JIM WISMER WINS “LATE MODEL 100” – JON MEYER TOPS “FACTORY STOCK 40” HEADLINE AT WALL STADIUM SATURDAY NIGHT

 

WALL TOWNSHIP, N.J. ~ Jim Wismer, Jr. won the 100-lap “Race of Champions Qualifier for Late Model stock cars and Jon Meyer topped the 40-lap championship event for the Flanagan Retail Development Factory Stocks during the Saturday night (June 27) Able Ford Subaru Racing Series events at Wall Stadium. Roger Coss, Jr. in the Legend Cars and Howie Conk in the Street Stocks joined Wismer and Meyer as first time Wall Stadium winners on “Fenders Only Night.”

 

            Both racers and fans waited out late-afternoon and early-evening showers that delayed the racing program nearly two hours.

 

            Long Island speedster Kevin Metzger jumped to the lead at the outset of the Late Model 100-lapper and held his ground through the first half of the contest as Wismer spent most of this time patiently running second. Metzger continued to lead after a restart at the half way mark, while Wismer suffered a bad restart and slipped from contention.

 

            Wismer then continued his patient driving style as he remained in the top five. Then, as the race neared the 80 lap mark, Wismer began to climb through the top five. Mike Colt in the No. 61 slipped into the lead at the lap 80 mark after Metzger and Jarrod Hayes tangled in turn four and spun from the top two spots, but Wismer was right on Colt’s bumper. Wismer then sized up the leader before charging to the lead for good on a lap 82 restart.

 

            From that point on Wismer stretched an advantage to the finish, while Colt hung on for second and Dave McOmbee crossed the line third. Metzger and Mike Sweeney completed the top five.

 

            “You don’t know how much this means to me,” the former Flemington Speedway champion said. “This is the only paved track in New Jersey, so in a way this is my home track. It is so special to win here. There is so much history. The Blewetts, Tony Siscone, the Bohn family and so many others have won here. That means so much.”

 

            In just his fourth race in the Factory Stock division, Jon Meyer led early and then returned to the top spot in the closing laps to win the division’s 40-lap championship race. Meyer started from the pole and led the first 26 laps before Gregg Clerico slipped into the lead on lap 26.

 

            Clerico then held off the late race challenges of Joe Constandi until the duo tangled in the third turn in the final laps and tagged the guard rail. That handed the lead to Vinnie Green who then pitted. That elevated Meyer back to the top spot where he stayed for the final two circuits of the contest. Joey Helberg, Dave Birdsall, Roy Farfel and Whitey Miller completed the top five.

 

            Howie Conk experienced a wide array of emotions on Saturday. In the morning, the Jackson resident attended his grandfather’s funeral. On Saturday night, he raced to his first ever 25-lap Street Stock main event win.

 

            “I want to dedicate this win to my grandfather,” Conk said after the race. “This is for my grandfather and for everyone who has helped me. My dad has always supported my racing and I couldn’t do it without him.”

 

            Greg Miranda led the first half of this one, before Conk took command when Miranda went spinning in turn four. Ralph Gargiulo challenged Conk late in the race before tagging the third turn rail. Conk then raced home to the win. Carl Thomas was the runner-up, while Nick Gargiulo, Jerry Stanzione and Ray Minieri were third through fifth.

 

            Roger Coss, Jr. of Lafayette grabbed the lead with just seven laps remaining and went on to win the 25-lapper for the INEX Legend Cars. Young Robert French, who led the first 18 laps, was close behind in second at the finish, with Bryan Gardella of Brick finishing third. Derek Hopkinson and Zach Alspach were fourth and fifth.

 

            Wall Stadium will celebrate the Independence Day Weekend on Saturday night, July 4, with a five division stock car racing card. In the spotlight will be the Street Stocks in a 50-lap championship race, while the Red Bank Sleep Shoppe Modifieds will battle in a 40-lap main event. The Calabreeze Pools Sportsman cars, the INEX Legend Cars and the Factory Stocks will also see main event action.

 

            Plans call for the competitor pit area to open at noon on Saturday, with a paid practice session running from 1:00 until 3:00 p.m. Regular practice will start shortly after 3:00 p.m., while spectator seating opens at 4:00 p.m. Qualifying is set for 6:00 p.m. and the first main event will get the green flag at 7:30 p.m. sharp.

 

            Wall Stadium presents professional motorsports events every Saturday night through Labor Day. Most Sunday afternoons feature the “Small Car Series” on the fifth mile paved “inner oval.” Legend Cars, Bandoleros, TQ Midgets, Open Karts, Champ Karts, Microstocks and World Formulas are on the card. For more information on the Sunday Series visit http://wtssundayseries.synthasite.com

 

Wall Stadium is located on Route 34 in Wall Township, N.J., just one mile north of Garden State Parkway exit 98 and Interstate 195 exit 35B. The speedway office is open from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and all day Saturday during events. The speedway hotline number is 732-681-6400, while more information is also available at www.wallspeedway.com.

 

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RACE RESULTS

June 27, 2009

 

LATE MODELS – 100 Laps – 1. JIM WISMER, 2. Mike Colt, 3. Dave McOmbee, 4. Kevin Metzger, 5. Mike Sweeney, 6. Jarrod Hayes, 7. Elliott Wohl, 8. Pete Brittain, 9. Roger Oxee, 10. Travis Fisher, 11. Greg Kieila, 12. Steve Senerchia, 13. Ken Matlach, 14. Tony Volpe, 15. Paul Koehler

 

FACTORY STOCKS – 40 Laps – 1. JON MEYER, 2. Joey Helberg, 3. Dave Birdsall, 4. Roy Farfel, 5. Whitey Miller, 6. Mike Bilello, 7. Chris Felber, 8. Tim O’Shea, 9. Joe Skalla, 10. Todd Pilla, 11. Steve Lynch, 12. Gregg Clerico, 13. Joe Constandi, 14. Vinnie Green, 15. John Bowers, 16. Phil Adelphia, 17. Tim Flanagan, 18. Richard Petey, 19. William Cichory, 20. Paul Hartwig, 21. Troy Gant, 22. Joe Cooley, 23. Tom Mikolajczyk, 24. Bryan Flanagan

 

STREET STOCKS – 25 Laps – 1. HOWIE CONK, 2. Carl Thomas, 3. Nick Gargiulo, 4. Jerry Stanzione, 5. Ray Minieri, 6. Mike Kennedy, 7. Gregg Miranda, 8. Mike Tillett, 9. Elliott Wohl, 10. Michelle Morrmann, 11. Tim LaBreque, 12. Scott Kurzwell, 13. Anthony Donnamaria, 14. Bill Vanderveen, 15. Ralph Gargiulo, 16. Dave Jennings

 

LEGEND CARS – 25 Laps – 1. ROGER COSS, 2. Robert French, 3. Bryan Gardella, 4. Derek Hopkinson, 5. Zach Alspach, 6. Mark Tischler, 7. John Beatty, 8. Trevor Alspach, 9. Francis Cottrell, 10. Mike Fulton, 11. Malcolm Campbell, 12. Brian Spencer, 13. Justin Alicchio, 14. Beth MacFarlane, 15. Bobby Baltera