MOTHER NATURE TAKES WIN AT CANANDAIGUA LAST SATURDAY

CANANDAIGUA, NY...It has seemed that almost every Saturday afternoon the threat of rain has hung over Canandaigua Speedway all summer long. Last Saturday the skies opened up around 3 p.m. and dumped nearly a half inch of rain on the speedway. That storm was followed by some clearing. At that point the track crew still had the opportunity to try and save the racing surface. It was that second hit, around 4:30 p.m., that did the speedway in.

"The prospect of another painful night of trying to run the track in under 100 percent humidity was not what we wanted to face," commented track general manager. "We learned our lesson about that back at the end of July."

After the rains stopped the skies turned sunny. Yet the street in front of the track remained wet for hours attesting to the humidity problems.

This sets up one final points night this Saturday, September 4, starting at 7 p.m. sharp. Extra distance events mark the final track points night, offering regular points for each event. The DIRT Modifieds will be running the Labatt/Owasco Beverages 50 lap finale. Also on tap with be the Paine Motorsports 25 for Sportsman and a second 25 lapper for Pro-Stocks. The Street Stocks will wind their points season up with a 20 lap feature.

Already locked into the 2004 Canandaigua Track championships are Jipp Ortiz in the Pro-Stocks and Mike Welch in the Street Stocks.

In the Modifieds, all Steve Paine will have to do is to take the green flag to assure himself of at least a possible tie with Vic Coffey. Coffey would have to win and Paine finish 23 or worse.

The 358-Modified point race looked to be all Randy Chrysler until Chrysler stopped running weekly as to coach his kids' lacrosse team. Scott Boudinot holds a 23 point lead over Mike Bliss and a 27 point lead on Chrysler.

The Sportsman are locked into the closest points battle. Eldon Payne Jr. has a slim 5 point lead over last year's champion Paul Guererri. Long shots in many people's minds are Todd Henderson and Scott Schrader sitting third and fourth just 31 and 33 points respectively off the lead.

The 2004 season at Canandaigua will wrap up on September 25 and 26 with the Legends Championship Weekend. The schedule of events that weekend include; On Saturday- a 100-lap 358-Modified turning Stone Casino Resorts feature, a 30-lap DIRT Sportsman Sunoco West Region feature, a 50-lap Top Gun One Shoot Out West Regional Empire Sports Network Pro-Stock main. Race time on Saturday starts at 3 p.m..

On Sunday - a 100-lap Advance Auto Parts Champions Challenge feature for the big-block modifieds and a special BOSS Street Stock event. race time starts on Sunday at 2 p.m..

For more information contact canandaiguaspeedway.com.

TOP 10 IN CANANDAIGUA POINTS GOING INTO THE FINAL POINTS NIGHT

DIRT MODIFIEDS: Steve Paine 770, Vic Coffey 730, Gary Tomkins 707, Chad Brachmann 688, Chuck Bower 652, Charlie Donk 600, Justin Haers 575, Karl Comfort 565, Darryl Ruggles 514, Chuck Graham 511.

DIRT 358-MODIFIEDS: Scott Boudinot 679, Mike Bliss 656, Randy Chrysler 652, Mike Ward 582, Ron White 534, Dale Kissell 286, Allen Willoughby 242, Bobby Parrow 216, Jim Roberts 152, Ron Cartwright Sr. 104.

SPORTSMAN: Eldon Payne Jr. 682, Paul Guererri 677, Todd Henderson 651, Scott Schrader 649, Ricky VanNeil 608, Gus Hurlburt 528, Justin henderson 511, Rob Bussey 509, Phil LaVare 501, Dan Wiesner 439.

PRO-STOCKS: Jipp Ortiz 858, Chad Homan 720, Frank Guererri Jr. 714, Bill Hallett 710, James henry 708, Daryl Hilkert 694, Billy Brown 574, Kevin Smith 572, Roger Chrysler 560, Brian Thompson 448.

STREET STOCKS: Mike Welch 802, Adam Depuy 681, Blane Smith 677, Nat Peckham 638, Rocco Conte 625, Nick Rizzo 582, Mike Minutolo 555, Mike Murphy 545, Leroy lewis 545, Kevin Collins 513.