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by Jay Pees
Conneaut, OH, (August 29, 2008): Weather was threatening all day long, but when race time rolled around, the skies were clear and the temperature pleasant for fans and competitors on the John McMahon & Associates Fan Appreciation Night. The Vintage American Race Cars were on hand for an exhibition race. The 358 Modifieds were on hand for their second visit of the year with Gary Smoker leading from Green to checkers.
First onto the track for feature racing were the visiting 358 Modifieds with Gary Smoker taking the immediate lead from the outside front row. After a yellow flag period for Garrett Krummert’s run-in with the turn 1 wall, Smoker again assumed the lead. Caution for an incident with Mark Bailey and Fred Sasse at lap nine was the only thing able to slow Smoker’s quest for the checkers as he went on to the win over Jeff Shaffer, Eric Gabany, Garrett Krummert, and Brad Rapp, the winner in June.
Joslin-Landis Open Street Stocks led to the green for their 30 lap, $1000 to win season finale by 3-time track champion Rusty Wheeler and Joe Rohrer on the front row. Wheeler led from the start with Rohrer running second until he spun in turn two of the event. At the restart Wheeler again took off with the lead but only one more lap got into the book before caution again flew when Shaun Fawcett stopped in turn two. After green this time Wheeler again led but Rob Bates got at the end of one lap. Then Wheeler spun in turn two for yellow number three. At this point the three-time division champion retired to the pits. At lap nine Tim Rockwell pulled even with the leader just as yellow again flew, this time for the stalled car of Howard Keener. At halfway it was Bates, Rockwell, Nick Shaffer, and Tim Deutsch leading the way. Shaffer got to second the next lap and then was third again at lap 18. On lap 22 Rockwell used the high side to get by for the lead. Rockwell then cruised to the win, his first-ever at Raceway 7 with Shaffer getting by Bates for the runner-up spot. Deutsch wound up fourth with Russ Byler fifth.
Chuck Simms Jr led the Challenger Mini Stock season finale from the start but the race was red-flagged on lap two as Mike Sanford rolled in turn two. When green again flew, the rains came, eventually downpour intensity, and racing was done for the year. The Challenger feature was declared complete.
The E-Mods will split the purse evenly among all participants.
358 Modifieds:
Heat 1: Garrett Krummert, Gary Smoker, Mark Frankhouser, John Buchanan, Fred Sasse, Jimmy Holden (DNS)
Heat 2: Brad Rapp, Steve Barr, Jeff Schaffer, Eric Gabany, Mark Bailey, Dillon McElrath
Feature: Gary Smoker, Jeff Shaffer, Eric Gabany, Garrett Krummert, Brad Rapp, Steve Barr, Jimmy Holden, John Buchanan, Mark Frankhouser, Fred Sasse, Mark Bailey, Dillon McElrath
Applebee Motorsports E-Mods
Heat 1: Joel Watson, Randy Hall, Todd Roncaglione, Larry Kugel, Andy Sweetland, Dave Tackett, Lee Patrick, Bill Taylor, Percy McDonald Jr
Heat 2: Rich Michael Jr, Jeff Sharp, Mike Potosky, Joe Weber, Scott Jones, Arlan Coy, Ron Armstrong, Chuck Steinle Jr
Heat 3: Joe Gabrielson, Gary Eicher, Jack Young, Hugo Litwiler, Ron Roncaglione, Dan McDonald, Dave Will, Rick Pratschler
Feature: Rain, purse will be divided evenly among the field.
Joslin-Landis Insurance Agency Open Street Stocks
Heat 1: Tim Rockwell, Rob Bates, Dave McLaughlin, Chad Stevenson, Carlos Aponte, Charlie Beck, Gary Fisher, Howard Keener, Tim Deutsch
Heat 2: Joe Rohrer, Tony Bruno, Chris Withers, Chuck Fultz, Shaun Fawcett, David Brown, Russ Byler, Matt Thomas, Alex Froman
Heat 3: Rusty Wheeler, Zachary Downes, Ken Zimmer, Ed Bolyard, Bill Simmons, Nick Shaffer, Mike Harmon, Jamie Brown
Feature: Tim Rockwell, Nick Shaffer, Rob Bates, Tim Deutsch, Russ Byler, Ken Zimmer, Chad Stevenson, Matt Thomas, Charlie Beck, Tony Bruno, Ed Bolyard, Alex Froman, Bill Simmons, David Brown, Chuck Fultz, Zack Downes, Joe Rohrer, Shaun Fawcett, Chris Withers, Howard Keener, Rusty Wheeler, Carlos Aponte, David McLaughlin, Jamie Brown (DNS), Mike Harmon (DNS), Gary Fisher (DNS)
Challenger Mini Stocks:
Heat 1: Tim Callahan, Chuck Simms Jr, John Cross, Rich Hamblin, Dillon Kineston, Mark Marcucci, John Boyd, Chris Pildner, Spencer Shirley, Mike Sanford
Heat 2: Kyle Jackson, Ed Huge, Joe Plesniak, Bill Rabbitts, Kyle Dickenson, Phil Dickenson, Adam Bulfone, Dillon Barr, Justin Simms, Bud Sergeff
Feature: Chuck Simms, Tim Callahan, Kyle Jackson, Ed Huge, John Cross, Phil Dickenson, Adam Bulfone, Bill Rabbits, Mark Marcucer, Joe Plesniak (Top ten is all that is available)