Rookie Racer Kurt Conlkin Receives Checkers at Whip City Speedway, Nocella, Virgilio, Guerard, Peterson, Johnson and Viets Win
By Mark McKeon
WESTFIELD, MA Sixteen year old Kurt Conklin of New Preston, CT utilized a mid race yellow flag period to adjust the shock absorbers on his 270cc Mini Sprint to compensate for a loose condition and then used the set-up to steal a victory from Shayne Prucker, who had led 18 laps of the 20 lap event.
"Shane and I are good friends and he got the jump on me at the start," Conklin said. "I followed him for 18 laps and tried everything I could to get by him. I was watching where he was faster and where he was slower and after I changed the shocks the car really started coming in. With 2 laps to go it was really hooked up and I was able to get around him on the outside in the turns and hold him off down the straights. It was awesome"
Although Conklin is a rookie in the 270cc Mini Sprints, he has raced since he was 4 years old in Quarter Midgets, Dirt Bikes, Karts and Youth Sprints. He's the grandson of former ARDC Midget star Chet Conklin.
Coincidentally, Anthony Nocella's win in the 600cc Mini Sprints also represented a late race heartbreaker, this time for Matt Seymour. For 17 laps, Seymour held off all comers, led first by Luke Greenwood and later by Nocella. Coming to the '2 to Go" horizontal flags, a fuel line on Seymour's motor loosened, allowing air to enter the cylinder and reduce compression. Nocella was in position to strike and strike he did, earning his fourth victory on the season.
John Virgilio was as hot as a two dollar pistol in the 750cc Mini Sprints, leading every lap in his heat and then returning to lead every lap in the feature. It was the third feature win for the affable and talented teenager, who is currently locked in a battle for the points lead with veteran Mark Dupuis.
Marc Guerard is running a limited schedule this season, which is probably good news for his fellow competitors. In the 1200cc Mini Sprints, Guerard has started 7 features since May 24, won 3 of them and finished second in the other 4. His average finish for the season is an unheard of 1.571. His starting position is usually deep within the pack due to the Whip City Speedway handicapping system which rewards regular competitors, but penalizes those who are absent for a week.
In the exciting and fast paced 1200cc feature this week, Guerard started tenth, passed five cars on the first lap, was in third position by the second lap and took the lead on the eleventh lap when leader Jon Walts had a mechanical issue and second place runner R.J. Tufano was involved in an accident. Guerard won the event comfortably, despite the best efforts of Jon Moore, who started seventh and finished second.
Lowbed Johnson inherited the lead and went on to win the 750 Sportsman feature, in a race which had as much drama as an Arthur Miller plan. Robby Spino and Charlie Pease battled side by side for several laps, trading the lead until Spino spun and brought out the yellow flag. Both Spino and Pease were sent to the back of the field for the restart.
Bethany Viets won her second consecutive Quad 4 Midget feature, defeating the always exciting Vince Jacobs in a 2 car match race.
A full field of Modified Lites was on hand to compete for TUSA Regional Points. Brian swept the night by leading every lap in his heat and every lap in the feature. Ryan Chartrand got close enough to keep Peterson on his toes, but wasn't able to seal the deal. It was Peterson's fourth feature win of the year.
Whip City Speedway offers two complete shows for one low admission every Saturday. Competition Karts, 250cc and Youth Mini Sprints make up the afternoon program which gets underway at 12:30 pm. Four Cylinder Street Stocks are added every other week.
The evening program starts at 5:00 pm and consists of heats and features for Modified Lites, Quad 4 Midgets and Mini Sprints in the following classed: 270cc, 600cc, 750cc, 750 Sportsman and 1200cc. Adult tickets are just $12 while kids 10 years and younger are just $3. Parking is always free and Whip City Speedway is just a hop, skip and a Mini Sprint flip from both I-91- The Mass Pike. Check out our website at www.whipcityspeedway.com
270cc: KURT CONKLIN, Shayne Prucker, Frank Russo, Bryan Russo, Brayton Round III, Kevin Tefft, Dylan Menditto, Brooks Bennett, Seth Carlson, Kelly McCarthy, Kendall Segar, Phil Bessette, Brian Hurd, Brian Boudreau, Scott Franqueza.
600cc: ANTHONY NOCELLA, Greg Smith, Matt Seymour, Ryan Bigelow, Richard Crooker, Jim DeCambra, Jay Coppo, Chris Lennox, Ricci Hirth, Luke Greenwood, Susan Lescynski, Terry Finney.
750cc: JOHN VIRGILIO, Rob Walendy, Kyle Spencer, Mike King, Jay Haviland, Peter Dance, Ed Adametz, Michael Parolo, Rick Stone, Walt Feldman, Mark Dupuis, Joe Platt, Matt Tanner, Paul Rose.
Modified Lite: BRIAN PETERSON, Ryan Charland, Matt Bernier, Tim Johnson, Bob Poloski, Bob Charland, Joe Anselmo, Andrew Schartner, John Durst, Ryan Nicewicz, William Carter, Rick Ashlaw, Wayne Abair, Brian Hohenstein, Roy Bacon.
1200cc: MARC GUERARD, Jon Moore, Rich Wood Jr., Dennis Lamke, Mark Dupuis, Bob Dance, Josh Walts, Jamie Beaudry, Justin Philips, John Casazza, Jon Walts, R. J. Tufano, Dale Friedly, John Virgilio, Dan Kingsley.
750cc Sportsman: LOWBED JOHNSON, Matt Brown, Pete Michels, Robby Spino, Jack Fogarty, Darren Peterson, Kristen Philips, Charlie Pease, Andre Fuehr, John Missale.
Quad 4: BETHANY VIETS, Vince Jacobs.
Karts:
Results for August 2 holdover features:
Novice: DYLAN IRISH, Jake Higginson, Corey Lemelin, E. J. Adametz.
Turquoise: KYLE SMITH, Kate Lafreniere, Cullen Pike, Ryan Irish, Alex Adamsky, Nora Lemelin, Alex Blanco, Jeffrey Champagne, Mike Hauser, Kaitlyn Brice.
Junior: DYLAN CAMPBELL, Kara Franqueza, Dylan Dexter, Justin Walts, Anna Coons, Elliot Daly, Josh Wood, Makayla Lucia.
Lite: STEVE ROCKWOOD, Scott Kalber, Ryan Bigelow, Will Coons, Dylan Campbell, Josh Dexter.
Heavy: JAKE SAPOWSKY, Eric Jorgensen, Gary Sokoloski, Bill Tack.
2 Storke: ERNIE WHIDDEN, Roger Angers Jr.
Limited: RYAN NICEWICZ, Steve Rockwood, Ryan Bigelow, Scott Kalber, Eric Jorgensen.
Results for August 9 features:
Novice: DYLAN IRISH, Corey Lemelin, E.J. Adametz, Jake Higginson.
Turquoise: JEFFREY CHAMPAGNE, Kate Lafreniere, Kyle Smith, Cullen Pike, Nora Lemelin, Ryan Irish, Alex Blanco, Kaitlyn Brice, Alex Adamsky, Mike Hauser.
Junior: JUSTIN WALTS, Elliot Daly, Kara Franqueza, Anna Coons, Josh Wood, Dylan Dexter, Makayla Lucia, Dylan Campbell.
Lite: DYLAN CAMPBELL, Scott Kalber, Steve Rockwood, Ryan Bigelow, Will Coons, Carl Franqueza, Josh Dexter.
Heavy: BILL TACK, Jake Sapowsky, Gary Sokoloski, Justin Dube, Tim Gallant, Dan Murdzia, Eric Jorgensen, Dave Rzewnicki, Shef Robotham, Matt Seymour, Todd Perry.
250cc Youth:TYLER CHARTRAND, Wayne Ibitz Jr., Alex Curley, Jim Santa Maria, Kyle Abbott, Michelle Dumas, Tony Massaro.
4 Cylinder JAMEY BEAUDRY, Kyle Wayner, Dan D'Addario, Ed Banach, Joey Tanguay, Stephanie Banach.
2 Stroke: Ernie Whidden, Roger Angers Jr.
