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By Carol Houssock
(Chemung, NY) Over its many years, victory lane at Chemung Speedrome has hosted celebrations. On Friday night, two drivers were back, but in different divisions after many years away. Two others grabbed their first wins on Buckley’s Automotive night. Feature winners on a hot and steamy night included Kevin Youngs (Buckley’s Automotive Modifieds), Frank Chapman III (Blauvelt Funeral Home Super Stocks), Gene Purvis (Marion Decker Agency Hobby Stocks), Greg Moldt (4 Cylinders), and Jordan Smith (Serendipity Ice Cream Bandoleros).
Five years ago, Kevin Youngs was tearing up the track and winning in his Legend car. Friday night he joined the legends who have parked in victory lane after winning in the track’s headline division. Nick Morich started the 30-lap Buckley’s Automotive Modified feature on the outside of Youngs in row one. Morich, who is due for a win, led the way for the first six laps. Youngs made his move and took the lead on lucky lap seven. A great battle ensued for third between point leader Lee Sharpsteen and the most recent feature winner, Jesse Kent. While several drivers were hoping for a caution, this one went caution-free. Youngs’ lead grew as the laps clicked off and by lap 25 he was lapping the back of the pack. He took the checkered flag for his first win in the Modified division. Morich was second, followed by Sharpsteen, heat winner Kent and Tyler Harbst. “I knew if Nick stayed ahead of me he’d be tough to pass, so I went for it early,” he said from Ferrario Auto Team of Sayre Victory Lane. Youngs became the fifth different winner in the division this year.
From the get-go it was almost certain that Frank Chapman would win the Blauvelt Funeral Home 25-lap Super Stock feature. The unknown was whether it be Frank, Jr. or his son, Frank III, who had won his heat. Frank, Jr. started from the pole and, for the first half of the race, ran 1-2 with his son. Frank III held off Tim Gullo as long as he could, but Gullo was up to second by lap 17. He then started to reel in leader Frank, Jr. Tim tried to get underneath Chapman, there was contact, and both bobbled a bit before taking the white flag. As they exited turn two and started down the back stretch, there was contact again and both went sideways off the track and into the foam-protected inside guiderail. Tempers flared, but both were done for the night. That moved Frank III up to pole position for the restart with Nick Robinson beside him. Chapman, just in his second year of racing a Super Stock, held off the defending track champion to score his career-first win. “I hate that I won that way. It should have been my father here, but I just want to thank all these people right here for making this possible,” he told the crowd. Robinson, Charlie Sharpsteen, Jason Duke, Sr., and Jason Duke, Jr. completed the top five. Robinson and Gullo won the other two heat races.
“I don’t know if I should blame him or thank him,” Gene Purvis said after winning the 20-lap Marion Decker Agency Hobby Stock feature. Purvis, driving the Paul Bernard-owned car, last won at Chemung 10 years ago but in a different division. Friday, he swept the action. Luke Nickels led the opening two laps before losing the lead to Purvis. Four cautions slowed the action, but nothing was going to slow Purvis, Mike Nickels, and Josh Parker. The trio ran together while Cullen Sharpsteen put together a great run and held onto fourth for the duration. With three laps remaining, the final restart had Nickels on the outside of the front row. Nickels was in search of his second 2023 win, while Purvis sought his first. Purvis stayed out front for the final three laps and took the win, becoming the fifth driver in victory lane this year. Nickels had to settle for second, with point leader and fellow heat winner, Josh Parker, third. Brandon Ameigh got around Sharpsteen to finish fourth with Sharpsteen fifth.
Jason Peck had a great run in the 20-lap 4 Cylinder feature. He led the first few laps, but not the last. Russ Bulger, who later refused post-race tech and was disqualified, took over the lead and survived two restarts due to solo spins by rookie Joey Allowatt. Greg Moldt and point leader Joey Bevacqua were on the move toward the front. At the halfway point, Moldt had taken over the race lead from Bulger. Over the final 10 laps he, Bulger, and Bevacqua made up a three-car breakaway. Moldt took the checkered flag to record his sixth win this year. With Bulger’s DQ, that moved up those behind him. Bevacqua finished second, with Peck, heat winner Matt Jenkins, and Kyle Mortimer rounding out the top five.
There was good, bad, and ugly in the Serendipity Ice Cream Bandolero division. The good – the largest field of cars so far this year. The bad – Michael Sinagra’s DQ for running without the mandated restrictor plate. And the ugly – a pair of scary flips. Joey Allowatt rolled up and over another car during practice, while point leader Devin Gullo rolled into the turn four foam during the feature. With vehicle safety equipment in place, and rapid responses to both incidents, everyone was relieved that both young drivers were uninjured. Their cars, however, suffered heavy damage. Gullo was leading at the time of his incident when a challenger caught the back of his car. Jordan Smith, an Outlaw making just his second Chemung appearance, took over the top spot, survived a restart, and got the win. Bandit racer Madison White finished second and got the trophy for her age group.
This Friday a pair of area restaurants, Zack’s Grill and Pick’s Pub, will jointly sponsor the five-division regular program of Modifieds, Super Stocks, Hobby Stocks, 4 Cylinders and Bandoleros
. Pits open at 4:00, grandstand at 5, practice starts at 6 and the first green flag flies at 7. Grandstand admission is $15 for adults, $13 for seniors, $5 for kids ages 5 to 12, and free for kids ages 5 and under.
For information, log on to the track’s website: chemung-speedrome.com, go to Facebook, go to Chemung Speedrome – Racing at the Drome on Facebook, or call Ray Hodge, Promoter, at 607-483-3468.
Of Note:
· John Cundy from Chemung won $431 in the 50/50.
· Young Odaya Potrzebowski, sporting All-American attire, sang the national anthem.
· Jeff Ameigh parked his brother’s #10 hobby stock in victory lane after winning the 5-lap mechanics’ race.
· The track’s safety crews were lauded for their rapid response to the two Bandolero flips.
Buckley’s Automotive Night Results:
Buckley’s Automotive Modifieds (30 Laps): KEVIN YOUNGS, Nick Morich, Lee Sharpsteen, Jesse Kent, Tyler Harbst, Justin Teresak, Keith Youngs
Heat: Kent
Blauvelt Funeral Home Super Stocks (25 Laps): FRANK CHAPMAN III, Nick Robinson, Charlie Sharpsteen, Jason Duke, Sr., Jason Duke, Jr., Chad Lane, Terry Potrzebowski, Abe Romanik, Kalysta DeMark, Bradley Mister, Derrick Vogler, Derrick Tarbox, Mark Taylor, Frank Chapman, Jr., Tim Gullo, Donnie Russell (DNS)
Heats: Robinson, Gullo, Chapman III
Marion Decker Agency Hobby Stocks (20 Laps): GENE PURVIS, Mike Nickels, Josh Parker, Brandon Ameigh, Cullen Sharpsteen, Ethan Roberts, Dave Decker, Doug DeKay, Mike Lattimer, George Nichols, Jr., Luke Nickels, Jimmy Hill, Sidnie Decker, Mike Bailey
Heats: Purvis, Parker
Four Cylinders (20 Laps): GREG MOLDT, Joey Bevacqua, Jason Peck, Matt Jenkins, Kyle Mortimer, Ricky Lane, Joey Allowatt, Ron Manwaring, Dustin Pruyne, Russ Bulger (DQ – finished 2nd, refused tech)
Heat: Bevacqua, Jenkins
Serendipity Ice Cream Bandoleros (10 Laps): JORDAN SMITH, Madison White, Dallas Harbst, Devin Gullo, Allison Smith, Lily Gullo, Joey Allowatt (DNS), Michael Sinagra (DQ)
Heats: Gullo, J. Smith
Photo by Clayton Vargeson
