8/7/2021 - Marky Traverse Memorial Race
Saturday night August 7th was The Annual Full Fender Nostalgia Night and The Annual Marky Traverse Memorial for the NAPA Northeast Parts Street Stock division. The Marky Traverse Memorial is an event that has taken place at The Legendary House Of Power for many seasons honoring the wonderful life of young racefan taken from us too soon. The NAPA Northeast Parts Street Stock division competed in a special twenty lap main event, in what was the richest Street Stock race in the 102 years the speedway has been open. Fans, race teams, sponsors, and past drivers supported the event in raising what was a near $10,000 purse. Twenty Two Street Stocks entered for competition, the highest car count for the division in the 2021 season yet.
The first award of the night was awarded at the conclusion of warm ups for the NAPA Northeast Parts Street Stock division. The Vernon Outdoors Farthest Towing Award, presented to the team who traveled the furthest to compete in the race, would be given to newcomer to the speedway Jack Beaumont. Beaumont travels over 2 and half hours to compete with the Street Stock division week in and week out. The next set of awards came at the conclusion of two heat races. The two heat events, paying $50 to win each courtesy of Johnny & Marie Lieto, would be won by Jack Beaumont and veteran racer Danny Hedges.
After a redraw of the top six from each heat, Mike Vigiletti and a returning Danny Maher would start on the front row for the twenty lap feature. When the green dropped, Vigiletti would take control. Unfortunately on the backstretch the #414 of John Tucker would spin collecting the #60 of Marty VanNieuwland and the #07T of Anthony Tarantino bringing out the yellow. On the restart, Vigiletti and Maher would take off. Vigiletti would get out front but behind him and Maher was a hard charging Ray Tarantino Jr. “The Intimidator” Ray Tarantino Jr was up in the high lane trying to get on by the #32 of Charlie Donald and the #1M of Danny Maher. However, a caution would come out after the #171 of Walt Henry would spin at the apex of turns 1 & 2 and end up on pit lane.
The next restart would still have Mike Vigiletti leading and Danny Maher in second. When the field got the green, “The Intimidator” Ray Tarantino Jr. would get on by Danny Maher and take over second. This left Maher to deal with two former track champions, Charlie Donald and Jimmy Hajkowski. Donald and Hajkowski would apply the pressure to Maher. Jack Beaumont entered the mix nearly up on the wall using the Tyler Boniface lane, to make it a four car battle for third place. Mike Vigiletti sat out front, and put his car on cruise. Vigiletti began to lengthen his lead, with Tarantino Jr attempting to catch him. As the duo cruised around, the intense battle for third got hotter. With multiple lane swaps and position swaps, it led to three wide action. Although the racing out front was spread out, the racing within the pack was hot and heavy. A returning Danny Carlough and Walt Henry, would make their way from 19th and 20th starting positions into the top ten. It was on lap 17 that the next caution would be displayed, after Jimmy Hajkowski went for a three wide pass entering turn three and looped it around.
There were two restarts after, giving Ray Tarantino Jr two shots at dethroning Mike Vigiletti of the top spot. Vigiletti played games with Tarantino Jr under the caution lap before the restart swapping his lane of choice but ultimately Vigiletti would maintain his lead on the final restart. Vigiletti would get out front with Tarantino Jr in tow. This left for a hard battle to ensue between Charlie Donald, Danny Maher, Jack Beaumont, Danny Carlough, and Robbie Taylor. Vigiletti was stuck like glue out front, and wouldn't look back as he became the next victor of The Marky Traverse Memorial. Ray Tarantino Jr would secure second, and Charlie Donald would lock in the final podium spot taking home third. Danny Maher, Jack Beaumont, and Danny Carlough would go three wide within the final laps, but Danny Maher would hold off both Beaumont and Carlough right down to the line.
AJ Holland was the victor in the Rapid Tire 30 lap Enduro feature.
Pos Competitor Total Time Diff Laps Best Lap Best Lap No. Best Speed
1 1 Mike Vigiletti 27:38.737 0.000 20 28.811 18 78.095 mi/h
2 75 Ray Tarantino 27:40.352 1.615 20 29.157 5 77.168 mi/h
3 32 Charlie Donald 27:41.044 2.307 20 29.173 3 77.126 mi/h
4 1M Dan Maher 27:41.701 2.964 20 29.260 8 76.897 mi/h
5 191 Jack Beaumont 27:41.768 3.031 20 29.220 14 77.002 mi/h
6 777 Danny Carlough 27:42.094 3.357 20 28.705 14 78.384 mi/h
7 53 Rob Taylor 27:42.542 3.805 20 29.141 17 77.211 mi/h
8 171 Walt Henry 27:42.572 3.835 20 29.126 13 77.251 mi/h
9 21JR Joel Murns 27:43.757 5.020 20 29.787 19 75.536 mi/h
10 45 Jim Hajkowski 27:44.207 5.470 20 29.121 20 77.264 mi/h
11 3C Cody Clark 27:45.124 6.387 20 29.216 17 77.013 mi/h
12 414 John Tucker 27:45.378 6.641 20 29.452 20 76.395 mi/h
13 07 Ryan Modiano 27:49.045 10.308 20 29.678 15 75.814 mi/h
14 43 Paul Harding 16:46.000 3 laps 17 29.670 11 75.834 mi/h
15 07T Anthony Tarantino 16:50.040 3 laps 17 30.031 11 74.923 mi/h
16 110 Ben Richard 16:50.447 3 laps 17 30.015 5 74.963 mi/h
17 58 Danny Hedges 27:43.250 3 laps 17 28.923 14 77.793 mi/h
18 49 Ron Constable 16:43.089 6 laps 14 34.814 5 64.629 mi/h
19 3T Randy Torres 6:08.812 19 laps 1 31.276 1 71.94 mi/h
20 60 Marty Van Nieuwland 1.656 20 laps - 0.000 - -