“The Hurricane” & “AJ Slideways” Split Mod Wins At Canandaigua Saturday

Story By: PAUL SZMAL / CANANDAIGUA MOTORSPORTS PARK – CANANDAIGUA, NY – Honeyoye Auto Parts and Wix Filters presented Saturday night’s racing action at Canandaigua Motorsports Park, which featured a makeup of the Modified feature from July 22nd when a transformer fire knocked out the track lighting system, forcing the event to be postponed.

In the heldover Modified feature, Mike O’Brien and James Maier brought the field to the green for the start of the 35-lap contest, with O’Brien taking the lead. Gary Tomkins cracked the top five early, moving past Lance Dusett on lap4 before Dusett slowed in turn 4, bringing out the first caution. Matt Sheppard moved into 6th on the restart but hit the frontstretch wall two laps later, knocking him out of the event. Alan Johnson was able to move into third on the restart, and then grabbed second place and chased down O’Brien, battling him for several laps. Johnson was able to move under O’Brien for the lead with three laps to go and took his third win of the season over O’Brien, Justin Haers, Kyle Coffey, and Justin Wright.

The regularly scheduled Modified 35-lapper saw Steve Paine get into the lead a few laps in while Matt Sheppard and Justin Haers worked their way through the field to slot into second and third. Alan Johnson had swtiched cars after his heat race and had started in the rear of the field and steadily made his way into the top five by the halfway point. The second half of the feature was an intense battle between Paine and Sheppard in and out of traffic, with Sheppard drawing even with Paine several times. Paine held off the repeated challenges and took his second win of the season with Sheppard a car length back at the finish. Haers, Johnson, and Justin Wright completed the top five.

Modified heats were won by Steve Paine and Mike O’Brien.

The 25-lap Sportsman feature saw Matt Guererri blaze out ahead of the field and pull a full straightaway advantage as Nick Guererri passed Karl Comfort for second on lap 8. Kevin Ridley and Dave Marcuccilli were also charging their way through the field, along with Ricky Newton, who had problems in his heat race and was coming from the rear of the field. A yellow for Doug Smith’s slowing car on lap 13 brought the field back together for a restart, and after several laps, Ridley motored into second. Over the final few laps, Ridley worked hard to try and catch Guererri, but ‘Gibbz’ was up to the task, taking his second win of 2017. Ridley was second, followed by Marcuccilli, Nick Guererri, and Newton.

Sportsman heats were won by Austyn Fugle and Kevin Ridley.

In the 15-lap Street Stock feature, Parker Smith grabbed the lead but was soon involved in a four car battle with Marc Minutolo, Bob Buono, and Adam Depuy. Point leader Depuy’s night ended early when he lost a wheel on lap 4. On the restart, Minutolo took the lead, but Smith spun on the inside of turn two. Buono then took the top spot on the restart, but Minutolo continued to challenge as the pair raced side by side for several laps, with Minuotolo retaking the lead off the inside of turn four with three laps to go. Minutolo held off Buono by two car lengths at the finish, with Rick Crego, Dalton Martin, and Brad Steinruck rounding out the top five.

Street Stock heats were won by Bob Buono and Marc Minutolo.

The 305 Sprint 12-lap feature saw Darryl Ruggles move from fourth to first on the opening lap, but Dan Bennett ran him down and passed him on lap 6. Two laps later, lapped traffic was in front of the leaders and it held Bennett up, with Ruggles making an incredible four-wide move to take the lead back. Ruggles pulled away to take the win, followed by Bennett, Tim Smith, Dan Craun, and Erick Kurtz.

The 305 Sprint car heat was won by Darryl Ruggles.

Danny Kerrick was the winner of the Youth Demo Derby.

Racing continues at Canandaigua Motorsports Park next Saturday night with a regular show for Modifieds, Sportsman, 305 Sprints, and Street Stocks. For details, visit www.canandaiguamotorsportspark.com.

RACE SUMMARY-HONEYOYE AUTO PARTS/WIX FILTERS NIGHT-CANANDAIGUA MOTORSPORTS PARK-AUGUST 12, 2017

MODIFIED FEATURE (HELD OVER FROM JULY 22ND)-STEVE PAINE, Matt Sheppard, Justin Haers, Alan Johnson, Justin Wright, Gary Tomkins, Gil Tegg Jr, Derrick Posiadlo, Kyle Coffey, Mike O’Brien, James Maier, James Sweeting, Rick Richner, Lance Dusett, Dave Allen, Greg Birosh, Eldon Payne, Kaitlyn Pashina, Adam Ellis.

MODIFIED FEATURE-ALAN JOHNSON, Mike O’Brien, Justin Haers, Kyle Coffey, Justin Wright, Steve Paine, Derrick Podsiadlo, Dave Allen, Gil Tegg Jr, Rick Richner, Greg Birosh, James Maier, Gary Tomkins, Kaitlyn Pashina, Adam Ellis, Eldon Payne, Matt Sheppard, Lance Dusett.

SPORTSMAN FEATURE-MATT GUERERRI, Kevin Ridley, Dave Marcuccilli, Nick Guererri, Ricky newton, Paul Guererri, Karl Comfort, Anthony Kimble, Kane Bristol, Joe Cook, Adam Ashcroft, Tim Baker, Austyn Fugle, Troy Sparing, JT Sparing, Brett Baldwin, Doug Smith.

305 SPRINT FEATURE-DARRYL RUGGLES, Dan Bennett, Tim Smith, Dan Craun, Erick Kurtz, Tom Fletcher, Bobby Gardner, Jason Whipple.

STREET STOCK FEATURE-MARC MINUTOLO, Bob Buono, Rick Crego, Dalton Martin, Brad Steinruck, Steve Pesarek, Adam Depuy.

YOUTH DEMO DERBY-Danny Kerrick.