, Justin Belfiore, Robbie Summers, Bobby Santos, Rick Wentworth, Russ Wood, Bobby Magner.
Consi (6 cars qualify): 1. Dave Trytek, 2. Joey Scanlon, Brandon Bellinger, Mark Sammut, Vern Romanoski, R.D. Timmons, Dave Sanborn, Brent Roundy, Mike Badessa, Bobby Haynes Jr., Eric Emhoff, Mike Ordway Jr.
41st Star Classic 200: 1. Lou Cicconi (75), 2. Nokie Fornoro (32), 3. Mike Ordway (61), 4. Chris Perley (11), 5. Mike Lichty (84), 6. Rob Summers (9), 7. Justin Belfiore (8), 8. Bobby Magner (40), 9, Brandon Bellinger (02), 10. Bobby Santos (97), 11. Joey Scanlon (55), 12. Bentley Warren (71), 13. Jamie Timmons (27), 14. Dave McKnight (94), 15. Russ Wood (14), 16. Vern Romanoski (5), 17. Joe Petro (33), 18. Rick Wentworth (10), 19. Scott Martel (88), 20, Dave Trytek (70), 21. Mark Sammut (78), 22. RD Timmons (13).
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BOBBY SANTOS HAS ONE AMAZING WEEK CAPPING A TWO-WIN TUESDAY WITH AN ISMA-WIRTGEN WIN ON FRIDAY
By Carol Haynes
Lee, NH – Twenty-year old Bobby Santos pulled off an amazing feat at Stafford Speedway on Tuesday night by taking both open wheel features for a bonus of $50,000. What does this Franklin, Mass. driver do for an encore? He beats some of ISMA’s best including the hot streaking Chris Perley. On Friday night at Lee USA Speedway he pulled into victory lane for his third career-win in his short ISMA career. Santos, starting seventh in the 24-car field, snuck up on battling race leaders Scott Martel and Chris Perley, and stole the front spot from both of them with five laps to go. As Martel and Perley were playing cat and mouse with some lap cars, Santos took the Howie Lane 97 under both of them for the lead in turn two. Perley chased Santos for the five remaining laps, but couldn’t catch him. Santos had been stealing away with wins this week and the Rowley Rocket wasn’t going to stop him this night.
Said the quiet young driver in victory lane "It was a great night. It was a lot of fun racing with those guys. Scotty did an awesome job. It was his race but the lap traffic played in my favor. To be able to beat Chris is just unbelievable because he is the best right now. To steal one from Chris right now is like amazing. I’ll take one. It’s been a good week. It’s been a good year."
Perley, who admitted earlier that he’d settle for a good finish at the tough New Hampshire bullring, was ecstatic with his finish. To get a second at Lee. It can’t beat that with a stick! It was a good race for the fans. I was trying not to get sideways through the whole thing. I was tight on top and loose on bottom. It was a good race. Bobby did a great job. Martel and I were battling for a long time. I think I used up a lot of my tires. I was battling with Nokie and Louie. And the caution would come out and I’d be back behind them. Whatever. It was a great run and a great battle."
Lou Cicconi, off a win at Mansfield on August 11, made the 75-lap affair even more exciting by taking third from Martel on the last lap. "It was a good race. I can’t believe it. I got third. I caught Scotty napping there at the end. I passed him in the last lap in the last quarter. I did good."
A large crowd was on hand to see the battle of the titans of ISMA and a battle they got. Oswego’s Bob Magner was the polesitter and he took command right away trailed by Robbie Summers in the Lane 9, and Justin Belfiore, one of the 2006 feature winners. Just behind mixing it up were Dave Trytek, Scott Martel, Nokie Fornoro, Lou Cicconi and Joe Petro.
By lap eight the top four cars which now included Martel, began meandering their way through slower cars on the three-eighths mile. By lap twenty, Magner had pulled away from the pack somewhat and had a lap car-cushion when the first yellow fell for a hard hit by Johnny Payne. Several cars headed to the pits in the cleanup including Jamie Timmons, Dave McKnight, Mike Lichty and Vern Romanoski. Payne and Timmons remained pitside on the green.
The field bunched behind Magner but he was able to stay the course with two more minor yellows falling in laps 24 and 26 for a spinning Brent Roundy. On the next green positions behind Magner began to change as Scott Martel put the Budnick 88 into third behind Belfiore and second on lap 30. Belfiore, Summers, and Fornoro now had Chris Perley breathing down their necks, something they had experienced all season. Cicconi, Bob Santos, Joe Petro, Russ Wood in the Martel 14 and Ricky Wentworth ran closely behind.
Martel, in front of friends and family, had the winning desire and on lap 37, he passed by Magner off turn four as Magner’s teammate Shawn Muldoon (35) slowed the front-runners for a moment. Magner, however, did not lose sight of Martel as lap traffic began to play. Chris Perley was high and low as all eyes watched the Miller 11 move up. By lap 43 he was second and headed for his close friend Martel.
It now became a friendly battle for the lead as Perley, who said earlier, Lee was one tough track to win at, tacked to Martel’s rear. On lap 47, Mike Lichty slowed suddenly and headed to the infield with Martel and Perley getting on the binders a bit. Perley actually got by Martel here, but settled back into second as Lichty moved toward the pit in front of him.
With twenty to go, the 88 and 11 had fans on the edge of their seats as Magner, held off Santos, Cicconi, Fornoro, Summers and Russ Wood. Wood, however, stopped suddenly off four bringing out the yellow. He said later the 14 just shut down unfortunately as he was just beginning to move forward.
Martel was able to stay ahead of Perley on the green, but it was Santos on the move now as he went by Magner to take third. Lou Cicconi put the 75 by Magner a few laps later as the chase to the finish heated up. Belfiore, Fornoro, Summers and Petro were still running strong behind.
Perley pressured Martel with all he had with a loose and tight car as aforementioned. On lap 69, the crowd screamed as Santos dove under Perley who almost was sideways as the leaders approached a lap car. In one fell swoop, the Franklin Flyer was in the lead passing Martel as cheers erupted from the bleachers. The checkered flags flew for Santos as they boys were still racing behind. Perley drove over for second while Lou Cicconi made a last ditch attempt and stole third from Martel. Magner finished a fine run behind Scott for fifth.
The mood in the Budnick trailer showed a little disappointment at having just missed another one. Said Martel of Bradford, MA, "The most frustrating part is racing here in front of so many family and friends and to come up short again. It’s really, really frustrating. With a little more cooperation from lap cars we would have had this one in the bag. Bruce and I are really jelling. All our sponsors that help us out we appreciate it." And then Scott, smiling, made a prediction, "We’re going to win the Star Classic."
Magner, who held is own among the big dogs, was all smiles. "I’m happy that we all finished. I shared the fifth place with Dave and Shawn. I’m glad that we are all going to roll on the trailer because it’s too much work when we don’t. To lead was nice. I was just trying to be smooth. Those guys are going to go by. They’ve been doing this for a while. I got real loose. If it were a thirty lap race I probably would have won it."
Sixth through tenth were Justin Belfiore, Nokie Fornoro, Rob Summers, Joe Petro and Doug Boisvert.
Notes…. Prior to the ISMA feature a long line of Harleys traversed the Lee USA Speedway with Bentley Warren near the front. Bentley and friends were raising money for a young girl Megan with a brain tumor who needs an operation and doesn’t have the funds…. The group received a warm welcome…The unclaimed ISMA Iron Horse bike sponsored by Perley’s Marina Repair, also went to Megan…Next up is the ISMA-Wirtgen Super Nationals of Bud Classic weekend on Sept. 2.
Summary
ISMA-Wirtgen Super Series
Ollie Silva Memorial 75
Heat 1: Chris Perley, Bob Santos, Bob Magner, Justin Belfiore, Brent Roundy, Vern Romanoski, Dave McKnight, Jamie Timmons
Heat 2: Joe Petro, Rick Wentworth, Dave Trytek, Russ Wood, Mike Lichty, Johnny Payne, Bobby Haynes Jr., Dave Sanborn, Emhoff (dns)
Heat 3: Nokie Fornoro, Robbie Summers, Lou Cicconi, Scott Martel, Shawn Muldoon, Doug Boisvert, Mike Badessa, Joey Scanlon
Ollie Silva Memorial 75: 1. Bobby Santos (97), 2. Chris Perley (11), 3. Lou Cicconi (75), 4. Scott Martel (88), 5. Bobby Magner (40), 6. Justin Belfiore (8), 7. Nokie Fornoro (32), 8. Robbie Summers (9), 9. Joe Petro (33), 10. Doug Boisvert (66), 11. Rick Wentworth (10), 12. Dave McKnight Jr. (94), 13. Dave Trytek (70), 14. Shawn Muldoon (1), 15. Dave Sanborn (24), 16. Russ Wood (14), 17. Mike Lichty (84), 18. Brent Roundy (76), 19. Mike Badessa (6), 20. Joey Scanlon (55), 21. Bobby Haynes Jr. (44), 22. Johnny Payne (67), 23. Jamie Timmons (27), 24. Vern Romanoski (5).
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8-12-2006
PERLEY BACK ON TRACK AT MANSFIELD AS HE TAKES SATURDAY’S 75-LAP ISMA-WIRTGEN MAIN
Mansfield, OH – Some days things just go your way no matter what happens. Chris Perley is having a lot of those days this year. After losing the Friday night feature at Mansfield Motorsports Speedway, the Vic Miller crew spent the day going over the car, welding some glitches they found, then changing some things to make the car just a tick better. Whatever they did worked just fine. And despite an ignition wire not fully plugged that shut the car off momentarily several times during the 75-lap feature Saturday night and a couple minor run-ins with a couple cars, things just came up roses for Perley. When things are going your way, they go all the way. Perley survived an intense battle with Dave McKnight and ended up on the front side of several lead swaps at the race end to win his eighth feature of the ISMA-Wirtgen season.
Said Perley after his fourth Mansfield win in five races at that Ohio oval, ‘That was awesome racing…awesome racing with everybody I raced with tonight. The lap traffic was really tough and Dave was running the perfect groove. I didn’t think I’d ever get by him. But, I figured if I stayed tight and I saw an opening we could both shoot through. We came up on a bunch of lap cars. He got through and I didn’t. Then the bottom opened up and I took the lead. I didn’t think I’d hold onto it. The right rear looked better in the heat today than it did yesterday. We just figured the pace would be a little slower at the beginning and it was for a while. Dave was running hard out there and at lap fifty I didn’t know who was going to lose their tires first because we were both pushing really hard. It was great racing tonight. It was great for the Miller team to bring home another victory. I can’t believe it. It’s just amazing. What a season. But, I’ll tell you it wouldn’t be worth it without the fans up there cheering me on. It’s just great racing here in Ohio. You guys are a great bunch and fun at night after the races too!
McKnight, who took the lead from Mike Ordway on lap 18, had this to say after his close loss to Perley." The Stage Door, 401 Transport, Patco number 94 was good tonight. We’ve been picking up little by little. Chris has been awesome this year. My hat’s off to him. I think we had the car to win tonight. The traffic definitely played a part. Sometimes it’s better to be second than to be leading. The guys did a great job tonight. We’ve been working hard to get this car back. I think we’re slowly getting on track and we’re catching up. So we’ll see what happens when we go to Lee. It would have been nice to win but you know it’s not over until the checkered falls. Scotty moved over there on that last caution and let me go but Chris and my cars were pretty much equal tonight and it was whoever was in the lead at the end who was going to win. Once he got out in front we didn’t have anything to catch him. "
In a repeat performance, Mike Ordway was once again in third at race end after losing the lead to McKnight who lost it to Perley. The Fremont, NH driver was equally pleased with his second podium finish in two days. "We’re getting closer. Not bad for a rookie huh? We have some more work to do and we’ll keep plugging away at it. We’re getting there with a whole new car compared to what we had last year. Clyde and I are both happy."
The thirty-three supermodified pilots, crews, family and friends tried to put aside the passing of the 21-year old sprint car driver, Joey Rebman, who lost his life after Friday night’s hard hit into the fourth turn wall. It wasn’t easy, but things continued. The three ISMA qualifiers were won by Dave Shullick Jr., John Torrese and Dave McKnight with Dave Trytek coming home with the 15-car consi.
Torrese jumped to the early lead of the 75-circuit main only to fall victim to Ordway’s onslaught on lap 14. But Ordway was not out front long before second place runner McKnight came by out on the backstretch.
A yellow bunched the field after it flew for Larry Lehnert. Joe Petro Jr. made a hasty pit on the caution, joining Dave Shullick Jr. who was already pitside. Petro, unlike Shullick, was restarted.
Ordway stuck with McKnight on the restart as Perley was making his way to fourth behind Mike Lichty. Torrese was fifth with Moe Lilje, Fornoro and Lou Cicconi close behind.
Yellow flew again on Lap 23 when the 40 of Bob Magner had to be pushed in to the pits. Rick Wentworth came in here too as did Larry Lehnert again. Magner restarted but another quick yellow for Rich Reid stopped the action once more.
When the restart stuck, Ordway pressured McKnight for the top spot as Perley and Lichty fought for third. Perley finally won the spot on lap 26. Out front, McKnight was dogged by not only Ordway, but also Perley, as Lichty, Friday night’s winner Cicconi and Fornoro were top six.
The fight for first was classic as Ordway was trying McKnight high and low. In the meantime Perley closed the gap as he watched the duo just in front of him. On lap 29 he took over second from Ordway coming off turn four. Another battle began for first.
Dave McKnight did everything in his power to hold off Perley as the to wove through the heavy y traffic leaving Ordway, Lichty, Cicconi and Fornoro behind.
With twenty-five to go the crowd was on the edge of their seats watching the pair slide around lap cars as Perley tried to find a block to get by McKnight, the only other ISMA driver to win at Mansfield besides Cicconi on Friday, since the start of the series there in 2004.
Finally on lap 55, Perley found his chance as the pair came around Robbie Summers in the Lane 97. But it wasn’t an easy trail to the finish. Heavy traffic and a yellow gave McKnight ample opportunity to retake the lead and he used every chance.
The final yellow came on lap 71 as Chris had put some cars in between his 11 and McKnight’s 94. Mike Lichty was the cause of the flag as the 84 came to a stop. Motor and or fuel problems were the cause. He did, however, restart to finish the race.
Out front on the restart Perley had the lap car of Martel between them for an instant, but Martel, a lap car, gave way to McKnight to allow one more chase but Perley held on this time for his eighth win of the season and his fourth at Mansfield. McKnight stayed second as Ordway, Fornoro and Cicconi completed the top five.
Fornoro said after the exciting event, "It was a good run. Danny made a lot of changes and made the car a whole lot better. We’ve got something towork with. I thought we had third but things got a little big tight at the line there. Lap traffic was a little tough and it was hard to get by some of the guys But I had the same advantage or disadvantage as anyone else had. It was a safe race and no one got hurt. Congratulates to Chris and his team. Also to Dave for getting second. We got fourth and it was fun. It was a great weekend. I’m still a little upset about last night but you know that’s racing and I just love racing with ISMA."
Cicconi, however, was not pleased with his run. Lou said simply, "It was terrible out there tonight. The lap cars were the worst. I’ve never seen anything like it. The race director and me are going to have a little discussion when I see him."
Justin Belfiore, Robbie Summers, Moe Lilje, John Torrese and Martel were the top ten. Belfiore was the last car in the lead lap in sixth.
Summary ISMA-Wirtgen event #10
Mansfield Motorsports Speedway
August 12, 2006
Heat 1: Dave Shullick Jr., Larry Lehnert, Robbie Summers, Rick Wentworth, Mike Lichty, Jeff Holbrook, Ray Graham Jr., Joe Petro, Danny Shirey, Mark Sammut, Charlie Schultz
Heat 2: Johnny Torrese, Nokie Fornoro, Moe Lilje, Mike Ordway, Chris Perley, Lou Cicconi, Bobby Haynes, Jack Smith, Randy Burch, Scott Martel, Bobby Haynes Jr.
Heat 3: Dave McKnight. Brandon Bellinger, Jon Henes, Justin Belfiore, Bobby Dawson, Kyle Carpenter, Dave Trytek, Rich Reid, Vern Romanoski, Joe Grunda, Eric Torrese
Consi: Dave Trytek, Joe Petro, Rich Reid, Jack Smith, Scott Martel, Randy Burch, Danny Shirey, Bob Magner, Vern Romanoski. Eric Torrese, Charlie Schultz, Ray Graham Jr., Bobby Haynes, Mark Sammut, Joe Grunda (dns)
Bob Magner ISMA option
Feature (75): 1. Chris Perley (11), 2. Dave McKnight (94), 3. Mike Ordway (61), 4. Nokie Fornoro (32), 5. Lou Cicconi (75), 6. Justin Belfiore (8), 7. Rob Summers (97), 8. Moe Lilje (19), 9. Johnny Torrese (91), 10. Scott Martel (88), 11. Brandon Bellinger (02), 12. Jack Smith (09), 13. Bobby Dawson (28), 14. Jon Henes (36), 15. Jeff Holbrook (35), 16. Dave Trytek (70), 17. Bobby Magner (40), 18. Mike Lichty (84), 19. Kyle Carpenter (9), 20. Joe Petro Jr. (33), 21. Rick Wentworth (10), 22. Rich Reid (55), 23. Larry Lehnert (92), 24. Randy Burch (52), 25. Dave Shullick Jr. (49).
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8/11/2006
LOU CICCONI’S WIN AT MANSFIELD ENDS PERLEY’S WIN STREAK AT SIX
by Carol Haynes
Mansfield, OH – Chris Perley’s dominating win-streak on the Wirtgen-ISMA circuit came to an end Friday night when Lou Cicconi took his first of the season. But Perley rather expected the short-40 lap main would be tough. There was more than one hotshoe starting in front of him and they were all gunning for a chance to beat him. Cicconi made some great moves in traffic, with shades of his indoor midget run showing, to take the lead from an equally strong Mike Ordway on lap 20 while Perley was still mired in sixth. "The Rowley Rocket" was able to make a few spectacular moves in traffic himself to get behind Lou but time ran out on the only-one caution race. Lou, who picked up a guaranteed spot in the upcoming 50 th anniversary Bud Classic at Oswego, was all smiles in victory lane. It was his kind of race.
Said the Aston, PA driver, "It was a good race… awesome. I knew in the last five I saw Perley going up and I knew it was going to be tight. Traffic was the key. I thought I was back in Atlantic City. It got me through it. It was good. I’d rather have a race like this. It’s more fun."
Perley, despite the end of his win streak, echoed Lou’s sentiments. "I needed a 42-lapper, Chris laughed. "I figured Cicconi or Ordway or somebody would pull one off tonight. Forty laps and everybody starting up front like that was just too much for me. The car wasn’t as good in the first half but it got better. We did come up and make it a race toward the end. It was fun."
The happiest guy on the podium was Mike Ordway who has had his share of bad luck this season. "Well we finished the race and in the top three. It’s a good start. We’ll take it. We’ll just keep working away and we’ll get there."
A strong field of 35 winged super marvels filled the Mansfield pits for the first of a doubleheader weekend at the banked half-mile Ohio oval. Four heats and two consis pared the field to 25 with Ray Graham Jr. and Mike Ordway on the front row. The night was marred by a devastating HOSS sprint accident, which shortened that 30-lapper and cast a pall over the crowd who witnessed the horrific hit.
After a long delay, it was Ordway out front from the get-go and the Fremont, NH native quickly put Graham, Bob Magner, Kyle Carpenter, Nokie Fornoro, and more behind him. By lap 8 he was lapping the tail of the field. Ray Graham Jr., Magner, Mark Sammut, Carpenter, Cicconi, Fornoro, Shullick Jr. and more still raced rapidly behind and it was the only yellow of the race on lap 13 that slowed the pace.
The flag flew when Mark Sammut and Bob Magner made contact with Sammut ending up half on top of Magner. Sammut’s 78 was removed from the 40 and was able to continue. Magner had some damage from Sammut’s tires, especially to the oil tank, which caused him to go pitside. Also in the pits here were Bellinger, Lichty, Belfiore, Burch and Shullick Jr. Shullick and Burch did not continue.
On this restart Cicconi made some breath-taking moves around traffic on the outside to take over second. Fornoro was now third as Carpenter challenged. Graham and Dave McKnight Jr. were next up as Perley was still in back of Graham. Bobby Santos was also on the move as the race approached a quick halfway.
On lap 20, Cicconi made his move by Ordway on the backstretch to lead lap 21. "Liquid Lou" was hooked as he moved away from Ordway, Fornoro, Santos, McKnight and Perley.
Lou began his traffic moves as the race approached ten to go but Ordway, Fornoro, Santos, Perley and McKnight followed the fluorescent 75 doing some magnificent maneuvering themselves to keep Lou in sight.
Perley was into third on lap 31 moving by Santos and Fornoro in one swoop as the crowd went wild. On lap 34 he took over second from Ordway in another swoop and set out for Cicconi. But, the race was too short this time and Lou was too hard to catch. On lap 39, a mass of traffic held up Cicconi just long enough for Perley to close up the gap, but the end was one lap away and Lou took the checkered first. Perley, who had won the last three-straight Mansfield shows, settled for second with Ordway McKnight and Santos in the top five.
Santos, who was preparing to head for a USAC run at Salem, IN, commented, "It was another good race. We had a lot of fun. We needed more laps at the end there and I think we might have had another spot. We needed that 42 laps also. But, it was fun."
McKnight enjoyed his fourth place run. "Eleventh to fourth – what can I say? The Patco Transportation, 401 Trailers, Stage Door Transportation 94 had a good run tonight. We’re picking away at it. We ran strong coming up from eleventh. The car was getting better as the race wore on. I think tomorrow night should be better for us. We’re catching up. Chris worked a little harder and didn’t win tonight. I think everybody’s picked up the pace a little. I’m really excited about Saturday night and I’m really happy about the program right now. The guys put in a lot of work on the car today. It was a great effort. "
Fornoro, Charlie Schultz, Dave Trytek, Joe Petro and Carpenter rounded out the competitive top ten.
Notes… In pre-race ceremonies, the ISMA group and sponsor Wirtgen presented Make-A-Wish of Central Ohio with a $2000 check in honor of 8-year old Benjamin whose love of racing brought him to watch the supers and sprints on Friday night. Many gifts gathered by the ISMA drivers and crews and a ride around the track in a stock car brought a big smile to the cancer-ridden boy and his family…Racing at Mansfield continues Saturday night with an ISMA 75-lap main.
SUMMARY
Mansfield ISMA-Wirtgen 40, August 11, 2006
Heat 1: Mark Sammut, Nokie Fornoro, Chris Perley, Mike Lichty, Dave Trytek, Jack Smith, Moe Lilje, Larry Lehnert, John Torrese
Heat 2: Mike Ordway, Joe Petro, Dave McKnight, Vern Romanoski, Jon Henes, Randy Burch, Denny Fisher, Rich Reid, Eric Torrese.
Heat 3: Ray Graham Jr., Kyle Carpenter, Lou Cicconi, Scott Martel, Charlie Schultz, Bob Dawson, Joe Grunda, Jim Moran, Jeff Holbrook
Heat 4: Bob Magner, Bobby Santos, Dave Shullick, Jr., Rick Wentworth, Bobby Haynes Jr., Justin Belfiore, Brandon Bellinger, Danny Shirey
Consi 1: Bob Dawson, Jack Smith, Moe Lilje, Joe Grunda, Jim Moran, Jeff Holbrook, Rich Reid, Eric Torrese (dns)
Consi 2: Randy Burch, Justin Belfiore, Brandon Bellinger, Danny Shirey, Denny Fisher, John Torrese (dns), Larry Lehnert (dns)
Bellinger used ISMA option
Wirtgen-ISMA 40: 1. Lou Cicconi (75), 2. Chris Perley (11), 3. Mike Ordway (61), 4. Dave McKnight Jr. (94), 5. Bobby Santos III (97), 6. Nokie Fornoro (32), 7. Charlie Schultz (7), 8. Dave Trytek (70), 9. Joe Petro Jr. (33), 10. Kyle Carpenter (9), 11. Bobby Dawson (28), 12. Mark Sammut (78), 13. Jon Henes (36), 14. Ray Graham Jr. (90), 15. Mike Lichty (84), 16. Rick Wentworth (10), 17. Vern Romanoski (5), 18. Brandon Bellinger (02), 19. Jack Smith (09), 20. Bobby Haynes Jr. (44), 21. Justin Belfiore (8), 22. Scott Martel (88), 23. Bob Magner (40), 24. Dave Shullick Jr. (49), 25. Randy Burch (52).
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7/29/2006
PERLEY STREAKS TO A FIRST HY-MILER WIN BEATING OUT MIKE LICHTY FOR THE SECOND NIGHT IN A ROW
By Carol Haynes
Sandusky, OH – At Sandusky Speedway Friday night it was a 40-lap battle between Mike Lichty and Chris Perley. The war continued into Saturday as the same key players fought for the prestigious supermodified race. The 29th Hy-Miler Nationals 100 could very well have been a second win for Mike Lichty. It proved to be a second win for Chris Perley instead as both nights Lichty had just a little less luck than Perley. Lichty was once again the main man and once again, luck pushed Perley to the forefront. Chris was the first to admit it was really not his race. With fifteen laps to go, Lichty and Perley were one-two on the track, far ahead of anyone else when Lichty suddenly slid his Patco 84 high in turn four, allowing Perley to drive by for the lead and the eventual win.
Perley recounted his taking of the Hy-Miler lead, "I got up to second behind Mike. Again I could only catch him in traffic and then I couldn’t do anything with him. I thought well second is good. And then I was trying to look under him and he suddenly went straight in the corner. He lost his brakes. I’m telling you for two nights in a row for me to win is nice but it’s two nights in a row that Mike should have won. I don’t want to take anything away from him. He’s driving his guts out for his first win. There are a few other people I’d rather take it from than him. Plus I don’t want him to beat me up."
The new ISMA record-holder for six straight wins in a season, replayed his race. " I ran the race and for a hundred lapper, I never sat. I never had a chance to say I’ll wait for someone to burn up their tires and I’ll get him. Honestly everybody seemed to be racing every lap and hard. We got up to fourth and that was pretty good. It was a little before halfway. I felt we were in the ballpark, but Ordway was still there and going. We were all struggling on restarts. It looked like it took five laps to get going. Ordway made a power move when Nokie was still leading but the caution came out and it got called back. The next time he didn’t quite make it. And, I decided to try it on the following caution because he did it. I thought I’d make a go at it and it stuck. I was now up to second. I thought for sure Lichty was going to come away with it. The laps were winding down and I couldn’t go any faster than what I was going. He did an awesome job tonight. I thought for sure it was going to be him instead of me. But my crew doesn’t give up obviously. The car has been unbelievable lately. I don’t know what to say. I’d like to thank all my sponsors - R&R Engines for their awesome motors, Shea Concrete, Ed’s behind us all the way. And, Perley’s Marina. "
Lichty was obviously disappointed after a second straight l oss to the seemingly unbeatable Perley. His desire to win was very evident, especially to the man who beat him twice.
As Perley was adding his name to the prestigious Hy-Miler elite winners, Mike Lichty was thinking of what might have been. He said simply, "It was lack of brakes. Lap traffic was a bit tough tonight. But, I guess that’s how it is when you’re running with twenty to go in a race like this. When I shoved up there with no brakes, Chris got us – another night – I’m not impressed with my finish."
Nokie Fornoro, who took the lead on lap 25 from Mike Ordway, led until Lichty got by on lap 44. He commented at the podium, "I didn’t need any cautions tonight. We were always good on a good hot long run. It just took too long for the tires to come in after a caution – the heat cycles you know. It’s just the way it is. Everybody was at the same disadvantage. I’m real happy. And, once again, how can I say it. Chris is my buddy and I’m happy for him and Vic Miller. I’m also happy for Mike Lichty. It was a great finish for him and the Patco team. I’m also happy for my guys. I’m a bridesmaid again in third.
Mike Ordway, who by virtue of the handicapping, held the pole and the lead right from the start and quickly pulled slightly away from Fornoro and Lichty until a yellow fell on lap 5 for the 19 of Moe Lilje.
Back underway Ordway put the pedal down and left some distance between his 61 and the second place Fornoro, Lichty, Dave McKnight, Scott Martel, Lou Cicconi, Chris Perley and Dave Shullick Jr.
On lap 24, as the leaders melded into traffic, Ordway appeared to bog behind a slower car and Fornoro took the advantage and the lead on lap 25. Lichty grabbed second from Ordway one lap later, but Ordway wasn’t done yet as he held onto third ahead of Dave McKnight, Perley, Cicconi and Martel.
On lap 37, Joe Petro running ninth, spun the 33 and was pushed away to the rear. Perley had just passed Dave McKnight but the flag negated the pass.
On the restart it was Fornoro, Lichty, Ordway, McKnight, Perley, Cicconi and now a hard charging Bobby Santos who had started 23rd in the field of 26 after a rear-end problem sent him to qualify in the consi.
On lap 43 Dave Trytek took a hard hit into one of the huge tires inside of the track off turn two. He was towed off and the race attempted to restart. Santos almost picked off the two cars in front of him on this move, but this two was negated when the flag fell again for Moe Lilje who had just re-entered the race.
On the next green, Ordway got a run and dove outside Lichty and was headed for leader Fornoro when Dave McKnight spun the 94 in two to bring out yet another yellow.
Finally the lap was restarted and on this one, it was Lichty who made the decisive move that put him around Fornoro and into the lead. A couple laps later, on the 46th circuit Perley took third from Ordway as the two brushed somewhat and Ordway, with a bent-up front wing, began to fall backwards as Santos and Cicconi passed him. Ordway, a former Hy-Miler winner himself, left the race just before halfway.
At the 51-lap mark, a yellow, then red fell for the spinning Justin Belfiore who had laid down some oil on the track. Refueling and a cleanup ensued.
Back underway, it was deja vu as Lichty and Perley began their fight for the top spot. Lichty put some lap cars in between his 84 and Perley’s 11, but the "Rocketman" didn’t get far behind. Fornoro had his own battle going with Santos as Lou Cicconi, Scott Martel and Dave Shullick Jr. chased behind.
With thirty to go, Lichty was fighting by traffic while Perley was reeling him in. By lap 77, the duo pulled up on Lichty’s teammate McKnight to lap him, but Dave wasn’t giving an inch. There still was much racing going on in the competitive race.
It was on lap 85 that Lichty lost yet another attempt at his first ISMA win and a first Hy-Miler win to boot when he slid straight in four. Perley looked up and saw him go off as he headed into the lead. Lichty was able to regain his composure and no flag fell, but by this time Perley had gotten by McKnight and was headed to victory for the sixth straight time in 2006. Lichty held out for second despite his lack of brakes as Fornoro held off Santos for third. Lou Cicconi filled in the top five.
Cicconi was already headed back to Aston, PA when Bobby Santos commented on his fourth place. Said Bobby as he stood in the Lane pit area, "It was a pretty good run. It was a lot of fun to start in the back and to be able to finish in a top five finish. It just got frustrating at the end to follow Nokie for fifty laps. He’s hard to pass. But, I had a good run and I’d like to thank the guys for another great job."
Scott Martel, Dave Shullick Jr, Charlie Schultz, Dave McKnight Jr., and Joe Petro Jr. rounded out the top ten.
SUMMARY
29th annual Hy-Miler 100
Top twelve time trialers: Chris Perley (14.819), Bob Santos, Lou Cicconi, Mike Lichty, Randy Burch, Dave McKnight, Dave Shullick Jr, Mike Ordway, Joe Petro, Justin Belfiore, Nokie Fornoro, Jon Henes (inverted to start heats)
Heat 1: Dave McKnight, Jon Henes, Lou Cicconi, Joe Petro, Charlie Schulz, Kyle Carpenter, Brandon Bellinger, Denny Fisher, Joe Grunda, Jack Smith, Vern Romanoski
Heat 2: Mike Ordway, Nokie Fornoro, Randy Burch, Scott Martel, Rich Reid, Dave Trytek, Bob Magner, Michael Barnes, Danny Shirey, Ray Graham Jr., Bobby Santos (rear end)
Heat 3: Dave Shullick Jr., Chris Perley, Justin Belfiore, Mike Lichty, Doug Heveron, Moe Lilje, Larry Lehnert, Mark Sammut, Johnny Torrese, Bobby Haynes Jr.
Consi 1: Brandon Bellinger, Michael Barnes, Bobby Santos, Jack Smith, Larry Lehnert, Ray Graham Jr. Joe Grunda (dns)
Consi 2: Bob Magner, Mark Sammut, Denny Fisher, Vern Romanoski, Danny Shirey, Bobby Haynes Jr., Johnny Torrese (dns)
Jack Smith and Bobby Haynes Jr. options
HY-MILER ISMA-WIRTGEN 100: 1. Chris Perley (11), 2. Mike Lichty (84), 3. Nokie Fornoro (32), 4. Bobby Santos (97), 5. Lou Cicconi (75), 6. Scott Martel (88), 7. Dave Shullick Jr. (49), 8. Charlie Schultz (7), 9. Dave McKnight Jr. (94), 10. Joe Petro Sr. (33), 11. Kyle Carpenter (9), 12. Jon Henes (36), 13. Randy Burch (52), 14. Doug Heveron (35 15. Mark Sammut (78), 16. Brandon Bellinger (02), 17. Bobby Magner (40), 18. Justin Belfiore (8), 19. Mike Ordway (61), 20. Dave Trytek (70), 21. Larry Lehnert (92), 22. Michael Barnes (99), 23. Denny Fisher (05), 24. Bobby Haynes Jr. (44), 25. Moe Lilje (19), 26. Rich Reid (55)
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7/28/2006
CHRIS PERLEY ON A STREAK ON ISMA-WIRTGEN TRAIL AS HE PICKS UP FIFTH IN ROW AT SANDUSKY FRIDAY NIGHT
By Carol Haynes
Sandusky, NY – Chris Perley has never had good luck at Sandusky. As a matter of fact he’s probably not finished a race there. But, on Friday night his luck turned. Starting twelfth on the field of 26, Perley ran down Bobby Santos and Mike Lichty to take the lead with five laps to go. Perley had the yellows fall his way this time, but that’s how it’s been most of this season. Perley admitted in victory lane that he’d been lucky once again.
"Mike Lichty was gone. I never would have touched him. I really didn’t think I’d get either Mike or Bobby Santos. I got loose but on restarts the right rear cooled down just enough so I got one attempt. I got Bobby on the first one and then we had another caution. Unfortunately for Mike, I got by him too. I didn’t want to take it away from him. He’s been knocking on the door. I got a run. Somehow I stayed in front of him afterwards. What a race. This is awesome. I can’t believe I won at Sandusky! One more track.
"We’ve been on a roll, but it’s not without the work behind the scenes and everybody just stays with it. Yes the momentum is running us right now. We’ll just stay on the wave until it kicks us off and see what today, tomorrow and the next week brings us. Thanks to all for coming tonight and we’ll probably have a little party later."
Mike Lichty, who took the lead after just four laps into the 40-lapper, looked to be headed for his first win of his ISMA career. But, the yellows were not with Mike and the shoe was on the other foot for Perley. A bit disappointed in victory lane, Mike commented, "I didn’t need those cautions. I thought I had the race in the bag with about ten to go. But then caution, after caution after caution. On the last restart I think I got out driven by Chris Perley. That’s how it goes though. Hopefully tomorrow we’ll be in front of the number 11 car. Tomorrow is a long race and we’ll see what happens. I’d like to thank everybody on the crew. We were third last year here and tonight second. Maybe first tomorrow."
Bobby Santos, who has been a tear in the USAC midgets, ran second to Lichty for many laps until Perley got them both using the cautions. "Chris is pretty good. He took advantage of me on that restart. He beat me. I made the wrong move and he got me. It was a good run and I have to thank Howie and all the guys for doing a good job. I’m a little disappointed with third. We’ve been having a good year with the USAC midgets and it’s fun to race the supermodified also. Everything you get in from both divisions gives you experience. The more seat time the better."
After three heats and two consolations, the Hy-Miler ISMA-Wirtgen field was pared down to 26 cars. Doug Heveron, driving the Holbrook 35 took the early lead but Mike Lichty stormed by on lap four leaving the Florida resident to contend with Scott Martel, Santos, Michael Barnes and Dave McKnight.
By lap 15 nineteen-year old Lichty had a healthy lead as he began to lap the tail of the field. He had some lap cars as a cushion, but not for long as Santos moved by the same cars to take over second while McKnight, Perley, Heveron and Barnes chased at the halfway mark.
Perley was moving the Vic Miller 11 up each lap and by lap 25 he was third behind Lichty and Santos. The top trio moved away from McKnight. Oswego limited super driver Barnes, in his first-ever trip to Sandusky and his fifth supermodified ride, held a firm fifth over Scott Martel, Dave Shullick Jr. Nokie Fornoro, Heveron and Bob Magner.
The first yellow of the race fell for Heveron on lap 35 who had planted the Holbrook 35 in the fourth turn wall.
On the restart, the field bunched but a lap car sat between Lichty, Santos and Perley with a top more lap cars between them and fourth-place runner McKnight. That restart never completed as the flag unfurled again for Justin Belfiore who sat sideways in turn three.
This was the first of advantages for Perley. On the next restart, the "Rowley Rocket" grabbed second from Santos. Another yellow flew after that lap was complete when Magner, Shullick and Ryan Coniam were involved in a front straight melee. All three were hooked.
Perley’s cooled right rear used the next restart to get Lichty diving low under the 84 in turn one. Five quick laps flew by with Lichty now chasing Perley as Santos, McKnight and Martel chased them.
Perley crossed safely under his first-ever Sandusky checkereds and his sixth feature out of eight ISMA races run, as the above-mentioned quartet finished behind him.
McKnight, the second team Patco car to finish in the top four was content with finishing let alone fourth. "It was a good night for the Stage Door-Patco transportation super number 94. We have struggled the last four races with a dnf, a dnf and a couple more problems – a no show at Stafford. Just getting back in our game made us happy with the run tonight. The guys did a good job and worked hard. Chris won again tonight but I think everyone is catching up. Tomorrow is 100 laps. I’m happy the motor just stayed together. A sold fourth and a good run tonight for Mike. Too bad the cautions fell where they did. I’m sure he could have won the show, but that’s racing. Someday it will work in his advantage."
Martel, who took over the driving chores of the Budnick 88 when Randy Ritskes was injured at Waterford, was pleased with another fifth place.
"The Shea Concrete, -Bruce Budnick -owned 88 was running really good. We’re getting there. We don’t have anything for Chris but we’re getting to be a consistent top five car and I feel good and Bruce feels good. Tomorrow night is my kind of race so we’ll perform in that one. "
Sixth through tenth place finishers were Nokie Fornoro, Lou Cicconi, Barnes, whose car went away on the cautions, Dave Trytek and Justin Belfiore.
SUMMARY
ISMA EVENT #8
Hy-Miler 40 lapper Friday, July 28
Heat One: Doug Heveron, Scott Martel, Bob Santos, Dave Shullick Jr., Ray Graham Jr., Denny Fisher, Ryan Coniam, Randy Burch, Jon Henes, Larry Lehnert, Brandon Bellinger, Danny Shirey
Heat Two: Nokie Fornoro, Chris Perley, John Torrese, Mike Lichty, Dave Trytek, Lou Cicconi, Justin Belfiore, Joe Petro, Charlie Schultz, Rich Reid, Vern Romanoski
Heat Three: Dave McKnight, Michael Barnes, Kyle Carpenter, Bob Magner, Bob Dawson, Moe Lilje, Joe Grunda, Jack Smith, Bobby Haynes Jr., Mike Ordway (torque arm), Mark Sammut (fuel problem)
Consi One: Ryan Coniam, Joe Grunda, Joe Petro, Rich Reid, Jon Henes, Brandon Bellinger, Bobby Haynes Jr., Mark Sammut
Consi Two: Justin Belfiore, Randy Burch, Charlie Schultz, Jack Smith, Larry Lehnert, Danny Shirey, Mike Ordway (driveshaft), Vern Romanoski.
For feature: Jack Smith provisional. Mark Sammut – ISMA option
Feature (40) 1. Chris Perley (11), 2. Mike Lichty (84), 3. Bobby Santos (97), 4. Dave McKnight (94), 5. Scott Martel (88), 6. Nokie Fornoro (32), 7. Lou Cicconi (75), 8. Michael Barnes (99), 9. Dave Trytek (70), 10. Justin Belfiore (8), 11. Kyle Carpenter (9), 12. Randy Burch (52), 13. Moe Lilje (19), 14. Jack Smith (09), 15. Dave Shullick Jr (49), 16. Bob Magner (40), 17. Ryan Coniam (74), 18. Charlie Schultz (7), 19. Doug Heveron (35), 20. Denny Fisher (05), 21. Joe Petro Jr (33), 22. Joe Grunda (1), 23. Ray Graham (90), 24. Johnny Torrese (91), 25. Bobby Dawson (28), 26. Mark Sammut (78).
|  | 7/11/2006
CHRIS PERLEY CONTINUES WIN STREAK AT STAFFORD'S EXTREME TUESDAY
By Carol Haynes
Stafford Springs, CT – Neither thunder or neither lightning nor a broken shock could stop the Rowley Rocket Chris Perley Tuesday night at Stafford. He continued on to a four-feature win streak in ISMA-Wirtgen competition despite some glitches in his car and some tough foes trying to dethrone him. In six ISMA events to date, Perley has had four wins and two dnfs and now sits atop the Wirtgen-ISMA point standings with some breathing room.
Perley described his race and his battle with Lou Cicconi. “I won again. It was an awesome race. We started off real slow. I didn’t know if the car was going to get going. And, then it just started coming around. I ended up running the bottom. I never run the bottom. That was the only place I could run. It was loose up top. I passed a couple cars. I seemed to have to race everybody I came up to really hard. That’s what made it a great race for the fans and me.”
Not evident from the stands was the fact that Perley was driving with a broken shock. “When I got up to either second or third I went into turn three and we were starting to get a lot of lift as the fuel load went down. It turned out the right rear shock broke in half. It got hung up on the chassis. I went through the corner and the chassis never dropped. It was like suspending the rear end of the chassis. All of a sudden the car started hopping. I didn’t know if I’d broken an axle or what. I dropped off five or ten car lengths. It’s funny. At Jennerstown I bent a shock and I felt it immediately. I didn’t know what it was. Today I broke the shock and I figured out what it was. I went down the next straight away, it felt different, but then okay. Every five laps it might do it again and I didn’t know when, I didn’t know if I was going to get Louie anyway and then to pick a path when the rear end was underneath me and not sliding. It made it quite interesting. It worked out. We got lucky. Lady luck was there and it was a blast. It was an awesome race with Louie and I didn1t think I’d get him, but I did. He was giving it his all.”
Lou Cicconi, who has been coming on stronger at each ISMA event reiterated Perley and relayed that he also had a car problem. “It was awesome. It was awesome. I thought we might have him tonight. I starting riding the brakes and a right front tire started going bad. It was fun though. It was a good race.”
Bobby Santos, who led from lap four, was no match for the charging Cicconi and Perley, but he was a solid third place finishers. Said Santos as he prepared to in the NEMA main, which he would eventually win, “It was a good third. I have to thank Howie and the team. They gave me a good car. I guess Perley and Lou are a step ahead of everyone else right now. We just have to work hard to catch up.”
Ray Graham Jr. led the 25-car field down to green and held the point until a yellow flew for Rick Wentworth hitting the wall on the backstretch. On the restart, Graham lost his lead to Franklin, Mass’s Bobby Santos who would lead only one lap before another yellow.
On lap 5 Bobby Haynes spun off the track while Ray Graham Jr. parked his 90 with obvious mechanical ills.
Back underway it was Santos, Mike Lichty and Cicconi up to third passing Joe Gosek on the way. In one more lap, Santos had Cicconi tailing him with a vengeance as Lichty fell back to third ahead of Gosek, Nokie Fornoro, Scott Martel and Mike Ordway.
At the lap 15 mark, yellow flew again as the top four of Santos, Cicconi, Fornoro and Chris Perley, who was working his way smoothly toward the front, slowed for a Doug Heveron and Joe Gosek incident. Both cars were towed away.
“Liquid” Lou hounded Santos at the restart diving high and low to get around. Santos held his spot while Chris Perley came up to join the fight. The young Santos was not intimidated by the duo behind him as Cicconi was tucked right on his rear. It was here that Perley showed the signs of slowing as he mentioned earlier when the shock broke.
Just at the halfway mark, Cicconi finally made his attempts good and Santos was relegated to second just ahead of Perley. Some lap cars added to the excitement and by lap 27, Perley was hounding Cicconi after passing Santos a lap earlier. The two vets diced back and forth through traffic making it look like a Sunday drive with both their cars not entirely up to par.
On lap 36, Perley rocketed by Lou to take over the lead. Behind Cicconi in third was Santos holding off Nokie Fornoro and Mike Ordway. Scott Martel, Mark Sammut, Bentley Warren, in Vic Miller’s second car, Joe Petro, Bob Magner, Justin Belfiore and Dave Trytek were still fighting to move forward and at the same time not to fall to Perley’s wrath.
Broken shock or not, Perley was well in command as he has been for several outings, when the checkered fell. Cicconi and Santos were behind with some lap cars spliced between them. Ordway took over fourth in the waning laps from Fornoro to complete the top five.
As Fornoro headed to his NEMA midget ride, Ordway commented that he was pleased with fourth. “It’s my first finish. That is good. It’s good for us. We were going forward instead of backwards. We’re happy. We have a long way to go yet but we’re gaining on it. We’ll see what happens next time.”
Bentley Warren, Scott Martel, Mark Sammut, Joe Petro and Bob Magner rounded out the top ten.
NOTES: Heat crash badly damaged the 91 of John Torrese, also affecting Vern Romanoski. John Payne also had something break on his 67 in the first heat sending him into the fourth turn wall. Mike Badessa broke a drive shaft keeping him out of competition. ISMA’s next outing is the famed Hy-Miler Weekend at Sandusky on July 28-29.
Summary Wirtgen-ISMA Event #7
Stafford Motor Speedway
July 11, 2006
Heat 1: Lou Cicconi, Joe Gosek, Mark Sammut, Justin Belfiore, Bentley Warren, Rick Wentworth, Kyle Carpenter, Bobby Haynes Jr., John Payne, Eric Emhoff
Heat 2: Bobby Santos, Nokie Fornoro, Mike Ordway, Mike Lichty, Bob Magner, Doug Boisvert, Brent Roundy, Vern Romanoski, John Torrese. Eric Torrese (dns)
Heat 3: Chris Perley, Joe Petro, Ray Graham Jr., Scott Martel, Dave Trytek, Doug Heveron, Larry Lehnert, Kelly Miller. Mike Badessa (dns)
Summary Carquest Extreme Tuesday 50
1. Chris Perley (11), 2. Lou Cicconi (75), 3. Bobby Santos III (97), 4. Mike Ordway (61), 5. Nokie Fornoro (32), 6. Bentley Warren (71), 7. Scott Martel (88), 8. Mark Sammut (78), 9. Joe Petro (33), 10. Bob Magner (40), 11. Justin Belfiore (8), 12. Dave Trytek (70), 13. Kelly Miller (16), 14. Bobby Haynes Jr. (44), 15. Larry Lehnert (92), 16. Kyle Carpenter (9), 17. Rick Wentworth (10), 18. Mike Lichty (84), 19. Vern Romanoski (5), 20. Brent Roundy (76), 21. Joe Gosek (35), 22. Doug Heveron (68), 23. John Torrese (99), 24. Doug Boisvert (66), 25. Ray Graham Jr. (90)
|  |
7/8/2006
PERLEY LOVES ISMA TWINS AT JENNERSTOWN
Jennerstown, PA – The Wheeler Brothers Twin 30’s were something new to the Wirtgen-ISMA contingent at Jennerstown Speedway on Saturday. The format proved just fine to Rowley, Mass. driver Chris Perley. Much to his delight, he not only took home both legs of the Twin 30’s, he also took over the ISMA point lead after the first segment. For Perley it was wins number three and four to date. Both wins came relatively easy for the Rocket but tire wear did play an important role. Perley grabbed the lead in the first 30-lapper from Oswego’s Bob Magner and went on to win by almost a four second margin. Perley looked at his worn tire as he stood in the first victory lane and said:
"This tire is all done. I was hoping that there was 30 laps left in it and there was. The car was awesome right from the beginning, which let me play jackrabbit right away. I thought somebody was going to do it and it might as well be me. The car worked perfect tonight. The crew is just awesome. We have great equipment with R&R Motors and Ed Shea backing us. Vic Miller does a great job. The whole crew has been together for a long time and it’s paying off slowly but surely."
Magner, in only his second year of ISMA competition, showed the way in his heat race and was very happy with a second place finish to Perley in the first feature. "It’s unbelievable. This place is so fast. The lap traffic is tough. I was tiptoeing. I knew Louie was coming. But, I’m glad I got to hold on. Even a third would not have been disappointing. I’ve had a bad run the last couple races. My car owner pretty much destroyed his car. It’s definitely good to finish a race and be up here at the end. This is only the second race I’ve finished this year We love it here. We wanted to put on a good show and we did."
Closely in on Magner at the end of the 30 circuits was Louie Cicconi who stated succinctly, "It was a good race. There isn’t much to say. We had them in the last five laps or so. The race should have been longer. I came into the season with a new crew who worked really hard on this car over the winter. We’ve been going faster and faster but the more we went fast, the more bugs we found. I think we’ve fixed them. Now we can just concentrate on going fast. If this had been 60 laps we might have had something for them, but with two 30’s we’ll just do our best."
Young Bob Magner took off from the outside of the front row in the first feature and held the lead over his teammate Joe Gosek, replacing Jeff Holbrook after a nasty crash at Mansield, for the first six laps. But up through the field, from a ninth place start, came the Perley 11 picking off cars high and low until he got by Magner’s 40 on lap 7 to take the lead.
On lap 11 Dave McKnight, whose crew had replaced a motor earlier in the day in the 94, was hit by a second failure as the car puffed a large cloud of smoke and laid a stream of oil around the track as Dave exited.
After the quick cleanup, Perley drove away from the pack but another yellow, then red fell on the field when the 90 of Ray Graham Jr. had something break, collecting Danny Shirey and stopping John Torrese. Both Graham and Shirey were out, while Torrese restarted.
On the restart, Perley again powered away, leaving Magner to fend off Gosek, Lou Cicconi, Kyle Carpenter, Dave Trytek, Mike Lichty and more.
With ten to go, Cicconi was picking off cars in rapid-fire fashion to take fourth while Perley was doing the same to the tail of the field out front. Joe Gosek’s 35 faded from fourth suddenly on lap 21 with a fuel problem, putting Cicconi in third.
At the checkered Perley was well out front of Magner and Cicconi as Kyle Carpenter and Mike Lichty rounded out the top five. Dave Trytek, Scott Martel, Nokie Fornoro, Mike Ordway and Justin Belfiore finished up the top ten.
Rocketman Chris Perley started in 11 th for the second Twin 30, with Graham, Bobby Haynes, Shirey and McKnight sitting out this one. Justin Belfiore and Carpenter were on the front row with Belfiore grabbing the point from "The Smile" from the start.
Only one lap was in when the 84 of Lichty brushed with another car and was sent hard into the wall with enough damage to keep him from further competition. Said Mike later, I got together with another car. I just stuck it in on the outside there a little too much and ended up in the fence. The first car I’ve wrecked in three years. I guess it was coming sometime. We were decent in the first race and ended up fifth. In the heat race we were a little loose at the beginning. We had the red flag and the car tightened up after that. All in all a fifth in the first one was good. We were looking for a number one or two in the second one, but it didn’t come though."
On the restart Belfiore and Carpenter battled for the lead while Scotty Martel, Dave Trytek, and Magner tried to hold off cruising Chris. Picking off one car at a time, Perley was up to third on lap ten and second on lap 11 putting Carpenter into third and Belfiore in a precarious position out front.
The front duo meandered into some slower cars and by lap 18, Perley had the lead and that’s all she wrote about this one. He was into traffic well out of sight of Belfiore, Carpenter, Martel, Trytek, Cicconi, Fornoro and Ordway.
Perley and Belfiore crossed under the second checkered pretty much alone while Louie Cicconi gave Carpenter a run for his money at the end before settling for fourth. Martel finished up in fifth.
"I love Jennerstown Speedway," said Perley as the crowd cheered. "This place suits me just fine. I’m glad all you guys came out to watch and waited around for this one. It’s just great. Thanks to my crew and sponsors once again."
Belfiore was pleased with second. "Other than Perley who outclasses us all pretty good right now, we had a good run. We were tenth after the first one. The car was horrible. We made some major changes and I’m actually happy that it’s heading in the right direction. I’d just like to thank D&G Modular Homes and Greg, the tech guy."
Carpenter stated in victory lane, after his podium finish, "The car was just a little bit two loose. It was really interesting to try and do these Twin 30’s. We have a little bit more work to do, that’s all."
Scotty Martel, who has taken over the driving chores of the Budnick 88 for an injured Randy Ritskes, commented, "We had a share of problems today but we worked through them. All the guys on the crew worked hard. The Shea Concrete-Budnick 88 had a couple good finishes. Coming out of a top five and heading to Stafford on Tuesday, we’re excited and looking forward to improving on that."
Completing the top ten were Trytek, Magner, Fornoro, Noffsinger and Ordway.
Summary Wirtgen-ISMA events # 5 and 6
July 8, 2006
Heat 1: Bobby Magner, Mike Lichty, Chris Perley, Justin Belfiore, Nokie Fornoro, Robbie Summers, Mike Ordway, Bobby Haynes Jr., Eric Torrese
Heat 2: Kyle Carpenter, Dave Trytek, Johnny Payne, Dave McKnight, Danny Shirey, Larry Lehnert, Brandon Bellinger, Ray Graham, Jr., Todd Buchanon
Heat 3: Lou Cicconi, Joe Gosek, Vern Romanoski, Scott Martel, Mark Sammut, John Torrese, Brad Noffsinger, Mike Badessa, Joe Petro
First Feature Wheeler Bros. Twin 30: 1. Chris Perley (11), 2. Bob Magner (40), 3. Lou Cicconi (75), 4. Kyle Carpenter (9), 5. Mike Lichty (84), 6. Dave Trytek (70), 7. Scott Martel (88), 8. Nokie Fornoro (32), 9. Mike Ordway (61), 10. Justin Belfiore (8), 11. Robbie Summers (97), 12. Joe Petro (33), 13. John Payne (67), 14. Brad Noffsinger (74), 15. Mark Sammut (78), 16. John Torrese (91), 17. Larry Lehnert (92), 18. Vern Romanoski (5), 19. Brandon Bellinger (02), 20. Joe Gosek (35), 21. Bobby Haynes Jr (44), 22. Dave McKnight (94), 23. Danny Shirey (V2), 24. Ray Graham Jr. (90)
Second Feature Wheeler Bros. Twin 30s: 1. Chris Perley (11), 2. Justin Belfiore (8), 3. Kyle Carpenter (9), 4. Lou Cicconi (75), 5. Scott Martel (88), 6. Dave Trytek (70), 7. Bob Magner (40), 8. Nokie Fornoro (32), 9. Brad Noffsinger (74), 10. Mike Ordway (61), 11. Robbie Summers (97), 12. Joe Petro (33), 13. John Torrese (91), 14. Johnny Payne (67), 15. Joe Gosek (35), 16. Mark Sammut (78), 17. Brandon Bellinger (02), 18. Vern Romanoski (5), 19. Larry Lehnert (92), 20. Scott Martel (88), 21. Mike Lichty (84), 22. Mike Badessa (6), 23. Todd Buchanon (49).
|  | 7-1-2006
A rivalry is born: Sitterly -vs- Snyder
It depends on how old you are and what great battles that you have seen at the Oswego Speedway. You could have been there during the "Shampine and Swift" era. Maybe it was the "Bellinger and Gioia" era. Perhaps it was the "Didero and Muldoon" era. You get the idea. Two guys get hooked up, charge to the front and more often than not, one of them winds up in Victory Lane. At Oswego Speedway in 2006, those two drivers are Otto Sitterly and Tim Snyder in the Novelis Supermodified division.
Sitterly has collected three feature victories and Snyder has picked up the other one. On some nights they might not even be the fastest two cars at the Speedway but they are always around at the end of the feature so far this season.
Saturday night, Sitterly and Snyder staged a tremendous two car battle swapping the lead back and forth during the final third of the 75 lap feature. This in itself was great performance as Snyder started at the end of the field after wrecking in his heat race. Sitterly prevailed and exchanged a friendly handshake with Snyder in Victory Lane after the races. Tim Gareau came home in third place with his new Kerfein ride for 2006. Pat Lavery was fourth and Pat Abold rounded out the top five driving for the first time in 2006 in the Craig Rayvals back-up car.
The pre-race anticipation for visiting drivers, besides Pat Abold, didn’t live up to the hype this time around. Mike Ordway in the #61, Chris Perley in the #72, Ray Graham in the #90 and Johnny Torrese in the Graham #91 were all pit side at the end of the night. In the potent three car Graham stable, Stephen Gioia III was the only team car running at the end of the night.
Complete Supermodified order of finish:
1. Otto Sitterly (79); 2. Tim Snyder (0); 3. Tim Gareau (5); 4. Pat Lavery (99); 5. Pat Abold (95); 6. Todd Stowell (89); 7. Keith Gilliam (87); 8. Kelly Miller (16); 9. Stephen Gioia III (9); 10. Travis Bartlett (03); 11. Keith Shampine (85); 12. Dave Halstead (34); 13. Gary Morton (70); 14. Hal LaTulip (56); 15. Bob Bond (25); 16. Jerry Curran (24); 17. Bill Peri (14); 18. Ray Graham (90); 19. Chris Perley (72); 20. Johnny Torrese (91); 21. Mike Ordway (61); 22. Andy Noto (19); 23. Craig Rayvals (94); 24. Mike Casey (11). Heats were won by Craig Rayvals, Otto Sitterly and Hal LaTulip. |  |
6/17/06
THREE STRAIGHT FOR PERLEY AT MANSFIELD IN ISMA COMPETITION
Mansfield, OH – Last year Chris Perley said he loved the Mansfield Motorsports Speedway after his second straight win there in October. Saturday night he became truly enamored with the Ohio half-mile when he took home number three breaking a two-race bad luck string uncharacteristic of the Rowley, MA driver. The fact that he finished made him happy. The fact that he won made him ecstatic. The words of relief uttered in victory lane were simply, "I didn’t hit anything."
It was Perley’s 29th ISMA career-victory moving him closer to third in the All-Time ISMA point list. But, that wasn’t on his mind Saturday night. It was about finishing – and in one piece.
"I mulled it over in my head," Chris said thinking over Friday night’s Toledo fiasco. "Am I going to go out there and take more time with the lap cars and do something different? I realized I really can’t do anything different so I just ran a normal race. Everybody was pretty good out there tonight. Nobody on the team gave up. We worked on the car. It was perfect even after it was a basket case. It was just great. And we’re here again. I just wanted the race to get over. I’ve had kind of bad luck the last couple races and the faster I get the laps done, the faster I can get to the checkered flag. I didn’t know if anything was going to happen – if anything was going to fall off - If I was going to run over somebody. Anything can happen. The car was awesome. I thought I might have taken too much time last night. I thought maybe I better just get the job done and that’s what I did tonight. A top five- a top anything right now is great. Just finishing right now is great. This car likes this track and so does the driver. There is a lot of room out there to play and kind of miss things."
The second place runner for the second straight night was Lou Cicconi who finished a distance behind the high-flying Perley. Said Lou as he stood for his podium finish photo, "Another good run. I particularly liked the beginning stages of the race when we were all racing wheel to wheel. I’m real proud of Chris. He’s had some bad luck. I think we did well. I think Nokie’s pretty consistent too."
Friday night’s winner, Nokie Fornoro, put on a late race charge to finish third, stealing the spot from Bobby Santos near race end. "We’re very happy with a third," said racing’s new Spiderman. "I asked Danny to make the nose better for me and to soften it up. I made a big mistake; I should have left it the way it was. I softened it too much. We’re learning. We’re trying to get up to that 11 car and be as fast as he is at the beginning. But, at the end of the race with a blistered right rear, we were coming – from fifth to third in a couple laps. I’m happy. We got a podium finish and a win with the best open cockpit racing in the world!"
Twenty-five winged supers hit the hot asphalt for the night’s racing finale at Mansfield with Scotty Martel grabbing off the early lead. Kyle Carpenter, who had to exit the Friday night event very early with a tire problem, came on strong to take the lead from Martel on lap 6.
Kyle "the smile" took off like a shot and was quickly out of sight of second place runner John Torrese. Filling in behind the Floridian were Cicconi, Perley, Santos and Mike Lichty as the laps ticked away.
But Kyle’s smile faded as quickly as his lead when, on lap 14, he tried a low move around two slower cars. The 5 of Romanoski came down as Rich Reid tried to pass, catching Carpenter. In Kyle’s words, "We were just racing around. Waiting to click off some laps. The car was great. I was trying not to eat up any tires. A couple of back markers were racing a little bit and I kind of got in the middle of some stuff. It’s something we can fix and we’ll fix it and head to Jennerstown and have some fun." When the incident was over, Kyle, Vern Romanoski and Rich Reid were in the pits, with Reid’s new 55 receiving the worst damage.
The lead was inherited by John Torrese, but on the restart, Torrese suddenly pulled off the track making Chris Perley the new leader. Perley then wasted no time in strengthening his newly acquired position. But, he was also apprehensive. He’d been in the same spot the last two races and it didn’t turn out very well at all.
Heading past the midway mark, Perley was well in command with Lou Cicconi, Bob Santos, Mike Lichty, Ray Graham, Charlie Schultz and Dave Trytek spliced in between some of Perley’s hand me downs. Cicconi tried to move forward but kept encountering the cars Perley was lapping. With ten to go, Perley had placed five lap cars in between his 11 and the 75 of Cicconi. Santos tucked in behind Lou with the race back a distance for fourth between Lichty, Graham, Schultz, Fornoro, Trytek and Moe Lilje.
The caution that the leader did not want to see came on lap 47 when Lilje took a hard hit into the new safer barriers at Mansfield. During the cleanup, Mike Lichty took the 84 pitside with an overheating problem negating the young driver of a possible second top five in two nights.
On the restart, with four laps to go, the things shuffled quickly behind Perley. Cicconi maintained second but Fornoro put on a run and took over third leaving Santos in fourth. Charlie Schultz grabbed off fifth in the May Motorsports 7 while Trytek took over sixth. Graham was relegated back to seventh in the lightning fast spot swap.
At the checkered Perley was finally able to breath as he picked up yet another Mansfield win. The newcomers to the top five this night were Santos and Schultz
Santos coming off prestigious IRP and Concord wins in different open wheel cars, was content with fourth. "We had a good run. It was a little too loose at the end. It was fun. I just have to get a little better to keep up with Nokie and Lou and Perley and those guys. Kyle looked pretty fast tonight. It looked like lap traffic got him. I didn’t see it. He was too far ahead of me. It’s too bad for him. He’s a good driver and I don’t like to see that happen to him. "
Schultz, in his first ISMA top five commented, "We were pretty happy with the car. It was a little too good at the beginning. It just got loose as the race went on. Nokie got back by me, but I was able to still pick some cars off at the end. It’s good considering we crashed last night. The guys did a great job fixing the car. This is my first ISMA top five – so far."
Trytek, the only remaining car of the Holbrook stable, was sixth, Graham seventh, Mark Sammut eighth, Justin Belfiore ninth and Dave Shullick Jr. tenth.
The ISMA-Wirtgen group has a couple weeks off before heading to Jennerstown on July 8.
SUMMARY ISMA-WIRTGEN SUPER SERIES
EVENT #4
Heat 1: Chris Perley, Bob Santos, Mike Lichty, Bobby Haynes Jr., Larry Lehnert, Moe Lilje, Frank Neil, Eric Torrese, Vern Romanoski
Heat 2: Lou Cicconi, Bob Magner, John Torrese, Nokie Fornoro, Mark Sammut, Justin Belfiore, Dave Shullick Jr, Brandon Bellinger, Rich Reid
Heat 3: Scott Martel, Kyle Carpenter, Dave Trytek, Ray Graham Jr., Charlie Schultz, Bob Dawson, Jon Henes, Dave McKnight
Feature (50) 6.17.06 1. Chris Perley (11), 2. Lou Cicconi (75), 3. Nokie Fornoro (32), 4. Bobby Santos (97), 5. Charlie Schultz (7), 6. Dave Trytek (70), 7. Ray Graham Jr., (90), 8. Mark Sammut (78), 9. Justin Belfiore (8), 10. Dave Shullick Jr. (49), 11. Bob Dawson (28), 12. Bobby Haynes Jr. (44), 13. Larry Lehnert (92), 14. Scott Martel (88), 15. Vern Romanoski (5), 16. Jon Henes (36), 17. Brandon Bellinger (02), 18. Mike Lichty (84), 19. Moe Lilje (19), 20. Kyle Carpenter (9), 21. John Torrese (91), 22. Bob Magner (40), 23. Rich Reid (55), 24. Dave McKnight (94), 25. Eric Torrese (99).
|  |
6/16/06
NOKIE FORNORO EDGES OUT LOU CICCONI FOR ISMA TOLEDO AFTER PERLEY IS KNOCKED OUT LATE IN RACE
Toledo, OH – Nokie Fornoro chased down Lou Cicconi to take over the lead of the ISMA-Wirtgen 50 lapper at Toledo Speedway Friday night. What turned out as a great battle for the win in the latter stages of the race, looked to be a run away for Chris Perley prior to that. Unfortunately, Perley met with a couple lap cars on lap 38 sending him to the pits with a broken lower radius rod. The remainder of the race was between Lou Cicconi, Nokie Fornoro and Dave McKnight. In the end, thanks to a little chiding from an old friend, Nokie was in the winner’s circle after climbing the front straight wall Tony Stewart,-style much to the crowd’s delight. Tony just happened to be that old friend and who just happened to be sitting in the pit grandstand where he has been on this Friday night before Michigan’s Nextel Cup race the past few years. The win for Fornoro was his ISMA career eighth and the first of the young ISMA-Wirtgen season.
Said Nokie after the race, "I’m very happy with the win. Danny had set up the car to come in at about halfway and he helped make a couple chassis changes that allowed me to run up high. It was a good place to pass as everyone else was running down low. I had been talking with my good friend Tony Stewart earlier tonight and he said ‘think you can win this one old man?’ I had to show him I could and climb the fence too. I really had a second place car tonight if Chris had stayed in it. This makes up for Oswego where I thought I had a first place car and I finished 24th!"
Second place finisher Lou Cicconi, who had taken over the lead after Perley’s exit, wasn’t quite sure where all the pressure came from behind him. First it was McKnight and then Fornoro who stormed at the bright 75. He was still pleased with second stating, "It was real good. At least we finished. Everything was good. I’m happy with that run. Where did the rest of those guys come from anyway? They weren’t supposed to pass me!"
Dave McKnight, who came into the Toledo event a little apprehensive after his record at the Ohio oval the past couple years was hot, but smiling after he exited his third place car. "The Patco-401 Trailers-Stage Door Transport team did a great job. We’ve been struggling since last year to try and be consistent. We’re chipping away at it this year. The last three years here I’ve blown a motor so to finish third is a bonus. Chris was definitely a class act. Too bad about what happened. Hats off to Nokie. It’s on to Mansfield and to keep this momentum going."
A strong contingent of supers were on hand to give the large, enthusiastic crowd a show. And, that they got. The early race lead was swapped between Bobby Santos, Mike Lichty and Dave McKnight before The Rowley Rocket moved up to take the lead from McKnight going under the Canadian in turn one on lap 8. Perley took off and began to lap tail end cars by lap 14. His run looked like a repeat of the ISMA opener at Oswego. It was not to be however.
On lap 19 the 7 of Charlie Schultz and the 8 of Waterford winner Justin Belfiore brushed and flew the yellow. Both restarted although Belfiore dropped right back out. The field was grouped behind Perley but there were three lap cars between his 11 and the 94 of McKnight. Trailing the Patco machine was his teammate Mike Lichty, Lou Cicconi, and Bob Santos.
Perley was long gone once again as he continued to lap cars. Bob Magner spun off to the infield on lap 25 but no flag flew. Only Perley was flying at this point. He lapped fast time trailer Ray Graham on lap 30 leaving McKnight and Cicconi mired in his wake.
Lap 37 proved Perley’s demise however as he approached the V2 of 16-year old rookie Danny Shirey and Joe Petro. Shirey bobbled causing Petro to spin and Perley catch a tire. At first it looked as if only a flat tire was the problem but pitside the crew determined that a radius rod was gone and Perley’s run was done. "I think I’ve inherited the Ordway luck," said Perley afterwards. "It just seems like I’m having his luck from last year." Mike Lichty used this slowdown to put for a new tire also.
Back underway, Lou Cicconi was now the leader with 7 laps to go. McKnight and Fornoro sat behind with five lap cars in between the top three and the rest of the pack. Mike Lichty had pitted out of a top five spot during the yellow and was now working his way back through the field.
With six to go Fornoro rode high around McKnight and set his sites on the leader. Santos and Lichty made up the top five. With four to go, Fornoro drove the Soule 32 around the high side of Cicconi for the lead and the win. McKnight tried with all his might to take second from Cicconi but to no avail. Lichty ran into fourth while Mark Sammut made a last lap charge around Santos for fifth.
Lichty was semi-pleased with his fourth. "I hurt the tire in the heat race and had to run the feature on it. The tire came apart on the caution there. I started way back and drove up to fourth and that was okay. But, I’d like to start finishing one or two instead. I’d like to thank my Dad, Patco, Stage Door Transport, 401 Trailers and all the crew."
The third Canadian in the top five, Mark Sammut, was extremely pleased with his long run. "That was probably one of the best runs we’ve ever had starting at the back. It wasn’t our best finish, but we started 19th and at the beginning the car was really going. The tires began to go away. We wouldn’t have had anything for the leaders at the end, but to get fifth after how we ran the rest of the day was incredible."
Finishing out the top ten were Bob Santos, Scott Martel, Moe Lilje, Ray Graham Jr., and Randy Burch.
The ISMA-Wirtgen group were on the road to Mansfield for a Saturday, June 17, 2006 fifty-lapper there.
SUMMARY
ISMA EVENT #3
Toledo Speedway
June 16, 2006
Top 3 time trailers: Ray Graham Jr. 13.519, Chris Perley 13.635, Randy Burch 13.681
Heat 1: Bobby Santos, Charlie Schultz, Justin Belfiore, Randy Burch, Scott Martel, Dave Shullick Jr., Dave Trytek, Rich Reid, Joe Grunda, Dorman Snyder, John Torrese, Denny Fisher
Heat 2: Nokie Fornoro, Chris Perley, Mike Lichty, Moe Lilje, Kyle Carpenter, Joe Petro, Mark Sammut, Jeff Holbrook, Larry Lehnert, Eric Torrese (dns)
Heat 3: Bob Dawson, Lou Cicconi, Dave McKnight, Bob Magner, Ray Graham Jr., Vern Romanoski, Danny Shirey, Jon Henes, Bobby Haynes Jr. Frank Neill.
Consi; Mark Sammut, Dave Trytek, Danny Shirey, Rich Reid, Joe Grunda, Bobby Haynes Jr., Jon Henes, Jeff Holbrook, Dorman Snyder, Frank Neill, Larry Lehnert. Denny Fisher (dns), John Torrese (dns).
Toledo ISMA-Wirtgen 50: 1. Nokie Fornoro (32), 2. Lou Cicconi (75), 3. Dave McKnight (94), 4. Mike Lichty (84), 5. Mark Sammut (78), 6. Bobby Santos (97), 7. Scott Martel (88), 8. Moe Lilje (19), 9. Ray Graham Jr. (90), 10. Randy Burch (52), 11. Rich Reid (55), 12. Dave Trytek (70), 13. Bobby Haynes Jr. (44), 14. Jeff Holbrook (35), 15. Chris Perley (11), 16. Danny Shirey (V2), 17. Joe Petro (33), 18. Bobby Dawson (28), 19. Bob Magner (40), 20. Justin Belfiore (8), 21. Charlie Schultz (7), 22. Vern Romanoski (5), 23. Dave Shullick Jr. (49), 24. Kyle Carpenter (9), 25. Joe Grunda (1)
|  | 5/27/06
JUSTIN BELFIORE’S PATIENCE PAYS OFF AT WATERFORD’S ISMA 50
By Carol Haynes
Waterford, CT – Patience paid off for Ipswich, Mass. driver Justin Belfiore Saturday night at the ISMA-Wirtgen 50 at the Waterford Speedbowl. Justin’s decision to sit back a little was key to his win. Running second to leader Randy Ritskes, Belfiore saw Robby Summers, in the Lane 97, and Chris Perley drive by around lap 15. Justin was worried they’d get away, but he didn’t panic. Three laps later, the three cars ahead of him approached the lap car of Brent Roundy. Ritskes brushed with the 76 sending him sideways in front of the top trio running full bore out of the fourth turn. After a lengthy red, Justin picked up the lead and went on to his second career ISMA victory almost exactly two years to the day from his first. Belfiore, who has had some of the worst luck in racing, was almost speechless and a little unbelieving as he walked from victory lane.
"I just don’t know what to say. In the beginning there when Perley and those guys started pulling by me I was trying to stick to my guns but I was wondering if I was waiting too long. For once in my life I was glad I was patient. I was fortunate. It seems like I had something or someone else helping me out tonight with all the wrecks and things going on. I’m just ecstatic. I’d like to thank Doug from D&G Modular Homes. He helped get me here. Also, to my dad and the crew, thanks for all the hard work and dedication."
In a race that far too many accidents and failures, Dave McKnight was able to avoid the messes to finish second to Belfiore. "It was a good run," Dave said. "Last year we got wrecked here. It’s been a long day. It’s too bad Chris got taken out but that’s racing. There’s a long way to go yet. We had a good car but we had nothing to gauge it by from last year. Our notes were very vague. We took a little bit of a gamble. The car was tight. It was good on short runs but just got bad as the push got worse and worse and worse. All in all it was a great run. I’m really happy with the performance of the car and the guys. My hats off to Stage Door for sponsoring us this year. We’ll go to the next race and see what the Patco team can do. I guess that the points race is on now. Sorry to see Randy get injured. Hopefully it’s not too bad and he can get patched up and get back behind the wheel."
Third place runner Nokie Fornoro was close to McKnight at the end and a late race yellow bunched them up, but Fornoro settled for third with an ailing right rear. "I’m happy with third. Our rules say we have to run the same tires we qualify on. We got a bum right rear. It shrunk on us. I was a half inch off on stagger. With these wide tires, you need the stagger. So I’m elated with third. I’m actually more happy for Justin because that poor son-of -a gun has the worst luck. If I can’t win, why not him? I wish we had a better show for the fans but it’s the second race of the season. We have a long way to go, we’re all together and having fun."
The first laps of the race were not pretty, as the winged speedsters just couldn’t get into the racing mode. First Dan Osmeloski, Vern Romanoski and Randy Wimert tangled in between turns one and two. Bobby Haynes and Larry Lehnert exited during the cleanup. Wimert and Lehnert were able to continue. Then in succession Kyle Carpenter was off with a broken driveshaft. Lou Cicconi spun and was hooked, also with a broken driveshaft. Bob Magner tangled with the wall on a restart attempt while his teammate Dave Trytek entered the race he left in the push off laps. There were only two laps complete.
The race finally got moving after a full features worth of cautions were already run. Randy Ritskes took the Budnick 88 out front with Robby Summers, Belfiore, McKnight and Perley trailing. On lap 13 Ritskes slid high and brushed the wall lightly but was able to keep his lead. Two laps later he might have wished he hadn’t. Approaching lap traffic as the clock ticked to 18, Ritskes and Brent Roundy, driving a former Cicconi car, brushed out of four. Roundy went sideways taking Ritskes, Summers and Perley with him into the fourth turn wall. Ritskes was taken to Lawrence Hospital with at least a broken wrist and possibly more. Perley’s 11 looked mangled as it left the track but ironically, it was ready to race sometime later. A massive effort to get the Miller 11 back into the fray took place out back while the track cleanup and transporting of Ritskes took place. Unfortunately, no one was left to bring the 11 car back out and due to the already long race, the race was restarted.
Perley, who was taken out of the inaugural race at Waterford last year, gave this account. "Seventeen laps. What happened? Let’s see here. A red car hit a yellow car and took out the top three. I was on the outside, trying to get by. That’s what happened. The car was actually repaired with the help of many people including the Cicconi’s, but we couldn’t find an official to tell because they were all out on the track. I had a good car. We might have picked up a few extra points but who knows. Something may have also been wrong with the car."
A couple cars were in and out of the pits on the ensuing cleanup including Mike Lichty for a tire, Mark Sammut, and Kyle Carpenter. Ricky Wentworth pulled into the infield done for the night also at this juncture.
Racing really got going after this melee with Belfiore now running out front leaving McKnight, Nokie Fornoro, Scott Martel, Joe Petro and Ray Graham Jr. trailing.
With ten to go, Justin looked to be a sure winner, but he couldn’t count on it until the checkered fell, Mark Sammut appeared to move into second but was a lap down as Dave McKnight had the spot with Fornoro, Martel, Petro and Graham still racing for spots.
Misfortune hit once more with two to go as Petro tangled with Graham’s teammate John Torrese on the backstretch knocking Joe out of a potential top five.
Justin was able to breath as the checkerds dropped on a long race. McKnight and Fornoro stayed in the top three.
Scotty Martel, out for the first time this year, came in fourth. "Nineteenth to fourth is all I can ask. We had a little bit of a problem in practice so I missed all that. We used the heat as a practice. We were off and made an adjustment for the feature. We survived all the carnage and came out fourth. For the first time running this year, I’m happy with that. We’ll move on and be ready for the next one."
Completing a two-car team Patco sweep was fifth-place finisher Mike Lichty who had not gone unscathed during the race. "The race was very interesting. At the start of the race we were kind of off. On the red flag we had to change the left rear because a car got into it. Then we had to go to the rear but the car was decent after that. We just ran out of time and ended up fifth. It was a good night for the Patco Transportation supermodified 84. But people drove like idiots out there. That’s all I can say."
SUMMARY
ISMA-Wirtgen Event #2
Waterford Speedbowl
Heat 1: Randy Ritskes, Mike Lichty, Rick Wentworth, Mark Sammut, Lou Cicconi, Bob Magner, Scott Martel, Brandon Bellinger, Brent Roundy
Heat 2: Justin Belfiore, Kyle Carpenter, Jeff Holbrook, Ray Graham Jr., Vern Romanoski,
Jeff Holbrook, Mike Badessa, Dan Osmeloski
Heat 3: Robby Summers, Dave McKnight, Chris Perley, Nokie Fornoro, Dave Trytek, Larry Lehnert, John Torrese, Randy Wimert, Bobby Haynes
Feature (50): 1. Justin Belfiore (8), 2. Dave McKnight (94), 3. Nokie Fornoro (32), 4. Scott Martel (14), 5. Mike Lichty (84), 6. Ray Graham Jr. (90), 7. Jeff Holbrook (35), 8. Mark Sammut (78), 9. Brandon Bellinger (02), 10. Mike Badessa (6), 11. Joe Petro (33), 12. Dave Trytek (70), 13. John Torrese (91), 14. Larry Lehnert (92), 15. Kyle Carpenter (9), 16. Vern Romanoski (5), 17. Randy Ritskes (88), 18. Robby Summers (97), 19. Chris Perley (11), 20. Rick Wentworth (10), 21. Brent Roundy (76), 22. Randy Wimert (60), 23. Bob Magner (40), 24. Lou Cicconi (75), 25. Dan Osmeloski (01), 26. Bobby Haynes
|  | 5/07/2006
CHRIS PERLEY BACK IN VICTORY LANE AT OSWEGO IN ISMA OPENER
By Carol Haynes
Oswego, NY – When Rowley, Mass driver Chris Perley burst onto the supermodified scene at Oswego Speedway it was in 1995 when he started a three-year string of Super Nationals wins that gained him recognition as a driver and his car owner almost $25,000. But, since that last win in 1997, Perley has had nothing but bad luck at the Big O. Sunday afternoon, however, Perley finally "came back" when he cruised by race leader Dave McKnight on lap nine of the Wirtgen-ISMA opener and easily went on to victory in the Gater Racing News-Parts Plus 50 lapper.
"Lady Luck was with us today I guess," said Perley after his win. "We’ve had the car before but couldn’t pull out the win. I tried not to get too excited. The car warmed up pretty good. We were hoping that it was really good. I don’t know what happened to Louie and Nokie because I think it would have been the three of us up there battling hard. When Louie broke I thought I was gone. We went through there three-wide and I didn’t see him until the last second. I just squeezed through. Luckily he’s smart enough to move up. I don’t know what to say. Nine years later and I’m back. I guess it’s a new streak – one in a row."
The guy finishing behind The Rowley Rocket was a surprise as a rare winged appearance for Ray Graham Jr. saw him a distant second to Perley in a strong run for the Iowa driver. His Hawk chassis number 90 ran in the top five for much of the race coming on strong as the laps wore down to take over second from Joe Petro. Ray credited his second place to car builder Joey Hawksby. "Joey made some changes on the rear of the car - it was bottoming out. We moved the wing around a little bit. Even though the car had a slight push, it stayed consistent all day. You can’t really ask for much more than that."
Third place driver Joe Petro, continued his forward mobility from last season with another strong run. "The car was fast from lap one. Basically it was the same setup that we brought in last year. We made a pretty basic change yesterday and we were worried we may have ruined the setup because it was so good. But it was definitely the right thing to do."
Twenty-five winged ISMA supers hit the asphalt for the first time this season with Joe Petro leading lap one of the first feature-go. Dave McKnight stormed by Joe one lap later to take the point but moving quickly up from his tenth place spot was Chris Perley. On lap nine Perley put the number 11 in the lead, a spot he would not relinquish.
The fastest clocked car of the two days at Oswego was Nokie Fornoro who was just a tick faster than Perley. Fornoro never got to show his speed, however, as he brought out the first race yellow when a rear panhard bar broke on lap 13, taking the axle with it. Ironically, the other potential threat to Perley’s speed was Lou Cicconi who pitted just prior to Fornoro due to a center breaking out of his right front wheel. Unlike Fornoro, Cicconi was able to return to the fray.
Perley led the way on the green and pulled away from McKnight, Petro, Justin Belfiore and Graham. On lap 16 a slowdown came for the 7 of Charlie Schultz, driving the May Motorsports 7. It was green-yellow moments after Schultz got straightened around, with the three cars of Joe Miller, Bobby Haynes and Larry Lehnert involved in an incident in between three and four. None of this trio was able to continue.
A long green fell over the race as Perley began to leave the others behind. McKnight stayed in second as Petro and Graham began to pressure him. Justin Belfiore, Mark Sammut and Bobby Magner raced behind Graham.
Just as Perley was about to start lapping the tail of the field, another yellow fell on lap 27 which saw Greg Furlong and Magner pitting.
This was the last stop in the race and the last time anyone got close to the Vic Miller-owned 11. With fifteen to go, McKnight’s motor began to falter and Petro, Graham and soon Belfiore, passed by. Unfortunately for the luckless Belfiore, his 8 slowed eight laps from the checkered, due to lack of fuel. "Would you believe it?" Justin said later, "I ran out of fuel. We just didn’t put in enough."
Perley was well in command with five to go, when Graham and Petro finally shook off the lap cars and tried to move in on Chris but he was already headed for victory. McKnight was back in fourth and fellow Canadians Mark Sammut and Mike Lichty crossed under the flags behind him. Kyle Carpenter fell into seventh, Floridian Doug Heveron was eighth, Dave Trytek ninth and Bob Bond tenth.
The Wirtgen-ISMA crew are off until May 27 th return to the Waterford Speedbowl in Connecticut.
SUMMARY EVENT NUMBER 1
ISMA-WIRTGEN Super Series.
Heat 1: Lou Cicconi, Joe Petro, Justin Belfiore, Bobby Santos, Larry Lehnert, Dave Trytek, Jerry Curran, Kelly Miller, John Torrese.
Heat 2: Mark Sammut, Chris Perley, Kyle Carpenter, Mike Lichty, Jeff Holbrook, Doug Heveron, Joe Miller
Heat 3: Nokie Fornoro, Dave McKnight, Ray Graham Jr., Bob Magner, Charlie Schultz, Bob Bond, Brandon Bellinger, Bobby Haynes
Gater Racing News-Parts Plus 50: 1. Chris Perley (11), 2. Ray Graham Jr. (90), 3. Joe Petro (33), 4. Dave McKnight (94), 5. Mark Sammut (78), 6. Mike Lichty (84), 7. Kyle Carpenter (9), 8. Doug Heveron (68), 9. Dave Trytek (70), 10. Bob Bond (25), 11. Bob Magner (40), 12. John Torrese (91), 13. Jeff Holbrook (35), 14. Charlie Schultz (7), 15. Justin Belfiore (8), 16.Lou Cicconi (75), 17. Kelly Miller (76), 18. Greg Furlong (72), 19. Bobby Santos (97), 20. Larry Lehnert (92), 21. Bobby Haynes Jr. (44), 22. Joe Miller (16), 23. Jerry Curran (24), 24. Nokie Fornoro (32), 25. Brandon Bellinger (02).
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