Record-breaking Win For Rudolph

By admin July 12, 2009 NASCAR WMT, Spencer

Youngest winner in Whelen Modified Tour history

Williamson, NY — Erick Rudolph was just looking to finish a race. What he wound up with was a history-making victory. Rudolph’s first career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour win Sunday in the Spencer Speedway 155 made him the youngest winner in tour history.

At 17 years, 6 months, 3 days, the Ransomville, N.Y., driver eclipsed the mark set by Ryan Preece last year. Preece was 17 years, 10 months, 25 days when he won at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.

After failing to finish each of the first four races of the season, Rudolph led the final 48 laps Sunday and withstood a furious charge from Todd Szegedy on the final lap to claim the victory. On the last lap, Szegedy got by Chuck Hossfeld for second and had the nose of his car nearly up to Rudolph’s front tire as they crossed the finish line. The scheduled 125-lap event was extended to 131 by a green-white-checkered finish.

Hossfeld followed on Rudolph’s bumper for third. Rowan Pennink and Ryan Preece rounded out the top five.

Donny Lia, Mike Stefanik, Eric Goodale, Ron Silk and points leader Ted Christopher completed the top 10.

Earlier in the day, Szegedy and Christopher won the two 15-lap heat races that set the feature lineup. Rudolph, who was fastest in practice, finished 12th out of 14 cars in his heat.

Szegedy led a race-high 60 laps before being forced to pit for a flat tire on lap 80. He was able to cut Christopher’s point lead to 17.

The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour returns to the track Aug. 1 at Riverhead (N.Y.) Raceway.

Sources: Jason Christley/NASCAR WMT PR


Fin	Str	Car	Driver	Team	Laps	Points	Total Award	Status
1	23	59	Erick Rudolph	Original Pizza Logs/Prime Tyme Chevrolet	131	180	$5,000	Running
2	2	2	Todd Szegedy	Wisk/Snuggle Ford	131	170	2,200	Running
3	17	22	Chuck Hossfeld	Jerry Gradl Motors Chevrolet	131	165	1,700	Running
4	12	93	Rowan Pennink	Monk Mechanics Hand Cleaner Chevrolet	131	160	1,650	Running
5	6	3	Ryan Preece	Mizzy Const./Reynold’s Auto Wrecking	131	155	1,550	Running
6	7	4	Donny Lia	JoJo Energy Drink Dodge	131	150	1,450	Running
7	3	16	Mike Stefanik	Diversified Metals/Sanderson-MacLeod Pontiac	131	146	1,350	Running
8	13	58	Eric Goodale *	Riverhead Building Supply Chevrolet	131	142	1,600	Running
9	9	79	Ron Silk	Hill Enterprises/Coors Light/Sunoco Pontiac	131	138	1,250	Running
10	1	36	Ted Christopher	Al-Lee Installations Chevrolet	131	134	1,800	Running
11	11	09	Bobby Grigas, III	Triple-G Scaffold Services Chevrolet	131	130	1,150	Running
12	21	8	Glenn Tyler	Sypher Const./Financial Fed. Credit Chevrolet	131	127	1,025	Running
13	5	28	Woody Pitkat	Ramar-Hall Chevrolet	131	124	925	Running
14	15	52	Chris Pasteryak	Dawley’s Auto Center/Sunoco Chevrolet	131	121	875	Running
15	22	9	Buck Catalano	Middlesex Auto Center Chevrolet	131	118	830	Running
16	26	26	Gary McDonald	Lakeland Landscape/RC Electric Pontiac	130	115	600	Running
17	14	17	Glen Reen	Reen Orthodontics/Pep Boys Chevrolet	122	112	975	Radiator
18	16	18	Ken Heagy	Buoy One Seafood Chevrolet	122	109	725	Running
19	8	46	Eric Beers	Cape Cod Aggregates/J&R Pre-Cast Chevrolet	121	106	700	Running
20	10	10	Ed Flemke, Jr.	Ron Bouchard Autos/Kleer Trimboards	118	103	700	Running
21	20	15	Danny Knoll, Jr.	Troyer Race Cars Chevrolet	110	100	500	Running
22	4	12	Jimmy Blewett	TS Haulers Chevrolet	110	97	700	Suspension
23	18	68	Johnny Bush	J.B. Stone Setters/Mehner Racing Chevrolet	96	94	500	Rear End
24	24	33	Wade Cole	Perf. Engines/Kendall Oil/Ryan’s Oil Chevrolet	59	91	700	Suspension
25	19	19	Doug Coby	Major Motion Trans./Family Auto Ctr. Chevrolet	27	88	700	Suspension

RACE STATISTICS:
HEAT #1 WINNER: Ted Christopher, 36 Al-Lee Installations Chevrolet
HEAT #2 WINNER: Todd Szegedy, 2 Wisk/Snuggle Ford
Did Not Start: Jamie Tomaino.
Time of Race: 1 hrs., 11 mins, 31 secs Average Speed: 54.952 mph Margin of Victory: .054 Seconds
Caution Flags: Laps 3-6 (Car #4 spin in Turn 4); 20-23 (Car #26 spins in Turn 1); 26-30 (Multi-car accident in Turn 4); 34-40 (Car #17 spins in Turn 2);46-48 (Car #4 spins in Turn 3); 56-60 (Car #4 spins in Turn 3); 78-81 (Car #68 spins in Turn 3); 92-96 (Car #28 spins on frontstretch);101-104 (Car #68 stopped on backstretch); 110-115 (Multi-car accident in Turn 3); 119-120 (Cars #09 and 52 spin in Turn 2); 123-128 (Car #17 spin in Turn 2). 12 for 55 laps.
Lap Leaders: Todd Szegedy 1-6, Ted Christopher 7, Todd Szegedy 8-23, Ted Christopher 24-40, Todd Szegedy 41-48, Ted Christopher 49, Todd Szegedy 50-60, Ted Christopher 61, Todd Szegedy 62-80, Ryan Preece 81-83, Erick Rudolph 84-131.
Total Laps Led: Todd Szegedy 60, Erick Rudolph 48, Ted Christopher 20, Ryan Preece 3. 10 changes involving 4 drivers.

CONTINGENCY AWARDS:
COCA-COLA MOVE OF THE RACE AWARD: Erick Rudolph, 59 Original Pizza Logs/Prime Tyme Chevrolet
FEATHERLITE MOST IMPROVED DRIVER AWARD: Erick Rudolph, 59 Original Pizza Logs/Prime Tyme Chevrolet
SUNOCO ROOKIE OF THE RACE AWARD: Eric Goodale *, 58 Riverhead Building Supply Chevrolet
WHELEN WINNER OF THE RACE AWARD: Erick Rudolph, 59 Original Pizza Logs/Prime Tyme Chevrolet

* Sunoco Rookie of the Year Contender