July 2nd, 2011 - Hess Jr. comes from back to win Fritz Seamens Memorial!
By Jay Pees

 

 The Spectator class was the first feature with 27 racers taking Mark Matthews green flag.  Todd Bacon and Doug Harvey led the field to the green. Nicholas Mohawk spun coming down the main straight, drawing the first caution of the evening.  After another lap one restart Bacon took off with the lead but caution was again in the air a lap later with Doug Harvey leading and Bacon back to fourth behind Steve Keith Jr and Lee Meyers. After two more cautions, a single file restart was put in effect, allowing the race to stay green for six laps.  Keith got by Harvey at lap seven. At lap eight Bill Reeves and Cody Bliss got together in lap four, again slowing the action.  The thirty minute time limit was reached at this point and Keith was declared the winner. 

After a giant fireworks display honoring Fritz Seamens, twenty Super Late Models took to the track with Scott Gurdak and Chris Hackett on the front row at the start of the 55-lapper, one lap for each year of Stateline’s history.  Dennis Lunger and Ryan Scott both spun in turn one. On the next try to start Dave Hess Jr wound up against the first turn wall.  The third attempt was halted when Jim Mason spun in turn one.  Gurdak finally led lap one with Hackett right on his bumper, using the extreme high line.  With Gurdak hugging the bottom, Hackett used the momentum of the top lane to lead lap four by a nose, then be in command at the completion of the next lap.  Behind the leaders Randy Lobb and Greg Oakes were having a side by side battle for third with the most recent winner, Doug Eck in fifth. After pitting from his encounter with the wall, Hess was in the top ten by lap 12. Hackett was using the highest line possible seemingly scraping the wall with the right rear quarter panel at times.  At lap 15 Gurdak had caught Hackett again and led lap 17.  By 18, Eck was third and gaining on the leaders.  Eck got by Hackett and was second at lap 20.  Caution flew again at lap 25 when Dutch Davies experienced steering problems and slowed in turn three.  At green Eck tried to get by for the lead. Eck and Gurdak were side by side at the line on lap 26 with Eck pulling ahead a lap later.  Hess was up to sixth at this point. At lap 31 the leader suddenly slowed at the end of the back straight with front suspension problems, handing the lead back to Gurdak with Dave Hess Jr now second after restarting the race from last from the lap one caution.  At the line on lap 33 Hess was the leader.  With twenty laps to go Hess’s lead was 4.5 seconds over Gurdak.  With 15 laps to go Dennis Lunger again spun, this time in turn one, retiring to the pit after caution was shown.  At lap 46 Lobb’s run came to an end as he pulled to the infield and two laps later Gurdak slowed, pulling to the infield from second.  Valone was now the runner-up, a quarter lap behind.  At the finish it was Hess over Valone with Greg Oakes third, Andy Boozel fourth and Rod Maloy fifth.  This was Hess’s fourteenth Late Model win at Stateline and the 205^th total in his career in all classes at all tracks.

Paul Norman and Ryan Scott paced the twelve Outlaw Cadets to the green with Scott grabbing the immediate lead over Norman with most recent winner Chad Carlson third.  It was four laps before caution number one, which was for John Cline and Jake Finnerty.  At green Carlson moved to second and Steve Kania came to third a lap later.  At seven laps Carlson was the leader, looking for his second consecutive win.  Two more cautions, both for Cline, was all that slowed Carlson’s march to his fourth win of the season.  At the finish it was Carlson over Scott with Kania third, Norman fourth and Steve Moynihan fifth.

John Boyd and John Boardman brought the 28-car E-Mod field to green but second row starter Rich Michael spun in turn four, eventually involving Scott Gurdak and Dave Shagla as well as Michael.  Dan Davies came from row three to follow the leader Boyd at the end of lap one with caution coming out just after the leaders crossed the line.  On lap three Davies got under the leader and was leading by three car-lengths at the end of the lap.  Six more cautions slowed the field but Davies prevailed for the win, his first of the season at Stateline.  John Boyd was second with Butch Southwell third, John Boardman fourth, and Greg Johnson fifth. 

Marc Luce and Mark Fox comprised the front row for the Sportsman feature but Clint Brady led the first lap after starting in row three.  At the end of three it was Jake Eller on the point.  Dan Nocero Jr took over at the point on lap six as caution fell for the second time in the event.   After another pair of caution periods Nocero went on to his second win of the season over Eller and Joe Buccola Jr.

The Crate Late Models came to their green with Kyle Scott and T J Downes up front.  Scott led the first three laps before making way to Ed Carley.  Adam Hilyer lost the handle and spun at lap nine, bringing out the first yellow flag. At green Downes took over second from Scott with Bob Dorman getting by the youngster at lap 12.  Scott then spun a lap later, bringing caution again over the field. Dennis Lunger spun on the restart involving several cars.  Carley then cruised to the win over Downes, Dorman, John Haggerty, and John Lacki. 

Jimmy Diabo went from his sixth place starting spot to the lead in one lap and then went on to the win over Dustin Lamb and Scott Delahoy Jr.  Three cautions slowed the event. 

Heat 1: Doug Eck Corry PA, Matt Urban North East PA, Randy Lobb Jamestown NY, Dave Hess Jr. Waterford PA, Scott Johnson Wattsburg PA

Heat 2: Rod Maloy Panama NY, Chad Valone Jamestown NY, Chris Hackett Corry PA, Darrell Bossard Centerville PA, Andy Kania Waterford PA

Heat 3: Dutch Davies Warren PA, Greg Oakes Franklinville NY, Scott Gurdak Bear Lake PA, Andy Boozel Clymer NY, Dennis Lunger

Feature: Dave Hess Jr. Waterford PA, Chad Valone Jamestown NY, Greg Oakes Franklinville NY, Andy Boozel Clymer NY, Rod Maloy Panama NY, Andy Kania Waterford PA, Darrell Bossard Centerville PA, Scott Johnson Wattsburg PA, Chris Hackett Corry PA, Matt Urban North East PA, John Lacki Sinclairville NY, Nathan Short Panama NY, Scott Gurdak Bear Lake PA, Randy Lobb Jamestown NY, Dennis Lunger, Doug Eck Corry PA, Dutch Davies Warren PA, Ryan Scott, Doug Ricotta Warsaw NY, Jim Mason Filmore NY

Heat 1:Bob Dorman Stockton NY, T.j. Downs Albion NY, Justin Tatlow Franklinville NY, Chad Silleman South Dayton NY, Brian Haggerty Olean NY

Heat 2: Ed Carley Freedom NY, Kyle Scott Garland PA, John Haggerty Olean NY, Dennis Lunger Jr. Albion PA, Newt Tackett North East PA

Feature: Ed Carley Freedom NY, T.j. Downs Albion NY, Bob Dorman Stockton NY, John Haggerty Olean NY, John Lacki Sinclairville NY, Kyle Scott Garland PA, Newt Tackett North East PA, Matthew Harvey Jamestown NY, Justin Tatlow Franklinville NY, Dennis Lunger Jr. Albion PA, Bob Kish Belfast NY, Darwin Peters Jr. Olean NY, Adam Hilyer Erie PA, Brian Haggerty Olean NY, Chad Silleman South Dayton NY

Heat 1: John Boyd Waterford PA, Tim Rockwell Salamanca NY, Butch Southwell Warren PA, Scott Gurdak Bear Lake PA, Brian Fardink Sherman NY

Heat 2: John Boardman Jamestown NY, Nathan Hill East Otto NY, Alex Froman Ashville NY, David Shagla Sugar Grove PA, Steve Huling Mayville NY

Heat 3: Richard Michael Jr. Ischua NY, Dan Davies Warren PA, Dustin Eckman Erie PA, Greg Johnson Jamestown NY, Mike Eschrich Mt. Jewett PA

Feature: Dan Davies Warren PA, John Boyd Waterford PA, Butch Southwell Warren PA, John Boardman Jamestown NY, Greg Johnson Jamestown NY, Scott Gurdak Bear Lake PA, Mike McGee Mayville NY, Jaik Halpainy Ashville NY, Dustin Eckman Erie PA, Mike Eschrich Mt. Jewett PA

Outlaw Cadet

Heat 1: Steve Moynihan Jamestown NY, Ryan Scott Garland PA, Mike Moore Russell PA, Paul Himes Lakewood NY, Jake Finnerty Panama NY

Heat 2: Chad Carlson Lakewood NY, Paul Norman Jr. Gerry NY, Tyler Green Corry PA, Steve Kania Waterford PA, Stan Davis Jr. Jamestown NY

Feature: Chad Carlson Lakewood NY, Ryan Scott Garland PA, Steve Kania Waterford PA, Paul Norman Jr. Gerry NY, Steve Moynihan Jamestown NY, Tyler Green Corry PA, Bob Rouche Garland PA, Jake Finnerty Panama NY, Stan Davis Jr. Jamestown NY, Chad Schauers Frewsburg NY

Heat 1: Joe Buccola Jr. Falconer NY, Dan Nocero Jr. Jamestown NY, Ben Burgess Jr. Sherman NY, Jake Eller Erie PA, Mike Kosinski Ashville NY

Heat 2: Clint Brady Frewsburg NY, Orville Echard III Falconer NY, Marc Luce Randolph NY, Scott Lawson Jamestown NY, Tom Kosinski Lakewood NY

Feature: Dan Nocero Jr. Jamestown NY, Jake Eller Erie PA, Joe Buccola Jr. Falconer NY, Ben Burgess Jr. Sherman NY, Mike Kosinski Ashville NY, Wade Watson Ashville NY, Scott Lawson Jamestown NY, Orville Echard Iii Falconer NY, Clint Brady Frewsburg NY, Mark Fox West Valley NY

Heat 1: Lee Meyers Gerry NY, Todd Bacon Lakewood NY, Elaine Best Jamestown NY, Doug Moore Warren PA, Kevin Hill Gowanda NY

Heat 2: Damon Lewis Great Valley NY, Kyle Weilacher Lakewood NY, Douglas Harvey Jamestown NY, Nicholas Mohawk Irving NY, John Britt Dunkirk NY

Heat 3: Brian Crandall Stockton NY, Mike Moon Brocton NY, Paul Nelson Ashville NY, Sam Courson Cassadaga NY, Gary Fisher North East PA

Feature: Steve Keith Jr Clymer NY, Douglas Harvey Jamestown NY, Lee Meyers Gerry NY, Paul Nelson Ashville NY, Kevin Hill Gowanda NY, Kyle Weilacher Lakewood NY, Jason Covey Clymer NY, Jeremy Williams Wrightsville PA, Brian Crandall Stockton NY, Elaine Best Jamestown NY

Heat 1: Dustin Lamb Jamestown NY, Bill Baker Jr Grand Valley PA, Kevin Covell Sugar Grove PA, Rory Houser Westfield NY, Travis Darling Jamestown NY

Heat 2: Jeff Loomis Lakewood NY, Larry Oakes Sugar Grove PA, Larry Campbell Frewsburg NY, Rick Sperry Kennedy NY, Chad Bender Stockton NY

Heat 3: Tyler Little Youngsville PA, Jimmy Diabo Sinclairville NY, Kyle Jackson Ii Cherry Creek NY, Chris Knisley Jamestown NY, Aaron Liberati Busti NY

Consolation: Pete Eyler Sugar Grove PA, Scott Dellahoy Jr. Sinclairville NY, Randy Beckstrom Frewsburg NY, Colin Eyler Sugar Grove PA, Stephanie Deveraux Lakewood NY, Nathan Lamb Jamestown NY, Jason Black Spring Creek PA, Todd Dean Jamestown NY, Skip Jackson Jamestown NY, Jason Martin Columbus PA

Feature: Jimmy Diabo Sinclairville NY, Dustin Lamb Jamestown NY, Scott Dellahoy Jr. Sinclairville NY, Dale Haines Warren PA, Travis Darling Jamestown NY, Keith Lamb Panama NY, Pete Eyler Sugar Grove PA, Tyler Little Youngsville PA, Aaron Liberati Busti NY, Preston Matve Celeron NY