DECKER, GUERERRI, ORTIZ AND MINUTOLO FINALLY BREAK MOTHER NATURE'S HOLD AT CANANDAIGUA

CANANDAIGUA, NY...Franklin, NY's Billy Decker earned his first DIRT Modified feature of the season at Canandaigua Speedway last Saturday as cold and somewhat dreary skies replaced the two weeks of rain outs. Decker, who's best finish this season at the track was a fourth, is the current points leader in the Advance Auto Parts DIRT Modified Super Series.

Paul Guererri picked up his third feature of the year at Canandaigua in a "crash-fest" feature that saw nearly half the starting field involved in accidents. Jipp Ortiz made easy work of the Pro-Stock field to claim another Canandaigua victory. In the Street Stocks Mike "roll-over" Minutolo finally kept his car on all fours and came home the winner of the 15-lap feature. the ladies then joined in on the fun running their first "Ladies Race" of the year. Jill Mott, the daughter of former DIRT Late Model driver Jim Mott, nearly lapped the entire field in just six laps to claim the win.

The 35-lap DIRT Modified feature got off to a rough start when Bob McCreadie and son Tim, came together in the first turn, eliminating Tim from the rest of the feature race. Up front Vince Vitale was running strong until Billy Decker, using the low groove down the back chute, made the pass for the lead on lap six.

The yellow flew numerous time on lap 11 and 12 for cars spinning out and slowing on the speedway surface. A lap 12 multi- car wreck exiting the fourth turn collected Gary Tomkins, Vic Coffey, Brian Michaels, Mike Ward and John Plumb. All involved were able to continue.

Another multi-car incident took place on lap 17, just as Steve Paine pinched off Chuck Bower for second, behind Decker. Involved in this melee were Michaels and Jim Roberts. Phil Vigneri was unable to stop as the field threaded it's way through the incident and hit the front wheel on the Michaels's car.

Steve Paine now had his hands full with trying to maintain second by holding back Bower and attempting to gain ground on Decker. Bower retook the position on lap 20. In an attempt around the high side, Paine tried the pass on lap 26 through the third turn. His car however lost traction and went over the banking and into the grass. He returned at the back of the field more determined then ever.

Canandaigua modified points leader, Paine, was now on a mission. He passed cars left and right over the remaining nine circuits. In the meantime Decker extended his lead to nearly a full ten car lengths over Bower at the finish line. Matt Sheppard came home in third followed by Coffey. Paine's efforts paid off with a fifth place finish.

The 20-lap Sportsman race saw rookie Steve Doell lead from his pole starting spot to lead all but the final three laps. Amy Pfeffer was the first recipient of bad luck when steering issues sidelined the young lady on the first lap of the race.

The red flag had to fly on lap six when Frank Burnell looped his car in front of the field while running fourth. He was collected by a number of cars in the fourth turn, including Taunya Lovejoy, who's car hit the inside barrier hard causing her to injure her knee. She was looked at at the track and released.

Todd Henderson had his great run ended by a plume of smoke while running fourth in a side-by-side duel with Loren Lincoln on lap 18. Henderson slipped his car into the infield in a sportsman like gesture, not causing a yellow.

At this same time Paul Guererri caught Doell and completed the pass for the win. Doell held on for a great second place finish. Scott Joy, Lincoln and Dan Wiesner rounded out the top five finishers.

The 20-lap Pro-Stock main saw Jipp Ortiz, while running third on lap nine, great a great restart following a yellow flag for flat tires on Tiger Chapman's and Scott Fremouw's cars. Ortiz power by second place Frank Guererri Jr. before the pack reached the third turn. He then moved under leader Chad Homan for the lead exiting the fourth turn.

Ortiz built up a five car advantage over Homan. A late race yellow flew on lap 17 when Matt Smith made contact with the second turn wall. this allowed Homan to restart on Ortiz's back bumper. But it was not enough. Ortiz took the win with Homan in second. Guererri Jr., Fred Arden and James Henry rounded out the top five finishers.

The 15-lap Street Stock main saw 24 cars take the green. Nick Rizzo, who had suffered some poor finishes over the last few weeks of racing, parlayed those finishes into a pole starting spot. Rizzo then used that position to take the early lead of the race.

A yellow on lap seven would make the difference in the outcome of the race. Mike Minutolo, who was running in second was able to power off the restart line much better then Rizzo. Minutolo built up a five car lead in that lap alone. Rizzo caught back up to the back of Minutolo, but found himself in a battle with Mike Welch for second.

At the finish line it was Minutolo for the win followed Welch, Rizzo, Jim Burba and Adam Depuy.

Best get well wishes go out to Pit-sign In manager Pat Johnson. Johnson is recovering in the hospital from a heart attack. Her husband, Art Johnson, a pit steward at Canandaigua, also suffered a heart attack two weeks ago. He is now recovering at home.

This Saturday will be Autogenesis and Canandaigua Motors night at the speedway. On tap will be a complete program of DIRT Modifieds, Sportsman, Pro-Stock and Street Stock action. Added to this will be an FMX East Extreme Motocross exhibition.

Race time at Canandaigua on June 14, will be at 7 p.m. sharp. Canandaigua Speedway is located at the Ontario County Fairgrounds just east of the village of Canandaigua, NY.

CANANDAIGUA WINDOW CLEANING PLUS/CASTLE CAR CARE PRODUCTS NIGHT SUMMARY

STREET STOCKS

HEAT 1: A. Depuy, N. Peckham, N. Dandini, D. Marcuccilli, J. Burba.
HEAT 2: N. Rizzo, S. Washburn, M. Minutolo, B. Smith, M. Rasbeck.
HEAT 3: T. Burnell, J. Wilson, L. Lewis, M. Welch, K. Collins.

FEATURE (15-laps): MIKE MINUTOLO, Mike Welch, Nick Rizzo, Jim Burba, Adam Depuy, Blaine Smith, Vance Vanderwall, Nat Peckham,
Steve Washburn, Darren Phippen, Kevin Collins, Chris Jacobs, Don Jones, Mike Shaw, Nick Dandini, Jeremy Wilson, Kyle LaVare, Mike Rasbeck, Eric Chapman, Brian Lloyd, Dave Marcuccilli, Leroy Lewis, Tim Burnell, Chris Hogan.

LADIES FEATURE (6-laps): JILL MOTT, Joanne Henry, Leslie LaVare, Deb Diave, Jennifer Weirich, Gail Green, Heidi Potter.

PRO-STOCKS

HEAT 1: T. Chapman, B. Thompson, S. Fremouw, C. Nugent.
HEAT 2: F. Guererri Jr., J. Henry, D. Hilkert, J. Ortiz.

FEATURE (20-laps): JIPP ORTIZ, Chad Homan, Frank Guererri Jr., Fred Arden, James Henry, Daryl Hilkert, Matt Smith, Brian Thompson, Chad Nugent, Tiger Chapman, Scott Fremouw.

SPORTSMAN

HEAT 1: R. Briggs, J. Pfeffer, F. Burnell, S. Doell, P. Guererri.
HEAT 2: S. Joy, T. Lovejoy, L. Lincoln, E. Payne Jr., J. Pfeffer.
HEAT 3: P. LaVare, D. Wiesner, S. Cheesman, G. Hurlburt, T. Henderson.

FEATURE (20-laps): PAUL GUERERRI, Steve Doell, Scott Joy, Loren Lincoln, Dan Wiesner, John Pfeffer, Gus Hurlburt, Bill Englert, Scott Binns, Jon Miller, Phil LaVare, Dick park Jr., Dale Kissel, Todd Henderson, Wade Czymmek, Richard Briggs, Frank Burnell, Taunya Lovejoy, Eldon Payne Jr., Rob Bussey, Amy Pfeffer.

MODIFIED

HEAT 1: B. Michaels, J. Plumb, D. Ruggles, M. Sheppard, B. Decker, K. Johnson.
HEAT 2: T. McCreadie, R. Cartwright Jr., V. Vitale, C. Brachmann, C. Donk, S. Paine.
HEAT 3: V. Coffey, C. Bower, D. Podsiadlo, K. Comfort, B. McCreadie, G. Tomkins.
CONSI: S. Gray, P. Vigneri, M. Ward, R. Bliss, B. VanPelt, J. LaRock, J. Roberts, S. Whaley.

FEATURE (35-laps): BILLY DECKER, Chuck Bower, Matt Sheppard, Vic Coffey, Steve Paine, Gary Tomkins, Charlie Donk, Karl Comfort, John Plumb, Phil Vigneri, Billy VanPelt, Ray Bliss, Chad Brachmann, Jim Roberts, Vince Vitale, Steve Gray, Shannon Whaley, Mike Ward, Brian Michaels, Darryl Ruggles, Ron Cartwright Jr., Derrick Podsiadlo, Jim LaRock, Ken Johnson, Bob McCreadie, Tim McCreadie.