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09/01/08 06:20 AM
WNY Auto Racing/By Larry Ott
Hoddick notches another big win
Earlier this week, Todd Hoddick wondered what it would be like to win the Budweiser 100 at Holland NASCAR Motorsports Complex after having already won two of this area’s biggest Late Model races the last few years — the US Open at Dunn Tire Raceway Park and the Race of Champions at Oswego Speedway.
He doesn’t have to wonder anymore. Hoddick passed veteran Dave Heitzhaus following a lap 73 restart and went the distance Saturday to claim Holland’s most prestigious annual event.
“I thought we were a little better than Dave on the long run,” said Hoddick of Cheektowaga. “I know he was awful good on the short run. On that last restart I pinched him down on the bottom there and got a good run coming out of Turn Four and took the lead so it was tough. I give him credit because he raced me clean.
“We’ve been trying to win this Bud 100 for about 10 years straight and always had strong cars but bad luck. Tonight the bad luck came earlier in the SST race but it turned out good in the Late Models.”
Hoddick was referring to the earlier SST/NASCAR Pro Modified 40 lapper in which he got into the back of leader Justin Shepker while trying to get the lead, spinning Shepker out. Hoddick was sent to the back of the pack by Holland officials for the incident.
“I didn’t do it on purpose,” said Hoddick of his contact with Shepker. “I want to apologize to him. It’s just hard racing but it was nothing intentional.”
Heitzhaus, Holland’s 1994 Late Model champion, was pleased with his run but still wants to win the Budweiser 100, a race that has eluded him. He led Saturday from laps 25 to 72.
“I had as good a car tonight as I probably ever had here,” said Heitzhaus of his second-place effort. “It went away a little bit toward the end. It was an awesome race. Todd ran me real clean. It feels great to be at least competitive. I want to try again next year because it will be my 20th year in racing. That’s a long time.”
The Budweiser 100 had a strong starting field of 26 cars. Completing the top five were Will Thomas, George Skora III and Vern Bliss, who came out of his driving retirement for one race, driving the No. 0 car formally driven by his brother Mark Bliss.
Elsewhere, the 358 Modified season point championship 50-lap finale at Ransomville Speedway had a dramatic conclusion. By finishing second in Friday’s race to winner Todd Burley, Pete Bicknell secured his 11th Ransomville career point championship by a single point, 722-721, over Burley.
Counting his championships earned in past years at other tracks and series, Bicknell has amassed an incredible 40 career titles. Bicknell came into Friday’s race sporting a slim five-point advantage over Burley. Burley won the race, so Bicknell had to place second to win the title.
Burley started the race from the sixth position while Bicknell began his quest from deep in the field at 14th. Burley took the lead from Bob Broomfield on lap 8 and dominated to win his fourth Ransomville race of the season.
Bicknell put on an equally spectacular drive, working his way to the front and grabbed the second spot from Joe Kubiniec on lap 35. He held off Robbie Krull over the remaining distance to finish in the runner- up spot and take the championship.
“We came on over the final month of the season like gang-busters,” said Bicknell, who won four times at Ransomville in 2008. “We started the season strong but then because of our race car building business, we began to experiment with different set-ups during the middle of the season and it didn’t go as well. So for the last month or so of the season we went back to our previous set-up.
“We ran excellent and when Todd had his trouble in a race a few weeks ago we got the point lead and luckily were able to hold on. Usually we start out the season with our R&D (research and development) experimenting but this year we kind of reversed it but it all worked out in the end.
What should not be overlooked is the fact that although he finished second in points, Burley, who has won the last two 358 Modified titles at Ransomville, had another great season at Ransomville. He won four races including the prestigious Summer Nationals and had the point lead most of the season. Burley only had one bad race all season.
Despite being just a rookie, James Michael Friesen won the Ransomville season Sportsman championship. He became the first member of his family to win a title at Ransomville since his grandfather, Stan Friesen, did it in 1968. Ransomville will decide its Street Stock championship on Friday.
Don Spatorico won the Sportsman season point championship at Genesee Speedway. Chad Brachmann earned the 358 Modified season championship at Merrittville Speedway.
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