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by Carol Houssock
Photo by Clayton Vargeson
(Chemung, NY) Hollywood couldn’t have scripted it better on Flynn Energy Championship Night at Chemung Speedrome, presented by Jim Bronson and Ferrario Auto Team of Sayre, PA. While the Speedrome family mourned the unexpected loss of Robin Potrzebowski 10 days prior, in some sense she was still there. Her husband, TJ, won everything thrown at him – the Buckley’s Automotive Modified heat, feature, and ’24 championship. Earlier in the evening her son, Mike Nichols, won the Blauvelt Funeral Home Super Stock heat and feature. Two other family members won track championships in the Super Stock (Tim Gullo) and Marion Decker Agency Hobby Stock (Anthony Gullo) divisions. Other race winners included Kalysta DeMark (Hobby Stocks), Gene Purvis (Gene’s Automotive 4 Cylinders), and Easton Houghtaling (JRC Cleaning Bandoleros). Other division champions include Greg Moldt (4 Cylinders) and Leevi Sharpsteen (Bandoleros).
Fans in attendance saw the heart of a champion play out in the Buckley’s Automotive Modified division. Just 10 days after his wife’s untimely death, TJ Potrzebowski had a 48-point advantage over Lee Sharpsteen for title. “I knew she’d want me to be here, so I came,” he said. Sharpsteen’s car broke after qualifying so he borrowed a ride for the scheduled 35-lap feature to gain as many points as he could. Nick Morich took the early lead and held it through the rocky start that had the field slowed for four cautions. With 13 laps in, the front row was Morich and Jesse Kent, the most recent feature winner. Morich prevailed, but Potrzebowski was on the move and took the lead on lap 16. The caution-plagued race, already past curfew, forced a five-lap distance reduction to 30 laps. Morich fell to fourth after drifting high in turn two and opening up the inside lane for Keith Youngs and Teddy Bowen. Potrzebowski got the win, followed by Bowen, Youngs, Morich and Sharpsteen. When it was over, and TJ Potrzebowski pulled into victory lane, the crowd reaction was tremendous. He had won the battle and the war. Surrounded by family and friends, he climbed from the car smiling and then had to speak. “I knew I had to be here, for Robin. I know she was with me tonight,” he stated. Joined in victory lane by his sons, TJ, Jr. and Mike Nichols, their emotional hug said way more than he could have verbalized.
The Blauvelt Funeral Home Super Stock title boiled down to a two-man battle between point leader Tim Gullo and defending champion Nick Robinson. Separated by just 17 points when the 25-lap feature started, fans of both were concentrating on the pair. They were also watching Mike Nichols, who had won his heat earlier, get around pole-sitter Charlie Sharpsteen and lead the opening lap. That was all she wrote for the others, as Nichols built up a sizeable lead in the caution-free race. Heat winner Robinson ran second, with Gullo right behind him in third. As the race neared its final lap, Nichols had a full straightaway lead, hoping the race stayed green. It did, and he picked up his third win but first since late May. Robinson was second, with Gullo, Geary Rinehimer, Jr. and Sharpsteen completing the top five. An emotional Mike Nichols looked upward and said “she was riding with me the whole night.” Tim Gullo also celebrated in picking up the track championship. “It feels good but I’m glad it’s over even though we had a good time with the fans. But I’m mostly proud of my boy (Devin) winning last week.”
Kalysta DeMark had won elsewhere, but not at her home track. She put it all together in the Marion Decker Agency Hobby Stock division and earned a sweep after she, Anthony Gullo, and Mark Taylor won the heats. While she started from the pole for the 20-lap race, she had to work for her career-first victory. The first of five cautions came almost instantly when Gullo, who had wrapped up the 2024 championship pulled into the pits and was finished for the night. DeMark held off Taylor on the restart, but Gil Sharpsteen and Dave Yehl were on the move, and up to second and third by lap six. While DeMark boosted her lead Yehl, Mike Nickels and Ajay Potrzebowski, Sr. got around Sharpsteen. On the last two restarts Yehl was right there but she kept the top spot. DeMark had come close before, but this one didn’t get away. “I want to thank everyone here, I couldn’t have done it without you, and I couldn’t do life without my Dad,” she said. A division-leading five feature wins vaulted Anthony Gullo to the track title. “I came up short last year. I’m elated, and happy to get my first championship,” he told the crowd.
Greg Moldt put together a season with 4 feature wins and 5 runner-up finishes in the Gene’s Automotive 4 Cylinders. Mathematically, no one could catch him in points, but the 20-lap race was for bragging rights. He and the 2023 champ, Joey Bevacqua, won the heats while Jason Peck and Ryan Purvis made up row one for the feature. Purvis led the first two laps before watching his brother, Gene, make what turned out to be his race-winning pass in the caution-free feature. Moldt was third initially but got around Mike Nichols for second and he stayed there. Gene ran just three races in the division this year and in all three he parked in victory lane. “It’s fun to jump in one every once in a while, and have some fun,” he said. Moldt thanked his daughter and crew for supporting his championship run.
Two young drivers in the JRC Cleaning Bandolero division, Easton and Levi Houghtaling, proved to be quick studies and won their respective heat races the first time at the track. The battle for the track championship, however, involved two track regulars. Kamden Wheeler and Leevi Sharpsteen were tied going into the final points race. Easton and Leevi took off at the drop of the green in the 8-lap race that was also run caution-free. Easton went on and got the overall win as an Outlaw, while Leevi was the best of the Bandits. Young Sharpsteen, at age 7, is now a track champion whose celebration with spray string was a perfect touch in victory lane.
Mark Tychoniewicz swept the night in the visiting Classic Modified Asphalt Series. He easily won the heat race but winning the 15-lap feature boiled down to a late-race nail-biter between him and early leader Dave Shay. “This Ford Pinto was originally run in New Jersey, and Ray Evernham ran it some,” he explained. “I kept overdriving it in turn three and held on.” It all came down to a front stretch drag race.
During the nightly drivers’ meeting, track Promoter Ray Hodge said “effective October 31st I will no longer be involved with the Chemung Speedrome.” He offered no reason and wished everyone a good night of racing.
While points racing has concluded, the Speedrome has one remaining event. This Saturday, September 14th, the track presents the ROC Sportsman, ROC Super Stock, and ROC Four Cylinder divisions, plus the Hobby Stocks. The annual ‘Night Before the Glen’ will start at 6:30 PM. For detailed information, including times and pricing, watch the track’s official Facebook page: Chemung Speedrome – Racing at the Drome or website: Chemung-Speedrome.com.
Of note:
Two weeks to the day, Roger Ellsworth suffered a massive heart attack when leaving the track. Folks trained in CPR and the ambulance crew, which was still on scene, responded immediately. Roger was transported to the hospital, where he came around, had a pacemaker inserted, and was at the track for the action Friday night. During opening ceremonies, he stood as fans applauded his survival.
Kelly, from Pine City, N,Y took home $665 from the 50/50.
Track apparel is going fast, with limited sizes available in shirt and hoodies. They can be purchased at the 07 Collectibles trailer or at their store on Route 17C in Endwell.
A power interruption became the intermission. When the generator showed signs of an issue, the track deliberately went dark after a heat race so that a conversion to the power grid could take place.
Flynn Energy Championship Night Results:
Buckley’s Automotive Modifieds (30 Laps): TJ POTRZEBOWSKI, Teddy Bowen, Keith Youngs, Nick Morich, Lee Sharpsteen, Tyler Harbst, Chase Sinsabaugh, Aaron Dorman, Ajay Potrzebowski, Jr., Charlie Sharpsteen, Jesse Kent, Dakota Anderson, Jody Buckley
Heats: Morich, TJ Potrzebowski
2024 Track Champion: TJ Potrzebowski
Blauvelt Funeral Home Super Stocks (25 Laps): MIKE NICHOLS, Nick Robinson, Tim Gullo, Geary Rinehimer, Jr., Charlie Sharpsteen, Brian DeMark, Frank Chapman III, Frank Chapman, Jr., Abe Romanik, Aaron Cornell, Chad Lane
Heats: Robinson, Nichols
2024 Track Champion: Tim Gullo
Marion Decker Agency Hobby Stocks (20 Laps): KALYSTA DEMARK, Dave Yehl, Gil Sharpsteen, Devin Gullo, Mike Nickels, Dave Decker, Gene Purvis, Cullen Sharpsteen, Doug DeKay, Ethan Roberts, Mike Bailey, George Nichols, Jr., Mike Kintner, John Widrig, Mark Taylor, Ajay Potrzebowski, Sr., Chuck Nichols, Ben Perry, Anthony Gullo
Heats: DeMark, A Gullo, Taylor
2024 Track Champion: Anthony Gullo
Gene’s Automotive 4 Cylinders (20 Laps): GENE PURVIS, Greg Moldt, Mike Nichols, Ryan Purvis, Joey Bevacqua, Matt Jenkins, Jason Peck, Ricky Lane, Augustine Worden, Ron Manwaring
Heats: Bevacqua, Moldt
2024 Track Champion: Greg Moldt
JRC Cleaning Bandoleros (8 Laps): EASTON HOUGHTALING, Leevi Sharpsteen, Levi Houghtaling, Kamden Wheeler, Dallas Harbst, Brynlee Sharpsteen
Heats: E. Houghtaling, L. Houghtaling
2024 Track Champion: Leevi Sharpsteen
Classic Asphalt Modified Series (15 Laps): MARK TYCHONIEWICZ, Dave Shay, Bob Ripley, Tim Janes, Erik Gall, (DNS) John Semmler
Heat: Tychoniewicz
