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Dream Luck Hands Weaver FMP RoC Mod Victory |
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07/09/08 -
By JR KENNERUP
Kirkwood, NY … Some years racers have every break go their way and some years racers don’t get a break. This year Brian Weaver has certainly had his share of racing luck go against him but all of that rotten luck went by the wayside on Tuesday night.
The good luck started with crew member Craig Decker, son of car owner Randy Decker drawing a pole position for the heat and the feature. But the biggest racing luck break happened during the FYI Auto Sales / Rochinski Enterprises Cash Dash.
In this event a mechanical problem developed on the Weaver car during the race. If this race wasn’t held Weaver more than likely would have only lasted a few laps in the feature. But because of this added race the Decker Motorsports Team had the time to repair the problem and get the car dialed in for the 75 lap feature.
Brian out dragged Dave Calaman at the start and led all 75 laps for the $4,500 victory. But the race wasn’t an easy sailing affair for the driver known as "The Dream."
For the last 56 laps Brian was raced hard by Rick Laubach, who he put a lap down early in the race. Laubach was trying his hardest to get his lap back but to no avail. As Weaver had his Bicknell chassis, Wally Fiehl built small block really humming on the top groove of the wide Five Mile Point racing surface.
Stewart Friesen came home in second after starting tenth with Danny Johnson ending up third in the JIR Motorsports car. Brett Hearn was the show of the feature as he finished a fast closing fourth after starting 24th. Current point leader and defending RoC champion Pat Ward increased his point lead with a fifth place finish.
"The dash for cash definitely saved us a big problem," said the race winner. "The distributor came loose in that race and that spun the timing on us. If it wasn’t for that trial run (dash for cash) I would have been out on the second lap of the feature."
It helped starting up front but Brian Weaver had one fast racecar on this night.
"I think I had a fast racecar as you can’t see behind you," said Brian. "But boy did the car feel really good and that is a testament to Craig, Randy, and the entire crew. Those guys work endlessly on this car and we’re really struggling this year, especially at Penn-Can. To get this win is really big mentally, as they’ve been down; I’ve been down and been disgusted with the whole thing. These guys especially Craig, they just kept working and working tonight, along with the luck and the hard work that got us the win tonight. “
The first 19 laps of the feature went nonstop and this found Brian mired in heavy lap traffic before ten laps were in the books. One of the pre race heavy hitters to get a lap down early was Rick Laubach. For the final 56 laps of the race Laubach raced Weaver hard trying to get his lap back. Some drivers thought Laubach should have pulled over and let everyone by but Brian disagreed with that idea as he knows what kind of racer Laubach is.
"No Rick didn’t bother me at all," admitted Brian. "Matter of fact I thought it was great that we had a cushion of one lap car. Because these awesome talented drivers behind us it’s nice to know that you have a cushion of one lap car. I appreciate Rick for running me clean and you have to appreciate the fact that he was trying to get back on the lead lap. That is no fault of his, he raced hard the whole race, stayed out of the way, and I think he didn’t do anything unprofessional. Rick is a professional driver and I enjoy racing with him because he races you hard but clean and all drivers appreciate that.
"This is the first time I’ve really looked at the tires since I got out of the car," said Brian 15 minutes following the race in victory lane.
"They look like they haven’t been on the race track yet because they look hardly used. The tires look great and that is excellent news, matter of fact we wore the tires more the last time we raced here two weeks ago. We had a nice groove on the outside and we didn’t have to pass a lot of cars either and that makes a difference."
Brian spoke about what this win meant to the local Southern Tier racers who many local fans think don’t have a shot in winning these big races when they come to town.
"It’s awesome to win one for the local guys and like I’ve said we’ve been struggling big time this year.
"I have to thank Randy Decker for letting us run here this year," said Brian. "At first we weren’t going to race here then he said go ahead and run here weekly. If it wasn’t for Randy letting us run here weekly we wouldn’t be here in victory lane tonight."
"We’ll take a hard earned second as that is like a win for us," said second place finisher Stewart Friesen. "Brian is dominating down here and we got held up by a lap car for 50 laps, but he held his line so you can’t knock him. I would have moved over to let a guy have a shot at the leader."
Stewart started tenth and took ten laps before moving into fifth. Then he moved into fourth on lap 13 and into third on a lap 20 restart. Friesen got past Danny Johnson for second following a lap 34 restart.
"Our car was excellent, we made some gutsy calls on tires and it really paid off and I have to thank everyone who is involved for this finish. We put some fresh Bilstein shocks on the car tonight and it brought the car back to life."
Stewart finished up by saying" "We struggled down in Pennsylvania so far this year and now we’re back up here running with the best of the best and I’m happy about that. Andrew Harpell had a heck of a show, beautiful job on the race track."
Qualifying for the 42 car Dart Dirt Modified field saw heat wins go to Darwin R. Greene, Weaver, Ward, Danny Johnson, and Jerry Higbie, Jr. Ward won the 8 lap $600 to win FYI Auto Sales/Rochinski Enterprises Cash Dash while Mitch Gibbs and Kenny Titus won the B-Mains.
COUNTER POINTS: The wide racing groove attributed to the exciting racing action which had many fans trying to decide which part of the exciting feature to watch. The track was dug up, and watered heavily during the 95 degree day and a light manicuring before the feature helped even more. Tire wear once again was not a factor in the 75 lap feature as a majority of the drivers said they could have gone an additional 100 laps on the tires at the end of the feature. Motor woes during the program hampered the efforts of Dana Wagner, Donnie Elliott, and Jimmy Davis. Many attendees gave B Main winner Kenny Titus a standing ovation as he held off Hearn for the popular win. Willy Decker was in the Joe Beyea owned, Randy Kisacky wrenched Troyer chassis car. Jeff Strunk piloted the second Brad Grammes owned entry while Jack Johnson was in the Alton & Carol Palmer owned car. Kevin Bates was in the Billy Reese owned car.
RACE REPORT RACE OF CHAMPIONS DART DIRT MODIFIED TOUR RACE No. 3 SOUTHERN TIER 75
FINISH: Brian Weaver, Stewart Friesen, Danny Johnson, Brett Hearn, Pat Ward, Dave Calaman, Mitch Gibbs, Joey Grammes, JR Hurlburt, Tommy McGurrin, Larry Wight, Mike Colsten, Rick Laubach, JR Crouse, Carl Nagel, Jackie Brown, Jr., Willy Decker, Jeff Rudalavage, Billy Decker, Tim Votra, Jeff Strunk, Bobby Trapper, Billy Van Pelt, James Cornell, Kenny Titus, Darwin R. Greene, Jerry Higbie, Jr.
DNQ’S; Donnie Elliott, Danny Tyler, Frank Yankowski, Kevin Bates, Glenn Knapp, Jr., Scott Conover, Jimmy Davis, Chris Weaver, Chris Ostrowsky, Joel Batzel, Brian Malcolm, Doug Manmiller, Wade Decker, Jack Johnson, Dana Wagner.
LAP LEADERS; Weaver (1-75)
DART MACHINERY SMALL BLOCK BONUS $500; Weaver.
RoC PROVISIONAL; Laubach.
FIVE MILE POINT PROVISIONALS; Crouse, Nagel.
NEXT RoC DART DIRT MODIFIED TOUR EVENT; Wednesday July 23rd – Utica Rome Speedway – Richie Evans Remembered 61 laps $6,161.61 to win
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