Lee Sharpsteen Nabs 2nd Consecutive Win in Chemung Mods, First of the Year for Cameron Nichols in Super Stocks
(Chemung, NY) The smells of race fuel competed with the smells of chickens on barbeque grills Friday night at Chemung Speedrome, as 570 BBQ served up some fabulous food as the race night sponsor. Winners included Lee Sharpsteen (Buckley’s Automotive Modifieds), Cameron Nichols (Blauvelt Funeral Home Super Stocks), Josh Parker (Marion Decker Agency Hobby Stocks), Joey Bevacqua (4 Cylinders), and Joey Allowatt (Bandoleros).
Except for a called-off initial start, the Buckley’s Automotive Modifieds ran a caution-free 30-lap feature. Defending track champion, and point leader, Lee Sharpsteen led the way from the get-go, and he never surrendered that top spot. Nick Morich, making his second appearance this year, was the guy to watch as he closed a good-size gap between himself and Sharpsteen over the final 20 laps. Heat winner Jesse Kent sat solidly in third. When it was over, Sharpsteen and the entire MOB Motorsports team celebrated in Ferrario Auto Team of Sayre victory lane. Morich was second, followed by Kent, Frank Chapman, Jr., and JP Harbst.
Heat winner Charlie Sharpsteen led the way in the 25-lap Blauvelt Funeral Home Super Stock feature. The first of just two cautions came out when Frank Chapman III spun. Sharpsteen maintained the lead over Mike Nichols. Behind them, a great battle ensued for third on back involving Garrett Zacharias, Nick Robinson, Chad Lane, and Tim Gullo. At the halfway point, Sharpsteen’s lead had grown, but Robinson had taken over second. With 16 laps complete, caution came out. Officials ruled that Tim Gullo had checked up between turns three and four and got a tap from Cameron Nichols. During the caution period, head flagger Gary Ham stopped Mike Nichols and Zacharias to issue both a contact warning. The restart, with 14 laps remaining, had cousins Sharpsteen and Robinson ahead of father and son Mike and Cameron Nichols. Cameron made a beautiful 3-wide move that put him in the lead, a position he held until the checkered flag ended a great race. Nichols, who told a break from racing for some ‘me time’ last year, thanked his father for their chat that brought him back and for his countless hours working on his fast car. Robinson was 2nd, with Zacharias, Sharpsteen, and Chad Lane in the top five. Chapman and Billy Both won the other heats.
Things changed dramatically in the Marion Decker Agency Hobby Stock division during post-race tech. That’s when Anthony Gullo’s apparent third win became his first disqualification for unapproved shocks. Two-time and defending track champion, Josh Parker, advanced from runner-up to winner of a race where he never ran outside the top five. The only caution came with three laps complete, and it set up a restart with leader Chuck Nichols and Cullen Sharpsteen on the front row. Gullo led the next lap, as well as every lap that followed, but heat winner Parker closed a gap between him and the leader, and he finished just a car length behind Gullo. Earlier in the evening Gene Purvis, filling in for Tom Shaffer, won the other heat and took second in the feature. Luke Nickels, Mike Nickels, and Randy Mathews rounded out the top five.
Though light in car count, the 4 Cylinder division put on a great 20-lap race. Matt Jenkins led early but lost the top spot on lap six, when point leader Joey Bevacqua took over. Robert Decker then passed Jenkins and ran right with Bevacqua. With just two laps remaining, Decker’s car developed a fire, and he came to a stop in turn four. He was ok but the car now needs work. That brought Jenkins back up to
second and that’s where he would finish. Bevacqua celebrated his second win, which was a sweep of the night. Ricky Lane finished third, ahead of Decker and Jason Peck.
Four young racers lined up for the 10-lap Serendipity Ice Cream Bandolero feature. Point leaders Joey Allowatt and Devin Gullo made up the front row for the start. They took off and made it a two-car race. Newcomer Madison White spun and brought out the only caution. Allowatt and Gullo resumed their battle and remained separated by just two car lengths, at most. Both celebrated in victory lane, Allowatt (Outlaw) as the overall winner and Gullo, highest among the Bandits. White and Dallas Harbst completed the rundown.
Natasha Conklin strapped in the 9 car and started the 8-lap Powder Puff from outside row three. She wasted no time going toward the front but lost the grip coming off turn four in a three-wide deal. She restarted at the rear and charged back toward the mystery driver, and leader, in the 89. Conklin closed the gap but the 89 finished ahead of her. Patti Hanbury, former B-Mod racer, and track champ at WCIS, had been told she was ineligible to race the 12J but she got in the 89 to race anyway. Conklin pulled into victory lane. Each complimented the other, with Hanbury saying that’s not the first DQ she got in a Powder Puff, and Conklin saying Patti won the race, but she was happy to be in a race car again. As a race winner.
This Friday night Just in Time Roofing presents a regular five-division program featuring Buckley’s Automotive Modifieds, Blauvelt Funeral Home Super Stocks, Marion Decker Agency Hobby Stocks, 4 Cylinders, and Serendipity Ice Cream Bandoleros. Pits open at 4:30, grandstand at 5, practice starts at 6 and the first green flag flies at 7. Grandstand admission is $15 for adults, $13 for seniors, $5 for kids ages 5 to 12, and free for kids ages 5 and under.
For information, log on to the track’s website: chemung-speedrome.com, ‘like’ us on Facebook: Chemung Speedrome – Racing at the Drome, or call Ray Hodge, Promoter, at 607-483-3468.
Of Note:
In the six features, the yellow flag came out for just six cautions.
David, from Waverly, recently relocated back to the area from Baltimore and he was beyond excited when claiming $400 in the 50/50.
Charlie Sharpsteen’s modified woes continued, forcing him to sit out both the heat and feature.
The track’s new apparel and merchandise is now available exclusively at 07 Collectibles, either at their trailer at the track or at their store in Endwell. They now have 2023 t-shirts, hoodies, hats, and bumper stickers.
The White family drove six hours from Southampton, NY so that their daughter, Madison, could compete in the Bandolero race. They had purchased the championship-winning car formerly driven by Kalysta DeMark.
Chemung’s annual salute to Veterans will be held on Friday, June 30th, with more info to come.
570 BBQ Results:
Buckley’s Automotive Modifieds (30 Laps): LEE SHARPSTEEN, Nick Morich, Jesse Kent, Frank Chapman, Jr., JP Harbst
Heat: Kent
Blauvelt Funeral Home Super Stocks (25 Laps): CAMERON NICHOLS, Nick Robinson, Garrett Zacharias, Charlie Sharpsteen, Mike Nichols, Chad Lane, Jason Duke, Sr., Frank Chapman III, Tim Gullo, Jason Duke, Jr., DJ Shaw, Billy Both, Mark Taylor, Kalysta DeMark, Donnie Russell
Heats: Sharpsteen, Both, Chapman
4 Cylinders (20 Laps): JOEY BEVACQUA, Matt Jenkins, Ricky Lane, Robert Decker, Jason Peck
Heat: Bevacqua
Marion Decker Hobby Stocks (20 Laps): JOSH PARKER, Gene Purvis, Luke Nickels, Mike Nickels, Randy Mathews, Cullen Sharpsteen, Brandon Ameigh, Ethan Roberts, Dave Decker, Sidnie Decker, Johnathan Gunderman, Mike Lattimer, George Nichols, Jr., Chuck Nichols, Ray Dann, Anthony Gullo (DQ-shocks)
`Heats: Purvis, Parker
Serendipity Ice Cream Bandoleros (10 Laps): JOEY ALLOWATT, Devin Gullo, Madison White, Dallas Harbst
Powder Puff #1 (8 Laps): NATASHA CONKLIN, Tara Gullo, Courtney Strange, Makinzie Decker, Lisa Nichols, Deanna DeMark, Patti Pruitt (DQ – ineligible)
Sources: Carol Houssock/Chemung Speedrome PR