5/20/2019
Race of Champions
ANDY JANKOWIAK OPENS RACE OF CHAMPIONS ASPHALT MODIFIED SERIES SEASON WITH A WIN AT CHEMUNG SPEEDROME IN FRONT OF SUN DRENCHED CROWD
Andy Jankowiak of Buffalo, N.Y., collected his 7th career Race of Champions Asphalt Modified Series victory on Saturday afternoon at Chemung (N.Y.) Speedrome after a strong performance and survival of the “Lid Lifter” 75.
Jankowiak had a spirited battle with Tyler Rypkema of Owego, N.Y., finally wrestling the lead away from Rypkema on lap 46 and surviving several restarts to claim the victory.
“We had a good day. Tom and Erin McGrath and Bud Dreher, this whole team, gave me a great car,” began Jankowiak in victory lane. “It became a survival race. Tyler (Rypkema) and I battled on several restarts and we were finally able to get by him. It feels good to start the year off this way.”
Jankowiak, who started 9th, patiently worked his way through the field and avoided multiple incidents before getting to second and battling Rypkema on several restarts before being able to gain the top spot. Jankowiak was able to fend off all challenges in the closing laps of the race.
Zack Curren of Horseheads, N.Y., a weekly Chemung racer, finished second with Bryan Sherwood of Binghamton, N.Y., finishing third after recovering from multiple pit stops to finish third.
Zane Zeiner of Bath, Pa., finished fourth and Matt Hirschman of Northampton, Pa., rounded out the top-five after having a hectic back and forth day.
Sherwood posted the Speed51.com “Top of the Board” overall fast time in group time trials with a lap of 14.709 with an average speed of 91781 mph.
Mike Leaty of Williamson, N.Y.; Rypkema; Zane Zeiner of Bath, Pa., and Chuck Hossfeld of Ransomville, N.Y., won the qualifying races.
Bob Bogner of Orchard Park, N.Y., scored his first-ever Race of Champions Four Cylinder Dash Series victory. Bogner had a hard fought battle with Jacob Gustafson of Webster, N.Y., during the final stages of the race swapping the lead back and forth, with Bogner eventually being able to work around a lapped car and drive to victory lane. Gustafson finished second with Dan Dressel of Clarence, N.Y., finishing third.
Bogner and Joey Bevacqua of Penfield, N.Y., won the qualifying races.
The Race of Champions is a sanctioning body presenting Modified and Stock Car racing on asphalt and dirt surfaces throughout the Northeast, with events in New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey with primary marketing partners Hoosier Racing Tire, VP Racing Fuels, US Army, Upstate Automotive Group, Waddell Communications, Pilat Graphic Design, TDH Refrigeration, Sherwood Racing Wheels, PavedTrackDigest.com and Speed51.com. The 69th annual Race of Champions weekend will take place in 2019 at Lake Erie Speedway in North East, Pennsylvania and is the second longest consecutive auto-racing event in North America, second only to the Indianapolis 500.
For more information, contact;
Race of Champions Media at media@rocmodifiedseries.com
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Feature Finish
“Lid Lifter 75” (75-laps)
Chemung Speedrome, Chemung, N.Y.
Finishing Position, Car Number, Driver, Laps Completed, Reason Out (If Any)
Finish
1
Starting Position
9
No.
12x
Name
Andy Jankowiak
Laps
75
2
3
94
Zack Curren
3
12
95
Bryan Sherwood
4
4
0
Zane Zeiner
5
10
60
Matt Hrischman
6
19
72
TJ Potrzebowski
7
1
32
Tyler Rypkema
8
21
8
Chris Finnachario
9
11
3
Daren Scherer
10
16
65
George Skora, III
11
17
88
Scott Wylie
12
15
10
Daryl Lewis, Jr.
13
2
25
Mike Leaty
14
14
27
Donny Hartzell
15
23
40
Jake Rought
16
24
19
Austin Beers
17
18
48
Owen Bednasz
73 Running
18
7
45
Eric Beers
66 Accident
19
6
22
Chuck Hossfeld
38 Accident
20
5
2
Kevin Miller
33 Accident
21
13
5
Kyle Ebersole
29 Accident
22
20
53
Brian Defebo
25 Mechanical
23
8
66
Austin Kochenash
17 Mechanical
24
22
1
Chris Risdale
16 Accident
25
25
59
Karl Hehr
15 Mechanical
26
26
17c
Ken Canestrari
DNS Retired
Time of Race: 1 hour 9 minutes & 37 seconds Average Speed: 24.240 mph Margin of Victory: 1.095 seconds Lead Changes: 11 among 3 drivers. [25, Mike Leaty] 1-1, [32, Tyler Rypkema] 2-4, [25, Mike Leaty] 5-5, [32, Tyler Rypkema] 6-23, [22, Chuck Hossfeld], 24-24, [32, Tyler Rypkema], 25-28, [22, Chuck Hossfeld], 29-29, [32, Tyler Rypkema] 30-33, [12x, Andy Jankowiak] 34-34, [32, Tyler Rypkema] 35-45, [12x, Andy Jankowiak] 46-75
Speed51.com “Top of the Board” Award; Bryan Sherwood (14.709 seconds @ 91.781 mph)
Dirt Track Qualifying Race Winners; Mike Leaty; Tyler Rypkema; Zane Zeiner; Chuck Hossfeld
US Army Top Performer Award; Mike Leaty (14.236 seconds @94.830mph)
Wilwood Engineering Certificate Award (5th Place) – Matt Hirschman
MyRacePass “Free Pass” Award – (No Eligible Driver, No “Free Pass” Given during race”)
Feature Finish
Race of Champions Four Cylinder Dash Series
Lid Lifter (25-laps) Chemung Speedrome, Chemung, N.Y.
Finishing Position, Car Number, Driver, Laps Completed, Reason Out (If Any)
Finish
1
Starting Position
5
No.
30
Name
Bob Bogner
2
1
66
Jacob Gustafson
3
3
09
Dan Dressel
4
4
37ny
Josh Schosek
5
6
32ny
Bob Palmer
6
10
75
Mark Taylor
7
7
2
Tyler Harbst
8
8
0
DJ Shaw
9
14
04
Alex Browne
10
9
14
Allison Montgomery
11
11
11
Adam Killingbeck
12
12
11
Brett Bardette
13
2
41
Joe Bevacqua
14
13
89
Jody London
Qualifying Race 1; Bob Bogner – Qualifying Race 2; Joe Bevacqua