September 30, 2001

STRADA CAPTURES VICTORIA 200 NON-QUALIFIERS EVENT AT FULTON;
HILL & DOOLITTLE ALSO VICTORIOUS

FULTON, NY – Ed Strada of Hamlin, PA, captured the 30-lap Victoria 200 Modified Non-Qualifiers program to complete the 16^th annual Victoria 200 Weekend at Fulton Speedway last Sunday.  Strada started in the fourth starting position and captured the hard earned win as he held off local driver Rick Miller on the final turn for the victory.  Johnny Hill was the I.M.C.A. Modified National Series feature winner, and Bob Doolittle won the Four Cylinder Stock championship.

            Gus Schmidt Jr and Ted Lamb Jr paced the 42-car starting field for the Victoria 200 Non-Qualfiers 30-lap event, with Schmidt taking the early race lead.  Ed Strada had worked his way to second, and was in the lead by the end of lap 2.  On a lap 4 restart, Lamb went underneath the high lane running Strada to take the lead.  On the move was Claude Brouillard who raced into second on lap 11, sending Strada back to third.

            At the halfway point as the leaders worked into heavy lapped traffic, Lamb was the leader followed by Brouillard, Strada, Shawn Donath, and Schmidt.  Lamb was lapping the Danny West machine on the frontstretch when they made contact, pointing Lamb towards the outside wall and then into the infield.  Lamb recovered and held onto his lead as Brouillard passed Strada for second.  As the leaders continued to race in the lapped traffic, Lamb and Brouillard made contact in turn two, sending Brouillard into the implement tire in turn two and out of the race.

            This gave the lead to Strada, but on the restart, Lamb went underneath him to take the lead.  With ten circuits remaining, Lamb was the leader followed by Strada, Donath, Schmidt, and Rick Miller.  Miller was marching towards the front and went past Donath for third on lap 23.  Lapped traffic once again played a role, as Strada made room underneath Lamb in turn one on lap 27 to take the race lead once again.  It was a surprise move, as Strada had been running the extreme outside lane all race long.

            A late race restart set up a battle for the win, with Rick Miller going right around John Barker and Lamb for second.  However, with Strada still running the inside, Miller went right to the outside and moved alongside Strada.  As the white flag flew, Miller appeared to have the momentum to win and even inched his way out front on the backstretch.  However, Strada stayed low and Miller drifted high, enabling Strada to get off the turn and race to his first career feature win at Fulton.  Miller was a close second followed by Lamb, Barker, and Kyle Strickler.  Completing the top ten it was Schmidt, Ty Hunt, George Kostelansky, Steve Roberts, and Alan Rudalavage.  Schmidt, Lamb, Brouillard, and Strada won the 358-Modified heat races.

            “Boy this feels great,” said Strada who has struggled this season at his home tracks.  “Ted slipped up a bit, he gave me the bottom and I had to take it.”

            Johnny Hill won the 30-lap I.M.C.A. Modified Victoria 200 Weekend Championship after taking the race lead from George Cantanzano on lap 19 and leading the remainder of the distance.  Hill advanced from the eleventh starting position by working the inside lane of the speedway enroute to his first ever victory at Fulton.  Cantanzano was second, followed by Ron O’Neil, John Hickman, Lou Gancarz, John Matyjasik, Rob Keller, Randy Hall, Larry Robbins, and Larry Bezner.  Gancarz, Hill, Keller, and Joe Price Jr. won the heat races, while Hall and Bob Davis won the consis.

            Bob Doolittle led the entire 20-lap distance of the Four Cylinder Super Stock Victoria 200 Weekend championship.  Behind him it was Shawn Mills, Brian Evenden, Roger West Sr., and Jeremy Bargabos.  West and Doolittle won the heat races for the Four Cylinders.

Notes – 42 Modifieds, 42 IMCA Modifieds, and 20 Four Cylinders were on hand of the final day for the 16^th annual Victoria 200 Weekend at Fulton.  A beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon greeted race fans to complete a near perfect weather weekend.  This now completes the 2001-racing season at Fulton Speedway.  Track management would like to thank everyone for a very successful year as well as one of the best Victoria 200 Weekends in history.  For off-season updates, contact the track at (315) 593-6531 or log onto the website at www.fultonspeedway.com.

FULTON SPEEDWAY RACE SUMMARY
VICTORIA 200 WEEKEND
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 30, 2001

Victoria 200 Non-Qualifiers Event (30-Laps) – ED STRADA, Rick Miller, Ted Lamb Jr., John Barker Jr., Kyle Strickler, Gus Schmidt Jr., Ty Hunt, George Kostelansky, Steve Roberts, Alan Rudalavage, J.R. Crouse, Dan Vail, J.R. Hurlburt, Jeremie Corcoran, Pat Jordan, Tyke Morris, Shane Donath, Bill Huff, Brent Wilcox, Jeremy Pitcher, Jim LaRock, Russell Hendrickson, John Ventura, Dave Bargabos, Bill Shantel Sr., Steve Babicek, Fran Hilton, Danny West, Doug Emery, Mike Frost, Dan Morden, Rick McCready, Tony Ross, Mike Schane, Claude Brouillard, Bill Shantel Jr., Mike Payne, Mike Ward, Tim Harris, Frank Doll Jr., Tim Sears.  DISQ – Shawn Donath.

I.M.C.A. Modified National Series Victoria 200 Championship – JOHNNY HILL, George Cantanzano, Ron O’Neil, John Hickman, Lou Gancarz, John Matyjasik, Rob Keller, Randy Hall, Larry Robbins, Larry Bezner, Tommy Paige, Mike Smith, Bill Anderson Sr., Les Hubbard, Joe Price Jr., Brian Gillespie, George Valenti, Neil Edgar, Steve Hartman, Rich Riggs, J.J. Courcy, Mike Chilson, Steve Hough, Bob Davis.

Four Cylinder Super Stock Victoria 200 Championship – BOB DOOLITTLE, Shawn Mills, Brian Evenden, Roger West Jr., Jeremy Bargabos, Bob Whipple, Rich Powell, Chris Smith, Larry McAuslan, Chris Bargabos, John Weatherbee, Ed Janaskie, Bruce Ackley, James Jackson, Jim Money, Brandon Smith, John West, Harvey Calkins Jr., Fred Newton.  DNS – Dave Myrto.

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