Vic Miller Team Ready to Defend ISMA Title at Waterford May 23
Oswego, NY — It’d s no-brainer to speculate that the Vic Miller-Chris Perley team is the team to beat once again in 2009. The 2008 ISMA champions have won five titles in the past six years. And, with those championships came an amazing 36 feature wins. Add 5 more to that for 2005 when Pat Abold beat out the team for the title. That’s an amazing 41 features in six years! Undoubtedly, the black 11 will be the one to watch and the one to chase on May 23rd as ISMA opens its 35th season. But, after clinching a third straight team title last year, Chris Perley was the first to admit that it isn’t getting any easier.
“We had a great year again in 2008. I don’t know if you can say it was as good as 2007, but I think it was in some aspects. The car was so strong. The competition keeps creeping up in ISMA, which is great. Winning a championship isn’t really worth it if there isn’t anybody there to fight you for it in the end.
“Yes, we had the title won before Thompson but we still had a good battle in the points. I just had a good time again. The races we won were awesome. I think I had some of my most fun races last year. The Star Classic was a blast. Even going to Oswego and racing with the MSA guys was great. We just had a lot of fun. That’s what kind of keeps us in the game.
“This year we’ll have to try a little harder because people are really stepping up. That’s what racing is all about. I enjoy the competition as much as anything. I mean we want to win absolutely everything but to finish second in a heated battle where you don’t know who’s going to win is as much fun as winning a race. I’m looking forward to the increased challenges because you know they are coming.”
Perley, after having some bad luck on the previous several events at Waterford, finally claimed one in May of 2008 starting him on the way to a seven-feature win season. But others broke into the victory lane circle like Dave Shullick Jr. in the potent Clyde Booth 61, Lou Cicconi in the Wentworth 10, Dave McKnight in the Lichty 94 and MSA hot shoe Charlie Schultz in the May 7. All these drivers will be back to try and gun down the champ. Also in the mix, of course is six-time ISMA champion Russ Wood who finished second in points in 2008 and came ever so close to claiming his 48th career feature win. Wood held the all-time ISMA win list standings until Perley went by. Wood will be in his second season in the Allegresso-built, Holbrook-owned 29.
And, speaking of the Holbrook team which had four cars in the top 11 in points last season, three of them will return to challenge for the top spot in Wood, Holbrook himself and Mike Ordway Jr. The Brad Lichty team combo of Dave McKnight and Mike Lichty also return with Lichty still searching for that elusive first in ISMA competition. Even Perley shook his head and exclaimed at the end of last season, “I can’t believe Mike Lichty has not won a race. I mean he really should have. And when he does win and I’m sure he will if he stays in this, I hope I’m there to pressure him to the end.”
And, there are so many others. Rob Summers is looking for ISMA win number 2. Bobby Bond, Vern Romanoski, Bobby Haynes, Jeff Abold, Brandon Bellinger, Larry Lehnert and more are waiting to pick up the checkered as each year past shows their progress. One of the newcomers who has the track and open wheel experience is Ben Seitz steps into the Budnick 88 for his first full season.
No one knows, obviously, how this ISMA season will play out, but we do know that Saturday, May 23rd will start it all. So plan on being there. Pit gates open at the Waterford Speedbowl at 11am with the grandstand set to open at 4pm. The winged speed merchants practice at approximately noon with heats flagged off at 5pm. Features begin at 7pm.
Sources: ISMA PR