Dixon Wins BRP CanAm McKean Fair Race

Smethport, PA….Bob Dixon won the BRP CanAm Super Stock Series event Thursday night in front of his hometown fans at the McKean County Raceway The event was the annual stock car race as part of the McKean County Fair. The Thursday night fair stock car program is part of a tradition that dates back to 1955.

This was the first 2004 Series win of the year for Dixon, the defending BRP CanAm Series champion. “I sure would have liked to have won before this, but to win here at my home track with family and friends all here is great,” said Dixon as his car was going through post race inspection. “We have been getting better and moving up in points The crashes and resulting DNFs at Freedom and Merrittville really set us back. We are happy tonight and will just do the best we can for the remaining Series races.”

Dixon started his Duffy’s Inc. sponsored GRT Monte Carlo on the pole, but lost the top spot on the start in a drag race with fellow front row starter A.J. Young. Young appeared to have the best car in the early laps as he was able to open up a three to four car length advantage over Dixon. Laps 15 -21 were outstanding as Young and Dixon staged a dogfight for the top spot. Dixon found room on the bottom of turn three as the pair worked lap 21. When they reached the line to compete lap 21, Dixon was scored the leader. He was never headed from that point, despite Young’s gallant efforts. Dixon now stands fourth in the point standing, 73 points out of #1.

Considering that A.J. Young was coming off crashes at Genesee and Bradford, the Scio Speed Society member was happy with second. No, not really happy, but OK with second. Young was driving the Otis Eastern Oil and Gas Field Services Bullit Intrepid owned by his parents, Dick and Roxie Young. Young now has four top ten finishes along with two DNFs and a DNQ. A.J. moved from 12th in the point standings to 9th.

Andy Miller continued his remarkable run in the Series with a strong third place finish. Miller drove his R&M Home & Auto Amsoil Grand Prix #17 from 17th starting position. Miller would have preferred a 40 lap race since he was closing on the lead pair. Miller continues to lead the $18,000 Series point chase with a 42 point advantage over Todd Rice.

Jr. Peters recorded his best ever Series finish with a 4th place finish after a solid run from 15th at the green. Peters and his Ponderosa Steak House GRT Grand Prix have just completed their best week ever with three top ten finishes in six days.

Todd Rice believes that he had the fastest car at MCR for the first 15 laps. Rice charged from 19th at the start to 7th in just 10 laps. He was up to 5th at Johnny Powell’s half way mark but that was as far as he got. “It just went away at the half way point. I actually thought I had a flat tire. Something is wrong, but we gained some ground in the points and a top five is better than a lot of guys got, “ reported Rice from the tech inspection area.

Rounding out the top ten were: Bill Holmes, Jack Harrington, Jason Dupont, Tim Schram, and Matt Cobb.

Heat race winners were: Bob Dixon, AJ Young, Chad Arnold, and Jim Johnson.

The B-Main winner was Alan Wais.

Notes:

• 32 cars entered the program which was part of the 99th Annual McKean County Fair
• Scott Beherns continues to give to his fellow competitors. Tonight Scott gave up his car and his 11th starting position to Bob Babbitt for the AS-Main. Babbitt’s car had been eliminated with transmission failure.
• Hard Charger of the event was Jason Dupont. Jason moved his Billy Campbell powered Zippo Manufacturing Shaw Monte Carlo from 23rd at the start to 8th at the finish.
• Bad Luck / Headache “winner’ was Jim Johnson. Johnson won his heat, started 8th , and was 4th at lap 26 when his Upstate Utilities Rocket Mustang lost fire.
• Rick Hale and Scott Tubbs were first time Series competitors, bringing the total number of drivers entered in the seven events this year to 73.
• The program contained only three cautions all night, two incidents in heat #1 and one on lap 16 when TJ Shaw slid off the track with a flat tire on his Jay’s Automotive GRT Grand Prix.
• Officials from McKean County Raceway, Little Valley Speedway, Chris Zuver of ULMS and Series officials teamed up to conduct the program which was completed in just over 90 minutes. Thanks to all.
• Jay Pees has posted a great photo gallery at www.racewaymagazine.com ; check it out.
• Street Stocks were also on the race card. Mike Numeracki won the Main and, as a result, joins Bradford Speedway winner Andy Michaels as a guaranteed starter in the Street Stock Open at Woodhull Raceway on Saturday September 18 when the BRP Can Am Super Stock Series makes its maiden appearance at Scott and Amy Drake’s high banked race track.

The next event for the BRP CanAm Super Stock Series is Sunday September 5 at the Genesee Speedway on the Genesee County Fairgrounds in Batavia, NY

The BRP CanAm Super Stock Series is designed to promote the extremely competitive weekly Super Stock programs at Bradford [PA] Speedway, Freedom [NY] Raceway, Genesee [NY] Speedway, and McKean County [PA] Raceway. The 2004 BRP CanAm Super Stock Series includes 12 programs with events scheduled at the weekly tracks plus, Little Valley [NY] Speedway, Merrittville [Ont] Speedway, Ransomville [NY] Speedway, and Woodhull [NY] Raceway. Visit www.brpcanamsuperstockseries.com or contact Gary Montgomery at 315-536-3728 for more information.

Results:

Heats [10 laps, 5 qualify, top 3 redraw]

#1 – BOB DIXON, TJ Shaw, Andy Miller, Bill Holmes, Ron Baker, Alan Wais, Jon Lichy, Dennis Peters

#2 – AJ YOUNG, Scott Beherns, Todd Rice, Mike Wonderling, Jr., Tim Schram, Jason Dupont, Rick Hale, Rick Tingue

#3 – CHAD ARNOLD, Tim Rockwell, Darren Kish, Matt Cobb, Dustin Croft, Tom Schnars, Scott Tubbs, Wayne Adamczak

#4 – JIM JOHNSON, Jr. Peters, Jack Harrington, Jason Tingue, Bob Babbitt, Neil Patterson, Jeremy Wonderling, Ed Carley

B-Main [12 laps, top 4 qualify] ALAN WAIS, Jon Lichy, Neil Patterson, Wayne Adamczak, Rick Tingue, Tom Schnars, Dennis Peters, Rick Hale, Scott Tubbs, Jason Dupont

A-Main [30 laps] 1. BOB DIXON, AJ Young, Andy Miller, Jr. Peters, Todd Rice, Bill Holmes, Jack Harrington, Jason Dupont, Tim Schram, Matt Cobb, Mike Wonderling, Jr., Jon Lichy, Wayne Adamczak, Darren Kish, Chad Arnold, TJ Shaw, Jason Tingue, Dustin Croft, Neil Patterson, Bob Babbitt, Jim Johnson, Tim Rockwell, Rick Tingue, Tom Schnars, Alan Wais, Ron Baker, Jeremy Wonderling DNS Scott Beherns, DNQ Dennis Peters, Scott Tubbs, Rick Hale, Ed Carley