Nick Rizzo - Glenn Gaston Photo
Weedsport, NY — October 10, 2008 – By Dave Medler, DIRTcar Racing NorthEast Series Correspondent
*Glenn Gaston Photo
Nick Rizzo out of Wolcott, New York put an exclamation point on his 2008 Cayuga County Fair Speedway UMP Street Stock Track Championship Friday night, holding off race-long pressure from Nate Peckham to collect to honors in the Hoosier Tire Mr. DIRTcar Championship Series 25-lap event that was part of Super DIRT Week XXXVII.
Also part of the nights racing was the finale of the Parts Plus Big 6 Tour. Going into the event Mike Welch and Andy Fisk were in a tight battle that went down to the wire. Fisk had late race problems and a 15th-place finish while Welch brought his car home in sixth. When the points were counted, Welch was declared the 2008 Champion by a mere four markers.
Nick Rizzo was quick on the accelerator as he out-raced Pat Hobbs to lead the opening lap of the SDW special. As the field was sorting out with positions changing all over the speedway, the first yellow flag would fly on lap five. Chuck Thomas and Larry Bezner made contact exiting turn four. Thomas would be towed off the track as Bezner made a quick trip to the pits but would return.
On lap 7 Rizzo, Peckham, Frank Burnell Jr. and Dan Hoffmann Sr. ran nose to tail with no driver really being able to gain an advantage.
With 10 laps in the books, Rizzo held a four car-length advantage over Peckham as Burnell and Hoffmann traded paint for the third spot as Bill Weller settled into fifth. A quick yellow would slow the field on lap 11 as Steve Woodworth spun, then righted himself and went to the tail of the field.
Two more yellows would come out one lap later as Jim Wallace stopped on the back straight, going pit side for the night. The other yellow for was for debris. On lap 18, top-five running Adam DePuy slowed to bring out the final yellow of the race to tighten up the field for a shootout to the finish.
With five laps to go the winner was still in doubt as Rizzo, Peckham and Burnell were draped all over each other looking for an advantage when suddenly Burnell slowed with a broken transmission ending his night.
Over the final laps Peckham tried every trick in the book to find speed to get by Rizzo. Peckham could pull even with the leader but that was as close as he would get as Rizzo was first under the checkers. Peckham came home second, Pat Hobbs, Dan Hoffmann Sr. and Ron Hawker made up the front-five. Mike Welch, Chris Fisher, Brad Sheehan, Adam DePuy and Mike Vaughn completed the top-10.
Earlier in the night a moment of silence was observed as Donald Peckham, father of runner-up Nate, passed away earlier in the week. Peckham was at his Fathers calling hours earlier in the day and he made to the speedway just in time for his heat. Peckham drove the race in his Fathers honor. The entire DIRTcar Racing community passes on its condolences to the Peckham family.
Mr. DIRTcar Street Stock Championship Series Race #4 – Cayuga County Fair Speedway, October 10, 2008 Event Summary
Nick Rizzo, Nate Peckham, Patrick Hobbs, Dan Hoffmann Sr., Ron Hawker, Mike Welch, Chris Fisher, Brad Sheehan, Adam DePuy, Mike Vaughn, LeRoy Lewis, Jeremy Denton, Ray Smith, Tim Burke, Andy Fisk, Steve Woodworth, Dan Searles, Frank Burnell, Bill Weller, Kevion Knapp, Jim Wallace, Larry Bezner, Chuck Thomas, DNS Dave Mannise.
HEAT WINNERS – Hobbs, Rizzo, Weller, Peckham. CONSI – Mannise
LAP LEADERS – Rizzo 1-20
CAUTION PERIODS – LAP 5, 11,12,13,18.
CARS ENTERED – 32
Mr. DIRTcar Street Stock Championship Series Point Standings (Oct. 10)
Rank No. Driver Points Bonus Diff Wins Top 5 Top 10 Starts
1 90 Nate Peckham 622 282 0 0 3 4 4
2 00 Mike Welch 604 300 -18 1 1 3 4
3 14 Ron Hawker 600 288 -22 0 3 3 4
4 33 Andy Fisk 599 292 -23 0 3 3 4
5 115 Nick Rizzo 596 284 -26 2 2 3 4
6 99 Adam DePuy 591 288 -31 0 2 4 4
7 37 Chris Fisher 566 292 -56 0 0 3 4
8 57B Frank Burnell 546 292 -76 0 1 2 4
9 8 Dave Mannise 481 300 -141 0 0 1 3
10 11 Mike Vaughn 441 224 -181 0 0 2 4
11 2 Steve Woodworth 416 256 -206 0 0 0 3
12 07 Leroy Lewis 372 264 -250 0 0 0 2
13 75 Scott Smith 360 224 -262 0 1 1 2
14 27 Dave Pope 333 288 -289 0 0 0 1
15 10 Todd Raabe 322 264 -300 0 0 0 1
16 93 Jared Hill 322 266 -300 0 0 0 1
17 18 Wayne Ellison 304 260 -318 0 0 0 1
18 19 Emerson Cargain 300 300 -322 0 0 0 0
19 38 John Aumick 300 300 -322 0 0 0 0
20 14NY Phillip Walker 300 300 -322 0 0 0 0
21 63 Jay Pepin 288 288 -334 0 0 0 0
22 7 Tim McCarthy 288 288 -334 0 0 0 0
23 ws7 Ray Smith 272 206 -350 0 0 0 1
24 44 John Dore 264 264 -358 0 0 0 0
25 00r Mike Rasbeck 248 248 -374 0 0 0 0
26 50 Nicole Barzee 248 248 -374 0 0 0 0
27 16 Stan Vishinski 228 228 -394 0 0 0 0
28 23 Eddie Wright 226 226 -396 0 0 0 0
29 33 Jay Pepin Jr. 224 224 -398 0 0 0 0
30 4 Mike Durham 216 216 -406 0 0 0 0
31 45R Scott Kocher 212 212 -410 0 0 0 0
32 41 Daryl Krebs 206 206 -416 0 0 0 0
33 6x Deb Whalen 206 206 -416 0 0 0 0
34 78 Buck Barrett 202 202 -420 0 0 0 0
35 113 Frank Guererri 180 180 -442 0 0 0 0
FINAL EVENT
Traveling teams have to wait two more weeks before returning to competition for the final event in the 2008 Mr. DIRTcar Street Stock Series. Black Rock Speedway hosts the fifth and final points show as Hoosier Racing Tire presents the 4th Annual Street Stock World 100 on Saturday, October 25.
2008 Mr. DIRTcar Street Stock Championship Series Schedule
*All events subject to change.
DAY-DATE TRACK LOCATION/WINNER
Fri-Sep 19 Canandaigua Speedway Nick Rizzo
Fri-Sep 27 Rolling Wheels Raceway Park Mike Welch
Fri-Oct 3 Fulton Speedway Shawn Frost
Fri-Oct 10 Cayuga County Fair Speedway Nick Rizzo
Sat-Oct 25 Black Rock Speedway Dundee, NY
The Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series for Big-Block Modifieds is brought to fans across the Northeast by several sponsors and partners, including series sponsors Advance Auto Parts and Hoosier Racing Tire. Rite Aid Corporation is a promotional partner and the contingency sponsors are Bars Leaks, Bert Transmission, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Crane Cams, Dig Safely New York, Holley HP Carburetors, Integra Shocks, Intercomp, KSE Racing Products, Motorsports Safety Systems, Penske Shocks, Rislone Oil Stabilizer and Wrisco Industries.
