Mancuso and Druar also score wins
By: Steven Petty
PERRY, NY… Tonawanda, NY’s Andy Jankowiak held off late challenges from Jimmy Zacharias to pick up the victory in the PGT Services 100 for the SST Sportsman Modifieds at Wyoming County International Speedway Saturday afternoon. Other winners on Saturday included Joe Mancuso in the Super Stocks and second generation driver Matt Druar claimed the win in the 4 Cylinders. Rip Riley won the Vintage Late Model main event driving in a Geoffrey Bodine Valiant and Jim Majchrzak won the Crash and Smash Point to Point Race finale. The Fall Shootout also proved to be Championship Saturday as three drivers claimed track titles after their performances throughout the season. TJ Zacharias (SST Modified), Phil Alhart Jr. (Super Stocks) and Brian Johnson (4 Cylinders) all took home the championship trophy at the end of the evening’s racing festivities.
Based off the redraw procedure, 2010 track Champion Andy Jankowiak and former Cup Lite Champion Scott Wylie led the field off SST Sportsman Modifieds to the green flag for their 100 lap feature event and it as Jankowiak out quickly to the race lead. Tom Weist and Bill Roemasser spun in turn one to slow the field for what would be the first of many cautions throughout the duration of the PGT Services 100. Jankowiak dominated the first 20 or so laps of the event as his MAT Services, Jim and Bob’s Service entry was very strong at the Perry Bullring. TJ Zacharias would have an interesting evening as he got loose on the first lap and then was able to rejoin the field to then pull his Championship winning ZB Graphics, Zacharias Brothers Motorsports entry to the pits for the duration of the event.
With Jankowiak leading the way, the battle was on behind him between Chemung Speedrome track Champion Jimmy Zacharias, Holland NASCAR Motorsports Complex Pro Modified and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series NYS Point Champion Amy Catalano alongside former two-time SST Modified Champion Tony Hanbury and winner of the Race of Champions 100 Bobby Holmes were running in the top five as the “crème of the crop” was at the Bullring for the Fall Shootout.
Holmes would have a problem and head pitside but was able to rejoin the field in his Booker Motorsports, Original Pizza Logs machine from Lockport. Jimmy Zacharias would have an interesting night as well as the elder Zacharias brother made three separate trips to the pits to change his right-rear tire to come back onto the track and drive through the field three times and finally was able to get around Jankowiak for the race lead just before lap 30. Then on one of Jimmy’s trips to the pits, and with Jankowiak in the pits for repairs suffered in a mid-race skirmish, Amy Catalano took over the race lead. The former SST Series Champion led for several laps holding off the boys and showing them the fast way around the tight 1/3rd mile Bullring.
Past the halfway mark of the race, Andy was able to regain the lead from Catalano and quickly pull away from the field. However, Jimmy Zacharias also drove back through the field and was able to get the lead away from Jankowiak. With 20 or so laps remaining, Jankowiak was able to fight his way back under Zacharias for the lead as the two competitors went at it in a “Saturday Night Shootout” and showed the fans what short-track racing is all about at the Bullring.
After the two made contact on several occasions, Andy Jankowiak went on to the victory. Jimmy Zacharias came across the line in second and he was followed to the line by Amy Catalano, Tony Hanbury and Scott Wylie rounding out the top five. Kevin Lewis came home in sixth and he was followed to the finish line by Lee Sharpsteen, Don King, Jeff Ruddy and Dick Kluth.
Mike Chenaille and Ted Welshans on the front row for the Super Stocks 50 lap feature event with Welshans out to the early race lead. Welshans lead lasted only a couple of laps as mechanical issues occurred on the Boston Deli 39 machine. When the night was over for “the Big Show” Ted Welshans, Daniel Majchrzak inherited the lead. The first yellow occurred as Willie Strusz had a flat left front tire. He was able to rejoin the field for the rest of the event.
Majchrzak continued to lead and had pressure from Chemung Speedrome regular Jeff Goodwin, Jay Mudra, Bobby Lippa Jr and Joe Mancuso throughout much of the early stages of this event. The always tightly-packed field of Super Stocks put on some great side by side battles for much of the race and the race had its climax when race leader Daniel Majchrzak spun with just 14 laps remaining. That sent Majchrzak number 14 machine to the rear of the field after leading for so many laps. Bobby Lippa Jr would slow to bring the field back under the yellow flag with just 11 laps remaining and collected Alan Bookmiller and Spencer Speedway regular Mitchell Wright. Joe Mancuso would lead the remaining laps to pick up the victory over Jeff Goodwin and Austyn Fugle completed the top three. Jay Mudra was able to hold off “the Rocket” Tommy Catalano to round out the top five.
Jayme Thompson and Brian Frost led the strong field of 4 Cylinders to the green flag in their 40 lap feature event with Frost out to the early race lead. Joe Mastrocicco hit the turn two concrete wall on the second go around to bring out the first caution of the event. Chico was able to climb out of his 43 machine under his own power and took the free ride back to the pits inside the Wyoming County International Speedway ambulance. Frost was able to pull away from the pack for the early race restart and continued to show the way for much of the early part of the race. Multi-time feature winner Charles Buchanan was able to get around Frost for the lead and just a few laps later, Matt Druar took over the top spot in a very contested race.
Druar, Frost and Tom Lalomia were running one-two-three on the speedway with their teammate Andy Jankowiak running in fourth after getting around Kevin Grom just before the halfway mark of the event. Jankowiak slipped back a couple of spots in the racing order after getting loose off turn four.
Druar was able to hold off teammates Frost and Lalomia to claim his second consecutive 4 Cylinder victory at the Bullring. Buchanan was able to come home in fourth and Andy Jankowiak completed the top five.
The Fall Shootout closed the curtain on another season of racing in the hills of Wyoming County. The entire staff and management of the speedway along with the entire Majchrzak family would like to thank all the sponsors, crews, drivers and most importantly the fans for coming out and supporting the Bullring each and every race night in 2011 and hope that you all return in May of 2012 for the 53rd season of short-track auto racing in Perry at WCIS. For more information, you can call the speedway office at 585-237-2580 or online at www.wyomingcountyinternationalspeedway.com and you can also follow WCIS on Facebook by searching Wyoming County International Speedway.
SST MODIFIEDS: ANDY JANKOWIAK, Jimmy Zacharias, Amy Catalano, Tony Hanbury, Scott Wylie, Kevin Lewis, Lee Sharpsteen, Don King, Jeff Ruddy, Dick Kluth, Tom Fektor, Brittany Jack, Ed Schueler, Bobby Holmes, Jim Love, Tim Garlock, TJ Zacharias, Sammy Cosmano, Tom Weist, and Bill Roemasser
Heat Winners: Andy Jankowiak, Tony Hanbury, TJ Zacharias
SST SUPER STOCKS: JOE MANCUSO, Jeff Goodwin, Austyn Fugle, Jay Mudra, Tommy Catalano, Daniel Majchrzak, Phil Alhart Jr., Mitchell Wright, Jay Canonico, Willie Strusz, Mike Chenaille, Cassie Logsdon, Bobby Lippa Jr., Alan Bookmiller, Nik Welshans, and Ted Welshans.
Heat Winners: Phil Alhart Jr. and Daniel Majchrzak
4 CYLINDERS: Matt Druar, Brian Frost, Tom Lalomia Jr., Charles Buchanan, Andy Jankowiak, Jake Lyon, Jayme Thompson, Eric Hastreiter, Dakota Packman, Brian Johnson, Bob Marzec, Paul McCarthy, Bob Bogner, Chris Bugenhagen, Kevin Grom, Andy Nye, Eric Marzec, Josh Eickhoff, Joe Horvatits, Troy Collings, Kenny Hejna, Joe Mastrocicco III, Kyle Skoney, Kalie Clementi (DNS) and Louis Carbone (DNS)
