Deleware
Speedway - Friday, September 26, 2008 |
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Top three at
Delaware, second place finisher Russ Wood,
winner Dave McKnight Jr and third place Chris Perley. |
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Jim Feeney Photos |
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Dave McKnight 94 passes Bob Magner 22 early in the feature, on
his way to the front. |
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Two top ten contenders battle for position here. Rob Summers
97 finished seventh and Chris Perley 11 was third. |
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Dave
McKnight 94 gets by Jeff Holbrook 35 on lap 16. Holbrook tries
to stay with him, but McKnight was able to pull away. |
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Chris Perley 11 had a tough run to the front. Here he makes a
move to pass Mark Sammut 78 about half way through the feature.
Perley was able to make it to third place, Sammut held on for a
tenth place finish. |
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Russ
Wood 29 puts a low move on Jeff Holbrook 35 late in the feature
to take over second place. |
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Moving through traffic, Jeff Holbrook 35 slips up trying to get
around Dan Lane 9. Russ Wood 29 takes advantage and goes by low. |
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Dave
McKnight Jr in Delaware Speedway’s ISMA Victory Circle. |
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DAVE MCKNIGHT
REPEATS
ISMA WIN AT DELAWARE |
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Delaware, Ont. – In 2007
Dave McKnight broke an ISMA winless streak of several years by
coming home the victor at Delaware Speedway in his native
Canada. Friday night he repeated the feat after taking the lead
from Jeff Holbrook on lap 15 and staying out front in the
competitive 50-lapper for the duration. McKnight was able to
build up a comfortable lead while behind him others were
battling tooth and nail to gain a position or two.
"We got a little bit of a break. We started decent tonight,"
said the Brampton, Ontario driver. "We got out front and we gave
it everything we had. I knew Chris and the others would be
coming but we definitely had a stronger car tonight. We've been
struggling all year and we just haven't had the car to get the
job done. Tonight we did."
Being before a large Canadian crowd didn't hurt his effort by
any means and he acknowledged the fact. "After being the last
person to win this race and trying for a back to back, I think I
pushed the envelope a little to make me try a little harder. We
didn't have to pass much tonight and once we got out front we
had a clean raceway most of the way. It made it a lot easier.
I'm sure Chris and Russell had to get through the pack. But, hey
that's racing. Tomorrow will be a lot tougher so we'll try to
capitalize on this run and make it better. Hats off to the whole
team, Patco Transportation, and to Forrest and Forest our engine
builder who got our good motor back in a hurry. Thanks also to
everybody involved in the race tonight."
Fighting his way to a second place in his first ever appearance
at the Canadian half mile was Russ Wood in the Jeff
Holbrook-owned 29 and it was his car owner that gave him the
greatest competition.
"I was happy with the car. We were coming on strong and it was
handling good. I think I was reeling in Dave. I had a heck of a
battle with Jeff (Holbrook). That was some wicked racing with my
car owner. He wasn't giving me an inch. I really wish it had
been a 75 lapper. For my first time here, I had fun. I'm happy
with the second."
Chris Perley, starting in mid-pack, had to wrangle his way up
through some tough traffic for his third place finish.
"Twelfth to third… I'm happy with that. This is a crazy place to
race. Everything is so tight. There's just no room. Every pass
you make you just hold your breath and hopefully the guy you're
passing doesn't move and you don't move. And nobody touches. You
just try to keep it clean. Everybody I came up through to pass
was a battle. There wasn't anybody I passed that was easy. But,
the car held together and I'm surprised I came out with a top
three. I actually think I needed a late race caution because it
looked like we were really gaining on them – at the end. But, by
then they were so far ahead I couldn't do anything."
Twenty-one supers were gridded for the PATCO-sponsored 50 with
Bobby Haynes Jr. calling it an early day after blowing a motor.
Polesitter Jeff Holbrook did the honor of taking the point from
the drop of the green. A quick yellow flew on lap 6 when Doug
Didero looking to be out of shape but saved it.
Back underway it was Holbrook, McKnight, Dave Trytek, Bob Magner
and Russ Wood being chased by a pack of hungry supers. Trytek
brought out the next yellow when he brushed hard on the front
straight and had to pit for a tire. He rejoined the field at the
tail.
Out front Holbrook, McKnight, Magner, Wood and now Ordway Jr.
were top five with Dave Shullick Jr., Mike Lichty, Mark Sammut,
Robbie Summers and Perley were the next five up. Moving through
the field from 15th was Doug Didero, who had arrived late and
had had little track time albeit for his 10-lap heat run.
On lap 15, Dave McKnight moved by Holbrook for the lead leaving
Jeff to contend with his teammate Russ Wood for second.
The race slowed on lap 21 for Dave Shullick Jr. who had come to
a stop just before turn one after fighting his way into the top
five. His night was done.
On this restart, McKnight fled the pack while Wood and Holbrook
went at it for second. Bob Magner was fighting off Chris Perley
who had just fought by Mike Ordway Jr. Mike Lichty, Didero and
Sammut. Rob Summers fought with Johnny Benson Jr. and so on down
the line. The wheel-to-wheel, spark-flying racing was everywhere
on the track as the race went green from there on in.
Wood finally shook off the pesky Holbrook around lap 39 with
Perley moving by the 35 with less than ten to go. Magner held
off Ordway Jr. as Didero continued his forward motion until time
ran out.
McKnight crossed the line a safe distance from Wood while Perley
tried to move in on Russell to the end. Holbrook settled in for
fourth just ahead of Bob Magner, a former Team Holbrook driver.
Holbrook commented after the exciting race, "The car was tight
the whole race. It was nice finishing up in fourth. I had no
clue that was Russell trying to get by me or else I would have
let him go. And, to just nose out my old teammate Bobby (Magner)
at the end was fun. It was good clean racing. It was a good
night for our whole team. We had three cars in the top eight. It
was fun."
And, Magner agreed. "I'm pretty psyched. This is only our third
winged show with a brand new car this year. To be able to come
out and run with these guys is as fast as it gets. I'm real
happy. I almost got Jeff there at the line for fourth but we'll
take fifth. This is my first ISMA show where there's no passing
flag so these guys don't know who is there and they are racing
hard. You just have to deal with everybody. If I hadn't sat back
for a lap or two I think I could have gotten Jeff on the outside
earlier. It is what it is. We have a complete car and a top five
… I'm psyched."
Doug Didero's run to the front ended just shy of fifth with
Summers, Ordway Jr., Johnny Benson Jr. and Mark Sammut following
closely in the top ten.
Summary Delaware Speedway - ISMA 50 - Sept. 26, 2008
Heat 1: Dave Trytek, Bob Magner,
Robbie Summers, Mike Lichty, Michael Barnes, Larry Lehnert,
Denny Fisher, Bobby Haynes Jr. (dns blown motor)
Heat 2: Dave McKnight, Russ Wood,
Mark Sammut, Chris Perley, Brandon Bellinger, Danny Lane, Ryan
Litt
Heat 3: Mike Ordway Jr., Johnny
Benson, Dave Shullick Jr., Jeff Holbrook, Doug Didero, Dave
McCullough, Bob Bond
ISMA 50:
1. Dave McKnight Jr. (94), 2. Russ Wood (29), 3. Chris Perley
(11),
4. Jeff Holbrook (35), 5. Bobby Magner (22), 6. Doug Didero (3),
7., Rob Summers (97), 8. Mike Ordway Jr. (41), 9. Johnny Benson
Jr. (74),
10. Mark Sammut (78), 11. Mike Lichty (84), 12. Bobby Bond (25),
13. Dave Trytek (70), 14. Brandon Bellinger (02), 15. Ryan Litt
(07),
16. Larry Lehnert (92), 17. Dan Lane (9), 18. Dave Shullick Jr.
(61),
19. Michael Barnes (70M), 20. Denny Fisher (81), 21. Dave
McCullough (03). |
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ISMA HITS THE ROAD
FOR AN INTERNATIONAL DOUBLEHEADER
SEPTEMBER 26 AND 27 |
Oswego, NY –
The ISMA contingent is on the road again for a two-day-two race
stint in Canada and Michigan. First up is the Friday night,
Sept. 26 North of the Border event at Delaware Speedway in
Ontario, Canada. Then it’s across Michigan the next day for
another 50 lapper at Berlin Raceway in Marne. This series wraps
up the last two races on the 2008 schedule before the finale at
Thompson, CT in October.
Delaware Speedway has a storied
history of supermodifieds and some of the greats in the ranks
from that division came graced the track over the years. ISMA
winners over the years since 1976 include Steve Gioia Jr.,
Bentley Warren, Mike McLaughlin, Gary Allbritain, Chris Perley
and now finally, a Canadian. Last year Dave McKnight stopped his
roller coaster season on top with a win before a very partial
Canadian crowd. McKnight was followed by ISMA champ Chris Perley
and in third, by Ryan Litt, another Canadian favorite. To boot,
Canadians prevailed in the top five with a great run by London,
Ontario’s Mark Sammut for fourth and Innerkip, Ontario’s Mike
Lichty in fifth. Michael Barnes, Craftsman Truck star Johnny
Benson Jr., Mike Ordway Jr., Dave Trytek and Robbie Summers
completed the top ten.
The Delaware event is presented by Brad Lichty’s Patco
Transportation and will feature the ISMA supers and the Powerade
Modifieds. ISMA team gates open at 2 pm, with Delaware team
gates opening at 4:00 pm. Spectators will be admitted at 6:00 pm
with racing to begin at 8:00 pm. Tickets are priced (pst and gst
included) at Adults, $30; Seniors (65+), $25, Student (with
Valid Student Card), $25 and Kids (12 and under) Free. Reserved
seating is $45. For further information: Delaware Speedway Track
& Office; Phone: (519) 652-5068; Fax: (519) 652-5069l; E-mail:
info@delawarespeedway.com. The track is located just a short
distance from London, Ontario at 1640 Gideon Drive, in Delaware.
(N0L 1E0).
Leaving Canada, the ISMA group heads across the state of
Michigan to its western shores. In Marne, Michigan, another
hotbed of supermodified racing lies at
Berlin Raceway. While ISMA’s official history goes back
to Bentley Warren’s 1990 win, the track and the area include
many exciting supermodified battles. Russ Wood has been a
three-time ISMA Winner at the wide 7/16th’s mile oval, as has
Chris Perley. Other solo winners include Dave Shullick Sr., Joey
Payne, Randy Ritskes and Lou Cicconi. This year’s event will see
the debut of second-generation supermodified pilot Johnny Benson
Jr.’s new car numbered 21 after his famous father’s ride. Benson
led the 2007 50-lapper in the Lichty 74 until a broken rear end
finished his night early. Chris Perley went on to win over Mike
Ordway JR., Dave McKnight, Mike Lichty and Michael Barnes.
The Saturday, Sept. 27 Open Wheel Extravaganza includes ISMA
Supermodifieds; Auto Value Super Sprints; USAC/UMARA/WOMS
Midgets. The action starts at 7:00 p.m. (tickets $20; pits $30).
Buy tickets online at www.berlinraceway.com. E-mail @berlinraceway.com.
The raceway is located at 2060 Berlin Fair Drive - Marne, MI
49435. Telephone: 616-726-7373. |
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Johnny Benson
testing his new Xtreme chassis which he numbered 21 in honor of
his father who raced supermodifieds for years and was an
International Classic winner in 1966. |
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Comments
or Questions: isma@ISMAsupers.com |
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