Syracuse, NY – October 8, 2010 – By Kevin Kovac, DIRTcar Racing PR - Tony Steiner of Jamesville, N.Y. (Big-Block Modified) and Rocky Warner of Gloversville, N.Y. (Pro Stock) were victorious in the DIRTcar ‘Futures’ feature events that closed Friday’s Super DIRT Week XXXIX action at the New York State Fairgrounds.
Steiner’s triumph in the 8-lap Big-Block Modified race was a milestone for the 44-year-old driver, who is in his third season of competition in DIRTcar Northeast’s marquee division.
“Winning at Syracuse is awesome – especially when it’s your first total career win,” said the smiling Steiner, who had never before reached the checkered flag first in his four-year racing career. “I’m pretty excited. This has actually been my worst year of racing – we’ve had so many mechanical issues, took a nasty flip at Brewerton and had a bunch of other crashes – so this makes it all worthwhile.”
Steiner, who put his Bicknell car on the pole of the four-car sprint by registering the fastest lap in a late-morning qualifying session, was never challenged. He easily defeated Phil Vigneri of Elba, N.Y., by 4.942 seconds for the $750 top prize.
Racing with power supplied by an engine built specifically for the Syracuse Mile by Shawn and Brian Donath, Steiner felt fortunate to simply start the ‘Futures’ event. Earlier in the day the regular at New York’s Brewerton and Fulton speedways was nearly swept up in a multi-car crash during the third Big-Block heat race.
“Ted Lamb was right in front of me in the Triple 20 when he flipped,” said Steiner, who decided to start racing at the age of 40 because, he joked, he experienced a “mid-life crisis.” “I never saw him flipping. I don’t know how I missed him, but I’m sure glad I did because if I’d have torn the car up there I wouldn’t have been able to come in here and win this.”
The 12-lap Pro Stock ‘Futures’ feature, meanwhile, fell under Warner’s tight grasp after a hairy-raising early-race battle with fellow Capital District racer Jeremy Pitts of Clifton Park, N.Y. Warner started from the pole position with Pitts to his outside and they swapped the lead twice in the first four laps.
“We were busting chops before qualifying and talked about going into turn one (at the start) and banging bumpers, sparks flying, getting our pictures taken and stuff,” said Warner. “Then we go in the corner, I lost him, then all of a sudden he shoots right back around the outside and passed me when I come off two and hit the bump.
“I thought, Oh man, it’s gonna be tough to pass him back. Then (the next lap) he went back to the bottom where I was and I went where he was and passed him back. It was a blast.”
Warner’s $400 triumph continued his spectacular 2010 season. He won track championships at Glen Ridge Motorsports Park in Fultonville, N.Y., and Fonda (N.Y.) Speedway and copped the Thunder on the Thruway Series title.
“You come here as a kid and dream of winning a race here,” said Warner, a 29-year-old in his second season of Pro Stock competition. “To finally actually do something like that is a real thrill.”
Big-Block Modified ‘Futures’ Feature Finish (8 laps): TONY STEINER, Phil Vigneri, Lance Willix II, Brian Swarthout, Ted Lamb Jr. (DNS), Marc Johnson (DNS).
SUPER DIRT WEEK XXXIX 'FUTURES' TIME TRIALS @ NYS Fairgrounds, Oct. 8
*Determined feature race starting positions.
BIG-BLOCK MODIFIED
FAST AVE
TIME MPH CAR# DRIVER
1 31.346 114.847 13 Tony Steiner/Jamesville,NY
2 31.381 114.719 85 Ted Lamb Jr./Clay,NY
3 31.833 113.090 44v Phil Vigneri/Elba,NY
4 31.967 112.616 16 Lance Willix II/Theresa,NY
5 32.657 110.237 3j Marc Johnson/Guilderland,NY
6 33.448 107.630 14s Brian Swarhout/Beaver Dams,NY
Pro Stock ‘Futures’ Feature Finish (12 laps): ROCKY WARNER, Jeremy Pitts, Scott Duell, Pete Broderson, Francois Adam, Chuck Towslee, Sheldon Martin, Bill Smith IV, Ron Nuzzaro Jr., Bernie Companion, Thunder Anderson, Paul Engwer, Milo Campbell, Walt Brownell.
SUPER DIRT WEEK XXXIX 'FUTURES' TIME TRIALS @ NYS Fairgrounds, Oct. 8
*Determined feature race starting positions.
PRO STOCK
FAST AVE
TIME MPH CAR# DRIVER
1 37.423 96.198 79 Rocky Warner/Gloversville,NY
2 37.688 95.521 27 Jeremy Pitts/Clifton Park,NY
3 38.455 93.616 114 Scott Duell/Green Island,NY
4 38.648 93.148 23 Chuck Towslee/Manchester, VT
5 38.814 92.750 92 Sheldon Martin/Scotia,NY
6 38.817 92.743 53b Pete Broderson/Ballston Spa,NY
7 38.951 92.424 31x Ron Nuzzaro Jr./Yonkers,NY
8 39.291 91.624 41 Bill Smith IV/Ballston Spa,NY
9 39.708 90.662 01 Francois Adam/St.Pie,QUE
10 41.026 87.749 87 Walt Brownell/Ballston Spa,NY
11 41.449 86.854 34 Paul Engwer/East Greenbush,NY
12 -NT- ----- 30 Thunder Anderson/Hogansburg,NY
13 -NT- ----- 83 Bernie Companion/Ballston Spa,NY
14 -NT- ----- 143 Milo Campbell/Shaftsbury,VT
