Champions Crowned as Whip City Season Ends
BY MARK McKEON
WESTFIELD, MA – The last night of racing under the current management had the highest car count of the year as several competitors stopped by to say both hello and farewell.
The 750cc Mini Sprint points battle went down to the wire at the Whip and Flyin’ Phil Bessette’s heat race victory made all the difference in his winning the championship. Bessette won the championship with 1332 points to John Casazza’s 1312. Tyler Jackson won the feature.
Even a 12th place feature finish, couldn’t keep Ricci Hirth from winning another 600cc championship. Jay Coppo, another former champ, won the feature.
Seth Carlson’s second place feature finish, coupled with a heat race win, was enough to earn him the 270cc championship. Feature winner Kurt Conklin won the feature.
Jon Moore led 18 of the 20 lap 1200cc feature until contact sent him spinning and restarting from the back of the pack. His sixth place finish was more than good enough to earn him another championship. Race winner John Virgilio finished second in points.
The intense but friendly rivalry between Kyle Smith and Makayla Lucia continued until the final race of the year. They finished the 750 Sportsman feature 1-2, which is also how they finished in points.
Ryan Charland won the Modified Lite slugfest. Ryan Nicewicz had previously clinched the title.
Former Sprint Car pilot Scott Holcomb earned his first Quad 4 Midget feature and Joe Krawiec claimed the title.
270cc: 1. Kurt Conklin, 2. Seth Carlson, 3. Mark Irving, 4. Brooks Bennett, 5. Wayne Ibitz, 6. Todd Bertrand, 7. Tara Galko, 8. Matt Seymour, 9. Derek Robbie, 10. Glen Clark, 11. Cheryl Clark, 12. Tyler Jackson, 13. Andrew Mullen, 14. Ben Martelle, 15. Brian Boudreau, 16. Kendall Segar, 17 Jake Sapowsky, 18. Doug Evanuska.
600cc: 1. Jay Coppo, 2. Luke Greenwood, 3. Richard Crooker, 4. Ryan Bigelow,5. Chris Lennox, 6. Brandon Igo, 7. Matt Seymour, 8. Greg Smith, 9. Paul Bigelow, 10. Lowbed Johnson, 11. Jim DeCambra, 12. Ricci Hirth, 13. Barry Coolen, 14. Kevin Stolte, 15. Susan Lescynski, 16. Brian Cunningham.
750cc: 1. Tyler Jackson, 2. Mark Taylor, 3. John Casazza, 4. Phil Bessette, 5. Mike King, 6. Matt Brown, 7. Don Masciadrelli, 8. David Williamson, 9. Nikki Ouellette, 10. Rob Walendy, 11. Richard Stone.
750 Sportsman: 1. Kyle Smith, 2. Makayla Lucia, 3. Kurt Conklin, 4. David Jackson, 5. Grady Johnston, 6. John Forgey, 7. Shelby Klekotka, 8. Mark McKeon, 9. Wayne Bush.
1200cc: 1. John Virgilio, 2. Jamie Beaudry, 3. Jerry Sehn, 4. Peter Dance, 5. Joseph Szczapa, 6. Jon Moore, 7. Mark Taylor, 8. Paul Rose.
250 Youth Sprint: 1. Alex Adamsky, 2. Cullen Pike.
Quad 4 Midget: 1. Scott Holcomb, 2. Joe Krawiec, 3. Denny Zimmerman, 4. Doug Meyer, 5. Dana Shaw, 6. Greg Olson, 7. Jamie Spalding, 8. Jeff Horn, 9. Scott Viets, 10. Tim Gallant, 11. Vince Jacobs.
Modified Lites: 1. Ryan Charland, 2. Robert Poloski, 3. Roger Angers Jr., 4. Joseph Anselmo, 5. Brett Crowther, 6. Ryan Nicewicz, 7. Rick Ashlaw, 8. Bob LaForge, 9. Wayne Tack, 10. Robert Charland, 11. Eric Bacon, 12. Tom O’Malley, 13. Donald Bellen.
Karts: Novice: 1. Aidan Pike, 2. Darren Taylor, 3. Tanner Correia, 4. Kerrian Adamsky.
Turquoise: 1. Spencer Brockman, 2. Corey Lemelin, 3. Dylan Irish.
Junior: 1. Ryan Irish, 2. Jeff Champagne, 3. Nora Lemelin, 4. Travis Snow, 5. Connor Leighton.
Lite: 1. Kate Lafreniere, 2. Stephanie Banach, 3. Mike Hauser, 4. Jamie Spalding, 5. Josh Rutola, 6. Steve Rockwood, 7. Steven Banach.
Heavy: 1. David Comeau, 2. Jake Sapowsky, 3. Bill Tack, 4. R.J. Currey, 5. Tim Gallant, 6. Adam Dion, 7. Dale Weeks, 8. Bob Byron, 9. Roy Gauthier.
Modified: 1. Gary Hublard, 2. Craig Hublard, 3. Kyle Smith, 4. Steve Rockwood, 5. Jason Wood, 6. Scott Kalber, 7. Eric Jorgensen, 8. R.J. Currey, 9. Paul Luntta, 10. Josh Rutola, 11. David Comeau, 12. Rick Ashlaw.
2 Stroke: 1. Ernie Whidden, 2. Eric Snow, 3. Jason Wood, 4. Roger Angers Jr., 5. Bruce Dodge