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Rick Zacharias, Rick Kopf and Roger Coss Notch Sunday Wins at Mountain
By: Gene Ostrowski
June
22, 2008
Mountain Speedway held its fourth of seven special shows Sunday at the
1/3-mile asphalt oval. Rick Zacharias scored the victory in the
sport-modified feature, as did Rick Kopf in the super stock main event.
Roger Coss grabbed the legend feature and Robert Vassilatos grabbed the
gold in the bandolarro main.
Scott Riggleman and Mike Skarbowski shared the front row for the start
of the 40-lap sport modified feature event. Riggleman shot out to the
early lead with Kevin Davison in second. Skarbowski slid back early and
Shaun Carrig grabbed third and Rick Zacharias moved to fourth.
Several cautions plagued the event with the first coming two laps in,
after Rick Hallgrind spun in turns one and two.
Carrig grabbed the lead when Riggleman slid up the track two laps after
the restart. Only one lap clicked off after and Zacharias powered to
the front.
Carrig slid back a few spots and by lap ten, Anthony Sesely moved into
second with Riggleman third. Justin Gumley cracked the top five just
before halfway.
With eleven laps remaining, Carrig regained the second spot from Sesely
and set sail for Zacharias. Zacharias held on for the win, which was
his first at the speedway since the 2004 season. Carrig settled for
second, followed by Sesely, Gumley and Riggleman.
A trophy was presented to the highest finisher with a “crate” engine,
courtesy of Morgantini Racing Engines. Robert Sutphin won the award
with his sixth place effort.
Kevin Davison and Rick Zacharias were heat race winners.
During intermission, sport modified driver, Bobby Richards, purchased
several Mountain Speedway t-shorts, then gave them away to fans in the
grandstands.
Bill Vanderveen and Elliot Wohl led the super stock field to the drop of
the green flag in the 25-lap feature. After winning their heat races
earlier in the afternoon, the two battled for the first two circuits
before Billy Cole captured the lead.
Rick Kopf started in seventh, but it only took seven laps for him to
take the lead. The pass for the top spot was the feat of the afternoon,
as he worked under Wohl and Cole with a three-wide racing move off of
turn four.
With ten laps in the book, Kopf led over Frank Reakes, Cole, Wohl and
Gregg Miranda.
Reakes pressured Kopf for the lead and the two ran side by side for a
number of laps. Although he did lead a lap during the exchange, Reakes
tucked back into the second spot.
The red flag waved on lap sixteen when Miranda and Nick Gargiulo
collected in turns three and four. Gargiulo almost saved his car, but
ended up slamming into the turn four wall with the driver’s side of his
race car. Track officials rushed to the scene and Gargiulo climbed from
the car under his own power.
A tire began to go down on Reakes’ machine after the restart and the
field slipped by. Kopf remained out front and held off Cole to notch
his first career victory at the speedway. After starting last, Chip
Wanamaker made a strong move through the field to finish a strong
third. Ron Frees and Ron Gargiulo completed the top five.
Eighteen legend cars lined up on the track for the start of the 20-lap
feature. Matt Maring brought the field down for the start and gained
the advantage over Karl Heisler and Mike Alcaro.
With six laps in the books, Alcaro made a turn four pass stick on Maring
to take the lead. Only two laps later, Derek Hopkinson grabbed second
from Maring.
Alcaro continued to hold the point at mid race over Hopkinson, Maring,
Roger Coss and Mark Tischler.
Just three laps past halfway, Alcaro slipped up the track and allowed
Hopkinson to take the lead. Coss grabbed second. It wasn’t until
interviews later on that Alcaro said he lost the lead because his
steering wheel cam off while driving down the front stretch.
With six laps remaining, Coss drove by Hopkinson and into the lead. He
held on to notch his second win of the season over Alcaro, Hopkinson,
Maring and Tischler.
Mike Alcaro, Roger Coss and Karl Heisler were heat race winners.
Two bandolarros took to the speedway for a 15-lap feature. Ryan Truex
held the early lead over Robert Vassilatos. The two ran side-by-side
for a number of laps before Truex’s car began to miss. The car stalled
on the backstretch and it was determined that he had run out of fuel.
The event was shortened to eight laps with Vassilatos taking the
victory.
Results
Sport Modifieds
(40-laps) 1.
RICK ZACHARIAS 2. Shaun Carrig 3. Anthony Sesely 4. Justin Gumley 5.
Scott Riggleman 6. Robert Sutphin 7. Mike Skarbowski 8. Kevin Davison 9.
Jason Treat 10. Mike Speeney 11. Randy MacConnell 12. Rich Hallgrind 13.
Bobby Richards 14. Bob Ankner DNS: Gary Pien
Super Stocks (25-laps) 1. RICK KOPF 2. Billy Cole 3. Chip Wanamaker 4.
Ron Frees 5. Rob Gargiulo 6. William Vanderveen 7. Frank Reakes 8. Jerry
Stanzione 9. Michelle Moormann 10. Elliott Wohl 11. Gregg Miranda 12.
Nick Gargiulo 13. Chris Halstead
Legends (20-laps)
1. ROGER COSS 2.
Mike Alcaro 3. Derek Hopkinson 4. Matt Maring 5. Mark Tischler 6. Karl
Heisler 7. Drew Weisser 8. AJ Wright 9. Robby Walton 10. Eddie McCarthy
11. Vinny Troia 12. Kenny Van Wickle 13. Matt Mescera 14. Justin
Alicchio 15. John Hughet 16. Greg Rittenhouse 17.John Lotti 18. JJ
Artfitch
Bandolarros (8-laps) 1. ROBERT VASSILATOS 2. Tyler Truex
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