JIPP ORTIZ WINS TOP GUN ONE SHOOT OUT

CANANDAIGUA, NY...Jipp Ortiz, from Ransomville, won the 50-lap Top Gun One Shoot Out last Saturday, September 15, at Canandaigua Speedway. The event was sponsored by Wesley Construction and Tri-Co Overhead Doors of Victor, NY. Ortiz picked up $1,000 for his victory. In the Street Stocks Mike Welch won the 25-lap feature and $300. Also on hand were the Mid-State Vintage Racers with wins going to Dick Ackerman (50's), Pat Sonnenberg (60's) and Chris Brougham (70's). Mike Stanton won the four lap officials race.

Ortiz, who started on the outside pole gave way to pole sitter Kevin Smith at the start of the ARANY 50-lapper. Tom Cannizzaro brought out the first of nine yellows following a spin in the first turn on lap five. Smith maintained his lead on the restart over Chad Homan, Ortiz, Andy Dembeck Jr. and Billy King. Ortiz repassed Homan for second on lap six and then set off, with Smith, in a two car pull away from the rest of the field. A spin in the third turn by Bob McGannon ended the two car duel at the front.

The restart, lap 12, saw Smith and Ortiz still battling for the lead. One lap later Zack Shove looped his mount in the first turn to bring out the yellow. This time on the restart Ortiz took the advantage and the lead. Three yellows followed, laps 16, 19 and 22, all for cars stopping on the track.

On lap 30 the yellow flew when series points leader, Jason Boyle, spun out while running in third. This placed Boyle at the back of the pack with less then half the race remaining to protect his points lead.

Ortiz was able to pull away to nearly a four second advantage over Smith, Jon Miller, Tommy Barron and Pete Stefanski. On lap 34 a loud boom could be heard as Smith entered the first turn, having his right rear tire go flat. Smith pulled his car into the infield and out of the race.

Ortiz led Jon Miller for the remainder of the race, with Homan running in third. At the finish line it was Ortiz, Miller, and Stefanski in third by inches over Homan. Barron rounded out the top five.

Miller, who started 25th, received the specially designed Les Whyte Hard Charger Award Clock presented by Debbie Whyte in victory lane.

The 25-lap Top Gun One Shoot Out for Street Stocks got off to a rocky start when Darren Phippen got airborne on the back stretch and was tagged, in mid-air, by a number of other cars causing starter Mike Stanton to wave the red flag.

Mike Welch would lead the entire 25-lap distance, except for two laps, as only five yellow flags slowed the race. James Henry ran a good race in second only to spin out on lap eight in the first turn. Nick Rizzo then took over second only to lose the position following on track contact with Mike Minutolo. This allowed Leroy lewis to take over second. Lewis was running well enough to take the lead on lap 19 as the yellow flew. During this yellow Lewis turned pitside leaving the lead back in the hands of Welch.

Welch then found Henry back on his tail. Henry pulled alongside of Welch, taking the lead on lap 24. The yellow flew setting up a one lap dash to the checkers. Welch was able to pull back in front of Henry exiting the third turn and hold on for a narrow win in a photo finish with Henry. Newcomer Bob Cox finished a very respectable third followed by Richard Briggs and Phil LaVare.

The Mid-State Vintage Racers had 22 cars on hand for their finale of the year. Pat Sonnenberg sailed through the competition to claim the victory in the 50's-60's 12-lap feature. In the 70's 12-lap main it would be Chris Brougham in a photo finish with John McNamee.

CANANDAIGUA NOTES: Co-promoter Gary Spaid, was torn about running this race following the tragedies in New York City, Washington DC, and Pennsylvania. Plans to go ahead went into place on Thursday evening following a call by many top government officials to continue with planned events if possible to bring back some diversion to the public. "I was shocked that two people thanked me for staging this event, even though I knew we would have a tough time of it based on the happenings of the week."....35 Pro-Stocks, 26 Street Stocks and 22 Vintage cars were on hand for this race...A special tribute by race teams was staged at the beginning of the night when the anthem was played. All teams came trackside in a salute to victims of the terrorist attacks.

Canandaigua Speedway is now closed for the 2001. Plans to reopen in April 2002 are in the works.

WESLEY CONSTRUCTION/TRI-CO OVERHEAD DOORS presents the TOP GUN ONE SHOOT OUT NIGHT SUMMARY

MID-STATE VINTAGE RACERS

50'S-60'S HEAT: P. Sonneberg, J. Hilimire, M. Sweet, D. Ackerman, B. Litzenberger.
70'S HEAT: C. Brougham, J. McNamee, S. Gates, C. McNamee, Sa. Gates.

50'S-60'S FEATURE (12-laps): PAT SONNENBERG, Michael Sweet, Brad Litzenberger, James Hilimire, DICK ACKERMAN, Leon Litzenberger, Gordie Wood, Robert Kritz, Joey Edgbert, Car 11, DNS: Rod Hadden.

70'S FEATURE (12-laps): CHRIS BROUGHAM, John McNamee, Ally Amell, Bob Williams Sr., Same Gates, Gary Byerly, Al Harju, Scot Gates, Clay McNamee, Lowery Siemens, DNS: Sam Gates.

STREET STOCKS

HEAT 1: J. LaBarge, D. Phippen, B. Smith, C. Jacobs, R. Cooper.
HEAT 2: J. Cologgi, L. Lewis, J. Henry, V. Vanderwall, P. LaVare.
HEAT 3: M. Welch, M. Minutolo, E. Giguere, R. Briggs, K. Collins.

ADVANTAGE AUTO of ONTARIO DASH: Jared LaBarge, Mike Welch, Jim Cologgi.

CONSI: N. Rizzo, B. Cox, K. Schrader, M. Cuppernell, D. Quigley, A. DePey, R. Pierce, G. Whithey.

FEATURE (25-laps): MIKE WELCH, James Henry, Bobby Cox, Richard Briggs, Phil LaVare, Ray Cooper, Chris Jacobs, Mike Cuppernell, Adam Depey, Brandon Smith, Gordon Whithey, Nick Rizzo, Mike Minutolo, Kevin Collins, Leroy Lewis, Vance Vanderwall, Jared LaBarge, Jim Cologgi, Kevin Schrader, Robert Pierce, Darren Phippen, Eric Giguere, DNS: Doug Quigley.

ARANY PRO-STOCKS

HEAT 1: J. Ortiz, L. Burnett, B. McGannon, S. Devos, P. Barone, D. Gilbert.
HEAT 2: A. Dembeck Jr., B. King, M. Cooper, J. Boyle, P. Hobbs, D. Werner Jr.
HEAT 3: K. Smith, P. Stefanski, D. Conant, T. Cannizzaro, S. Govertsen, R. Breed.
HEAT 4: C. Homan, T.J. Fitzgibbons, B. Irwin, T. Barron, W. Ellison, J. Howard.

LES WHYTE MEMORIAL DASH: Kevin Smith, Jipp Ortiz, Chad Homan, Andy Dembeck Jr.

CONSI: J. Miller, T. Kuck, S. Fremouw, Z. Shove, D. Hilkert, J. Rutkowski, L. Jackson.

FEATURE (50-laps): JIPP ORTIZ, Jon Miller, Pete Stefanski, Chad Homan, Tom Barron, Mike Cooper, Tom Cannizzaro, Jason Boyle, Scott Fremouw, Zach Shove, Scott Govertsen, Louis Jackson, Ricky Breed, John Howard, Dan Gilbert, Lee Burnett, Patrick Hobbs, Bob McGannon, Kevin Smith, Billy King, Butchie Irwin, Daryl Hilkert, T.J. Fitzgibbons, Andy Dembeck Jr., Tom Kuck, Dave Conant, Dick Werner Jr., Steve Devos, Wayne Ellison, Phil Barone, John Rutkowski.