PAINE RETURNS TO WINNING WAYS AT 'LAND OF LEGENDS'

CANANDAIGUA, NY...Waterloo, New York's Steve Paine made it win number 58 at Canandaigua Speedway last Saturday as he grabbed the True Value Hardware of Port Byron-Lime Rock Speedway sponsored 50-lap Season Opener. It was Paine's sixth win at a Canandaigua Speedway season opener, his first coming in 1989.

In the DIRT Sportsman division Kevin Wills, from Ransomville, NY, earned his first ever feature win at Canandaigua Speedway. Also from Ransomville, Jipp Ortiz took top honors in the 20-lap DIRT Pro-Stock main under the new sponsorship of JoshComp. Mike Welch won the 15-lap Street Stock feature.

The 50-lap DIRT Modified feature saw a heads up starting format from the heat races. Heat wins went to Paine, Tim McCreadie, Alan Johnson and Matt Sheppard. Paine started from the pole and would lead all 50 circuits as 27 modifieds took the green flag.

The first yellow flag flew on lap four when Gary Tomkins came to a stop on the back stretch with a flat tire. He quickly pitted and returned at the back of the field. With Paine in first, Tim McCreadie, Sheppard, Johnson and Darryl Ruggles rounded out the top five runners at this yellow.

Paine began to pull away from a tight battle between McCreadie, Johnson and now Vic Coffey for second. This battle was interrupted slightly when the caution came out for Ron Cartwright Jr., who made contact with the outside of the second turn wall and came to a stop on lap 12.

The restart saw Johnson better McCreadie for second. Still Paine had enough power to stretch out just over a one second lead. Teammates McCreadie and Coffey began a side-by-side duel for third, with Coffey coming out the better. On lap 19, the yellow flew when former sportsman star, Phil Vigneri's car lost a front wheel while going into the first turn. He was able to maneuver his machine back around to the third turn pit entrance.

Coffey was now able to take second from Johnson on the restart. But the driver on the move, using the high line around the turns was Billy Decker. Decker passed McCreadie for fourth on the restart. McCreadie quickly shot back, retaking the position as these two were developing a torrid battle for position. The yellow came out to quell the battle with McCreadie back in fourth. The yellow had come when Bob McCreadie stopped in the second turn with a flat.

One more yellow, lap 34, saw Chuck Bower slow on the track and come to a stop in the fourth turn. The restart saw Decker take third from Johnson and shoot out after the two leaders, Paine and Coffey. Paine was able to stretch out nearly a two second victory at the checkers over Coffey. Johnson, who repassed Decker for third on lap 41, Decker and Tomkins rounded out the top five finishers. The first 358-modified across the finish line was Derrick Podsiadlo in thirteenth.

The 20-lap DIRT Sportsman feature saw six yellow flags in a race that took nearly a half hour to complete. Again heat results saw a heads up start in the feature. Heat wins went to Eldon Payne Jr., John Pfeffer, Kevin Wills and Loren Lincoln. The yellow came out quickly, on lap two, when Wade Czymmek made contact with the second turn wall and Tom Jansch stopped between the third and fourth turns.

Eldon Payne Jr. found that the front was the place to be. After the yellow flew on lap six when newcomer Dale Kissel looped in the second turn, the restart would prove disastrous. Wills, running in third, and Lincoln came together as the cars were picking up speed through the fourth turn. This sent Lincoln spinning across in front of on coming traffic. Ten cars were involved in the fourth turn pile up.

Following a second restart Wills, who was able to avoid being collected in the last accident, started to race Payne Jr. in a side-by-side duel. Payne Jr.'s car suffered a flat left rear tire following contact with Wills's car and slowed on lap eight to cause the next yellow.

Wills was now firmly in the lead with John Pfeffer in second. Richard Briggs ran distant third, with Dave Just on his rear bumper. Briggs would have to pit during a lap 18 caution caused when Payne Jr. saw his left rear suspension fail.

Pfeffer made a last lap challenge at Wills but fell short and came home in second. Lincoln charged over the last five circuits to come home in third. Shawn Donath and Dan Wiesner rounded out the top five finishers.

The 20-lap Pro-Stock feature saw Jipp Ortiz take the lead from James Henry on lap two and never look back. Only one yellow slowed the race, coming on lap seven when a multi-car accident took place in the second turn involving Matt Smith, Frank Guererri Jr. and Ken Michaels.

Ortiz took the win by a car length over Henry. Pete Stefanski, Dave Shultz and Steve Miller rounded out the top five finishers.

In Street Stock action 22 cars took the green. Blane Smith held off the entire field for some 14 laps, but would fall one circuit short. A flat left rear tire slowed Smith as he transverse the third and fourth turns, allowing Mike Welch to shoot by on the outside exiting the fourth turn for the victory. Smith held on for second with Can-Am Speedway regular Dave Manisse finishing in third. David Marcucilli and Leroy Lewis rounded out the top five finishers.

LEGENDS UPDATES: Ninety-seven race cars were on hand for opening night; 27-modifieds, 25-sportsman, 25-street stocks and 20-Pro-Stocks...Track conditions were perfect, as stated by Steve Paine in his post race interview. A small dip developed in the second turn, which track crews are expected to address this week...Before the start of the evening activities and special memorial was held for the late Bill McNabb. McNabb had served at Canandaigua in as pit steward and general manager over the last fifteen years. Members of his family were on hand as teams assembled along the outside of the third and fourth turns to pay their respects.

This Saturday will be Big Dog 103.5 FM Radio and Randy's Smoke Shop night at Canandaigua Speedway. Race time will be at 7 p.m., with gates opening at 4:30 p.m. sharp.

TRUE VALUE HARDWARE OF PORT BYRON-LIME ROCK SPEEDWAY NIGHT SUMMARY

STREET STOCKS

HEAT 1: M. Welch, D. Pope, D. Phippen, D. Marcucilli, J. Cronin.
HEAT 2: B. Smith, D. Mannise, N. Peckham, N. Rizzo, C. Jacobs.
HEAT 3: A. Depuy, S. Washburn, L. Lewis, K. Collins, J. Wilson.

FEATURE (15-laps): MIKE WELCH, Blane Smith, Dave Mannise, David
Marcucilli, Leroy Lewis, Adam Depuy, Nick Rizzo, Darren Phippen,
Jim Cronin, Kevin Collins, Nick Dandino, Jeremy Wilson, Natham
Peckham, Chris Jacobs, David Pope, Steve Washburn, Kyle LaVare,
Mike Minutlo, Tim Burnell, Mike Shaw, Doug Smith, Ken Price.

PRO-STOCKS

HEAT 1: J. Ortiz, D. Shultz, M. Smith, P. Stefanski, S. Miller, F. Arden.
HEAT 2: J. Henry, B. Hallett, S. Fremouw, R. Florack, C. Homan, F. Wadsworth.

FEATURE (20-laps): JIPP ORTIZ, James Henry, Pete Stefanski, Dave Shultz, Steve Miller, Chad Homan, Lee Burnett, Frank Guererri Jr., Tiger Chapman, Rick Florack, Bill Hallett, Fred Arden, Matt Smith, Frank Wadsworth, Ken Michaels, Scott Fremouw, Patrick Hobbs.

SPORTSMAN

HEAT 1: E. Payne Jr., W. Czymmek, S. Donath, S. Way, T. Hance.
HEAT 2: J. Pfeffer, R. Briggs, T. Alton, D. Wiesner, F. Burnell.
HEAT 3: K. Wills, P. Guererri, S. Joy, R. Bussey, D. Just.
HEAT 4: L. Lincoln, G. Hurlburt, P. LaVare, S. Doell, T. Jansch.

FEATURE (20-laps): KEVIN WILLS, John Pfeffer, Loren Lincoln, Shawn Donath, Dan Wiesner, Scott Joy, Dave Just, Tim Alton, Jon Miller, Eldon Payne Jr., Richard Briggs, Gus Hurlburt, Gary Hotaling, Steve Doell, Steve Way, Rob Bussey, Paul Guererri, Wade Czymmek, Taunya Hance, Todd Henderson, Dale Kissel, Frank Burnell, Tom Jansch.

MODIFIED

HEAT 1: S. Paine, D. Ruggles, C. Bower, V. Vitale, C. Brachmann.
HEAT 2: T. McCreadie, C. Donk, P. Vigneri, D. Rauscher, R. Cartwright Jr.
HEAT 3: A. Johnson, G. Tomkins, V. Coffey, K. Comfort, B. Decker.
HEAT 4: M. Sheppard, K. Johnson, D. Podsiadlo, R. Bliss, J. Roberts.

FEATURE (50-laps): STEVE PAINE, Vic Coffey, Alan Johnson, Billy Decker, Gary Tomkins, Tim McCreadie, Justin Haers, Matt Sheppard, Chuck Bower, Darryl Ruggles, Ray Bliss, John Plumb, Derrick Podsiadlo, Dave Rauscher, Karl Comfort, Kenny Johnson, Jim Roberts, Charlie Donk, Bob McCreadie, Chad Brachmann, Vince Vitale, Mike Bliss, Phil Vigneri, Ron Cartwright Jr., Mike Ward, Allen Willoughby, Don Slover.