Ricky Ross, Jr. and Zane Zeiner Share Sport Modified Spotlight at Sundance

By Gene Ostrowski

September 5, 2009

Earning his second win of his rookie Sport Modified season, Ricky Ross, Jr. of Mountaintop, held off Barry Callavini to take the checkers in the first of two Sport Modified headliners Saturday at Sundance Vacations Speedway. After restarting from the tail end of the field following an early caution, Zane Zeiner of Bath, soared to victory lane in the second Sport Mod main event. Robert Fink scored his first Street Stock victory since the 2001 season and for the first time in his career, Eric Banashefski of Ashley, drove to the FWD winners circle and Scott Hubler easily drove to the INEX Legends feature win.

Joe Wielgosz led the Sport Modified field to the drop of the green flag in the 40-lap main event. Wielgosz held the early lead, followed by Harry Schaefer, Paul Frantz, Scott Brannick and Bob Wilson.

Brannick drove into the runner up spot and overtook Wielgosz for the race lead on lap four. Jason Hearne and Scott Adams began to make their presence known and headed toward the top five.

The red flag flew on the following lap when Wilson made contact with the front stretch wall. Several drivers began piling into the mix, including Beryle Herman, CJ Lactavia and Anthony Aquilino. Despite having the entire skin ripped from his roof, Herman was able to continue after heading pit side.

Hearne restarted the race in second and quickly took the race lead on the restart. Adams moved into second and Mike Speeney overtook Brannick for third. Barry Callavini and Zane Zeiner entered the top five by lap 15 and raced hard to catch the leader. First, Callavini overtook Speeney and then Zeiner attempted the pass. Unfortunately, contact was made on the pass and Speeney spun, which sent both drivers to the rear for the lap 18 restart.

With Hearne still in command on lap 21, Callavini attempted to overtake Adams in turn one. The two tangled and Ricky Ross, Jr. slid in the mix as well.

Green flag racing resumed and Hearne led over Mike Skarbowski, Frantz, Frank Reakes and Brannick. However, Zeiner wasted no time and made a hard charge back toward the front. From the sixth spot, Zeiner disposed of three drivers ahead of him and then took second from Skarbowski on lap 29.

Zeiner pulled alongside Hearne and the two dueled side by side for a number of laps before Zeiner came out as the leader with five laps remaining.

Zeiner, of Bath, went on to take his fifth win of the season over Hearne, Skarbowski, Speeney and Callavini. He dedicated the win to his Grandmother, who was seriously injured in an auto accident earlier in the week.

Heat race victories went to Mike Skarbowski, Jason Hearne and Ricky Ross, Jr.

From the pole position, John Stonier led his fellow Street Stock drivers to the drop of the green flag in the 20-lap feature. Robert Fink held second in the early going, followed by Kevin Higgins, Ron Babula and Harry Sager.

The event was slowed by several cautions in the early going and Stonier held the race lead after every restart. Meanwhile, Richie DiMarco began his run toward the front and sat in fourth with only six laps of racing in the books.

Fink worked by Stonier and into the race lead on lap 11. DiMarco worked his way into second, with Sager, Stonier and Babula in tow.

The yellow waved on the following lap when Chip Wanamaker and Higgins tangled in turn three. Both drivers needed the dreaded double hook to the pit area.

Green flag racing resumed and DiMarco jumped to the outside groove. The two dueled for the race win down to the wire and Fink grabbed the victory by a bumper. Sager finished in the third spot, followed by Babula and Joe Barbush.

The win marks his second career Street Stock win, and first since September of 2001.

Ron Babula, Kevin Higgins and Harry Sager won qualifiers. CJ Lehmann was the consi winner.

Eric Banashefski overtook polesitter, Chris Toole on the opening lap of the double points 30-lap FWD feature and began to distance himself from the field.

Just past halfway, Banashefski held the race lead over Robert Fink, John Smith, Brian Kunkel and Chris Toole.

Fink experienced car problems, spun to the infield and brought out a lap 19 yellow. Green flag racing resumed and Banashefski stormed away with his first career win over Smith, Kunkel, Kenny Kleppinger and Fink.

Heat race wins went to Jon Smith and Robert Fink.

Scott Hubler jumped into the lead on the opening lap of the 20-lap INEX Legends main event and never looked back as he cruised to his fifth win of the season over Karl Heisler, Justin Grim and Greg Rittenhouse.

Frank Reakes overtook Polesitter, Dean Ficarro on the opening circuit of the 40-lap Sport Modified make up feature from July 25.

Reakes’ lead was short-lived and as he was passed by Dave Garfinkel on the second circuit. Ricky Ross, Jr. drove into the second spot with Barry Callavini, Harry Schaefer and Jason Hearne in pursuit.

Garfinkel got out of shape on lap five and Ross scooted into the lead. Callavini followed through to take the second spot.

The red flag flew when Beryle Herman slapped the turn four wall and rode it down the front stretch. The mangled car finally came to a stop under the flag stand. Fortunately, Herman was uninjured and walked back to the pit area.

Green flag racing resumed and Ross was on a mission. The talented rookie worked through lapped traffic over the remaining laps and went on to notch his second win of the season over Callavini and Mike Speeney.

Heat race winners from 7/25 were Scott Adams, Ricky Ross, Jr. and Frank Reakes.

Sport Modified Make up from 7/25 (40-laps): RICKY ROSS, JR. (Full results will be posted Sunday night)

Sport Modifieds (40-laps) 1. ZANE ZEINER 2. Jason Hearne 3. Mike Skarbowski 4. Mike Speeney 5. Barry Callavini 6. Ricky Ross Jr 7. Frank Reakes 8. Dave Garfinkel 9. Scott Adams 10. Paul Frantz 11. Harry Schaefer 12. Scott Brannick 13. Tony Aquilino 14. Joe Wielgosz 15. Beryle Herman 16. Bob Wilson 17.Pat Verwys 18. CJ Lacatvia 19. Dan Berlitz 20. Dean Ficarro

Street Stocks (20-laps) 1. ROBERT FINK 2. Rich Dimarco 3. Harry Sager 4. Ron Babula 5. Joe Barbush 6. Brad Barbush 7. John Stonier 8. Todd Barbush 9. Brian Wozniak 10. Chip Wanamaker 11. Scott Meckes 12. Mitch Hawk 13. Mike Schadder 14. CJ Lehmann 15. Steve Shultz 16. Brandon Oltra 17.Darryl Schwartz 18. Kevin Higgins 19. Steve Clark 20. Tony Hilliard DNQ: Robert Haueisen, Jeff McGrath

FWD (20-laps) 1. ERIC BANASHEFSKI 2. John Smith 3. Brian Kunkel 4. Ken Kleppinger 5. Robert Fink 6. Nikki Sager 7. Chris Toole 8. Pete Maier 9. Jay Skupski 10. Joe Katona 11. Justin Hughes 12. Cory Dymond DNS: Mike Kline, Frank Katona

INEX Legends (20-laps) 1. SCOTT HUBLER 2. Karl Heisler 3. Justin Grimm 4. Greg Rittenhouse