Chris Raabe - Rick Young Photo
Brockville, ONT — October 17, 2009 – By Tom Skibinski, DIRTcar Racing Northeast PR Director
Reigning Hoosier Tire-VP Racing Fuels Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman points king Chris Raabe returned to Brockville Ontario Speedway after a year absence wasting little time reminding the opposition why he was the 2008 track champion.
The ‘Teenage Tornado’ set fast time in Xtreme Lubricants Time Trials then come feature time shot by front row starter Dylan Evoy on a lap eight restart and led the remainder of the way to take top honors in the first-ever DIRTcar Northeast Fall Nationals Championship pocketing $1,000 for the 50-lap victory.
“This is real big for us considering the tight points race and being able to take advantage of a track we’ve had quite a bit of success at,” remarked Raabe, 18, following his 20th win of the season and tour-high fifth triumph on the ’09 short-track campaign. “Ryan’s been hot lately and I wanted a win bad to build my own momentum. I know going back to Black Rock next week anything can happen.”
Napanee, Ont. standout Raabe put himself in prime position to repeat as overall Mr. DIRTcar champion for a second straight season, opening up a 3.2-second victory margin over runner-up Justin Wright, with last Saturday’s Super DIRT Week winner Matt Billings, hometown favorite Randy Earl and closest title contender Ryan Susice from Ransomville, N.Y. scattered around the track.
A year away from the signature track outside the City of the Thousand Islands did little to foster a lapse in memory for Raabe, who also steered owner Gary McColman’s no. 01 Scott’s Industrial Services-TyRoute Communication/TEO entry to win in Brockville’s Sportsman Series showdown in July of ’08.
“The track has been widened and some of the banking has been reduced but the Sportsman still have to roll the top to keep momentum,” noted Raabe, who took nine checkered flags last season at Brockville en route to the points crown. “It’s all relative once you get out there but it was really racy tonight and fun to get around.”
Raabe tucked in on the back bumper of Evoy and alongside Susice to start the 50-lap main event. Tour invader B.J. Willard began fifth on the 30-car grid and looped in turn four to stack up the trailing pack with Susice pushed back to 12th during the first of five caution periods. When Chris Herbison got turned around navigating the first corner, Raabe took advantage on the ensuing restart to grab a lead he would never relinquish.
“I had a terrible push all day, just couldn’t get the car to turn,” said Susice, 19, despite rallying to score his ninth top-five finish including three feature wins behind the wheel of the potent Investor’s Service Company no. k38 Philpac Packaging/Bicknell mount. He’ll need some help from Raabe in next Saturday’s series season finale at Black Rock Speedway, now trailing his Canadian counterpart by 57 markers with a maximum 60 points available to gain in one event.
“I was driving the car a lot harder than I should’ve at the end just to get it to turn. That’s all I could do to keep up the second half of the race. But I’m not giving up yet, there’s still one more to go and I’ll give it my best shot,” added Susice, who earned his first track titles this season at Ransomville and Canandaigua speedways.
Luke Whitteker slowed on the back chute with a flat left rear tire on lap 14 to force out a yellow flag and Evoy spun while jockeying near the front on the following restart, with Raabe opening up a comfortable advantage back under green. Fifth-place runner Sheldon Hoogwerf slid low into the turn four uke tire to incur the final caution with Raabe outdistancing runner-up Wright by nearly a straightaway in the chase to the checkers.
Twenty-four cars finished the race with the first 16 completing the entire distance just as the sun began to set on very cool day north of the border.
Hoosier Tire-VP Racing Fuels Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman Series Race #16 – Brockville Ontario Speedway, Oct. 17, 2009 “DIRTcar Northeast Fall Nationals Championship” Event Summary
FIN STR CAR# DRIVER
1 4 01 Chris Raabe/Napanee,ONT($1,000)
2 7 19w Justin Wright/Piffard,NY
3 16 74 Matt Billings/Brockville,ONT
4 11 20 Randy Earl/Brockville,ONT
5 3 k38 Ryan Susice/Ransomville,NY
6 12 38s Luke Whitteker/Iroquois,ONT
7 6 0 Jipp Ortiz/Ransomville,NY
8 10 7 Kenny Polite/Spencerville,ONT
9 15 07 Guy Ouellette/Valcour,QUE
10 18 8a Dana Aikins/Wellesley Island,NY
11 23 140 Mark Dixon/Durham,ONT
12 21 6m Mike Mainse/Kingston,ONT
13 24 5 Dave Wilgosh/Lyn,ONT
14 13 54 Mark Chiddy/Boston,NY
15 17 92 Adam Turner/Picton,ONT
16 20 63 Chris Herbison/Brockville,ONT
17 2 83 Dylan Evoy/Brockville,ONT
18 8 66w Dan Wiesner/Geneva,NY
19 22 57 Anthony Stockman/Watertown,NY
20 19 80b Steve Barber/Lansdowne,ONT
21 25 6v Roger Varacalli/Brockville,ONT
22 14 81 Bruce Makinson/Richmond,ONT
23 1 11 Dillon Sallows/Wolfe Island,ONT
24 30 52 Jessica Power/Kingston,ONT
25 29 32 Doug O’Blenis/Shannonville,ONT
26 9 27 Sheldon Hoogwerf/Prescott,ONT
27 27 44 Todd Ferguson/Prescott,ONT
28 26 11x Brian Copp/North Gower,ONT
29 28 66 Tabatha Murphy/Prescott,ONT
30 5 77jr. B.J. Willard/St.Catharines,ONT
LAP LEADERS: Evoy (1-7), Raabe (8-50).
CAUTIONS: 5 (lap 4, lap 8, lap 14, lap 15, lap 40).
HEAT WINNERS: Willard, Susice, Ortiz, Wright.
CONSI WINNERS: Mainse, Stockman.
XTREME LUBRICANTS FAST TIME AWARD: Chris Raabe (15.103sec/89.386mph).
CARS ENTERED: 35.
FINAL EVENT: Black Rock Speedway – October 24, 2009.
DID NOT QUALIFY(5)
1-Cory Winters/Finch,ONT
25-Phil Potts/Brighton,ONT
80eh-Ryan Buzzell/Renfrew,ONT
81m-Christine Martin/Wellesley Island,NY
86-Adam Trickey/Mallorytown,ONT
QUALIFYING
FAST AVE
TIME MPH CAR# DRIVER
1 15.103 89.386 01 Chris Raabe/Napanee,ONT
Xtreme Lubricants Fast Qualifier Award
2 15.255 88.496 k38 Ryan Susice/Ransomville,NY
3 15.288 88.305 19w Justin Wright/Piffard,NY
4 15.292 88.281 38s Luke Whitteker/Iroquois,ONT
5 15.379 87.782 66w Dan Wiesner/Geneva,NY
6 15.379 87.782 83 Dylan Evoy/Brockville,ONT
7 15.447 87.396 11 Dillon Sallows/Wolfe Island,ONT
8 15.453 87.362 74 Matt Billings/Brockville,ONT
9 15.471 87.260 0 Jipp Ortiz/Ransomville,NY
10 15.492 87.142 77jr. B.J. Willard/St.Catharines,ONT
11 15.568 86.716 20 Randy Earl/Brockville,ONT
12 15.584 86.627 27 Sheldon Hoogwerf/Prescott,ONT
13 15.616 86.450 63 Chris Herbison/Brockville,ONT
14 15.629 86.378 54 Mark Chiddy/Boston,NY
15 15.632 86.361 92 Adam Turner/Picton,ONT
16 15.702 85.976 6m Mike Mainse/Kingston,ONT
17 15.809 85.394 32 Doug O’Blenis/Shannonville,ONT
18 15.823 85.319 86 Adam Trickey/Mallorytown,ONT
19 15.825 85.308 7 Kenny Polite/Spencerville,ONT
20 15.826 85.303 6v Roger Varacalli/Brockville,ONT
21 15.843 85.211 80b Steve Barber/Lansdowne,ONT
22 15.859 85.125 11x Brian Copp/North Gower,ONT
23 15.871 85.061 81 Bruce Makinson/Richmond,ONT
24 15.949 84.645 52 Jessica Power/Kingston,ONT
25 15.963 84.571 07 Guy Ouellette/Valcour,QUE
26 15.973 84.518 8a Dana Aikins/Wellesley Island,NY
27 16.003 84.359 5 Dave Wilgosh/Lyn,ONT
28 16.065 84.034 66 Tabatha Murphy/Prescott,ONT
29 16.089 83.908 80eh Ryan Buzzell/Renfrew,ONT
30 16.121 83.742 140 Mark Dixon/Durham,ONT
31 16.141 83.638 57 Anthony Stockman/Watertown,NY
32 16.379 82.423 81m Christine Martin/Wellesley Island,NY
33 16.442 82.107 1 Cory Winters/Finch,ONT
34 16.500 81.818 44 Todd Ferguson/Prescott,ONT
35 -NT- —– 25 Phil Potts/Brighton,ONT
Heat Races (8 laps, top 5 finishers transferred to feature, top 2 re-drew)
#1: Willard, Wiesner, Hoogwerf, Chiddy, Turner, Mainse, Varacalli, O’Blenis.
#2: Susice, Sallows, Polite, Makinson, Atkins, Dixon, Ferguson, Potts.
#3: Ortiz, Evoy, Earl, Ouellette, Barber, Tricky, Power, Martin, Winters.
#4: Wright, Raabe, Whitteker, Billings, Herbison, Wilgosh, Stockman, Copp, Murphy, Buzzell.
Consolation Round (8 laps, top 5 finishers transferred to feature)
#1: Mainse, Dixon, Varacalli, Ferguson, O’Blenis, Buzzell, Potts.
#2: Stockman, Wilgosh, Copp, Murphy, Power, Tricky, Martin, Winters.
Mr. DIRTcar Series Sportsman Point Standings (Through Oct. 17, 2009)
Pos. No. Driver Total Series Bonus Diff Wins Top 5 Top 10 Starts
1 01 Chris Raabe 1,601 1,241 360 0 5 10 12 16
2 38k Ryan Susice 1,544 1,184 360 -57 3 9 13 15
3 0 Jipp Ortiz 1,436 1,076 360 -165 2 5 9 16
4 11Jr Justin Wright 1,354 994 360 -247 1 4 10 16
5 66 Dan Wiesner 1,248 888 360 -353 0 4 6 16
6 99p Greg Panunte 1,243 883 360 -358 0 4 7 12
7 77Jr B.J. Willard 1,222 862 360 -379 1 1 4 15
8 92 Adam Turner 1,205 845 360 -396 0 1 3 16
9 54 Mark Chiddy 1,116 756 360 -485 0 0 1 15
10 17K Sammy Reakes IV 1,096 736 360 -505 1 2 5 11
11 67G Eric Giguere 1,042 682 360 -559 0 1 3 11
12 24x Brandon Sweet 1,040 680 360 -561 0 1 3 11
13 74 Matt Billings 993 633 360 -608 1 3 4 10
14 M1 Dave Marcuccilli 954 594 360 -647 0 3 3 9
15 29g Steve Gray 813 453 360 -788 0 2 3 6
16 83x Tim Sears Jr 810 450 360 -791 1 2 2 7
17 5 Don Spatorico 807 447 360 -794 1 3 4 6
18 38s Luke Whittaker 792 432 360 -809 0 0 2 8
19 55 Matt Hulsizer 752 392 360 -849 0 2 3 5
20 28 Alan Fink 738 378 360 -863 0 0 4 6
21 777 Tyler MacPherson 726 366 360 -875 0 3 4 5
22 17D Tom Juhl Jr. 714 354 360 -887 0 2 4 5
23 20x Kevin Ridley 700 340 360 -901 0 0 0 5
24 62 Rich Bellante 699 339 360 -902 0 0 0 5
25 55c Jesse Cotriss 676 316 360 -925 0 2 3 4
26 26h Luke Carleton 659 359 300 -942 0 0 2 6
27 1s James Spano 635 275 360 -966 0 0 0 4
28 14 Jermey Pitcher 603 243 360 -998 0 0 1 5
29 13s Derek Smith 591 231 360 -1010 0 1 2 3
30 17 Marcus Dinkins 590 230 360 -1011 0 0 0 3
31 2L Loren Lincoln 582 222 360 -1019 0 0 1 4
32 81 Christine Martin 580 220 360 -1021 0 0 0 2
33 06J Jordan Bennett 574 214 360 -1027 0 0 2 3
34 2K Rob Knapp 565 205 360 -1036 0 0 1 3
35 7 Cody McPherson 558 198 360 -1043 0 0 1 3
36 85 John Pietrowicz 554 194 360 -1047 0 1 1 3
37 21JJ Jim Johnstone 554 194 360 -1047 0 0 1 4
38 18 Brad Rouse 550 190 360 -1051 0 1 1 3
39 4 Darryl Hilkert 545 185 360 -1056 0 1 1 3
40 85H Robert Humphreys ® 542 182 360 -1059 0 0 0 3
41 18h Justin Henderson 532 172 360 -1069 0 0 1 3
42 22 Greg Cool 531 171 360 -1070 0 0 1 3
43 56 Steven Schumacher 528 168 360 -1073 0 0 1 3
44 76 Rob Bussey 528 168 360 -1073 0 0 2 3
45 06 Brandon Easey 526 166 360 -1075 0 1 2 2
46 24a A.J. Lewis 525 165 360 -1076 0 0 0 3
47 11n Ricky Newton 522 162 360 -1079 0 0 0 3
48 140 Mark Dixon 520 160 360 -1081 0 0 0 3
49 3m Henry Maier 515 155 360 -1086 0 0 0 1
50 111 Allan Wills ® 513 153 360 -1088 0 0 0 2
Mr. DIRTcar Series Sportsman Entries – October 17 (35)
Car# Driver/Hometown Team (Sponsor / Chassis)
0 Jipp Ortiz/Ransomville,NY Pizza Logs-Lee Heil-Ed’s Garage/Bicknell
01 Chris Raabe/Napanee,ONT Scott Industrial Services-Kingston RV Centre-Tyroute Communications/TEO
07 Guy Ouellette/Valcour,QUE R Tuning-J.Anctil Rona/TEO
1 Cory Winters/Finch,ONT Caruthers Custom Baling/Troyer
5 Dave Wilgosh/Lyn,ONT City A-1 Radiator-Benson Auto Parts/Bicknell
6m Mike Mainse/Kingston,ONT Mainse Trucking-Larson Construction/Bicknell
6v Roger Varacalli/Brockville,ONT Prescott Canadian Tire-730 Truck Stop/Bicknell
7 Kenny Polite/Spencerville,ONT Steve Polite Sand & Gravel/Bicknell
8a Dana Aikins/Wellesley Island,NY Glen A. Gould Estate Construction/Bicknell
11 Dillon Sallows/Wolfe Island,ONT Number One Speed Equipment-Motorsports Safety Systems/Bicknell
11x Brian Copp/North Gower,ONT Price Paving-Jack May Pontiac/Bicknell
19w Justin Wright/Piffard,NY Mercer Milling Company-Yager Bros. Trucking/Bicknell
20 Randy Earl/Brockville,ONT Burnside Window Sales-Herbison Tree Service/Bicknell
25 Phil Potts/Brighton,ONT Excel Tower Service/Troyer
27 Sheldon Hoogwerf/Prescott,ONT King Edmond Auto Sales/Bicknell
32 Doug O’Blenis/Shannonville,ONT John’s Car Care-Hometown Accounting/Bicknell
k38 Ryan Susice/Ransomville,NY Investor’s Service Company-Philpac Packaging/Bicknell
38s Luke Whitteker/Iroquois,ONT Rust Check-Jim’s Performance Plus/Bicknell
44 Todd Ferguson/Prescott,ONT Splash Well Drilling-Polite Sand & Gravel/Bicknell
52 Jessica Power/Kingston,ONT Speedy Auto Service/Bicknell
54 Mark Chiddy/Boston,NY D&B Motorsports-Mullen Industrial/Bicknell
57 Anthony Stockman/Watertown,NY Number One Speed-Stockman Racing/TEO
63 Chris Herbison/Brockville,ONT D’s Collision Center/Troyer
66 Tabatha Murphy/Prescott,ONT Selleck Excavation-Splash Well Drilling/TEO
66w Dan Wiesner/Geneva,NY Monroe Wheelchair-Safety Awareness Solutions/Troyer
74 Matt Billings/Brockville,ONT Billings Automotive-Stealth Racewear/Bicknell
77jr. B.J. Willard/St.Catharines,ONT CAA Niagara Battery Assist-Speck Trucking/Bicknell
80eh Ryan Buzzell/Renfrew,ONT Valley Rent-Rite-Milwaukee Tools/Kidsports/Troyer
80b Steve Barber/Lansdowne,ONT Payload Transportation/Bicknell
81 Bruce Makinson/Richmond,ONT NAPA Auto Parts/Bicknell
81m Christine Martin/Wellesley Island,NY Creative Optical-SUNY Canton/Troyer
83 Dylan Evoy/Brockville,ONT 1000 Islands Motorsports-Unity Savings/Bicknell
86 Adam Trickey/Mallorytown,ONT Lifetime Memorials/Bicknell
92 Adam Turner/Picton,ONT Paul Turner Auto Repair/Bicknell
140 Mark Dixon/Durham,ONT Markdale Tractor/Bicknell
SKIDMARKS
Susice All Fired Up: Immediately following the customary post-race inspection, a fire erupted under the hood of Susice’s black Bicknell machine with father Roy Susice pulling his son out of the cockpit before the sophomore Sportsman driver could suffer serious injury. A fuel line was not fully connected after tech and flames shot out as soon as Ryan hit the ignition, leaving him with minor burns on his right hand and a singed brow. A heroic effort was given by veteran racer Rick Wilson who quickly doused the fire with his personal extinguisher while nurse and the mother of Modified racer Steve Barber helped treat Susice prior to his departure back to the states. “I won’t let this slow me down, I’ll be back next week to give Chris one last shot for the title,” Susice said.
Female Fun: All three females that entered the Fall Nationals at Brockville found themselves in the second and finale consolation round. Tabitha Murphy and Jessica Power made the 50-lap finale while Christine Martin, who was in a qualifying position at the midway point of the last chance qualifier until contact dropped her off the pace, was one of five drivers to miss the starting grid.
FINAL EVENT
Just one more event remains before the overall Hoosier Tire-VP Racing Fuels Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman champion is crowned for a 20th consecutive season, with the curtain dropping Saturday, Oct. 24 at Black Rock Speedway in Dundee, N.Y.
2009 Mr. DIRTcar Sportsman Championship Series Schedule
*All events subject to change.
DAY-DATE LAPS TRACK LOCATION/WINNER
Sat-Apr 5 75 Black Rock Speedway Sammy Reakes IV
Fri-Apr 17 30 Can-Am Motorsports Park Chris Raabe
Thr-Jul 2 25 Rolling Wheels Raceway Park rain-cancelled
Fri-Jul 3 30 Brewerton Speedway Tim Sears Jr.
Sun-Jul 5 50 Cornwall Motor Speedway Chris Raabe
Sat-Jul 18 30 Cayuga County Fair Speedway Justin Wright
Mon-Sep 7 25 Rolling Wheels Raceway Park Jipp Ortiz
Fri-Sep 11 50 Ransomville Speedway Don Spatorico
Sat-Sep 12 50 Merrittville Speedway B.J. Willard
Sun-Sep 13 50 Humberstone Speedway Chris Raabe
Fri-Sep 18 33 Canandaigua Speedway Jipp Ortiz
Fri-Sep 18 33 Canandaigua Speedway Ryan Susice
Sat-Sep 19 30 Genesee Speedway Chris Raabe
Sun-Oct 4 30 Fulton Speedway Ryan Susice
Wed-Oct 7 30 Can-Am Motorsports Park rain-cancelled
Fri-Oct 9 30 Rolling Wheels Raceway Park rain-cancelled
Sat-Oct 10 30 New York State Fairgrounds Matt Billings
Sat-Oct 10 30 Rolling Wheels Raceway Park Ryan Susice
Sat-Oct 17 50 Brockville Ontario Speedway Chris Raabe
Sat-Oct 24 50 Black Rock Speedway Dundee,NY
@Driver’s (2) worst finishes dropped through September; last (7) events count.
DIRTcar NORTHEAST FALL NATIONALS EVENTS SCHEDULE: Oct. 18, 2009
*All times and events subject to change.
DAY-DATE TIME EVENT
Sun-10/18
10am Pit Gates & Grandstands Open
1pm Driver’s Meeting
1:20pm Track Open for Practice: Pro Stock, 358-Modified, Street Stock
1:40pm Street Stock Qualifying
1:55pm Anthems
2pm Heat Qualifying: Street Stock, Pro Stock
Consolation Rounds: 358-Modified, Street Stock, Pro Stock
358-Modified and Pro Stock Final Practice
Intermission/Redraws
DIRTcar Northeast Fall Nationals Championships:
358-Modified (100 laps)
Pro Stock (50 laps)
Street Stock (40 laps)
DIRTcar Racing Northeast main office is located in Weedsport, New York on the Cayuga County Fairgrounds, home of DIRTcar All-Star Weekend in July. DIRTcar Northeast’s crown jewel event —Super DIRT Week at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse runs annually in October featuring Hoosier Tire-VP Racing Fuels Mr. DIRTcar Championship Series events for Big-Block Modified, 358-Modified, Sportsman and Pro Stock divisions. Ticket and schedule information is available by contacting the Weedsport office (315/834-6606) during the day or logging into www.superdirtweekonline.com anytime.
The Big-Block Super DIRTcar Series is brought to fans across the Northeast by several sponsors and partners, including series sponsors Hoosier Racing Tire www.hoosiertire.com and VP Racing Fuels www.vpracingfuels.com. Promotional partners include Rite Aid Corporation www.riteaid.com, Dig Safely New York www.digsafelynewyork.com and the University of Northwestern Ohio www.unoh.com and the contingency sponsors are Bars Leaks www.barsproducts.com, Bert Transmission www.berttransmission.com, Bicknell Racing Products www.bicknellracingproducts.com, Bilstein Shocks www.bilstein.com, Brodix Cylinder Heads www.brodix.com, Ferris Industries www.ferrisindustries.com, Integra Shocks www.integrashocksandsprings.com, Intercomp www.intercomp-racing.com, KSE Racing Products www.kse-racing.com, Motorsports Safety Systems www.motorsportssafetysystems.com, Penske Shocks, www.penskeshocks.com, Racing Electronics www.racingelectronics.com, Rislone Oil Stabilizer www.barsproducts.com and Wrisco Industries www.wrisco.com, www.kse-racing.com, Motorsports Safety Systems www.motorsportssafetysystems.com, Penske Shocks, www.penskeshocks.com, Racing Electronics www.racingelectronics.com, Rislone Oil Stabilizer www.barsproducts.com and Wrisco Industries www.wrisco.com.
