Waterford
Speedbowl - Saturday, May 23, 2009 |
Lou Cicconi #10 -
3rd; Winner Dave Shullick Jr. #61, & Chris Perley #11 - 2nd.
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Howie Hodge Photos |
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ISMA OPENER -
Saturday -
May 23rd
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DAVE SHULLICK JR.
STARTS ISMA SEASON WITH WIN AT WATERFORD |
By Carol D
Haynes, ISMA PR
Waterford, CT –Dave Shullick Jr. took the Clyde Booth 61 out
front at the initial green Saturday at the ISMA season opener at
Waterford. When the checkered dropped 50 laps later, Shullick
was still in that spot for the win. The Amherst, OH driver had
to survive an unusual number of yellows and reds along the way
to his first win of the season and his career fourth in ISMA.
Standing with him on the podium were his two nearest
challengers, defending champion Chris Perley and Lou Cicconi,
the August 2008 winner at the “Bowl.”
Waterford 5-23
Photo Page HERE
Said Shullick in victory lane, “The car was excellent. Clyde and
I talked before the race and tried to come up with the right
package. Earlier in the day we weren’t really good. We hit it
right before the heat race. The car was even better than the
last time we were here. That means we are gaining on it. To come
back after a big crash at Concord last fall and be this strong
is even better. It’s really encouraging.”
The many restarts did not really faze Shullick.
“I didn’t know how far away the guys were on those restarts. I
just tried to be consistent; to not make a mistake. I figured
that I was on the bottom and if they were going to go around me,
it was going to be on the top. I think we were running good
enough to prevent that. I just went as hard as I could really.
It was the longest 50-lap race I’ve ever been a part of. These
cars are made to be comfortable when we’re going fast, not when
we’re going slow. I’d like to thank Clyde and Susan Booth and
our sponsors. Now it’s on to Toledo and one of my favorite
tracks!”
Chris Perley was not surprised with his fight for second. “This
is what I figured was our main competition was going to be and
it worked out that way. We had a great race with Woody - with
everybody actually coming through. Then with Cicconi. The car
was too tight. We were worried it would be too tight and it
still was. It’s the first race of the season and we have a
second out of the box. I’m really happy.”
In third was Aston, PA’s Lou Cicconi who is back full-time on
the ISMA trail in the Wentworth 10. It was also a long race for
Liquid Lou. “I just raced my butt off for 50 laps. That was it
and I got third. It was fun. I really believe if Dave had
started in the back he wouldn’t have won. His car was real good
when he was by himself, but he couldn’t run through traffic. His
car was unstable. If Perley and I had started up front, they
wouldn’t have caught us either. That’s cool.”
Twenty-six supers lined up for the ISMA main with Jamie Timmons
and Shullick Jr. on the front row. A heat crash left the Budnick
crew scrambling to get new driver Ben Seitz into his first main,
but he would be the first to exit as Shullick pulled away in the
lead.
Just as the race began to sort out, a red dropped on lap 8 which
occurred when Chris Perley, Johnny Benson and Dave McKnight were
moving up through the field. As the battle ensued, McKnight
caught a wheel from the Perley car and was hard into the wall
sending a careening tire into Rob Summers 97. McKnight described
the accident later, “It was just racing – me and Chris and JB.
We went down into one. I knew Chris was on the inside and JB
behind. Chris and I came together. I climbed his wheel and that
was the end of it. I got turned and went into the fence. It
happens. I’m a little sore but otherwise all right.”
Attrition at this early juncture also claimed Vern Romanoski,
Eric Lewis and Larry Lehnert.
Shullick shot off on the green ahead of Mike Lichty, Jeff
Holbrook, Cicconi, Russ Wood, Ordway Jr. and Perley
Lap 12 saw a quick yellow for Danny Lane who resumed at the
tail.
Restarts allowed challengers like Lichty and Cicconi to close up
on the Shoe II but not for long as he opened up a slight lead in
the clean air head.
Unfortunately laps 15-17 caused several delays and losses. First
Lehnert slid into the fourth turn tires and wall as the 51 of
Duggan spun and both were done. The Jeff Locke 37 suffered a
hole in the valve cover, Jamie Timmons spun and third place
runner Mike Lichty experienced a rear end problem, which caused
his demise.
It was Shullick, Cicconi, Perley, Holbrook, Ordway Jr. and
Johnny Benson the top five as the race got some green flag laps.
Unfortunately Benson’s 21 shut down on him just prior to lap 30
to bring out another later. The cause was undetermined.
Cicconi and Perley had a shot at Shullick once again, but the 61
glided away on the green. One lap later Brandon Bellinger and
Craig Rayvals had an altercation and both left the field.
Finally, with all the opening day bugs worked out, the race went
green and it went quickly as it was evident that Shullick had
command but he’d been there before and had seen his 61 fail.
This was not the case this race as he pulled away from the
battling Perley, who had taken second after the last caution and
Cicconi. Jeff Holbrook, Mike Ordway Jr., Mark Sammut, Russ Wood
and Bob Bond remained on the lead lap as the field charged under
the checkered.
Holbrook, with three cars finishing in the top seven, laughed
later as he said of his fourth place finish, “It’s nice to be
able to run and look at the smiley face on Chris’s fuel cell.
You know you’re running good when you can run with Chris. I’m
happy. The car was a little bit tight. I thought I might have
had something for those guys if we could have been freed up a
little. We all finished in the top ten. Everybody’s happy. It’s
a good start to the season.”
Young Ordway, who had new Holbrook owned mount under him, was
all smiles. “This is pretty good considering we just finished
putting the car together this morning. Right out of the box it
was pretty quick. We battled a tight condition all day. We were
real tight in the feature. We’ll take a fifth for the first run
in the car. I told the crew after the first practice that this
car is already way better than the old one. So we have a good
car to work with.”
Sammut, Wood, Bond, Timmons, and Lane finished up the top ten.
SUMMARY
- ISMA Event #1 - May 23, 2009
Heat 1: Lou Cicconi, Jamie Timmons,
Jeff Holbrook, Brandon Bellinger, Danny Lane, Mark Sammut, Eric
Lewis, Jeff Locke, Ben Seitz
Heat 2: Mike Lichty, Johnny Benson,
Chris Perley, Russ Wood, Rob Summers, Dave Sanborn, Art
Rousseau, Jeff Abold, Eric Emhoff
Heat 3: Dave Shullick Jr., Vern Romanoski, Dave
McKnight, Mike Ordway Jr., Bobby Bond, Craig Rayvals, Larry
Lehnert, Dave Duggan
Waterford ISMA 50
1. Dave Shullick Jr. (61), 2. Chris Perley (11),
3. Lou Cicconi (10), 4. Jeff Holbrook (35), 5. Mike Ordway Jr.
(41),
6. Mark Sammut (78), 7. Russ Wood (29), 8. Bobby Bond (25),
9. Jamie Timmons (27), 10. Dan Lane (9), 11. Dave Sanborn (24),
12. Artie Rousseau (616), 13. Dave Duggan (51), 14. Craig
Rayvals (95),
15. Brandon Bellinger (02), 16. Johnny Benson (21), 17. Jeff
Abold (05),
18. Mike Lichty (84), 19. Larry Lehnert (92), 20. Eric Lewis
(28),
21.Jeff Locke (37), 22. Dave McKnight (94), 23. Rob Summers
(97),
24. Vern Romanoski (5), 25. Eric Emhoff (2), 26. Ben Seitz (88). |
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Johnny Benson's new 21
supermodified at Berlin Raceway in Sept. 2008
Jim Feeney Photo |
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2008 NASCAR TRUCK CHAMPION JOHNNY BENSON JR. FINDS MORE TIME TO
COMPETE WITH THE ISMA SUPERS IN 2009 BEGINNING AT WATERFORD |
Oswego, NY – Last year Johnny
Benson Jr. was extremely busy most race weekends as he pursued a
NASCAR Craftsman (now Camping World) Truck championship. But, he
did manage to eke out some time to compete in the winged
supermodifieds, which are his second love. This year he has
announced that he’ll be hitting the ISMA trail on eight
occasions due to less schedule conflicts between the two series.
His first appearance in his new 21 will be at Waterford
Speedbowl Saturday, May 23rd.
While the two divisions he will compete in are like night and
day, Benson’s affinity to the powerful supermodifieds comes
naturally. Benson's father is a former supermodified champion
and was the winner of the 1966 Classic at Oswego Speedway. Prior
to his limited number of runs in the Lichty car in the past few
seasons, Benson had no prior open wheel experience, but he
indicated in a past interview that he loves racing in the ISMA
supermodified division.
"It's a lot of fun racing with the ISMA guys," says Benson.
"There's no mirrors and no spotters, and its good, clean racing.
Each car is unique and there aren't a lot of rules for the cars
compared to what I'm running in weekly now, so it's a lot of
fun. I've never driven an open wheel car before this and now
I've spent enough time in one of these cars to say I had to put
my own car together."
Benson’s own car was debuted at Berlin Raceway which one might
call his “stomping grounds” last September. It carries the
number 21, which his father’s car carried back decades ago.
While Johnny had a limited feature run due to new car “bugs”,
the car looked to be a potential winner right out of the box.
Benson's career accomplishments include winning the 1993
American Speed Association championship, the 1995 NASCAR
Nationwide Series championship, and the 1996 NASCAR Nextel Cup
Series Rookie of the Year title. Benson has one career Nextel
Cup Series victory, coming in the 2002 fall race at Rockingham.
Benson nearly won the 2000 Daytona 500, losing the lead to
eventual winner Dale Jarrett on lap-196 of 200. Benson is one of
17 different drivers to have won a race in the Nextel Cup
Series, the Nationwide Series, and the NASCAR Truck Series.
Heading into the newly named 2009 Camping World Truck Series
competition, Benson is currently 5th in points as he heads into
Charlotte. He’s driving the Red Horse Racing number 1 truck with
crew chief Trip Bruce.
While Benson is already on race number 5 of the 25-race Camping
World series, he’s also looking forward to the ISMA opener on
Waterford and the seven other shows he plans on making in 2009.
And, you can bet he’ll be looking to be a winner in this
division too! |
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Johnny Benson's Red Horse Racing
number 1 truck in the Camping World Series, 2009
Getty Image for NASCAR |
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NASCAR Camping
World Truck Series Champion Johnny Benson Jr.
to compete at Speedbowl May 23 |
Speedbowl Press Release -
Waterford, CT (May 14, 2009) – Waterford Speedbowl has announced
2008 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Champion Johnny Benson,
Jr. will compete in the May 23rd season opening ISMA
SuperModified event.
Benson, currently fifth in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
points, is set to make his Speedbowl debut behind the wheel of
his own Super. After trying his hand in four ISMA races last
year, Benson has committed to running the first eight races of
the 2009 ISMA season commencing with the ‘Bowl’s annual Memorial
Day weekend 50-lap classic.
In addition to last year’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
championship, Benson’s racing achievements include the 1993
American Speed Association (ASA) championship, the 1995 NASCAR
Nationwide Series championship, and the 1996 NASCAR Sprint Cup
Series Rookie of the Year title. He is just the second driver in
NASCAR history to win championships in the Nationwide and
Camping World Truck Series. He was also named the series’ Most
Popular Driver for the third consecutive year. Benson has also
achieved one career Sprint Cup Series victory, coming in 2002.
SuperModified racing is in Benson’s blood, as his father is a
former SuperModified champion and winner of the 1966 Classic at
Oswego Speedway. Having never driven an open wheel car prior,
once Benson stepped inside the confines of the powerful Supers
he knew he had to put one together.
"It's a lot of fun racing with the ISMA guys," stated Benson
after running with ISMA in the select events during 2008.
Benson adds to an ISMA roster jammed with talent. Chris Perley,
winner of five of the past six ISMA titles figures as the odds
on favorite to repeat. Perley has won the past two ISMA season
openers at the ‘Bowl. ‘Liquid’ Lou Cicconi, Mike Ordway Jr.,
Dave McKnight, and Dave Shullick Jr. all reached victory lane
last year and are potent expected entries. Six-time ISMA
champion Russ Wood, second to Perley last year in points, also
returns. Four-time NEMA Midget champion Ben Seitz is set to make
his ISMA debut at the historic shoreline oval on May 23. Seitz
is no stranger to Speedbowl Victory Lane, picking up wins in
both the Midget and as a Legends Car competitor during his
formative years. ‘Rocket’ Rob Summers, the Speedbowl’s SK
Modified champion in 2005, will also compete along with a host
of others capable of taking down the win.
Benson and the ISMA stars will join the Speedbowl’s NASCAR
Whelen All-American Series race program on May 23. Tickets for
this blockbuster event are $30.00 for adult general admission,
with youth age 6-14 just $10.00. Children ages 5 and under are
admitted free of charge. Tickets are available for advance
purchase at the Speedbowl Box Office on any event day, or by
contacting the track office at 860-442-1585 or emailing
thebowlisback@hotmail.com. The Speedbowl offers acres of
free parking and overnight parking is available.
For more information please visit
www.speedbowl.com or
contact the Speedbowl track office. |
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VIC MILLER TEAM
READY TO DEFEND
ISMA TITLE AT WATERFORD MAY 23 |
Oswego, NY – It’d s
no-brainer to speculate that the Vic Miller-Chris Perley team is
the team to beat once again in 2009. The 2008 ISMA champions
have won five titles in the past six years. And, with those
championships came an amazing 36 feature wins. Add 5 more to
that for 2005 when Pat Abold beat out the team for the title.
That’s an amazing 41 features in six years! Undoubtedly, the
black 11 will be the one to watch and the one to chase on May
23rd as ISMA opens its 35th season. But, after clinching a third
straight team title last year, Chris Perley was the first to
admit that it isn’t getting any easier.
“ We had a great year again in 2008. I don’t know if you can say
it was as good as 2007, but I think it was in some aspects. The
car was so strong. The competition keeps creeping up in ISMA,
which is great. Winning a championship isn’t really worth it if
there isn’t anybody there to fight you for it in the end.
“Yes, we had the title won before Thompson but we still had a
good battle in the points. I just had a good time again. The
races we won were awesome. I think I had some of my most fun
races last year. The Star Classic was a blast. Even going to
Oswego and racing with the MSA guys was great. We just had a lot
of fun. That’s what kind of keeps us in the game.
“This year we’ll have to try a little harder because people are
really stepping up. That’s what racing is all about. I enjoy the
competition as much as anything. I mean we want to win
absolutely everything but to finish second in a heated battle
where you don’t know who’s going to win is as much fun as
winning a race. I’m looking forward to the increased challenges
because you know they are coming.”
Perley, after having some bad luck on the previous several
events at Waterford, finally claimed one in May of 2008 starting
him on the way to a seven-feature win season. But others broke
into the victory lane circle like Dave Shullick Jr. in the
potent Clyde Booth 61, Lou Cicconi in the Wentworth 10, Dave
McKnight in the Lichty 94 and MSA hot shoe Charlie Schultz in
the May 7. All these drivers will be back to try and gun down
the champ. Also in the mix, of course is six-time ISMA champion
Russ Wood who finished second in points in 2008 and came ever so
close to claiming his 48th career feature win. Wood held the
all-time ISMA win list standings until Perley went by. Wood will
be in his second season in the Allegresso-built, Holbrook-owned
29.
And, speaking of the Holbrook team which had four cars in the
top 11 in points last season, three of them will return to
challenge for the top spot in Wood, Holbrook himself and Mike
Ordway Jr. The Brad Lichty team combo of Dave McKnight and Mike
Lichty also return with Lichty still searching for that elusive
first in ISMA competition. Even Perley shook his head and
exclaimed at the end of last season, “I can’t believe Mike
Lichty has not won a race. I mean he really should have. And
when he does win and I’m sure he will if he stays in this, I
hope I’m there to pressure him to the end.”
And, there are so many others. Rob Summers is looking for ISMA
win number 2. Bobby Bond, Vern Romanoski, Bobby Haynes, Jeff
Abold, Brandon Bellinger, Larry Lehnert and more are waiting to
pick up the checkered as each year past shows their progress.
One of the newcomers who has the track and open wheel experience
is Ben Seitz steps into the Budnick 88 for his first full
season.
No one knows, obviously, how this ISMA season will play out, but
we do know that Saturday, May 23rd
will start it all. So plan on being there.
Pit gates open at the Waterford Speedbowl at 11am with the
grandstand set to open at 4pm. The winged speed merchants
practice at approximately noon with heats flagged off at 5pm.
Features begin at 7pm. |
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Ben Seitz -
center - the winner at the Boston Louie Seymour Memorial at
Seekonk Speedway in 2007 with Joey Payne - left - and Nokie
Fornoro - right.
(Norm Marx Photo) |
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BEN SEITZ to BEGIN
ISMA SUPERMODIFIED CAREER at WATERFORD SPEEDBOWL |
Oswego, NY – Following down the road of many famous midget
drivers with names like Cicconi, Fornoro and Payne, 4-time NEMA
champion Ben Seitz will embark on a career in the larger winged
supermodifieds of the ISMA organization when he climbs aboard
the Bruce Budnick-owned number 88 at Waterford in May. Seitz
brings with him an illustrious record from his midget
competition. In 2007, Seitz rewrote the NEMA record books by
winning an unprecedented fourth consecutive driver’s
championship.
Twenty-nine (on April 22, 2009) may be a bit young to be called
a legend, but Ben appears to have earned the title. That’s how
Seitz is referred to in the 2007-08 NEMA yearbook. “From Legends
driver to driving legend, that is the path that Ben Seitz has
taken during his relatively short racing career. The Legends car
champion was a virtual unknown when he burst onto the scene in
2002. After a reasonably short learning curve, he and car owner
Pete Valeri emerged as one of NEMA’s powerhouses.”
After six years of competition, Seitz accumulated four driver
championships, many wins and numerous accolades. The tragic
death of Shane Hammond at the NEMA opener in 2008 hit the team
hard and they, for that and various other reasons, they did not
compete in 2008. Now Ben has decided to move on to join the
ranks of the similar-but-different winged supers as he teams
with car owner Bruce Budnick.
“The only other time Ben has gotten behind the wheel of a winged
super,” said Budnick recently, “was at Mansfield in 2005 when he
was preparing to drive a Dave and Lori May Motorsports car.
Unfortunately a tornado or whatever we got hit with that day,
knocked out Ben’s chance at a debut.”
Veteran car owner Budnick announced his new driver by saying,
“I’m really excited about this kid and I think Ben is about as
enthusiastic as they come. He’s chomping at the bit. He says
he’s won at just about every track in New England that ISMA
races at and hopes to learn the super quickly.”
Budnick, who has spent well over 35 years on the super circuit,
and has worked with some of supermodified’s greats, is preparing
for a new driver and a new season. Last year Waterford was
unkind to the 88 crew once again and left them with a wrecked
race car when Mike Ordway Jr. fell victim to a blown motor by a
car in front of him. Bruce says the car did not recover while
Ordway Jr. received a ride to the hospital and a clean bill of
health.
Bruce believes that they’ve got the problems solved and they’re
ready to roll in 2009. “We did some updates to the old car and
hopefully solved the problems that lingered from the Waterford
crash. We think we are ready to go. We have an ISMA franchise
and with some backers that Ben might bring on board, we hope to
be competing on the entire ISMA tour for 2009.”
Budnick, of Haverhill, Mass., and Seitz, of Bourne, Mass., will
be a welcome addition to the field when they pull in the pits at
Waterford on May 23rd for the start of the 35th year of ISMA
competition. If this team gels, as it should, this may be the
start of another midget driver turned supermodified driver
success story! |
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Seitz listens
intently to car owner Dave May as they prepared to get
started warming up the May backup car. Bad weather at
Mansfield cancelled Ben’s hopes of driving that weekend.
(Jim Feeney Photo) |
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Kyle Carpenter, who
piloted the Lane #9 in 2005, explains the nuances of a
supermodified to Ben Seitz as Kyle’s dad looks on.
(Jim Feeney Photo) |
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Ben recorded four
NEMA Driver Championships in a row from 2004 to 2007 in
Peter Valeri's #17 with the support of Cape Cod
Aggregates. (Norm Marx Photo) |
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Seitz battling
perennial foe Joey Payne in the #45 of
Gene Angelillo. (Norm Marx Photo) |
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Ben celebrating the
win at Star in September of 2007 dedicated to Marilyn
Agellilo. (Norm Marx Photo) |
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Bench racing
between Waterford NEMA practice sessions. (Norm Marx
Photo) |
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