September 16, 1995

KINSELLA WINS SECOND EVER VICTORIA 200 IN EXCITING FASHION
By DEAN REYNOLDS Courtesy of Area Auto Racing News

FULTON, NY - Fulton Speedway regular and Fayetteville, N.Y. resident Tommy Kinsella led the final 130 laps to win his second Victoria 200. Even though Kinsella couldn't be knocked out of his top spot for over half of the 200 lap distance, Rich Ricci Jr. and Mitch Gibbs kept all on their feet in the closing laps as the tenth annual event was a wild affair. Once again the Fulton high banks thrilled the fans with four and even five wide racing from green to checkered which makes the Victoria the most exciting long distance race anywhere.

The win for Kinsella backs up his triumph in 1992 when he found the infamous "infield groove" to pass Billy Pauch and Jimmy Horton for the first win ever in the lucrative event by a Fulton regular. While dirt mounds have been built up on the inside of the track since the '92 event, Kinsella stayed as low as he could for the entire 200 lap distance. "It was a test of patience for me, that was for sure," said the driver of the Tracey Road Equipment Olsen. "A few years ago I would have never won this race because I couldn't tell myself to slow down and be patient. That's what I had to do all race, I just didn't want to get the car sideways and out of the groove."

The final 30 laps saw Ricci Jr. move his family owned, Fall Fittings backed Olsen right on Kinsella's back bumper even giving him a tap or two in the closing stages. The second generation Ricci was looking for that one mistake but that just didn't happen. "I knew he (Ricci) was there, he's always strong in this race," said Kinsella. "On one restart he got up alongside and tried to stay one lane up on me to pass me, but he couldn't hold it I guess. I didn't see his car after that but I did hear and feel him behind me. I knew then that this was my race to lose, not his to win because he was using the same line as me."

Ricci didn't get into the runner-up slot for good and the position to challenge Kinsella until lap 143. NASCAR/Fulton rookie sensation Jimmy Phelps was running the extreme outside line against the red/white Fulton steel wall in second spot much of the second half of the race. But, after a serious charge on Kinsella himself, Phelps' outside line began to fade and then Ricci took over second. "I thought I was just a bit quicker than Tommy but he was running the same line as I was," said the happy runner-up.

"I just needed that one bobble or mistake but it just didn't come. My brakes began to fade up front so I really couldn't take too many chances late. And, I wasn't good on the outside at all, I tried a few times but I would lose ground so I just had to stay smooth and hope for the best." The 1995 version of the Victoria 200 was indeed 100 percent better than "94 for Ricci when he hooked one of those" Kinsella mounds" on the inside and flipped over going for the lead on lap 19. "I'm not going to complain one bit about second (worth well over $10,000 for the New Paltz native). I'll take the money and go home with a smile on my face. Hey, we gave it all we had, we had a great car but Tommy was just a bit better than we were today." The second place was the best ever finish for Ricci topping his third he took in 1989.

While the headlines were indeed stolen by Kinsella and Ricci for most of the race, the final five laps almost saw the biggest Cinderella story in the history of the Victoria. Mitch Gibbs, found a lane in the middle (much like Frank Cozze did when he dominated in 1991) and came from deep in the top ten. With many not noticing until the final three laps or so, there was a serious challenge the leaders faced in the final tours on the high banked track. Gibbs' Mirabito Fuel Group No. 2G was in the top ten just about the last three quarters of the event but his wild move to the front didn't come until the final 30 laps when he cracked the top five for the first time. "Me and that other green car (the Zl of Wade Hendrickson) found something in the middle and man did it ever work," said the 16 time feature winner in '95. "The third is great! But, we could have won this thing. Five more laps, that's all five more laps."

Gibbs got into fourth on lap 177 and reeled right in on the front four. The final restart of the event came on lap 195. Gibbs got by Phelps and tried to sling by the front duo on the last two laps only to slide a bit off his middle lane and lose traction. Gibbs however, made this Victoria 200 one of the wildest in it's ten year history.

The luck of the pre-feature draw saw Johnstown, N.Y. driver Mike Romano and Sinking Springs, Pa's Kenny Brightbill with his Tabloid Graphics, S&S chassised No. 19 in the front row. When the green flag threw Romano immediately took the lead with 1995 NASCAR Regional Champion and defending Victoria 200 champion, Dale Planck in second with Brightbill third. As to the norm of the Victoria, the opening stages finds lap cars early, five lanes being used and lead changes galore. Planck would lead laps 7-8 before Romano would again lead. Brightbill then took over on lap 14 and held his lead until the first of 14 cautions came on lap 23.

The green lights came back on and so was Planck in the lead again, with Kinsella now second. A lap 36 restart saw Planck fade severely and would actually be his last stint up front as he would never challenge for the win again. Bright-bill took over the lead once again but Kinsella would take over position number one on lap 38, then Brightbill on lap 39 with Kinsella one more time on lap 41. The next 27 laps would belong to the low line hugging Kinsella but the lap cars would also be in his lane. Once again the wall scraping Brightbill would lead on lap 68 with veteran Chuck Akulis making a bid for the lead also as he took second. But, two laps later both Brightbill and Chuck Akulis would find slower cars in the way and Kinsella would hold the lead the on lap 70.

While Tom Kinsella now stayed steady in the lead, second spot would be swapped many times by Brightbill and Ricci with Akulis and Jimmy Phelps not far behind. The final caution in the first half of the race came on lap 90 but no one was catching Kinsella in open traffic. Kinsella was followed by Ricci, Brightbill, Phelps, Akulis, first heat winner Dave House, Vermont's Dave Camara, Romano, last, years runner-up Ron Holmes and Planck at the end of the 100 lap segment.

The final 100 rounds would be a bit tough in getting started as there would be three cautions in the first ten laps, two for top ten runners Camara and Planck. Jimmy Phelps' second ever Victoria effort showed the fans that there was a new star on the horizon, taking a solid second on lap 103. Ricci would get the spot back on lap 122 only to find Phelps shoot back around a few laps later. A lap 134 restart got the huge throng on their feet as Phelps saw just a slight opening down low under Kinsella. Contact was made with Kinsella getting a bit sideways but he quickly recovered.

The battle for second then again heated up on lap 143 with Ricci passing the Phelps 99J Olsen for good and then his famous battle with Kinsella started. Nose to tail for over 30 laps with Phelps, Akulis and now the threat of Gibbs and Hendrickson behind. Right up until the lap 195 restart, the tension was thick in Fulton. But, this was Tommy Kinsella's race, the photographers flashes went off in victory lane with both Kinsella and Ricci in the frame. Gibbs was riding the thin cushion in hopes to sling by both but would settle for third ahead of the second generation Phelps.

Chuck Akulis came across the line in fifth but was put back three positions for not restarting in his position after getting involved in the lap 190 caution. Taking fifth was Ron Holmes with a strong second 100 laps. East Windsor regular Wade Hendrickson came away with a fine effort to take home sixth place money. Rounding out the top ten were C.D. Coville in the Mike Budka, NAPA Auto Parts Stores No. 64, Akulis, Brightbill, who came back from a lap 135 spin and the Don's Automotive Mall No. 51 of Mike Colsten.