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Race Report by Steven Ovens – June 28, 2024
(CHEMUNG, NY) – Zach Knowlden scored his second-straight Buckley’s Automotive Modified victory at Chemung Speedrome on Friday night- but it was no runaway by any means. A packed house for kiddie rides night enjoyed incredible racing from start to Knowlden’s run to the checkered flag.
Knowlden started fifth on the field while Charlie Sharpsteen and Nick Morich led the field to Troy McDonald’s green flag for the 35-lap Feature. Morich led the opening lap but Lee Sharpsteen made quick work of claiming the top spot on the second lap. Sharpsteen set a comfortable pace and was plenty happy parking his No. 17 right along the bottom lane.
While an intense battle took place inside the top five it was Knowlden who came out with the runner up spot and set out for the leader Sharpsteen. Knowlden got as close as the back bumper several times but the yellow on Lap 20 was the reset the June 14 winner needed.
Knowlden got the advantage on the restart and would lead the rest of the way. An untimely yellow with two to go gave Sharpsteen and Jesse Kent one last opportunity at Knowlden. Kent and Sharpsteen would battle hard over a green-white-checkered finish while Knowlden cruised away for his second-straight victory.
Kent would secure the second spot on the final lap beating out Sharpsteen, TJ Potrzebowski and Kevin Youngs.
Tim Gullo also scored his second-straight win on this night as well, holding off a hard-charging Mike Nichols. It was Joe Lane and Frank Chapman III showing the Blauvelt Funeral Home Super Stocks to the green for their 25-lap main event with Chapman grabbing the early race lead.
Gullo methodically worked his way from his fourth starting spot, bringing Nichols along who started behind him in sixth. The familiar No. 71 took the race lead officially on Lap 7 and wouldn’t look back and it is likely a good thing that he didn’t. Nichols threw everything the black and green No. 72 had at Gullo late in the race. The two traded paint, used the bumpers and had the crowd buzzing at the finish.
Some pre-Fourth of July fireworks ensued on the backstretch after the race with Gullo taking his spot in Ferrario Victory Lane. Following Victory Lane ceremonies, a protest was filed against the winning car and the finish remains unofficial at time of press. Stay tuned for official results.
Twenty-two Marion Decker Agency Hobby Stocks filled the infield pit area and set the bar high for great races. Two fans from the grandstands, John McAdam and Shane Palmer posted an additional $100 for the winner’s share of the purse and they along with the rest of the fans were treated to a dandy for twenty laps.
Ben Perry and Mark Taylor showed the field to the green with Mark Taylor claiming the top spot on the opening lap. Cullen Sharpsteen capitalized on a starting spot of third to battle for the race lead with Taylor, Dave Decker, Kalysta DeMark, Gil Sharpsteen and Anthony Gullo. Gullo started deep in the pack from tenth after winning the last two Hobby Stock features.
In a race that truly felt like anyone could have won from inside the top five to six cars, it was Gullo who sliced his way to the lead by Lap 13. However, Gullo didn’t just take the lead and walk away. DeMark was on a mission with a grandstand of people waving their arms and emotionally trying to push the No. 5 past the No. 51. Veteran driver Dave Yehl carved his way from thirteenth on the starting grid to fourth before trouble found one of the leaders.
As the field took the white flag, DeMark gave Gullo a shot in the back bumper in the first turn that saw Gullo’s car march high up the track. Unfortunately for DeMark, the bump and run turned into the bump and spin as her car lost control in the apex of the corner as she tried to complete the pass. This set up a green-white-checkered attempt with the race extended to twenty-one laps.
On the first attempt at running to the finish, Decker hit the wall hard coming off turn four, collecting Ethan Roberts with both cars sustaining damage and laying fluid on the home stretch. All of the altercations moved Yehl to the front row for the final green-white-checkered run.
Yehl would hold even terms with Gullo on the restart and would lead the field at the white flag. Gullo sent it into turns one and two on the final lap on the bottom lane and it stuck to perfection while Yehl was pedaling hard to keep the runner up position. Gullo would streak away to his third-straight Chemung Hobby Stock victory over Yehl, Gil Sharpsteen, Cullen Sharpsteen and “Bam Bam” Brandon Amiegh completing the Top 5.
In a race to the front, Nick Robinson and Greg Moldt duked it out for the win in the Gene’s Automotive Four Cylinders. Robinson got his second win in as many starts this year in his No. 15. Moldt continued his streak of not finishing lower than second this season with two wins and now his third second place finish of 2024.
Jason Peck led the opening lap of their twenty-lapper but Robinson and Moldt wasted no time from their fourth and sixth place starting spots to make it three-wide for the lead. Robinson came out on top and would pull away once the leaders hit slower traffic to secure the victory. Joey Bevaqua saw the leaders battle but could only watch from third while Peck and Matt Jenkins put on the second-best race in the division to finish fourth and fifth.
Not to be outdone by the adults- the JRC Cleaning Bandoleros stole the hearts of the Speedrome crowd as the first feature of the night. The crowd cheered all eight laps of the event as Kamden Wheeler, Dallas Harbst and Leevi Sharpsteen battled each other hard and clean throughout their main event. Don’t tell these kids you need twenty-four cars to put on a great race!
At one point in the race, each driver looked to be on their way to victory lane. Sharpsteen went for the lead several times but lost the handle. On the final lap Harbst looked to have Wheeler set up for a last lap, last corner pass but it was not to be. The Chemung crowd celebrated with Wheeler as she emerged from her No. 23 with her second-straight win in the division. Harbst and Sharpsteen completed the finishing order.
Coming up next Friday, July 5 at Chemung Speedrome the Marion Decker Agency presents Veterans Night with free general admission offered to any military veteran with proper identification. Without the sacrifices and battles fought by our military veterans, activities like racing in a free country wouldn’t be possible! A complete card of Modifieds, Super Stocks, Hobby Stocks, Four Cylinders and Bandoleros is planned.
CHEMUNG SPEEDROME OFFICIAL RESULTS- Friday June 28th, 2024:
BUCKLEY’S AUTOMOTIVE MODIFIEDS (35 Laps): ZACH KNOWLDEN (2), Jesse Kent, Lee Sharpsteen, TJ Potrzebowski, Kevin Youngs, Charlie Sharpsteen, Nick Morich, Jody Buckley, JP Harbst, Chase Sinsabaugh, DNF: Tyler Harbst
Heat winners: Lee Sharpsteen, TJ Potrzebowski
BLAUVELT FUNERAL HOME SUPER STOCKS (25 Laps): Unofficial pending post-race tech/protest- TIM GULLO (2), Mike Nichols, Charlie Sharpsteen, Nick Robinson, Frank Chapman III, Frank Chapman Jr., Chad Lane, Joe Lane, Abe Romanik, DNF: Bradley Mister, Derrick Tarbox
Heat winners: Nick Robinson, Tim Gullo
MARION DECKER AGENCY HOBBY STOCKS (20 Laps): ANTHONY GULLO (3), Dave Yehl, Gil Sharpsteen, Cullen Sharpsteen, Brandon Amiegh, Luke Nickels, Josh Parker, Sidnie Decker, Chuck Nickels, Mike Bailey, George Nichols, Kalysta DeMark, Mark Taylor, Mike Kintner, DNF: Dave Decker, Ethan Roberts, Devin Gullo, Mike Nickels, M.R. Taylor, Ben Perry, Doug Dekay
Heat Winners: Kalysta DeMark, Anthony Gullo, Cullen Sharpsteen
GENE’S AUTOMOTIVE FOUR CYLINDERS (20 Laps): NICK ROBINSON (2), Greg Moldt, Joey Bevaqua, Jason Peck, Matt Jenkins, Ryan Purvis, Ricky Lane, Augustine Worden, Ron Manwaring, DNF: Herb Green, Kyle Mortimer
Heat Winners: Nick Robinson, Greg Moldt
JRC CLEANING BANDOLEROS (8 Laps): KAMDEN WHEELER (3), Dallas Harbst, Leevi Sharpsteen
Heat Winner: Kamden Wheeler
