After the National Anthem, it was time to get the party started. The first race of the evening went to the SK Lights. Remember, they have to get twenty laps into the record books before twenty minutes, or the track will stop the race at the limit and award the win to whomever is at the front of the pack at the time the limit ends. The Lights have already went past the time limit a couple of times this year, so who knew what to expect but them. Anyway, the race got underway with Mike Lane taking the early advantage from Aaron Goff. This lead would only last for three laps as on lap-3, George Nocera spun on the frontstretch to bring out the very first caution of the event. They tried restarting, and the flagman didn't like the start, so he threw the yellow again to bunch the field back up for a start only he would enjoy watching. Take three proved to be a success, and Goff went by Lane to claim the lead. Goff would hold the top spot until lap-6, when Josh Sylvester claims shotgun. Chris Matthews would take over the second spot, pushing Goff to third, but then the cautions started to fly all over the place. On lap-9, there was a six car accident in turns one and two. The drivers involved in said accident were Glen Reen, Mark Bakaj, Chris Bakaj, Jay Goff, Rich Hammann, and Nocera. They're only able to get one lap in under the green before the lap-10 cautionfest began. During the original running of the lap, the cars of Paul Colla, Jr, Raymond Grassetti, Glenn Griswold, and Kyler Cafro went into the books as the next four cars to put themselves into an accident after they got together in turn one. Apparently, it was determined that Brit Andersen had a part in setting the caution up, so he was sent to the back of the field. This would cost him, because on the restart, both him and Mark Bakaj ended up in turn two, once again bringing out the caution. After a second false start, they finaly got things under control. Unfortunately, this form of being "under control" lasted all of two laps before the gold was brought back out. This time, the caution was for an accident that included Alan Provost, Chris Bakaj, Heather DesRochers, Kyle Spencer, and Grassetti. Well at this point, it was safe to assume that the Lights had gone beyond their twenty minutes of fame. The officials and flagman didn't agree more, and out came a combination of black, white, and red. The red/checkers was displayed over the half mile, signaling the end of the race. At the front of the field since lap-9 was Sylvester, who by virtue of the time limit took down the victory. Now this is where it gets a little conflicting: I have written down that Aaron Goff and Matthews finished second and third respectively, followed by Lane. The track's site has that and it has second and third reversed in their story. So we know who the top-four finishers are. I guess that's good enough.
Following out the entry-level Modifieds were the Late Models, who already had a miniature plotline building up before the green flag was even displayed upon the field. Ryan Posocco had won the last three features, and was gunning for his fourth straight victory. But there were twenty-seven other drivers who wanted to halt any plans of a four-peat and set them on the backburner. Michael Bennett would start up front and assume the top position for the first three laps of the race, as the caution came out on lap-3 for a spin in turns three and four involving the single car of Doug Blowers, Jr. It wasn't a long caution, because Blowers was able to drive off under his own power. As the green came back out, Bennett was back out in front. Unfortunately for him, this green flag duration lasted all of six laps. The next caution was on lap-9 when Kyle Nosal (an early graduate of the DARE Stock division class of '07) brought out the gold for the second time in the event with a single-car accident on the frontstretch. As for a second attempt at getting the lap in, it wasn't going to happen on the restart. JJ Hill became the next victim of the race after a second single-car accident, this time on the backstretch. The third attempt proved to be golden -- no, not in that sense -- and the field was back running under the green. Once again, it would be Bennett in control, but on lap-13, he would lose the lead to Tom Fearn and second to Corey Hutchings. Fearn would start to control the race now, and he would pick up the bonus cash courtesy of Porter and Chester at the halfway point in the race. Three laps after halfway, on lap-18, the car of David St. Amant spun on the frontstretch, bringing the caution back in play. On the restart, it was Fearn at the front, but the caution would be brought out before the lap was completed. Jim Mavlouganes spun on the frontstretch while Ed Ricard and Blowers spun in turn two. (I do not know which incident brought gold upon the field, so I have marked it as both since all three cars ended up going to the back.) The third chance for the lap to finish wasn't acceptable either. Coming out of four and winding up on the frontstretch at the exit of the turn were Scott Foster, Jr, Mavlouganes, and Mark St. Hilaire. The front of St. Hilaire's car hit the wall at a ton and cleanup took a couple of minutes, so instead of the yellow, the field was shown the red. Foster carried the hood of his car to the infield after being stranded over in turn one, and St. Hilaire was taken to the local hospital after walking to the ambulance by foot. He appeared to be all right; the car's a whole 'nother story. Anyway, cleanup is complete, we're back to yellow, and eventually, the green comes out. The last twelve laps are green and uninterrupted, and Fearn led the way to take down his third win of the season. Hutchings would finish second, followed by Jim Peterson and Woody Pitkat. Posocco, who saw his streak of victories snap, finished sixth.
Crews were switched up for the next race of the evening: The SK Modifieds. They too had a plotline brewing. The story consisted of one Woody Pitkat, who hasn't been on the outside looking in since the Busch East Series was in town back on June 8. To put it another way, June 8 was the last time he didn't finish on the board. Would that streak be in jeopardy, or would he not only be on the board and podium, but also take down yet another win? A record five straight SK Modified wins in a row was on the line. At the drop of the green flag, it was Richie Pallai, Jr taking the early advantage. He would lose the lead to Todd Owen on lap-2, and Owen's lead would be short lived as the caution came out on lap-3. It was for Ted Christopher and Eric Berndt, who spun in turns one and two. Own would take the lead on the restart, but again, it would be short as on lap-4, the gold replaced the green. The incident was in turn one, and it involved the spinning cars of Brad Hietala, John Cleary, and Ron D'Alessandro. The green would come back out, and it would be Owen leading the way. On lap-7, Owen would lose the lead to Zach Sylvester and was going to lose second to Woody Pitkat. A caution with 11 laps on the board stopped progress of Pitkat as the cars of Hietala, Berndt, and Kirk Zervas spun on the backstretch. It was at this point that Pitkat started to make a move. On the restart, he got around Sylvester to take the lead. Beginning to stretch it out, Pitkat would be in contol of the race. He would pick up the $100 bonus from Porter and Chester at lap-20, and his lead over Sylvester would start to grow to the point in which it was nearly a two-second lead. Pitkat would make more history by winning his fifth race in a row, beating Sylvester, Owen, and Jeff Malave.
And now, to a story that really doesn't have a plotline attached to it: The Limited Late Models. On the opening lap of the race, there was a lovely five-car accident in turns one and two that brought out the caution. The accident included Paul Conte, Andrew Durand, and Lori-Jo Rzeszutek. Also involved were Bill Davis and Sean Foster. Davis's car ended butt-up on Foster's car, and the red flag came out. Luckily, no furtherdamage was done to either car, and both were able to drive away. The red changed to yellow, and eventually it changed to green. Charlie Newman assumed the top spot, but this would last for only two laps as the caution came back out on lap-2 for David Capriati spinning in turn one. Again, it would be Newman on the restart, but another caution would slow the pace down. On lap-3, Ky Jensen, Capriati, Rzeszutek, and Michael Nadeau were the victims of a turn four and frontstretch accident. The action would pick up again, still with Newman leading the way, but Rick Lanagan was coming with Kevin Gambacorta and Joey Ferrigno tagging along him. Another caution would come out on lap-13; this time for a spin on the backstretch, courtesy of Jeff Hubbell. Newman pulled out in front on the restart, but it only took Lanagan two laps to get around him. Gambacorta and Ferrigno also found room to get around Newman, and even Foster would go by Newman. But at the front of the field, it was all Lanagan. He would take down the win; his sixth of the season. Rounding out the top-four were Gambacorta, Ferrigno, and Foster.
Finally, we closed out the evening with the DARE Stocks. Last time they raced, they had yet another caution-free event. This race, however, was a race that had a caution in it. To start, Duane Provost took the early lead, but not without pressure by Norm Sears. Sears was challenging for the lead when the caution came out on lap-10 when Albert Saunders and Kyle Casagrande spun in turns three and four. On the restart, Sears was challenged by Jeff Jolly while Provost pulled away from the field to score his first career win. Jolly would finish second, Sears third, and Carla Botticello third.
So now that that's been taken care of, I guess there's nothing much to do except give you the information regarding tomorrow's program. Yes, it's the end of the month, and kids are back in school. So what's better for the kidlets who are returning back to school than a fireworks display above the sky? Other than the usual five divisions, there will be an after-dark display above the exit of turn two and Diamond Vision. But before and after that, there is some racing to take care of. I know you're looking for the schedule, so here it is for your viewing consideration.
- SK Modified 21 Means 21 LCQ (if necessary)
- Late Model 16 LCQ (if necessary)
- DARE Stocks
- SK Lights (20 minute time limit)
- SK Modifieds
- Late Models
- Limited Late Models (20 minute time limit)
So until tomorrow, if it's not raining like a son of a beyotch, I will see you around. If it rains, I would like to do something, but I've got a busy weekend already. So let's hope that the raindrops either pass without problem or hold off until the last event gets the checkers, and I will give you more information as time passes. Have a nice rest of tonight.
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