October 4, 1997

KARL COMFORT, RANDY GATES, & TODD STORACE WIN SATURDAY VICTORIA MAINS

FULTON, NY...DIRT regular Karl Comfort made a first time visit count, as he won $4,000 in the 50-lap Sportsman feature on the afternoon of the Budweiser Victoria 200, presented by Nice-N-Easy Grocery Shoppes at Fulton Speedway, while Randy Gates and Todd Storace took street stock and pure stock victories respectively on Saturday night.

Comfort noted, "This car was flawless. "There's nothing I could do but lose the race."

During the early laps of the sportsman feature Tony Buffa and Randy Holden swapped the lead until Buffa took control on lap six. Jerry Colsten and Dan Vail tangled on lap 12 to bunch up the field. In the laps to follow positions changed rapidly behind Buffa before Rick Miller, Jason Barney and Comfort took control of the positions behind Buffa by lap 18. Comfort took third spot on a lap 19 restart as the top three ran close. As the race reached halfway, Miller took the lead, but before he could lead a complete lap his left rear tire was flat, possibly a result of some contact. Comfort seized the opportunity and bolted into a lead he would never relinquish.

It was a race from second on back during the closing laps, as positions changed frequently. At the checkered it was Comfort ahead of Buffa, Barney, Jim Gabriel Jr., Jim Crawn, Tim Sears, Steve Oplinger, Mario Glair and Jamie Friesen.

In the 30-lap street stock main on Saturday night, it was Randy Gates taking his first-ever feature victory. Gates led the first four laps before Jerry Holmes made a pass to head the 33-car field. As Holmes set the pace, a battle for second developed. Hearn Slack fell from the top five on lap 10 due to a right rear flat tire.

Holmes continued to set the pace 20 cautions for debris in turn two. He headed to the pits and Gates got the lead back. Over the final ten laps, John Pietrowicz applied heavy pressure to Gates, drawing alongside on several occasions as the top four drivers stayed close. Phil Mardsen spun out of third place with two laps to go.

Randy Gates was up to the challenge on the restart to earn his first win ahead of Pietrowicz, Shawn Collins, Ron Flannery and Fulton track champion Gerry Newman, who started deep in the field. Sixth place finisher Ed Kotary was penalized to last place at the conclusion of the race for rough riding.

Todd Storace led all 25 of the pure stock feature laps, but not without a challenge late in the race from second place finisher Dennis Bird. Kevin Raymond took third, with Dave Mannise coming from startling spot 22 to finish fourth. The race was slowed several times by a light rain that eventually became a downpour within 30 minutes of this final checkered flag on Saturday night.

SPORTSMAN FINISH: KARL COMFORT, Tony Buffa, Jason Barney, Jim Gabriel, Jr., Jim Crawn, Tim Sears, Steve Opplinger, Mario Claire, Jamie Friesen, Jeff Kotary.

STREET STOCK 50 LAP CHAMPIONSHIP FINISH; RANDY GATES, John Pietrowicz, Ron Flannery, Gerry Newman, Bob Bradt, Ricky Breed, Jerry Holmes, Tom Denton, Mark Wallace, Jim Becker.

PURE STOCK 30 LAP CHAMPIONSHIP FINISH: TODD STORACE, Dennis Bird, Kevin Raymond, Dave Mannise, Herm Staats, Russ Marsden, Lou Lewis, John Eiss, Mike Gardner, Jeff Pastorella.