October 7, 2006 Hossfeld Surges To ROC Tour US Open 100 Win Lancaster, NY - The Sunoco Race of Champions Modified Tour took center stage on day one of the 18th annual U.S. Open at Lancaster Raceway Park. The Modified race at the U.S. Open is one of the most prestigious asphalt Modified races in the Northeast, and it draws a stellar field of competitors. In the end, however, a familiar face to victory lane at Lancaster would come out on top for his second career Open victory. Jan Leaty started on the pole for the 100-lap feature alongside Lee Sherwood. Leaty had a fast car in his heat race, and that was also true in the main event as he jumped out to the early lead. Chuck Hossfeld of Ransomville, NY was not as fortunate in his heat race. Hossfeld, driving the Don Ryerse-owned #99, ran into the back of another car and cut down a tire and did not finish. He was forced to qualify through the B-Main, which he won, and started 21st in the 31-car field. In the feature, Hossfeld didn't waste any time in getting to the front. He had already moved up to 12th by the eleventh lap. Hossfeld was still in 12th when the first caution of the race came out on lap 19 when Sege Fidanza spun in turn two. Instead of keeping his spot on the track, Hossfeld elected to pit at this time for tires. Kory Rabenold, T.J. Potrzebowski, Matt Alix, Danny Knoll Jr., and Mike Leaty were among the other cars that also pitted. Leaty was still eading when the race resumed followed by Sherwood, Eric Beers, Daren Scherer, and Dave Wollaber. Beers moved into second immediately after the restart, as he and Jan Leaty took over as the two fastest cars in the field. John Markovic and Bob Reis got together on lap 37 to bring out the race's second caution. Once again several cars pitted during the yellow flag period including, Dave Wollaber, Pete Brittain, Daren Scherer, Bill Hebing, and Tom McGrath. Shortly after the ensuing restart on lap 42, Chuck Frisbee III stopped in turn four to bring the yellow flag back out. Matt Hirschman, Buck Catalano, and Tommy Cloce all pitted during the caution period. Hirschman had worked himself from almost dead last in the starting grid to fourth before stopping. As the race pass the halfway point Leaty, Beers, and Earl Paules held the top three spots as they had not yet elected to pit. Hossfeld was now in fourth and on the heels of the leaders. Leaty and Beers pulled away from the pack while Paules was left to fend off the "Hotshoe". Hossfeld got past Paules on lap 56 for third, and then went after the top two. He caught and passed Beers on lap 60 just before the yellow flag came out for Bill Hebing. Realizing that they were outmatched by Hossfeld while on older tires both Leaty and Beers pitted, which handed the lead to Hossfeld. Tom McGrath was now second followed by Bobby Holmes, Mike Leaty, and T.J. Potrzebowski. On the restart, McGrath pulled to the inside of Hossfeld as the field picked up the green flag. McGrath took the lead going into turn one, however, RoC Tour officials ruled that he jumped the start when he pulled alongside Hossfeld before the start/finish line. Hossfeld was put back into the lead during the following caution period. On lap 76, T.J. Potrzebowski spun in turn two and stacked up several cars. John Markovic, Billy Putney, and Daren Scherer all suffered damage as they tangled on the backstretch. This set up a 24 lap dash to the finish with Hossfeld still leading over McGrath, plus drivers such as Eric Beers, Jan Leaty, and Matt Hirschman working through the field after pitting. When the race resumed Hossfeld took off and pulled away from the rest of the pack. He went the final 24 laps untouched to score his second career U.S. Open win. Hossfeld knew he had put himself in a hole in the heat race, but overcame it."It was just luck of the draw," Hossfeld said, "we drew 98 of 100 and it put me last in the heat, and just got a flat tire." He also had a different crew working with him than usual, but it did not affect the outcome. "My normal guys are in Syracuse watching dirt," Hossfeld said. "We got kind of a filler bunch guys, and Don's (Ryerse) guys." "What a ride, I'm really pumped up," he added. Tom McGrath finished second to Hossfeld. Matt Hirschman finished third after starting second to last in the 31-car field. He came through the field twice after pitting while running fourth. Jan Leaty and Bobby Holmes rounded out the top five. Eric Beers finished sixth. Danny Knoll Jr. finished eighth in just his first race since last year's Open. Pete Brittain tightened the race for the RoC Tour championship by finishing five spots ahead of points leader Earl Paules in ninth. Paules has a slim four point lead over Brittain going into the final race at Mahoning Valley on October 21. Matt Hirschman is third and is 13 points out of the lead. Kirk Rutherford of Barker, NY won the caution-filled 75-lap SST Modified Series feature. Rutherford started sixth in a field of 33 cars, but took the lead from pole-sitter Neal Dietz on lap five. He led the final 70 laps and survived through more than 12 caution periods. Tony Hanbury started eighth and moved in to the runner-up spot on lap 17. Hanbury was one of the few cars that could keep up with Rutherford under green flag conditions. Late in the race, he made a serious attempt to take the lead but came up short. T.J. Potrzebowski was sent to the rear after being involved in an early-race caution, but came back through the field to finish third. Chris Finocchario ran inside the top five for the entire race and finished fourth. Jerry Harding Jr. had an impressive fifth place run. Rutherford's win is his fifth at the U.S. Open, which is more than any other driver in the 18-year history of the event. Dave Johnson won the 30-lap Jerry Gradl Motors Super Stock feature. Johnson passed Jay Mudra for the lead with just four laps to go. Mudra led 23 laps before handing over the lead to Johnson. Wayne Bernhard finished second. Jeff Merritt, Frank Batista, and Jay Mudra rounded out the top five. RESULTS Sunoco Race of Champions Modified Tour
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