LAMB, WILLIAMS, ODY, & MARSDEN WIN ON FINAL NIGHT OF POINTS AT UTICA-ROME SPEEDWAY; TRACK CHAMPIONS ARE PAT WARD, BRAD ALGER, JIM NORMOYLE, & CHRIS CARR CHAMPIONS VERNON, NY – Sunday night at Utica-Rome Speedway closed out the regular 2008 points racing season with track champions crowned in each division at the popular Route 5 track. Winning features were Ted Lamb Jr. of Clay in the 358-Modifieds, Casey Williams of Vernon in the Sportsman, Danny Ody of Albany in the Pro Stocks, and Rusty Marsden of Mexico in the Pure Stocks. Winning track championships were Pat Ward in the headline 358-Modified division, Brad Alger in the Sportsman, Jim Normoyle in the Pro Stocks, and Chris Carr by just two points in the Pure Stocks. All drivers were also preparing for this coming weekend’s New Yorker 200 at the speedway. At the start of the 358-Modified feature event, Alan Barker used his front row starting position to his advantage to take the early race lead. Gus Schmidt took the lead on lap 2, but Alan Barker wrestled it away again on lap 7. On lap 10, Jim Davis took the race lead with Alan Barker, Jamie Christian, Schmidt, and a hard charging Ted Lamb Jr. who started tenth on the grid. Lamb was a man on a mission as he marched his way to the front. A minor caution slowed the field on lap 13, allowing Jamie Christian to head the field on lap 14. Lamb moved into third on lap 19 and then second on lap 20 behind Christian. On lap 22, Lamb used the bottom to his advantage and took the race lead. Making a late race charge at this point was Ronnie Johnson, who was recovering from an early race bobble off the topside of the speedway. Johnson was fifth on the track on lap 23 as the caution came out. On the restart, Johnson raced into third behind Christian and Lamb. With five to go, Johnson took over second and began reeling in Lamb. Both drivers were racing hard, and about equal in laptimes. Johnson was able to close in over the last several laps but bobbled and did not have enough to heavily pressure Lamb, who raced on to his first win of the 2008 season. Johnson finished second, followed by Jim Davis, Jamie Christian, and Bobby Varin. Pat Ward, Willy Decker, Mitch Gibbs, Paul Jensen, and Paul Kinney completed the top ten finishers. With his sixth place finish, Pat Ward claimed the 2008 358-Modified track championship, the first ever at the track for the fan favorite. After several weeks straight of bad luck, Casey Williams led the entire 20-lap distance of the Sportsman feature event, his second victory of the season. The close points race played a major theme in the 20-lap event as leader Brad Alger was involved in a pileup on the backstretch. Alger was able to continue after pitting and no drivers were injured in the mele. After Williams at the finish, it was Jason Rood, Jeff Leslie, Jeremy Vunk, and Steve Way. With his eight place finish, Alger claimed the 2008 Sportsman track title, the first of his career. Danny Ody won his first career Utica-Rome Pro Stock feature after a race long battle with Ivan Joslin. Both drivers swapped the lead several times after early leader Jim Normoyle spun in turn four while leading on lap 3. Normoyle, who was driving the former Jerry Holmes car, was collected by several other cars including Bret Belden. Joslin was a close second, followed by Chris Makcey, Mark Effner, and Paul Streiff. Although Normoyle was out of the race, he had enough points to claim the 2008 Utica-Rome Speedway Pro Stock track championship, the first of his career. Rusty Marsden used a borrowed car from Curt Prevo to win his seventh Pure Stock feature of the 2008 season, but it was not enough as Chris Car won the track championship, his first ever, by just two points. Cale Hoffman and Frank Hyatt led the first two laps with Rusty Marsden taking the lead on lap 3 as he led the rest of the event. Brother Ron Marsden was second, followed by Ron Hawker, Chris Carr, and Phil Norman. The 2008 Utica-Rome Speedway race season is not over just yet. Coming up this Friday and Saturday September 12th and 13th is the 19th Annual New Yorker 200 Weekend, the signature event of the race season at Utica-Rome. Friday September 12 will feature the 50-lap Sportsman championship plus the SUNY Canton Street Stock Series, World Products IMCA Modified Empire State Series event and 358-Modified hot laps. Saturday will feature the 358-Modifieds for the Dart Machinery / Snofest 2009 Old Forge New Yorker 200 plus the Pro Stocks. Race time Friday is set for 7pm, while Saturday events will kick off at 2pm. UTICA-ROME SPEEDWAY RACE SUMMARY NEW YORK CENTRAL MUTUAL INSURANCE / ZIELINSKI’S ASPHALT NIGHT RACE DATE: SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 7, 2008 358-MODIFEIDS (30-Laps) – TED LAMB JR., Ronnie Johnson, Jim Davis, Jamie Christian, Bobby Varin, Pat Ward, Willy Decker, Mitch Gibbs, Paul Jensen, Paul Kinney, John Ramsey, Stewart Friesen, Jeff Kotary, Dave Rauscher, Alan Barker, Danny Varin, Jeremy Wilder, Gus Schmidt Jr., Tim Mayne, Ken McGuire, Bob Broomfield, Billy Trexler Jr. DNS – Billy Shantel Jr. 358-Modified Track Champion – Pat Ward. SPORTSMAN (20-Laps) – CASEY WILLIAMS, Jason Rood, Jeff Leslie, Jeremy Vunk, Steve Way, Matt Janczuk, Tim Nye, Brad Alger, Russ Hefti, Jack Miller, Jason Memrick, Chris Daley, John DeForest, Steve Yankowski, Roger West, Claude Hutchings Jr., Tommy Varin, Tom Juhl Jr., Mike Button, Jim Rothwell, Craig Pope, Michael Teachout, A.J. Filbeck, Aaron Jacobs. Sportsman Track Champion – Brad Alger. PRO STOCKS (20-Laps) – DANNY ODY, Ivan Joslin, Chris Mackey, Mark Effner, Paul Streiff, Tom Denton, Jack Terrell, Dan Peo, Ed Ostrander, Bill Knapp, Dave Meeks, Jim Normoyle Jr., Shawn Frost, Bret Belden, Dave Moyer, Rob Seavy, Chuck Wentrick, Jim Normoyle, A.J. Digsby. Pro Stock Track Champion – Jim Normoyle. PURE STOCKS (15-Laps) – RUSTY MARSDEN, Ron Marsden, Ron Hawker, Chris Carr, Phil Norman, Tim Janczuk, Nate Peckham, Waylan Wilczek, Cale Hoffman, Scott Wheelock, Chris Cunningham, Andy Potter, Steve Woodworth, Chuck McSpirit, Jim Richmond, Jim Thomas, Keith Stevenson, Rob Thieme, Adam Guilds, Bill Mason, Frank Hyatt. Pure Stock Track Champion – Chris Carr.