2001 Ohio Valley Classic Modifieds Results
Saturday, July 14, 2001
Shady Bowl Speedway
DeGraff, Ohio
Fitzpatrick Makes Wish, Wins Again at Shady Bowl
by Shawn Sell
One would have to assume that all Wayne Fitzpatrick wanted for his 56th birthday was a chance to show the dominance that he has displayed this season in Ohio Valley Dwarf Car Association action at Shady Bowl Speedway. Fitzpatrick got his wish as he won for the fourth time over the OVDCA's largest field of the 2001 campaign. Fitzpatrick had his hands full though, as he fought off numerous challengers to take the checkered flag.
Paired on the front row for the beginning of the event, were a pair of Toledo residents. 14-year old rookie Brian Rusch, Jr. in his Shady Bowl debut was on the inside next to Jerry Davis in the #81 S&D Racing car. At the drop of the green it was Rusch taking the early lead with 1999 OVDCA champion Jason Eddy, Bellefontaine's Brad Coons, Mike Weisberg of Chesterland and Fitzpatrick right behind. Rusch's lead was short lived however, as the rookie spun into the inside turn two wall on the event's third lap ending his evening ahead of schedule.
Two cars in the field, Oscar O'Dell and Doug Carrigan both traveled great distances to compete, only to find they were not in compliance with OVDCA rules. Rather than turn the drivers away, O'Dell and Carrigan were allowed to participate with the understanding they would automatically be scored in the back of the pack at night's end. While O'Dell was forced to the hill early, Carrigan put on quite a show for the Shady Bowl fans. After going to the hill on the first caution for a flat tire, Carrigan returned one lap down and nearly made the lap up, passing all but about four cars by the checkered flag.
After the yellow, the lead went to Eddy on the restart. Eddy, now a resident of Kansas City, Missouri made a return to the area on vacation and jumped immediately into the Larry Janney-owned machine for the evening's event. As the event got back underway, a fierce three-way battle between Eddy, Weisberg and Fitzpatrick ensued. The trio swapped positions throughout the event as the caution-free laps ticked away.
Interestingly, three cars that started outside the top ten each made frantic drives through the pack towards the top five. 2000 champ Bill Hostetler returned to his West Liberty home following heat race action and returned with his Pro Chassis truck, automatically starting on the tail of the feature event. The other two, Gordon Schwarz of Temperance, Michigan and Mark Jamison of Columbus, also started in the back and raced their way to the front.
The biggest change of the event came within a matter of minutes around the lap 16 mark. As the leader's entered lapped traffic, contact between a number of cars set off quite a melee. Going into turn four, Fitzpatrick and Weisberg battling for the lead, made contact partially spinning Fitzpatrick. Carrigan swerved to avoid the two and made contact with both Davis and Eddy, sending the latter hard into the turn four wall. On the restart, Weisberg slowed dramatically from the start with a flat right rear tire.
During the last five laps, Fitzpatrick checked out from the rest of the field to pick up the victory. Coons ran a consistent race, staying in the top five throughout to take runner-up honors. Hostetler powered his truck all the way up to the number three position, holding off hard chargers Jamison and Schwarz in fourth and fifth. Behind the top five were the duo of Mark Bernard and Max Evans, ahead of 2000 OVDCA rookie of the year Josh Sell in the best run of his sophomore campaign. Rounding out the top ten were Mike King and Keith Bailey.
The evening's first heat race turned into one of the most bizarre races in recent memory. Following a lap two yellow, Hostetler and Eddy, on the front row made three attempts at a restart with none of them coming off clean. The two were then moved to the back row for the start. As a track official came onto the track to slow up traffic, he was inadvertently struck by one of the dwarfs. A visit to the hospital for the official revealed a broken collarbone and a knot on his head. On the track, Weisberg took advantage and picked up the win ahead of Eddy. Behind the front two on the final lap, the Kawasaki engine of Mike Rector expired and as he slowed, many cars got caught behind the Mount Vernon driver. Rusch was the first to take advantage and took third ahead of Bailey and Hostetler. Heat two was all Fitzpatrick as he held off the trio of Coons, Davis and King for the win.
Fitzpatrick's win now puts him 14 points ahead of second place Hostetler. Coons continues to hold down third, with Weisberg chasing him. Evans was able to pass Rector to round out the top five in the standings. The OVDCA returns to action on Saturday, July 28 joining the E-Mods, Late Models, Pro Stocks and Mini Stocks on the evening's card.
Heat 1: Weisberg, Eddy, Rusch, Bailey, Hostetler, Sell, Rector, O'Dell (DQ).
Heat 2: Fitzpatrick, Coons, Davis, King, Bernard, Schwarz, Jamison, Evans, Carrigan (DQ).
Feature: Fitzpatrick, Coons, Hostetler, Jamison, Schwarz, Bernard, Evans, Sell, King, Bailey, Davis, Weisberg, Eddy, Rusch, Carrigan (DQ), O'Dell (DQ).