WILLIAMS, STEFANSKI, & BURNELL GRAB VICTORIA 200 WEEKEND SUPPORT DIVISION WINS

FULTON, NY - Both Super DIRTcar Series points leaders Joe Williams and Pete Stefanski kicked off Victoria 200 weekend in style on Friday at Fulton Speedway. Williams out of Scotia, NY continued his late season hot streak winning the Gater Racing News / Motorsports Expo Sportsman 30-lap Super  DIRTcar Series, while Stefanski of Wheatfield, NY took the 30-lap Leaf Racewear Pro Stock Super DIRTcar Series event. Also winning was Frank Burnell Jr. in the Mr. DIRTcar Street Stock Super Series 30-lap feature after apparent winner Kevin Smith was disqualified for an illegal motor.

Pete Stefanski grabbed the lead at the drop of the green flag and held off early race challenges from Dave Bissonnette and four caution periods to win going away. "Once the Sportsman ran it in, the track was just awesome tonight," said Stefanski about the track after a rain delay. "I owe a lot to my sponsors and to Allen and PJ Peters for giving me the motor. It’s been a great year and hopefully it will get even better in the coming weeks."

Even though Stefanski dominated for most of the race the battle for second throughout the second half of the race kept the fans excited. Dave Bissonnette, Fulton track regular Jason Parkhurst and track champion Billy Clark battled back and forth throughout lapped traffic. Parkhurst tried every trick in the book he knew being a speedway regular to get around Bissonnette. Finally after dogging the "Bulldog" for many laps Parkhurst found an opening and slipped by for second place on lap-24. Just when it looked like Parkhurst had second place sewn up Bissonnette stayed with Parkhurst and played the waiting game. With two laps to go Bissonnette was able to get a run to the outside of Parkhurst, he was able to box in Parkhurst behind a lap car to retake the runner up spot for good.

Stefanski won by a comfortable margin, followed by Bissonnette, Parkhurst, Clark and Allen Peters rounded out the top five. Denis Gauvreau, Chris Mackey, Scott Gribben, P.J Peters and Roch Aubin completed the top ten.

Joe Williams after a one race away from victory lane found himself once again the winner in the DIRTcar Sportsman Modified Super Series. For Williams it was fifth win out of the last six series events. "The track was just unbelievable tonight," said Williams, from victory lane. "My team really has their stuff together. We haven’t really done a lot different than we have all season." Williams also related that he thinks the month off his team took to regroup before the start of the series races to end the season made all the difference.

After cautions plagued the early going of the race, after the race settled down and set a quick pace it would go caution free for the next 24-laps. Most in attendance figured when Shawn Donath grabbed the lead running his usual top of the track groove the race was over. Williams had other ideas, he closed in rapidly on Donath, on lap-11 Williams running the low side got by Donath. From there Williams opened up a huge lead.

All eyes then turned to the battle for second between Donath and Chris Hile who is second in series points. Like Williams, Hile used the low side of the speedway to blast by Donath on lap-14. From there Hile could somewhat close the gap on Williams who was racing through lapped traffic. Williams not making much progress on the bottom suddenly switched to the top side and began picking off lapped cars never to be challenged to the finish. Hile held on to second, Fulton track champion, Jeremy Pitcher came home third, with Donath and Mark D’llario rounding out the top five. Don Spatorico, Casey Williams, Chris Raabe and Greg Doust completed the top ten.

"If someone would have asked me about this race three years ago, I would have asked ‘What’s the Victoria?’ I really didn’t know, I was kind of stuck at Fonda Speedway and didn’t do much traveling. But, I sure know what the Victoria is now," Finished up Williams from victory lane.

As Friday night turned into Saturday morning, Kevin Smith out of Stanley, NY outlasted the weather and over sixty Street Stocks to claim the 30-lap victory as part of Fulton Speedway’s "Victoria" Weekend. Smith outran fellow Canandaigua Speedway regular Frank Burnell Jr. to capture the apparent victory in the rain-delayed Caprara Bros. Outdoor Toy Store Mr. DIRTcar Street Stock Super Series program.

"This car was awesome tonight, it was perfect," Smith said from Victory Lane. "I could put the car anywhere I wanted, it was fast."

Gary Barton and Steve Reinhardt led the field down to start the 30-lap main. Fulton regular Barton grabbed the lead as the field exited turn two with Reinhardt right on the back bumper of Barton applying early pressure. Just as Reinhardt started to move around Barton the first yellow flag of the race waved on lap two to slow down the field.

On the restart Reinhardt once again found bite and was able to pull even with Barton with Kevin Smith right there ready to capitalize on any mistakes by the top two. Harold Humphrey and Mike Schultz were also right in the mix for the top spot. On lap four the yellow flew for a spinning Adam Guilds and during the same caution period Series points leader Scott Smith had a tire go down and headed pit side. Smith would get the tire changed and rejoin the race without losing a lap.

On the restart the yellow would fly once again for a multi-cat tangle in turn one. Another top runner would head pit side, this time it was four-time Series race winner Adam DePuy. Like Smith, DePuy was able to rejoin the field.

As the race finally got up to speed, Barton still led while Kevin Smith moved up to second and closed in on Barton trying every move in the book to get around for the lead. While the battle for the top spot was going on, 23^rd starting Frank Burnell Jr moved into the top-five and would be a factor in the end.

On lap 10 Barton suddenly slowed and headed to the pits with a flat tire ending his chances for victory. Just before the halfway point, Smith held the top spot and was now getting challenged by Phil Marsden and Burnell as the trio ran side by side and nose to tail. Just when the battle was heating up, yellow lights appeared around the speedway on lap 15.

On the restart Smith got the jump on Marsden and Burnell, then opened a 10 car-length lead on the field. Mike Welch and Mike Schultz now joined the battle for the top spots before the final yellow flew on lap 19 to set up a 11-lap dash to the finish.

The top-three once again set the pace with Smith holding a few car-lengths advantage over Marsden and Burnell. Just when it looked like Smith would cruise the rest of the way, Marsden closed the gap and made a move for the lead. While Marsden was looking for the top spot, Burnell found some late race speed and moved around Marsden into second-place.

With five laps still to go, Burnell tried to use his experience of winning this race in ‘05 to grab the lead from Smith but to no avail. Smith was able to hold on for his first ever Victoria weekend victory. Burnell, Marsden, Ron Hawker and Mike Welch rounded out the top-five. Dave Mannise, Steve Crouse, Mike Schultz, Steve Reinhardt and Adam DePuy completed the top ten.

In the customary post-race inspection, initial winner Smith was penalized for a major motor infraction, thus losing all points and first-place money. As a result of Smith’s disqualification, the win was officially awarded to Frank Burnell.

(PIT NOTES) - 73 DIRTcar Sportsman Modifeds 38 DIRTcar/UMP Pro Stocks, and 59 Street Stocks filled the Fulton pit area plus dozens of Modifieds who were preparing for the Victoria 200. Despite the 1 ½ hour rain delay an enthusiastic crowd filled the grandstands who didn’t mind the late hour because of the great racing. Tireless Jeremy Corcoran wasn’t going to let Mother Nature beat him as he gave the racers a smooth, tacky multi-grooved race surface. Talk in the pits all night from the drivers was how racey the speedway was.

FULTON SPEEDWAY VICTORIA 200 WEEKEND DAY 1 RACE SUMMARY
RACE DATE: SEPTEMBER 28, 2007

GATER RACING NEWS SPORTSMAN SUPER DIRTcar SERIES VICTORIA CHAMPIONSHIP (30-Laps) – JOE WILLIAMS JR., Chris Hile, Jeremy Pitcher, Shawn Donath, Mark D’Ilario, Don Spatorico, Casey Williams, Chris Raabe, Greg Doust, Sammy Reakes IV., Mike Bowman, Jipp Ortiz, Rob Pratt, Matt Janczuk, Dan Weisner, Jack Meeks, Tyler McPherson, Jordan Bennett, Mike Short, John Juhl II, Dave Reilley, A.J. Kingsley, Chris Higgins, Todd Town, Sean McCarthy, Shane Donath, Larry Wight, Jim LaRock, Greg Panute, John Pietrowicz.

LEAF RACEWEAR PRO STOCK SUPER DIRTcar SERIES VICTORIA CHAMPIONSHIP (30-Laps) – PETE STEFANSKI, Dave Bissonnette, Jason Parkhurst, Billy Clark Jr., Allen Peters, Denis Gauvreau, Chris Mackey, Scott Gribben, P.J. Peters, Roch Aubin, Dick Parkhurst, Jim Evans, Mike Martin, Jack Terrell, Scott Conover, Rusty Marsden, Shawn Frost, David Papineau, Scott Kocher, Stephane Lebrun, Bret Belden, Adam Hunt, Bill Woodward Jr., Dale Guernsey, Don Barnes, Mitchell Jock, Dion Oakes, Dean Charboneau, Louie Jackson, Steve Johnston, Jocelyn Roy, Pat Hobbs.

MR. DIRTcar STREET STOCK SUPER SERIES VICTORIA CHAMPIONSHIP (30-Laps) – FRANK BURNELL JR., Phil Marsden, Ron Hawker, Mike Welch, Dave Mannise, Steve Crouse, Mike Schultz, Steve Reinhardt, Adam Depuy, Dave Marcuccilli, Scott Smith, Steve Woodworth, Adam Guilds, Harold Humphrey, Ryan Wadforth, Shawn Letts, Frank Hyatt, Kurt Decker, Nick Rizzo, Gary Barton, Darl Ellis, Jim Wallace, Blaine Smith, Nathan Peckham, Daryl Krebs, Quentin Burton, Dan Hofmann Sr. DQ – Kevin Smith.