Carley Wins BRP CanAm Race At Genesee

Batavia, NY…Ed Carley had tried twice to qualify Dick Bradigan’s Super Stock for BRP CanAm and failed on both occasions. Carley’s third attempt was Sunday night when the BRP CanAm Series made his second Genesee Speedway stop of the 2004 campaign. The third time was a charm.

Carley got the call from Dick Bradigan to take over the driving assignment of his Shaw Grand Prix when #1 driver and son, Kyle, returned home to Florida. Carley was “available” since his Super Late Model was without an operable engine. Stepping back into a Super Stock wasn’t his first choice, but it was better than staying home. Well maybe not after two DNQs. Carley knew that the car was capable if he could make the necessary adjustments to handle the 200+ horsepower reductions and get some good racing luck. Sunday night the Freedom, NY racing veteran got the handle on the horsepower adjustment and some good luck to go along with it and Carley added his name to the BRP CanAm race winners list.

Carley finished third in his heat which gave him the opportunity to draw for a top twelve starting spot in the A-Main. He drew number nine starting spot and went to work. His work paid off on lap 13 when he found some bite on the bottom of turn two and took the top spot from the only other race leader, Jon Rivers. From that point on Carley survived four caution periods and held off several strong challenges from Rivers.

Jon Rivers had won the non-series race at Genesee the night before and wanted very much to win two in as many nights. Rivers won his heat and drew the Kendall GT1 Pole and until Carley squeezed by. He came up one position short at the checker, but the young man from Batavia should hold his head high for the great results he has achieved in just seven super stock starts.

Bob Dixon, the defending BRP CanAm Super Stock Series Champion, continued his second half surge with a very strong third place finish. Dixon was involved in the closest toughest position battling as the front two distanced themselves from the other 25 starters. Dixon raced wheel to wheel with several challengers all race long.

Dave Miller made his second Series start of 2004 and although the result was fourth and not second as in his Merrittville start Miller was happy to not only record a solid finish, but pass the post race technical inspection. Miller had been flagged the winner in a non-series race at McKean the night before, but his car failed the minimum wheelbase inspection. Dave and his boys “stretched it out” the necessary inch to make the Lois Miller GRT Grand Prix legal.

Chief Neil Patterson recorded his best ever BRP CanAm Series finish when he crossed the line in fifth. Patterson skipped the Saturday night races to attend his son’s wedding. The night off must have helped! The Tuscarora Nation representative to the Series had not qualified for four Series events and until Sunday night had o a best finish of 19th. The Chief has made a great recovery for the start of the Series September Stretch.

Bill Holmes, Jr. was hoping for a win, but the way his 2004 racing season has been going he was reasonably happy to bring his Grandpa & Grandma GRT Special home in sixth position. Holmes has suffered through a string of broken parts and less than desired finishes. Traffic, too many cautions [nine], and a slicker than even he would have hoped for race track didn’t favor the young racer from Chaffee, NY.

Jason Dupont again earned hard charger honors with his charge from 23rd to seventh. The Lewis Run, PA racer made the field by winning one of the B-Mains and then set his Zippo Manufacturing Shaw Monte Carlo into action. The action produced Dupont’s second best 2004 Series finish and fifth top ten finish.

Dave Dubois, a weekly warrior at Genesee, made his third Series start and first A-Main start pay off with a very popular eighth place finish. Dubois made noise early when he won his qualifier.

Todd Rice made the A-Main field via finishing third in his heat and then drew fourth place starting spot. Early it looked like Rice could win. Later it looked like he would earn at top five finish. However, contact with another car on lap 27 knocked Rice from fourth to seventh and then he lost two more spots to bring his Bauchard Dodge sponsored GRT Taurus home ninth.

Jon Lichy of Salamanca made his third Series start and best Series finish when he qualified in his heat and followed that up with tenth in the A-Main. Lichy’s Micky G’s Smokin Café Shaw Monte Carlo is one of the best looking cars racing in the Series.

Several drivers must be considered for the Headache Award. Andy Miller, the Series point leader, spun out of tenth position on lap three and almost lost his race car in a small lake off of turn one. He was able to continue after recovery, but the cars suspension was damaged and Miller struggled to finish 12th. His point advantage over Todd Rice is now 35. Rice’s previously mention kick from fourth to ninth made his ride home to Eldred, PA more difficult. Tim Rockwell suffered his second DNF of the Series after contact from another car cut a tire and broke a shock. Jr. Peters suffered his worst finish of the Series when he slid off the track and brought out a caution. He returned to finish 20th

Heat race winners were: Andy Miller, Dave Dubois, Jerry Bentley, and Jon Rivers
B-Main race winners were: Jason Dupont and Bruce Miller

NOTES:

• 42 cars entered the program; 27 cars started the A-Main; Series provisional starting spots went to AJ Young and Dustin Croft; the Speedway provisional starting spot went to Paul Weber.
• Speedway management exercised its option to start more than the minimum of 24 cars. They added the top two from each of the B-Mains rather than the formula minimum of two. Those “Lucky Dogs” were Bo Clark and Scott Beherns.
• The race was marred by nine caution periods, one short of the Series record which also belongs to Genesee Speedway.
• The BRP CanAm Super Stock Series September Stretch resumes with a weekend double header on Friday September 17 at Ransomville Speedway and then Saturday September 18 at Woodhull Raceway.

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.

A-Main Finish [30 laps]: 1. ED CARLEY, 2. Jon Rivers, 3. Bob Dixon, 4. Dave Miller, 5. Neil Patterson, 6. Bill Holmes, 7. Jason Dupont, 8. Dave Dubois, 9. Todd Rice, 10. Jon Lichy, 11. Bruce Miller, 12. Andy Miller, 13. Jeremy Wonderling, 14. Paul Weber, 15. AJ Young, 16. Scott Beherns, 17. Tim Schram, 18. Bo Clark, 19. Dustin Croft, 20. Jr. Peters, 21. Tim Rockwell, 22. Jim Johnson, 23. Rick Tingue, 24. Clayton Downs, 25. Justin Chaddock, 26. Mike Wonderling, Jr., DQ Jerry Bentley DNQ Tom Schnars, Bob Babbitt, Brian Kotarski, Joe Horton, Chad Arnold, Jason Tingue, Tim Kauffman, John Venuto, Stubby Pangrazio, Doug Pringle, Chris Vogler, Don Barnes, Pete Waldon, Terry Pangrazio