Scott Johnson Wins Super Late Model Feature at Stateline Speedway
By Glenn Slocum

            Busti, NY: Mother Nature cooperated for the second race of the 2004 season for Stateline Speedway. One hundred and thirty five cars were on hand for evening’s events. Scott Johnson won a caution strewn Super Late Model event that saw a number of cautions and a roll over by Bill Cunningham. Quincy Turner narrowly beat rookie Tommy Fox for the King of the Hill title and the top starting spot in the E-Mod feature event. Turner won the qualifying rounds but John Lacki won the feature in convincing style. Chris Couchenour won his second feature in the Spectator class and Luke Rutsky took the trophy in the Super Challenger class. Mark Hall led from lap three to take the top spot in the Outlaw Cadet class. Pat McGuire in the USA#1 car won the Budweiser Super Sportsman feature.

             Twenty-two Super Late Models took Halls green for their twenty five lap event. Ted Kosinski and Matt Lamphere tangled in turn one immediately after the start for the first yellow. Paul Briggs showing some right side damage led the restart followed by Scott Gurdak and Scott Johnson. Briggs fell to the veterans on the restart as Johnson led the first lap with Gurdak second and Dick Barton third, then a three car incident with Mark Ramsey, Ward Schell and Bill Cunningham stopped the race before the second lap could be completed. Johnson prevailed on the restart then Wally Fox and Rich Gardner brought out the yellow on lap four. Fox was able to continue but Gardner pulled into the pits with a flat. Gardner rejoined the file before the restart and Barton slowed to a stop on the backstretch requiring a wrecker to get to the pits. Ron Maloy took Barton’s spot in third but nearly spun one lap later and the caution flew for Fox trying to limp into the pits.  Eighteen remained for the restart then Bill Cunningham rolled over coming out of turn two with Kosinski, George LaBarbera and Kevin Weise also involved. LaBarbera and Cunningham left the track on the hook as officials aligned the field for the lap five restart. Fox returned fro the restart but Mike Brocious stopped against the turn one wall. One more lap was completed then Lamphere stopped on the backstretch. Lamphere was able to restart as sixteen cars remained. Mark Ramsey, Wendell Pinckney, Mike Coyle and Weise had trouble exiting turn four on the restart. Dan Armbruster was stopped when the yellow appeared but refused to restart at the rear then retired from the event. Johnson, Gurdak and Maloy pulled away from Paul Briggs as the race finaly settled down to green flag racing. Johnson caught the back markers on lap fifteen with Gurdak ten car lengths behind. Maloy caught Gurdak with four to and swapped the positions a couple times but Gurdak’s high line was just a little faster. Johnson won going away with Gurdak second, Maloy third and rookie Paul Briggs fourth. 

            Lester Shoff who also led lap number one led thirty Spectator cars to the speedway for their feature event. The Pat Landy collected the number 8 car and nosed into the back stretch wall bringing out the first yellow of the event. Shoff, Rush Firestone, and Mike Coast were the top three for the lap two restart. Chris Couchenour, Firestone and Mike Zemcik tangled on the backstretch spinning Zemcik into the infield. Shoff remained the leader on the restart with Nate Lester second and Couchenour in third. Ron Fish lost the handle on the restart spinning in turn one for the third yellow. Twenty-one cars restarted lap three and Couchenour led the lap followed by Lester and Kevin Brumett. John Swabik and Dave Tackett moved into the top three just before a lap eight caution for two slowing cars. Swabik tapped Couchenour under Spanky Hall’s checkered flag but Couchenour hung on for the win. Swabik finished second with Tackett taking third. 

           Kyle Weilacher spun on the second lap of the Super Challenger feature as Derrick Frank led. Luke Rutsky and Jason Genco both got by Frank on lap three. The red flag was brought out for Jay Seeking who had rolled his car over in turn four and was resting on its roof. Seeking was okay and his car was pushed into the pits. Glenn Slaney captured the second spot on the restart. Rutsky won the event with a left front flat and Slaney finished second and Genco third. 

            Rick Loomis and Jamie Erhard were on the front row of the Outlaw Cadet event. Erhard led the first lap with Mark Hall second. A seven-car incident brought out the yellow on lap three. Bill Dunn was unable to continue while Nathan Short and Tom Hagberg visited the pits with Scott Lewis, Andy Knight, John Cline and Dan McGarvie relegated to the rear of the field. Mark Hall led after the restart with Erhard second and Mike Moore third. Rick Loomis slowed on the front stretch for the second yellow.  Last years champion Ron Seeley moved into third on the restart as Hall pulled away for the second place car of Erhard. Phil Knight brought out the yellow on lap twelve allowing the field to close with Hall. Seeley nearly spun on the restart losing several positions and hard charging Andy Knight moved into the third spot. Hall went on for the win and Erhard held off Knight for second.

             Chad Carlson led the first two laps then a slowing Bob Van Arsdale brought out the caution on lap three of the Budweiser Super Sportsman feature. Carlson led after the restart with Pat McGuire second and Don McGuire third. Jake Eller and Tim Nocero both spun on lap seven for the second yellow. Carlson tried an outside move around Eller on lap eleven and ran out of room. Carlson tagged the wall and then spun in front of the field. Pat McGuire inherited the lead on the restart winning the event with Dan Nocero second followed by Pete Volpe.

            Rookie Tommy Fox took the lead from Quincy Turner on lap one of the E-Mod main event. John Lacki was all over Turner for second. Fox cut corner four short on lap five and in the scramble to avoid him Turner and Shane Applebee spun for the first caution. Lacki wrested the lead from Fox on the green but the yellow quickly followed as Tim Rater had nosed his car into the turn one wall. Lacki beat Fox out of turn two on the restart and Bill Thomas moved into the third spot. Kevin Decker spun to a stop in turn three for caution three on lap eight. Justin Carlson nosed by Thomas for third on the restart then passed Fox on the next lap for the runner up spot as Spanky Hall indicated five to go. Fox fell back as the laps wound down and Shane Applebee took the third spot. Carlson tried but could not catch Lacki who won by two car lengths.            

Spectators:

Heat 1: John Kelsey, Matt Lozowski, Bob Kinne, Dave McClanahan

Heat 2: Lester Shoff, Dan Surrena, Ken Jackson, Mike Coast

Heat 3: Chris Couchenour, John Swabik, Brian Crandall, Nate Lester

Feature : Chris Couchenour, John Swabik, Dave Tackett, Brian Crandall, Nate Lester, John Kelsey, Dana Wellington, Matt Lozowski, Rush Firestone, Dan Surrena

Super Challenger: 

Heat 1: Mike Genco, Jay Seekings, Jason Genco,

Heat 2: Luke Rutsky, Wade Slaney, Ryan Scott

Feature : Luke Rutsky, Glenn Slaney, Jason Genco, Ryan Scott, Dereck Frank, Domininic Depancean, Mike Hamernick,

Outlaw Cadets:  

Heat 1: Andy Knight, Mike Moore, Bill Dunn

Heat 2: Ron Seeley, Mark Hall, Phil Knight

Feature: Mark Hall, Jamie Erhard, Andy Knight, Ron Seeley, Mike Moore, Nathan Short, Mike Knight, Dan McGarvie, Paul Norman, John Cline

Budweiser Super Sportsman:

 Heat 1: Will Wanstreet, Chris Kuschel, Scott Kuschel
Heat 2: Chad Carlson, Mike Kosinski, Bobby Rohrer

Feature: Pat McGuire, Dan Nocero, Pete Volpe, Bobby Rohrer, Chris Kuschel, Will Wanstreet, Jake Eller, Jim Leonard, Bryan Ester, Doug Birath

E-Mod King of the Hill

 Round 1:  Justin Carlson, Tim Rater

Round 2:  John Lacki, Dale Applebee

Round 3:  Tommy Fox, Kevin Decker

Round 4:  Chad Silleman, Wally Nelson

Round 5:  Dan Nocero, Gary Kielar

Round 6:  Quincy Turner, Brian Fardink

Round 7:  Bill Thomas, Shane Applebee

Round 8:  John Lacki, Justin Carlson

Round 9: Quincy Turner, Dan Nocero

Round 10: John Lacki, Bill Thomas

Round 11: Tommy Fox, Chad Silleman

Round 12: Quincy Turner, John Lacki

Round 13: Quincy Turner, Tommy Fox

Feature: John Lacki, Justin Carlson, Shane Applebee, Dan Nocero, Bill Thomas, Kevin Decker, Gerry             Kielar, Tommy Fox, Dale Applebee, Tim Rater

Super Late Model:

 Heat 1: Paul Briggs, Wally Fox, Bill Cunningham, Ward Schell, Andy Boozel

Heat 2: Scott Gurdak, Dick Barton, Rod Maloy, Matt Lamphere, Dan Armbruster

Heat 3: Scott Johnson, Rich Gardner, Jason Morell, Moose Dunnewold, Bump Hedman

Feature: Scott Johnson, Scott Gurdak, Rod Maloy, Paul Briggs, Bump Hedman, Wally Fox, Ted Kosinski, Rich Gardner, Ward Schell, Wendell Pinckney, Matt Lamphere, Mike Coyle, Dick Barton, Jason Morell, Mark Ramsey, Kevin Weise, Dan Armbruster, Bill Cunningham, George LaBarbera, Mike Brocious, Moose Dunnewold