Friesen slides to King of the Can victory

Stewart Friesen of Niagara on theLake, Ontario utilized a lap 48 caution to snatch the win from  good friend Jeff Strunk on Sunday night at the Penn Can Speedway.  Strunk was the car to beat throughout the night and had one final restart to survive to be crowned the King of the Can presented by Don’s Automotive Mall andGary’s U-Pull-It but Friesen had other ideas.  Friesen the Five Mile Point Speedway and Utica Rome Speedway Champion dove to the inside of Strunk in turn one following the restart and slide across the track and in front of Strunk making some contact with Strunk’s left front tire.  Friesen motored away on the final lap to take his second Penn Can Speedway win over Strunk of Bechtelsville, PA; Pat Ward ofGenoa,NY; Jimmy Phleps ofBaldwinsville,NYand 22nd starter Justin Holland ofWhite Lake,NY.

“It’s tough it was racing deal he gave me the hole, I took it and it stuck.” said Friesen who exited his car to a chorus of boos in victory lane “It was nothing personal he’s my best friend and I love him like a brother unfortunately it had to happen like that but it’s just a racing thing and I couldn’t do nothing about it.”

The twice postponed finale in the VP Racing Fuels/Pioneer Pole Buildings Short Track Four Crown Series saw Jeff Strunk the Grandview Speedway and Big Diamond Speedway Champion lead the 27 car starting field down to the green flag for the King of the Can event.  Strunk jumped out to the lead over Kevin Bates, Mike Schane, Pat Ward and Mike Gular.  Danny Johnson was moving through the field from his 13th starting spot running in 10th on lap three and then vaulting up to eighth on lap five.  Strunk was stretching his lead slightly over Bates while Ward drove by Schane to take over third and Johnson moved into the top five on the same circuit.  Strunk entered lapped traffic for the first time on lap 13 which allowed Bates, Ward and Johnson who bypassed Schane to close in.  Strunk was struggling a bit with lapped traffic while Bates looked to the inside in the turns.  Johnson took third on lap 16 on the backstretch then attempted to slip by Bates but Bates held him back for the time being.  The first yellow flew on lap 17 for Steve Babicek.  Strunk led the pack on the restart meanwhile Ward surged to second and immediately looked for a way past the leader.  With 18 laps complete Strunk was under heavy pressure from Ward while Johnson, Bates and Gular were the front five.  Ward drove to the inside of Strunk and they raced side by side for two laps before Ward surged ahead on lap 20 just before Johnson who was right behind the top two spun in turn four and collected Bates.  The top five now was Ward, Strunk, Gular, Jimmy Phelps and 12th starter Stewart Friesen who had moved from tenth to fifth in four laps.  Ward led but a few laps after the restart Strunk was charging on the outside line until the yellow flew for a stopped car on lap 23.  On the restart Strunk pushed up the track momentarily opening the door for Phelps however Strunk held on to second.  Strunk once again looked to the outside of Ward but the yellow stopped the action when Bob Trapper spun and collected three more cars.  Friesen had moved into the fourth spot at this juncture.  Ward and Strunk raced side by side on the restart, Strunk nosed ahead on the high side entering turn three and completed the pass by time they reached the flag stand to take the crossed flags.  At the halfway point Strunk led Ward, Friesen, Phelps, Gular, Schane, Mike Colsten, Dan Pompey, Justin Holland and Danny Creeden.  Back to back yellow flags flew on lap 27 when racing got back underway Friesen challenged Ward for the second spot before another yellow on lap 30.  On the lap 30 restart Friesen took over the runner up spot from Ward.  Strunk was motoring away from the field while Friesen and Ward still raced under a blanket.

Justin Holland who started back in 22nd was making some late race passes as he ran sixth on lap 34.  With 35 laps complete the yellow flew, on this restart Friesen dove to the inside of Strunk but Strunk motored back ahead.  Strunk was leading by half a straightaway shortly after the restart meanwhile Gular andHollandraced hard for fifth withHollandtaking the spot on lap 44.  By lap 47 Strunk had nearly a straightaway lead over Friesen and Ward but the race changing moment happened on lap 48 when Mike Schane who had run in the top 10 all night came to a stop with a broken axle.  The final restart on the night had the crowd on the feet as Friesen dove to the inside of Strunk in turn one and slide across Strunk’s nose making slight contact with Strunk’s left front tire.  Strunk was left to race side by side with Ward the last two laps as Friesen went on to collect the King of the Can victory in his Layne Michael Parks owned No. 1.  Strunk in the Norm Hansell owned No.357 wasn’t too pleased by the move by Friesen and showed his displeasure by giving Friesen a shot in the bumper after the checkered flag.  Strunk held on for second and collected $925 in lap money Ward in the John Wight No.42P was third.  Phelps in the HBR Racing Troyer was fourth andHollandin the Shakleton Auto Parts No.280 completed the top five.  Danny Johnson of Rochester, NY who recovered from two spins in the event; Mike Gular of Green Lane, PA; Mike Colsten of Binghamton, NY; 21st starter Mike Mahaney of Kings Ferry, NY and Danny Creeden of Middletown, NY completed the top ten.

“Cars kept stopping and bringing out the yellows. What are you going to do?” commented Strunk in victory lane “He could have raced me off of to a bit better but he didn’t so.  You work real hard and you work hard for other people too and stuff like that happens.”  Those comments drew loud cheers from the crowd.

Kyle Rohner took command of the Crate Sportsman event on lap four from Bob Henry Jr. and led the rest of the 25 lap feature.  Rohner held off Jeff Crambo for several laps before Crambo slowed with a left rear flat tire.  Rohner then held off Ken Boniface for the last ten laps to take the checkers first.  Boniface came up light on the scales so after Rohner was Anthony Perrego, Penn Can Champ Mike Nagel Jr., Bob Henry Jr. and Alex Stanton.

Butch Green bested his twin brother Rich to win the finale of the Trackside Products RoC Street Stock tour.  The Greens were followed by Jared Hill, Louie Gordinier and Mike Wilbur.  Bob Buono won the RoC Street Stock Championship

Penn Notes: Strong fields turned out for all the divisions with 41 Modifieds, 32 Crate Sportsman and 36 Street Stocks for the Brett Deyo, Reed Miller and Al Wilcox promoted King of the Can event.  VP Racing Fuels Modified Heat wins went to Arnie Slade, Danny Creeden, Jimmy Phelps, Pat Ward and Mike Schane consolations were won by Justin Holland and Mitch Gibbs.  A very nice crowd turned out on an unseasonably nice day for the final event of the season and were rewarded with a quickly run show as the Modifieds ran first and were done with their feature at 6:45PM after racing started at 4 o’clock.

KING OF THE CAN RACE SUMMARY – NOV. 13, 2011

King of the Can Modified Feature Finish (50 laps): STEWART FRIESEN ($5,000), Jeff Strunk, Pat Ward, Jimmy Phelps, Justin Holland, Danny Johnson, Mike Gular, Mike Colsten, Mike Mahaney, Danny Creeden, Joey Grammes, Dan Pompey, Michael Weinert, Kevin Bates, Mike Schane, Joey Colsten, Bobby Trapper, Nick Rochinski, Arnie Slade, Scott Ferrier, Al Rudalavage, Mike Lartz, Duane Howard, Mitch Gibbs, Brett Tonkin, Steve Babicek, Kevin Hartnett.

Did Not Qualify: Mike Clapperton, Ryan Watt, Ray Bliss, Jim Mahaney,Chad Cook, Mike Marold Jr., John Juhl,Roy Shields, Bobby Trapper Jr., Casey Williams, Mike Ruggiero, Brian Malcolm, Alan Kellogg, Ray Dann.

Pioneer Pole Buildings Inc. ‘Gambler’s Bonus’ ($1,000): Stewart Friesen

Lap Money: Jeff Strunk ($925), Pat Ward ($125), Danny Creeden ($100), Danny Johnson ($50), Mike Mahaney ($50), Justin Holland ($50), Mike Schane ($25), Mike Gular ($25), Michael Weinert ($25), Kevin Bates ($25)

VP Racing Fuels Heat Winners ($50 each): Arnie Slade, Danny Creeden, Jimmy Phelps, Pat Ward, Mike Schane

Manmiller Electric Hard Charger Award ($100): Justin Holland

BFP Specialty Bonus ($250 certificate): Joey Grammes

American Racer Tire Giveaway No. 1: Stewart Friesen

American Racer Tire Giveaway No. 2: Ryan Watt

American Racer Tire Giveaway No. 3: Mike Mahaney

Selinsgrove Speedway Icebreaker Two Free Passes: Stewart Friesen

Shiley Fabrication Hard Luck Award (Bumpers and Nerf Bars): Kevin Hartnett

Shiley Fabrication Loyalty Award (Bumpers, Nerf Bars, Body & Roof Mounts, etc.): Brett Tonkin

ERK Steering Box Rebuild (Modified): Brian Malcolm

ERK Steering Box Rebuild (Sportsman): Anthony Perrego

S&D Bodyline $100 Discount Off Body: Mike Clapperton

Crate Sportsman Feature Finish (25 laps): Kyle Rohner ($1,000), Anthony Perrego, Mike Nagel Jr., Bob Henry Jr., Alex Stanton, Phil Recchio, John Aumick, Tyler Dippel, Jamie Batzel, Lem Atkins, Bob Johnson, Ben Wheeler, Adam MacGeorge, Donnie Lawson, Jack Gentile, John Ferrier, Jeff Crambo, Casey Pavlick, Tommy Johnson, Tyler Boniface, Tyler Siri, Paul Rooney, Alex Tonkin.

Disqualified: Kenny Boniface.

Did Not Qualify: Ray Bliss, Dan Conklin, Wayne Devantoy, Ryan Stone, Mark Clauss, Brad Cicio, Dan Sellen, Guy Harby.

Trackside Products Race of Champions Street Stock Feature Finish (25 laps): Butch Green ($500), Rich Green, Jared Hill, Louie Gordinier, Mike Wilbur, Kurt Stebbins, Gene Sharpsteen, Matt Spencer, Jon Carpenter, Corey Costa, Dave Pope, Earl Zimmer, Brenton Miller, Bob Buono, Rich Powell, Tom Eiklor, Buck Mills, Shane Wolf Sr., Dan Wood, Paul Harrington, Chad Stone, Kane Stebbins, Laverne Knickerbocker, Don Russel Jr.

Trackside Products RoC Street Stock Champion: Bob Buono.

Did Not Qualify: Joe George, Rob Stevens, TobySparks, Jason Burgher, Scott Tifft, Allison Pierce, Rob Stevens, John Hoover, Duane Kinne, Jack Halcomb, Harry Marvin III, Mike Seamon.

This column was supplied by Ryan Lepre.