8/26/2018
Race of Champions
BRENT BEGOLO (OHSWEKEN SPEEDWAY) AND DAVE DIPIETRRO (MERRITTVILLE SPEEDWAY) BECOME IMPRESSIVE FIRST TIME RACE OF CHAMPIONS DIRT 602 SPORTSMAN MODIFIED
Brent Begolo of Saint Catharines, Ontario and Dave DiPietro of North Tonawanda, N.Y., ran to victories on respective nights in Race Of Champions Dirt 602 Sportsman Modified competition at Ohsweken (Ontario) Speedway this past Friday and Merrittville on Saturday.
On Friday night at Ohsweken Begolo started 9th and quickly worked his way through the field and wrestled the lead away from Brad Rouse of Saint Catharines, Ontario at Oshweken to gain the top spot. Begolo had to hold off the challenges of top Sportsman driver and 2016 Series champion Brad Rouse of Saint Catharines, Ontario to earn his first ever Series victory.
“It was a good night for us and the car was fast for us from the time we unloaded,” smiled Begolo in victory lane. “Any time you can top a field like this, it feels great. This is a great way to start the weekend, thank you to my Dad and my family for a great opportunity to race like this.”
Rouse came home second with Darrell Farraway of Hamilton, Ontario coming home third. Justin Sharp of Port Colborne, Ontario, fourth and Chad Chevalier of Port Colborne, Ontario, fifth, rounded out the top-five. Begolo, Rouse and Farraway won the qualifying races and Rouse earned the Speed51.com “Top of the Board” Award and an additional $51 in group qualifying by posting the fastest overall time.
On Saturday night the Series moved to Merrittville Speedway in Thorold, Ontario for the Driver Appreciation Night presented by Saint Catharine’s Husky. In the 30-lap main, DiPietro redrew second, took the lead on the first lap and turned in a dominating performance leading the remainder of the laps enroute to his first-ever series feature victory.
Dipietrro bested 2017 Series Champion, Chad Chevalier of Port Colborne, Ontario. Chevalier worked his way from the 5th starting spot to finish second. Cody McPherson of Saint Catharines, Ontario, finished third after starting on the pole.
Adam Leslie of Saint Catharines, Ontario finished fourth and Jay Mallory of Port Colborne, Ontario rounded out the top-five.
Rouse, McPherson and Mallory won qualifying races, while Mallory earned the Speed51.com “Top of the Board” Award.
The Series races again Sunday night to close out its five race season with the running of the Pete Cosco Memorial at Humberstone Speedway. Three drivers; McPherson, Rouse and Chevalier have a shot at the Series championship and the accolades that go with it. McPherson leads Rouse by 4 points and Chevalier sits just 13 points back in third. The winner of the race will have their name etched on the perpetual Pete Cosco Race of Champions Dirt Memorial Trophy.
The Race of Champions is a sanctioning body presenting Modified and Stock Car racing on asphalt and dirt surfaces throughout the Northeast, with events in New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey with primary marketing partners Hoosier Racing Tire, VP Racing Fuels, US Army, Upstate Automotive Group, Waddell Communications, Pilat Graphic Design, Jerico Performance, TDH Refrigeration, Sherwood Racing Wheels, PavedTrackDigest.com and Speed51.com. The 68th annual Race of Champions weekend will take place in 2018 at Lake Erie Speedway in North East, Pennsylvania and is the second longest consecutive auto-racing event in North America, second only to the Indianapolis 500.
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Race of Champions Media at media@rocmodifiedseries.com
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Ohsweken Speedway Merrittville Speedway
Club 54 30 on Gale’s Auto Aftermarket Night Driver Appreciation
Feature Finish – Feature Finish -
Position, Driver, Car Number, Starting Position, Laps Completed Position, Driver, Car Number, Starting Position, Laps Completed
1.) Brent Begolo 16 9 30 1.) Dave DiPietro 68 2 30
2.) Brad Rouse 18r 4 2.) Chad Chevalier 12 5
3.) Darrell Farraway 66 6 3.) Cody McPherson 7 1
4.) Justin Sharp 8s 8 4.) Adam Leslie 15 4
5.) Chad Chevalier 12 1 5.) Jay Mallory 20 3
6.) Cody McPherson 7 10 6.) Paul Gaboury 9 11
7.) James Friesen 72 3 7.) Luke Carleton 96 8
8.) Jay Mallory 20 16 8.) Robbie Johnston 33j 6
9.) Jordan Cosco 17c 14 9.) Greg Panunte 99p 7
10.) Dan Ferguson 11 13 10.) Rob Knapp 2k 15
11.) Adam Leslie 15 5 11.) Justin Sharp 8s 10
12.) Jim Harbison 7 18w 12.) Brad Rouse 18r 12
13.) Emily Puchalski 2 12p 13.) Chris Bellamy 88 9
14.) Luke Carleton 11 96 14.) James Friesen 72 19
15.) Anthony Muscale 18 94m 15.) Trevor Wright 09 13
16.) Dave Small 22 TEN 16.) Brent Begolo 16 16
17.) Chris Watters 21 119 17.) Jordan Cosco 17c 17
18.) Derek VanMil 19 2cool 18.) Tyler Puchalski 21p 14
19.) Joey Herremans 17 57 19,) Dave Small TEN 21
20.) Tyler Puchalski 20 21p 20.) Vince Fargnoli 90 18
21.) Greg Panunte 12 99p 21.) Derek VanMil 2cool 20
22.) Dylan Davidson 15 73 22.) Dave Mamo 3 22
23.) Jason VanMil 1 24
24.) Ed Cain 23 23
25.) Lee Mallory 44 25
Qualifying Race Winners; Brent Begolo (Qualifying Race 1); Qualifying Race Winners: Brad Rouse (Qualifying Race1);
Brad Rouse (Qualifying Race 2); Cody McPherson (Qualifying Race 2); Jay Mallory (Qualifying Race 3)
Darrell Farraway (Qualifying Race 3)
Submitted By: Joe Skotnicki
Article Media
